I Am the Light

"I Am the Light" John 8

"Four huge golden candelabra were placed in the center of the court; each of these candelabra had four-golden basins and four ladders, on which stood four lads from the rising youths of the priests with jars of oil wherewith they fed the basins, while the cast-off garments of the- priests were used as wicks. The lights of these candelabra illuminated the whole city. Around these lights pious and distinguished men danced before the people with lighted flambeaux in their hands, singing hymns and songs of praise; while the Levites, who were stationed on the fifteen steps which led into the woman's court, and corresponded to the fifteen psalms of degrees=steps (Psalms 120-134), accompanied the songs with harps, psalteries, cymbals, and numberless musical instruments. The dancing, as well as the vocal and instrumental music, continued till daybreak. Some of these pious men performed dexterous movements with their flambeaux while dancing for the amusement of the people."

I AM THE LIGHT

Maybe at the prodding of Nicodemus, the Jews came out and starting asking Jesus some questions. The party was still going on. The religious celebration was reaching its peak - its crescendo. Everything was done with great joy. The eighth day was at hand and on the Greatest Day of the Feast, Jesus had some things to say. He said He was the Light of the world. He said, "I am that I am."

But first:, certain Biblical events occurred, might have occurred, and will occur during the Feast of Tabernacles.:

SOLOMON’S TEMPLE

1 Kings 8:1-5 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant from Zion, the City of David. 2 All the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.

3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

2 Chronicles 7:1-10 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,

"He is good; his love endures forever."

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. 6 The priests took their positions, as did the Levites with the LORD's musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the LORD and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, "His love endures forever." Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.

7 Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the LORD, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.

8 So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him-a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. 9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the LORD had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.

All of the people at this celebration were fully aware of the dedication of the Temple of Solomon and the words of Solomon. Can God dwell in a building -- no matter how much gold is around? Some consider the Jewish Temple to be one of the greatest wonders of man if not the greatest. The remains of the stones in the foundation amaze people today.

And then look at the contrast. Herod, trying to impress the Roman Empire, rebuilt and expanded the Temple Mount area and it was truly an impressive sight. The Gospels bring that out and Jesus tells his disciples that it would be destroyed. The Jews told him it took forty years to build. They were impressed with it. But at this celebration, booths were made out of sticks and branches and palm fronds. The roof of the booth had to be loosely thatched so that the sun and stars could be seen. And the Jews were expected to live there for a week. Right next to the ornate, golden temple, were temporary booths of branches.

BIRTH OF JESUS

SOURCE: http://biblicalholidays.com/Tabernacles/messiah_in_tabernacles.htm

Was the Birth of Christ during the Feast of Tabernacles?

Many scholars believe Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles. Matthew Henry states:
It is supposed by many that our blessed Saviour was born much about the time of this holiday; then He left his mansions of light above to tabernacle among us (John 1:14), and he dwelt in booths. And the worship of God under the New Testament is prophesied of under the notion of keeping the feast of tabernacles, Zec.14:16. For, [1.] The gospel of Christ teaches us to dwell in tabernacles, to sit loose to this world, as those that have here no continuing city, but by faith, and hope and holy contempt of present things, to go out to Christ without the camp, Heb. 13:13, 14. [2.] It teaches us to rejoice before the Lord our God. Those are the circumcision, Israelites indeed, that always rejoice in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3:3. And the more we are taken off from this world the less liable we are to the interruption of our joys.
The Bible does not specifically say the date of Jesus’ birth. We know it was not during the winter months because the sheep were in the pasture (Luke 2:8). A study of the time of the conception of John the Baptist reveals he was conceived about Sivan 30, the eleventh week.

When Zechariah was ministering in the temple, he received an announcement from God of a coming son. The eighth course of Abia, when Zekharya was ministering, was the week of Sivan 12 to 18 (Killian n.d.). Adding forty weeks for a normal pregnancy reveals that John the Baptist was born on or about Passover (Nisan 14). We know six months after John’s conception, Mary conceived Jesus (Luke 1:26-33). Therefore, Jesus would have been conceived six months later in the month of Kislev. Kislev 25 is Hanukkah. Was the "light of the world" conceived on the festival of lights?

Starting at Hanukkah, which begins on Kislev 25 and continues for eight days, and counting through the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy, one arrives at the approximate time of the birth of Jesus at the Festival of Tabernacles (the early fall of the year).

