KEEP THE FIRE BURNING 2

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 Leviticus 24:3-4

This is the lampstand that stands in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation.
Aaron and the priests must tend the lamps on the pure gold lampstand continually in the Lord’s presence.

Earlier on Moses had instructed the priests about the Lord's command to keep the fire at the tabernacle burning. In the reading today we see the instruction for the lamps to keep burning. There was no room for time out!

What we are to consider today is what the lampstand represent and what the fire also represents to the believer.

A good description from the new testament to explain this is Christ's parable of the ten virgins.

Matthew 25:1-5
“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

Reading through different writings on this parable from divers scholars we can attribute the lamp to be the life of the believer and the oil the Holy Spirit.

Look at this extract from "got questions":

"The five virgins who have the extra oil represent the truly born again who are looking with eagerness to the coming of Christ. They have saving faith and have determined that, whatever occurs, be it lengthy time or adverse circumstances, when Jesus returns, they will be looking with eagerness. The five virgins without the oil represent false believers who enjoy the benefits of the Christian community without true love for Christ. They are more concerned about the party than about longing to see the bridegroom. Their hope is that their association with true believers (“give us some of your oil” of verse 8) will bring them into the kingdom at the end. This, of course, is never the case. One person’s faith in Jesus cannot save another. The “Lord, lord” and “I do not know you” of verses 11 and 12 fit very well with Jesus’ condemnation of the false believers of Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”"

We have always emphasized the personal relationship of each believer to the Lord. We remember that Christ said that God is Spirit and anyone who worships Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth!

Also, we hear Paul explain:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

We are not to hide under someone else, we are all to have our oils filled and also with extra supply. That is why I worry about believers who do not know how to pray, study the word and worship God on their own. Those who run after this "man of God", prophet etc, but have not established their relationship with the Heavenly Father.

We need spiritual teachers and leaders definitely, we also need fellowship and the believers' community, however nothing can take the place of your own personal relationship with the Lord!

So we must as individuals (vessel of the Lord, God's temple) keep our fires burning. For the fire to be kept burning we must have enough oil and extra for the coming days. Truly the bridegroom would be delayed in coming.

2 Timothy 4:1-2
I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom:
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

Truly everyone will sleep during the waiting period, we need to work to eat, associate with others - career, school, neighbours, however, we must ensure we have oil that will sustain us when the time comes to go meet with the Lord.

We must keep our fire burning.

May we receive understanding.

PRAYER
Dear Father help me keep my fire burning and my oil in excess that I will always be ready when You come and be welcome into Your glory. As I go on everyday, may Your Holy Spirit direct me in all that I do. I will not miss it. Amen.

He calls us blessed.

Love
@the watcher

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