1. Mature person inside and immature outside
2. Lampstand is fashioned after the Almond Tree
3. Meaning of Shaul ben Benyamin’s name
4. The Olive Tree and the Golden Lampstand
5. The Crown of Glory
6. Zechariah’s Fruit of Light
7. The works of the Spirit of Grace and Truth

Mature person inside and immature outside:

Becoming a follower of Messiah creates a developmental paradox.

After we are indwelt by the Spirit and are thereby fully matured in our spirits, we still exist as spiritual infants in our intellect, will, emotions, behavior and relational life. In this undeveloped mortal state—a fully formed spiritual adult inside in our spirit co-existing with an infant outside in our soul, body, and brain—we appear as if we are physically living in utero in our outward conscious and behavioral lives while at the same time we exist as fully formed adults inside our spirits.

This very embarrassing and frustrating paradoxical state of having received the gift of the Spirit so that we possess full maturity in our immortal spirits, while at the present time remaining immature in our mortal physical, neurological, and behavioral being continues to be a problem. Fortunately this is a temporary problem. For it is written:

על כן מי שננימצא במשיח הוא בריאה חדשה. הישנות עברו; היננה ניהיו חדשות. פ

Therefore, those who are in Messiah are a new creation. The old is fading away as we become new.

So problem solved: Every believer at the time of his or her resurrection will become new, as perfect (whole, complete) as Avinu Shebashamayim is perfect (שלם). After we are miraculously changed on the day of our resurrection every believer’s outward physical being and behavioral life will be miraculously changed. We shall be just as sinless and perfect in our outward conscious and behavioral life as we are presently in our spirits. Hence we are paradoxically at the present time both fully grown adults in our spirits, yet not fully formed (matured) in our physical and conscious behavioral life; sufficient so that the world might visibly see us for who we really are—the sons and daughters of our heavenly Father.

This developmental paradox explains why the mental attitude and behavior of many of the followers of the Messiah does not harmonize with our avowed beliefs. It takes time for the new indwelling perfect eternal life of the Spirit of Holy One to develop and finally manifest in the imperfect temporal  existence of our outer socially conditioned mental and behavioral life. This means that in this present difficult time of mortal weakness:

אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה הִיא רוּחָנִית, אַךְ אֲנִי הִנְנִי בָּשָׂר וָדָם וּמָכוּר לַחֵטְא.אָכֵן אֵינֶנִּי מֵבִין אֶת מַעֲשַׂי, כִּי לֹא אֶת מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי חָפֵץ אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה, אֶלָּא דַּוְקָא אֶת מַה שֶּׁשָּׂנוּא עָלַי אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה. וְאִם אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אֶת מַה שֶּׁאֵינֶנִּי חָפֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת, אֲנִי מוֹדֶה שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה טוֹבָה. מִכָּאן שֶׁלֹּא עוֹד אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, אֶלָּא הַחֵטְא הַשּׁוֹכֵן בִּי, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ כִּי בִּי, כְּלוֹמַר בִּבְשָׂרִי, לֹא שׁוֹכֵן הַטּוֹב. אָמְנָם לִרְצוֹת אֲנִי יָכוֹל, אַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַטּוֹב אֵינֶנִּי יָכוֹל; כִּי אֵינֶנִּי עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַטּוֹב שֶׁאֲנִי חָפֵץ בּוֹ, אֶלָּא אֶת הָרַע שֶׁאֵינֶנִּי חָפֵץ בּוֹ – אוֹתוֹ אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה. וְאִם אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אֶת מַה שֶּׁבְּנִגּוּד לִרְצוֹנִי, הֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא עוֹד אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ, אֶלָּא הַחֵטְא הַשּׁוֹכֵן בִּי. לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי מוֹצֵא אֶת הַחֺק הַזֶּה: רְצוֹנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַטּוֹב, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָרַע עוֹמֵד לְפָנַי. בָּאָדָם הַפְּנִימִי שֶׁבִּי אֲנִי שָׂמֵחַ בְּתוֹרַת אֱלֹהִים, אַךְ בְּאֵיבָרַי אֲנִי רוֹאֶה חֺק אַחֵר, וְהוּא נִלְחָם נֶגֶד הַחֺק שֶׁבְּשִׂכְלִי וּמְשַׁעְבֵּד אוֹתִי לְחֺק הַחֵטְא הַשּׂוֹרֵר בְּאֵיבָרַי. אוֹי לִי, אָדָם אֻמְלָל שֶׁכְּמוֹתִי, מִי יַצִּילֵנִי מִגּוּף זֶה שֶׁהַמָּוֶת בּוֹ? תּוֹדָה לֵאלֹהִים עַל יֵשׁוּעַ הַמָּשִׁיחַ אֲדוֹנֵנוּ! וּבְכֵן, בְּשִׂכְלִי אֲנִי עֶבֶד לְתוֹרַת אֱלֹהִים, אַךְ בִּבְשָׂרִי אֲנִי מְשֻׁעְבָּד לְחֺק הַחֵטְא. לָכֵן אֵין עַכְשָׁו שׁוּם הַרְשָׁעָה עַל אֵלֶּה שֶׁנִּמְצָאִים בַּמָּשִׁיחַ יֵשׁוּעַ, כִּי חֺק רוּחַ הַחַיִּים שֶׁבַּמָּשִׁיחַ יֵשׁוּעַ שִׁחְרֵר אוֹתִי מֵחֺק הַחֵטְא וְהַמָּוֶת. פ

