Messiah in Chanukkah Chapter 21
- A three-fold developmental process
- Truth (Emet)
- Righteousness (Tzadak)
- Goodness (Tuv)
- Our Heavenly Father’s Developmental Plan
- The focus on mature adulthood
A three-fold developmental process:
“Spirit of Adonai ה’) רוח) will rest on him” (cf. Isaiah 11:1-2):
The Fruit of Light #1. Spirit of wisdom and understanding (רוח חכמה ובינה),
The Fruit of LIght #2. Spirit of counsel and valor, strength (רוח עצה וגבורה),
The Fruit of Light #3. Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Adonai ה’) רוח דעת ויראת).
The prophet Isaiah developmentally organized the fruit emanating from the six branches of the golden lampstand into three couplets of Divinely inspired maturation. The seventh component of the prophet Isaiah’s Light is the stem and three roots that represent the Spirit of the LORD who supplies God’s life throughout His *Tree of Life and Light. Similarly, the fruit of the ministry of the Tree of Life is divided into three couplets, with each couplet of branches manifesting two attributes (i.e. a total of six branches):
*The Golden Lampstand that dwells in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle (מקום קודש המשכן) is the Tree of God’s Life and Light.
Branches #1 and #2. The highest couplet, the mature adult, is the spirit of wisdom (chokma, chokhmah) and understanding (binah) that indicates the fruit of light that is Goodness (tuv, tov).
Branches #2 and #3. The middle couplet, the young adult, is the spirit of counsel (etza) and valor, strength (gevurah) that gives forth the fruit of light that is righteousness; literally to be straight (tzadak).
Branches #4 and #5. The lowest couplet, the child, is the spirit of knowledge (da’at) and the fear of God (veyirat Adonai) that gives forth the fruit of light that is truth (emet).
Truth (Emet-אֱמֶת):
Since trees go through a developmental process it appears chronologically that the first developmental stage represented in the first couplet of branches grown out of the Spirit of God is the lowest couplet of the fruit of truth that produces the Fear of God and the Spirit of knowledge. In Proverb 9:10 we read:
The fear of God (veyirat Adonai) is the beginning of wisdom.
The beginning of a believing person’s developmental journey is spent reverencing the Holy One – fear is reverent trust – and acquiring the knowledge of God. Initially we discover that God is our Father in heaven and that if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us of all our unrighteousness. In reverent gratitude for all that God has done for us we learn to obey His will by being instructed in His Word which is Truth.
Righteousness (Tzadak-צָדַק):
The second developmental stage represented in the second couplet of the Tree of Life and Light involves the fruit of righteousness. This stage of spiritual growth involves appropriating the power of God to do His will. The power to do the will of our Father in heaven enables us to participate in a wider spectrum of knowing the Holy One, of walking in His counsel—walking in His Spirit.
Goodness (Tuv-טוּב):
It is the mature alone who possess reflexive skills of discernment (understanding).
The third and final developmental stage of our maturation involves the fruit of goodness. This is the mature life of the Spirit. A spiritually mature person is skilled in understanding the will of God the Father sufficient to quickly recognize and oppose evil and just as swiftly recognize and reflexively embrace what is good.
The mature are not only discerning but they are also wise.
A spiritual young adult can see a part of the big picture of life, experience a vision (sectional view) but only the mature can perceive the horizon-to-horizon view of of God; that is only the spiritually mature can “dream dreams” (panoramic view).
Our Heavenly Father’s Developmental Plan:
Knowing Him Who is from the Beginning (Eternity).
Similar to Isaiah the beloved talmid Yochanan ben Zebedyah presents a three-fold developmental process involving these: First, spiritual childhood when we come to understand that God is our Father and that as such He is the one who forgives us of all our sins. Second, spiritual young adulthood when we overcome the evil one by abiding in God’s Word. This developmental stage occurs when our training in hearing, understanding, and obeying the D’var Adonai reaches a point where the world’s social conditioning is supplanted (overthrown) and permanently replaced with the rule of the Spirit of the Holy One. Third, spiritually mature adulthood when one’s accumulated experience embracing the rule of God develops into a state of intimacy with God; Who is the Eternal One who is “from the beginning.”
The focus on mature adulthood:
כתבתי לכם, אבות, מיפני שהיכרתם אותו אשר הוא מראשית. פ
I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
Mature believers are like a laboring mother who is determined to give birth and then after bringing a new life into the world devotedly raises up her beloved child to full maturity.
Those who are spiritually mature must help those who are spiritual infants so that they might developmentally move from the initial experience of exercising faith in our Messiah, receive the gift of the Spirit (Living Torah), and then grow in the knowledge of Avinu Shebashamaim. The Great Shepherd of us all is the One who has sent us His Messiah (M’shico), forgiven us all our sins, given us His gift of eternal life, and appointed spiritual fathers and mothers to help us grow to mature spiritual adulthood. Blessed be your NAME!