During the Feast of Tabernacles, God required all male Jews to come to Jerusalem. The many pilgrims coming to Jerusalem for the festivals would spill over to the surrounding towns (Bethlehem is about five miles from Jerusalem). Joseph and Mary were unable to find a room at the inn because of the influx of so many pilgrims. They may have been given shelter in a sukkah, which is built during a seven-day period each year accompanying the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. Due to the difficulties during travel, it was common for the officials to declare tax time during a temple Feast (Luke 2:1).
We know our Messiah was made manifest into a temporary body when He came to earth. Is it possible He also was put into a temporary dwelling? The fields would have been dotted with sukkoths during this harvest time to temporary shelter animals. The Hebrew word "stable" is called a sukkoth (Gen. 33:17).
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).
Joseph and Mary took the child and flew to Egypt and remained there until they were told by God that Herod was dead. Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus into Jerusalem forty days from His birth for Mary’s purification and the child’s dedication (according to Torah this had to be done within forty days of the birth of a male child–not doing so is considered a sin). This indicates that Herod died within the same forty days, because as long as Herod was alive, they could not appear at the Temple. (According to Josephus’ calculations, Herod’s death occurred during the Autumn in the fourth year before the Common Era 4 b.c.e.).
Later in His life, Yeshua celebrated His birthday on a mountain with three of His disciples. In contrast to birthday parties, such as Herod’s, where people were killed for entertainment, His was a celebration of life. On the Festival of Succoth, Moshe and EliYahu (Elijah), from centuries past, representatives of the Torah and the Prophets, appeared and talked with Yeshua. One disciple, Kepha (Peter), suggested building three succoth for Yeshua, Moshe, and EliYahu, because it was required for the festival, but he did not understand that these three were fulfilling that which the festival symbolized: they were dwelling in their succoth (temporary tabernacles) of flesh, awaiting their eternal resurrection temples (Killian n.d.)
A number of Christians are celebrating Christ’s birth during the Feast of Tabernacles, complete with decorations and lights on the sukkah, a birthday cake, and music celebrating Jesus’ birth.

If I carry this speculation just a bit further, what if God chose to have Jesus born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. His circumcism would have been on the eighth day of the Feast. When He talked about circumcising on the Sabbath, He may have been talking about Himself. That is interesting, but consider one more bit of symbolism. This is the feast when Jews live in booths. The Son of God left heaven and all that is connected with it, to live in a human body. Is that like leaving the Temple with all its gold to live in a temporary dwelling with a thatched roof that you can see through?

2 Corinthians 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

2 Peter 1:13-15 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

The Apostles understood this body that we live in is like a tent -- a temporary shelter -- a tabernacle -- a booth -- a "succoth."

Genesis 33:17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth , where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth .

ALL NATIONS WILL COME UP

Zechariah 14:16-19 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles . 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles

This is future talk. Some put this activity in the timeframe of the Millennium when Jesus will rule with an iron thumb. What is interesting is that the feast will still be happening. And it is centered around Jerusalem. If the Feast is still being done, then bulls, lambs, and goats are being sacrificed, or has the nature and tenor of the Feast changed?

When Jesus is standing in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles declaring that He is the Light of the World, He is the source of Living Water, and He is the I am, He identified Himself with the LORD Almighty Zechariah was talking about. If He was the LORD Almighty, was He now going to defeat all who had attacked Jerusalem? Do you see the conflict with the Jews and even those who believed in Him? Rome was still occupying the land. Surely the Messiah would remove Rome from Jerusalem. as the prophet Zechariah indicated. When was Jesus going to take over, if He was the Christ?

WHAT DID THE PHARISEES ASK ON THAT LAST DAY OF THE FEAST?

So here has come along a person that has done many miracles and He has effectively declared that He is the LORD Almighty. This is in anyone’s book, is endtime thinking. If you were in this situation -- a highly charged religious event where a miracle worker comes up outside of your specific liturgy, what would you ask?

This is what the Pharisees said.

John 8:13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."

John 8:19 Then they asked him, "Where is your father?"

John 8:22 This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"

John 8:25 "Who are you?" they asked.

John 8:33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

John 8:39 "Abraham is our father," they answered.

John 8:41 "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

John 8:48 The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

John 8:52-53 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

John 8:57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

John 8:59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Does this sound familiar? If you have ever been in a discussion defending your own faith, has not the same routine been used on you?

First: "That is your opinion"

Second: "What makes you qualified? I know your family."

Third: "Who do you think you are?"

Fourth: "Well, I go to that church. And that’s what I am. I believe in God."

Fifth: "You’re part of that splinter cult, aren’t you?"

Six: "You’re nuts. I have my beliefs."

Seven: REJECTION OF YOU PERSONALLY

Don’t we reject cultic propositioning the same way? Or for that matter, the simple teaching in scripture that doesn’t match our own preconceived assumptions and understanding? Maybe this is the formula we as humans naturally use in "spiritual warfare."

On what authority did Jesus stand? Yes, He had the authority of the Father -- but that takes belief and faith. If you don’t believe the speaker is speaking for whom He claims to be speaking, your own defense mechanisms will rise and you will go down steps One through Seven: rejecting the speaker.

But Jesus had something else. The hint is in John 7

John 7:21-24 Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

Let’s put this in context of the ministry of Jesus. The Gospels point it out at least three times.

Matthew 9:6-7 [Mark 2:10, Luke 5:24] But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home."

The Son of God, dwelling in the tent -- the booth -- of a human body, showed His authority through miracles. Were there any other miracles happening while the priests were juggling torches?

This should be the example for us as we enter into spiritual warfare. Words are one thing. Logical presentations are great. Even scriptures quoted -- that’s what Jesus did. But what set His ministry apart even though He had all the symbolism of the feasts, all the religion, and even the torch tossers as an example of what He was -- the religious show was on -- but His authority was demonstrated with the miraculous.

"I did one miracle, and you are all astonished."

Logic, reason, scripture -- many believe through these -- but the stabilizing authority is the miraculous. Maybe that is why he instructed us to go and do even greater things than what He did. With logic, reason, scripture, spiritual warfare and religion, it is possible to still reject Jesus. But when the paralyzed walk in the name of Jesus...? Is that what the church is doing today, or are we just juggling torches?