We know that the Torah is spiritual, but I am flesh and blood and addicted to sin. Indeed, I do not understand my actions, for I do not do what I desire, but precisely what is hated of me I do. And if I do what I don’t want to do, I admit that the Torah is good. Hence I no longer do the deed, but the sin that dwells in me, for I know that in me, that is in my flesh, the good does not dwell. Indeed, to will I can, to do good I cannot; because I do not do the good that I desire, but the evil that I do not desire – that I do. And if I do what is against my will, after all, I no longer do it, but the sin that dwells in me. In return, I find this law: My desire is to do the good, except that evil *stands before me. In my inner man I am happy in the Torah of God, but in my members I see another law, and it fights against the law in my mind and enslaves me to the law of sin that remains in my members. Woe is me, a miserable human like me, who will save me from this body of death? Thanks be to God for Yeshua the Messiah our Master! And yes, in my mind I serve the Torah of God,but in my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are found in Messiah Yeshua, because the law of the spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has freed me from the law of sin and death.

*The old sin nature is fighting against our new nature that we received through the gift of the Spirit that we have received from Avinu Shebashamayim, our heavenly Father. This developmental war within us of our old sin nature and our new nature in the Spirit means:

We must be very patient and gracious with ourselves and all others!

For it takes a considerable amount of time and personal sacrifice for an authentic follower of Messiah to be changed from the Inside-out. It takes time to get to where the hope that lies within us is finally fully matured in our mental being sufficient so that the invisible eternal life of the Spirit of Abba Avinu is actually manifested in us and through us out into today’s outside visible world for all to see.

Lampstand is fashioned after the Almond Tree:

Rabbi Shaul-Paul ben Benyamin uses the temple Golden Lampstand to illustrate the pattern the Holy Spirit uses to develop and perfect all believers:

בֶּעָבָר הֱיִיתֶם חֺשֶׁךְ, אַךְ עַכְשָׁו אוֹר אַתֶּם בָּאָדוֹן. הִתְנַהֲגוּ נָא כִּבְנֵי הָאוֹר, כִּי פְּרִי הָאוֹר הוּא כָּל טוּב וְכָל צְדָקָה וֶאֱמֶת. בַּחֲנוּ וְהִוָּכְחוּ מָה רָצוּי בְּעֵינֵי הָאָדוֹן. פְּ

“In the past you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Please behave as the children of the light, for the fruit of the light is all goodness and all righteousness and truth. Examine and prove what is desirable in the eyes of the Lord.”

The golden lampstand located in the Temple of our body (that belongs to Adonai Elohim) is fashioned after the Almond Tree. The Messiah, therefore, is depicted as an Almond Tree. He is the tree of Life and Light. The Spirit of the Holy One indwells every believer’s soul, mind, spirit and body.

Since the Son of God possesses all of the Spirit of the Holy One he gives Him as a gift to all who believe in his redemptive sacrifice (forgiveness) for sin and promise of eternal life. It is this gift of the Spirit of the Holy One who indwells, sustains, matures, and perfects us that is our guarantee of eternal life.

