Messiah likens those that are REVILED and PERSECUTED "FOR
MY SAKE" (Matthew 5:11) to SALT as an EARTHLY "SAVOUR", i.e. "SEASONING"
(Matthew 5:13)
Like SALT which needs to be HIDDEN from the natural elements
to KEEP its SEASONING (Luke 14:34-35), His disciples need to be FOCUSED on their HIDDEN "REWARD in heaven"
to KEEP their JOY AMIDST their PERSECUTION (Matthew 5:12)
ISRAEL'S FATHERS (Romans 9:4-5) "confessed that they were STRANGERS and PILGRIMS on the EARTH"
NOW (Hebrews 11:13) and, thus, "declare plainly that they SEEK ... a BETTER COUNTRY"
to be SEEN LATER (Hebrews 11:14,16)
MOSES CHOSE "to SUFFER AFFLICTION with the people
of God", so as to RECEIVE the HIDDEN "GREATER RICHES" to be REVEALED LATER (Hebrews 11:24-26)
THE PROPHETS in their FAITHFUL TESTIMONY for the Lord
are held out as "an EXAMPLE of SUFFERING, and of PATIENCE" (James 5:10)
to be emulated in "the PATIENCE of the SAINTS" (Revelation 14:12-13) who "came out of GREAT TRIBULATION" (Revelation 7:13-14)
in their "VICTORY OVER THE BEAST" (Revelation 15:2 cf.Revelation 12:11)
These TRIBULATION SAINTS, in "the LAST TIME"
when "ANTICHRIST shall come" (I John 2:18),
will KEEP themselves from "the POLLUTIONS of the world THROUGH the KNOWLEDGE of the Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ" (II Peter 2:20), i.e. THROUGH the PURIFYING HOPE of being like Him Who is "YET
TO APPEAR" (I John 3:2-3) "WITHOUT SIN UNTO SALVATION" (Hebrews 9:28 cf. I Peter 1:7-9)
In "this PRESENT evil WORLD (AGE)" (Galatians 1:4),
"the INWARD MAN is RENEWED day by day" (II Corinthians 4:16) by LOOKING at "the THINGS which are NOT SEEN ... the THINGS which
... are ETERNAL" (II Corinthians 4:18)
Messiah called His kingdom disciples (Matthew 19:28)
"the LIGHT of the WORLD", which like "a CITY ... on a HILL" is NOT HID (Matthew 5:14)
Messiah in His FIRST COMING was "the LIGHT of the
WORLD" (John 9:5),
which the DARKNESS could NOT HIDE (John 1:4-5)
Messiah in His SECOND COMING will DISPLAY "the LIGHT
of His GLORY upon ISRAEL" (Isaiah 60:1),
which will DISPEL the DARKNESS COVERING the EARTH and the GROSS DARKNESS COVERING the PEOPLES (Isaiah 60:2)
"And the GENTILES shall come to THY (ISRAEL'S) LIGHT,
and KINGS to the BRIGHTNESS of THY (ISRAEL'S) RISING" (Isaiah 60:3)
Just as the LIGHT of a CANDLE is NOT HID under a BUSHEL
(an area covered by 9 liters or 2.25 gallons of DRY MEASURE), but is placed on a CANDLESTICK (LAMPSTAND) to give
LIGHT to the WHOLE HOUSE (Matthew 5:15) - so should the GOOD WORKS of Messiah's kingdom disciples (Matthew 19:28)
SHINE unto ALL MEN and bring GLORY to their HEAVENLY FATHER (Matthew 5:16)
ISRAEL IN MESSIAH'S KINGDOM will be "HOLINESS UNTO
THE LORD" (Zechariah 14:20-21) - Messiah having SANCTIFIED HIS NAME and HIS PEOPLE in the SIGHT of
ALL NATIONS (Ezekiel 36:22-27)
ISRAEL IN THE TRIBULATION (Revelation 1:9) as a SCATTERED PEOPLE, i.e. "the SEVEN CHURCHES which are IN
ASIA" (Revelation 1:11), is represented by SEVEN SEPARATE "CANDLESTICKS (LAMPSTANDS)"
(Revelation 1:20)
ISRAEL IN THE MILLENIUM (Revelation 20:4,6) as a REGATHERED PEOPLE, i.e. "ONE NATION" having "ONE
KING" (Ezekiel 37:19-22), is represented by a SINGLE "CANDLESTICK (LAMPSTAND)" upon
which are SEVEN LAMPS (Zechariah 4:2) - THREE LAMPS on EACH SIDE of the CENTER ONE as in the Tabernacle
(Exodus 25:31-32,37)