Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? Mark 4:21
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. Luke 8:16-18
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. Luke 11:28-33
The analogy of the lit candle should be food for thought for all believers. Several questions pose but let’s consider the following:
- Who lights the candle in the believer?
- What happens to a lit candle?
- Where does the flame of the lit candle point?
The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Proverbs 20:27 KJV
The spirit God breathed into man is like a living lamp, a shining light searching into the innermost chamber of our being. Proverbs 20:27 TPT
So, we understand clearly who lights the candle, the breath of God in man, to search out first, all our works; so that everyman can understand that he cannot hide his sins nor his works from God; but there is more taught to us in every reference that the Lord made to the lit candle.
When a candle is lit, several things happen. The lit or burning candle:
1. Self-consumes, speaking to the sacrificial life of the believer that’s patterned after the life of Christ – Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:6
For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give his life as the ransom price for the salvation of many. Mark 10: 45 TPT
He gave himself as ransom-payment for everyone. Now is the proper time for God to give the world this witness. 1 Timothy 2:6 TPT
2. Produces four things
a. Light, the objective lesson of the Lord in all the reference scriptures and for specific purposes that we will show later,
b. Heat, the passion and enthusiasm – Romans 12:11 TPT – Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him.
c. Carbon dioxide, which is breathed in by plants and trees to give the oxygen that man breathes; and
d. Water vapour, that condenses to water, and provides both plants and humans the wherewithal to produce and live respectively – Job 14:7-9
Suffice it to say, the lit candle portrays a beneficial life, and that in the least is the expectation of the Lord for the life of every believer. Can you reflect on these characteristics portrayed in a lit candle and see if your life, redeemed by the Lord and filled with His spirit, produces the same? Selah
Photo by Lilya Alis on Unsplash
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