In descending order of vertical prominence the fruit of light that manifests out of Messiah’s Tree of Life is described as the Spirit of Messiah’s goodness, righteousness and truth. Trees grow vertically and the golden lamp stand is fashioned after an almond tree that possesses three pairs of perfectly symmetrical branches.

Meaning of Shaul ben Benyamin’s name:

The meaning of Rabbi Shaul-Paul ben Benyamin’s name is a riddle. Historically Paul’s ancestor Shaul (Saul) was the first king of Israel. As the story goes in pride our Jewish ancestors wanted to have a mortal king instead of God as king; so that in their vanity they could be like the gentiles. Paul’s ancestor Shaul ben Benyamin was this king. Hence, our proud and vain ancestors asked for a new king to replace God as King. This not only displeased the prophet Samuel—meaning one who literally Hears God—but it greatly offended God. Hence the riddle: Shaul means “Asked for,”  so just as the proud people of Israel Asked for a new king to replace God; now God Asked for a new humble people of modern Israel to replace the old. In addition to the meaning of the Hebrew name Shaul, his Roman name Paulus means Humble, Little; and his ancestral tribal name Benjamin means Son of My Right Hand. So the hidden meaning of Rabbi Shaul-Paul Benyamin is just a (tall) proud people of Israel Asked for a king to replace God as King, so now:

God as King has Asked for a (small) humble people to be the Son of His Right Hand!

The Olive Tree and the Golden Lampstand:

וישב המלאך הדבר בי ויעירני כאיש אשר־יעור משנתו׃ ויאמר אלי מה אתה ראה [ויאמר כ] (ואמר ק) ראיתי ׀ והנה מנורת זהב כלה וגלה על־ראשה ושבעה נרתיה עליה שבעה ושבעה מוצקות לנרות אשר על־ראשה׃ ושנים זיתים עליה אחד מימין הגלה ואחד על־שמאלה׃ ואען ואמר אל־המלאך הדבר בי לאמר מה־אלה אדני׃ ויען המלאך הדבר בי ויאמר אלי הלוא ידעת מה־המה אלה ואמר לא אדני׃ ויען ויאמר אלי לאמר זה דבר־ה’ אל־זרבבל לאמר לא בחיל ולא בכח כי אם־ברוחי אמר ה’ צבאות׃ מי־אתה הר־הגדול לפני זרבבל למישר והוציא את־האבן הראשה תשאות חן חן לה׃ ויהי דבר־ה’ אלי לאמר׃ ידי זרבבל יסדו הבית הזה וידיו תבצענה וידעת כי־ה’ צבאות שלחני אליכם׃ כי מי בז ליום קטנות ושמחו וראו את־האבן הבדיל ביד זרבבל שבעה־אלה עיני ה’ המה משוטטים בכל־הארץ׃

