"Have your belt on your waist and let your "lamps" be lit.
(מָתֽנֵכֶם יהיוּ וֽהַגוּרים וֽהַנרוֹת דֹלקים)
Luke, Chapter 12, verses 35-40, Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels.
"As for yourselves, be like men who are waiting for the time that their master returns from the wedding. When he comes and knocks, they open him instantly.
O gladness of those servants whom the Master finds watching when he enters!
Amen, I say to you that he will gird himself and seat them and go serve them.
And if he comes at the second watch and at the third watch and finds it to be so, o gladness of those servants!
And know this: if the owner of the house knew what hour the thief would have come, at that time he would watch and not let him break into the house.
Therefore you also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a hour you don't expect."
About His Second return, Yeshua always advises us to be watchful and in a state of permanent readiness. Most of us are probably familiar with the translation of verse 35 from Luke, Chapter 12: "Have your belts on your waists and let your "lamps" be lit."
מָתֽנֵכֶם יהיוּ וֽהַגוּרים וֽהַנרוֹת דֹלקים
I put "lamps" intentionally into brackets, because the Hebrew version renders "lamp" with a word that is much closer to the Jewish concept of light. The Delitzsch version translates with " vehanerot dolkim" ( and the candles lit)
This seemingly tiny detail is of major importance. "Nerot", the candles are an essentiel component in Jewish symbolism and mystics. Actually there is a Hannukah song entitled "Nerot dolkim" and as you would probably know, Hannukah is intimately linked with our Messiah Yeshua, Light of the world.
Whoever has lit Shabbat candles perfectly knows that lighting candles when darkness arises at Erev Shabbat is welcoming light and peace into our home. The disciple wants to welcome Yeshua, the Master of Shabbat.
Shabbat is the victory of divine light over a world of darkness and madness.
To the disciple, welcoming the Master is not just an option. We must await Him, even if the external circumstances tell us that His arrival has been delayed. This is what the Jewish confession of faith "ani maamin' is all about.
No matter what happens, we ought to stay firm in our faith.
Not only does this imply that we may be watchful at ALL TIMES, in a continuous relationship with our Moschiach King ( if Yeshua truly LIVES within you, you will maintain a state of permanent prayer).
Sometimes, it will involve that we walk on water, but we must be very FIRM in our expectation of the Messiah.
Yeshua has been warning us for centuries now that He would be coming "like a thief in the night".
Hashem's timing has been a stumbling stone for many.
Some corporate assemblies even dared to claim that "if Yeshua hasn't come over 2000 years, He will not be coming at all."
Above anything else, the watchful disciple should heed false teachings and false "messiahs". In these times we will truly witness an uprise in delusion through erroneous teachings and wolves posing in sheep's clothes.
Therefore, only the ones who are truly rooted in Yeshua will be able to recognize Him when He returns.
May our hearts be clothed with kindness, forgiveness and righteousness.
Our reward is the Messiah and it is worth the sacrifice.
Light your candles and get rid of the inner darkness. Let Yeshua enter when He is knocking at the door. For He is the Light that erases darkness from the world.
Come soon, Lord Yeshua. Amen.
Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
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