וַיָּשָׁב הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי וַיְעִירֵנִי כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יֵעֹור מִשְּׁנָתֹֽו׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י מָ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה רֹאֶ֑ה [וַיֹּאמֶר כ] (וָאֹמַ֡ר ק) רָאִ֣יתִי ׀ וְהִנֵּ֣ה מְנֹורַת֩ זָהָ֨ב כֻּלָּ֜הּ וְגֻלָּ֣הּ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֗הּ וְשִׁבְעָ֤ה נֵרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעָ֤ה וְשִׁבְעָה֙ מֽוּצָקֹ֔ות לַנֵּרֹ֖ות אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃ וּשְׁנַ֥יִם זֵיתִ֖ים עָלֶ֑יהָ אֶחָד֙ מִימִ֣ין הַגֻּלָּ֔ה וְאֶחָ֖ד עַל־שְׂמֹאלָֽהּ׃ וָאַ֙עַן֙ וָֽאֹמַ֔ר אֶל־הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ הַדֹּבֵ֥ר בִּ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר מָה־אֵ֖לֶּה אֲדֹנִֽי׃ וַ֠יַּעַן הַמַּלְאָ֞ךְ הַדֹּבֵ֥ר בִּי֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י הֲלֹ֥וא יָדַ֖עְתָּ מָה־הֵ֣מָּה אֵ֑לֶּה וָאֹמַ֖ר לֹ֥א אֲדֹנִֽי׃ וַיַּ֜עַן וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֚ה דְּבַר־ה’ אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א בְחַ֙יִל֙ וְלֹ֣א בְכֹ֔חַ כִּ֣י אִם־בְּרוּחִ֔י אָמַ֖ר ה’ צְבָאֹֽות׃ מִֽי־אַתָּ֧ה הַֽר־הַגָּדֹ֛ול לִפְנֵ֥י זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל לְמִישֹׁ֑ר וְהֹוצִיא֙ אֶת־הָאֶ֣בֶן הָרֹאשָׁ֔ה תְּשֻׁאֹ֕ות חֵ֥ן חֵ֖ן לָֽהּ׃ וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־ה’ אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ יְדֵ֣י זְרֻבָּבֶ֗ל יִסְּד֛וּ הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה וְיָדָ֣יו תְּבַצַּ֑עְנָה וְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־ה’ צְבָאֹ֖ות שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ כִּ֣י מִ֣י בַז֮ לְיֹ֣ום קְטַנֹּות֒ וְשָׂמְח֗וּ וְרָא֞וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֧בֶן הַבְּדִ֛יל בְּיַ֥ד זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל שִׁבְעָה־אֵ֑לֶּה עֵינֵ֣י ה’ הֵ֥מָּה מְשֹׁוטְטִ֖ים בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. “What do you see now?” he asked. I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each one having seven spouts with wicks. And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.” Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my lord? What do they mean?” “Don’t you know?” the angel asked. “No, my lord,” I replied. Then he said to me, “This is what Adonai says to Zerubbabel: It is not by power nor by might, but by my Spirit, says Adonai. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will flatten out before him! Then Zerubbabel will set the final stone of the Temple in place, and the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!'” Then another message came to me from Adonai Eli: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that Adonai of Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for Adonai rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of Adonai that search all around the world.” Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?” “Don’t you know?” he asked. “No, my lord,” I replied. Then he said to me, “They represent the two anointed ones who assist Adonai of all the earth” (Zechariah 4:1-14).

Zechariah’s Fruit of Light:

The Olive Tree is a symbol of the work of the Holy Spirit through the life/lives of Israel, the Messiah, and those believing Gentiles who are grafted, by faith, into the Commonwealth of Israel.

Olive oil is a symbol of the works of the Holy Spirit.

Faith comes through hearing, understanding, and obeying—Hebrew: shama; Aramaic: shema—the Torah of the one true LORD God, the Eternal-Almighty One, as spoken by the prophet Moses and fulfilled by His Beloved Son, the Messiah Yeshua.

In Zechariah 4:1-14, God’s invisible tree at the side od the Golden Lampstand  is clearly revealed to be the Olive Tree. God’s glorious presence that abides upon, in, and through the Messiah is testified to in the two offices of priest and king that are symbolized in the “two olive trees” found in Zechariah’s vision.

The Crown of Glory:

The Crown of Glory #1.  The Spirit of Grace and Truth is building up a nation of kings and priests, Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel, to produce the fruit of light, the fruit of Goodness, Righteousness and Truth. The ministry of this international nation of kings and priests is composed of both redeemed-believing Jews and Gentiles.

The Crown of Glory #2.  The sacred Union of the Almond Tree-Golden Lampstand with the fruit of the Olive Tree (olive oil) reveals the existence of the true Crown of Glory that is the very presence of the Spirit of God. This Crown of Glory of the Presence casts a rainbow of olive colored light around the entire throne of Avinu Shebashamayim.

The Crown of Glory #3.  The Olive Tree is the true beautiful tree that covers the almond tree of the Messiah, whose fruit-oil anoints the Messiah, the Light of the World, and all his followers who abide in His Spirit and *M’shicho, Ha-Adonai Elohim Hamvorakh L’Olam Va’ed.

*His Messiah, the one the LORD our God Blesses Forever.

The works of the Spirit of Grace and Truth:

Therefore, the Olive Tree and its sacred fruit are a symbol of the works of the Spirit of Grace and Truth that are produced, harvested, and refined in the lives of redeemed humankind—Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel. This uniting of the fruit of the Olive Tree with the Almond Tree-Light of the Golden Lampstand gives forth the brilliant illumination of the Fruit of Light that lights up the heavenly throne of *Avi HaMe’orot.

*The Father of Lights.

Messiah in Chanukkah Chapter 21 >>