DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT! – Luke 12:35-48 – At the Foot of the Covenant Ministries

Shalom all,

Luqas/Luke 18:8 “I say to you that He shall do right to them speedily. But when the Son of Aḏam comes, shall He find the belief on the earth?”

In a parable, יהושע Messiah was teaching us to always pray and not lose heart, knowing that Elohim shall do right to His own chosen ones who are crying out to Him day and night, being patient over them; and with this truth He put forth a very sobering question – shall He find the belief on the earth when He comes again!!!

As we sojourn as faithful ambassadors of the coming reign of the heavens, we must take great courage and strength in setting our expectation perfectly upon the favour that is to be brought to us at the revelation of our Master, Redeemer and King, יהושע Messiah! And to do that we need to be certain that we remain steadfast in our faith – and by that I mean a proper active and true faith that the Master expects to see in His chosen, set-apart ones! The belief or faith that the Master desires to find is one of complete obedience to His instructions, and any deviation from this cannot be rendered as the faith or belief HE expects to see! True belief and not demonic belief! What? What is demonic belief?

Ya’aqob/James 2:19 “You believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder!”

Belief without works is dead! Demons believe that Elohim is One, yet they do not submit to or obey His commands; and their ‘lawless’ belief is a dead belief; and so it is the same for those who claim to have belief yet refuse to submit to walking in His clear Torah. To nullify the need to walk in His Torah, yet claim to have belief is simply nothing more than a corrupt and demonic faith! Hearers only are foolish builders, for not everyone who says, ‘Master, Master’ while claiming to have done many works in His Name, shall enter the reign of the heavens; for it is only those who are doing the desire of Elohim that shall enter – and His desire of Elohim is our set-apartness! We looked last week at the ‘WWW OF SET-APARTNESS’, and looked at how our set-apartness must be seen in our work, witness and worship unto the Master! This week I would like us to consider the continual state we are to be in, and be found to be in by our Master, when He comes; and in a message tonight called, ‘DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT!’, I want us to be reminded about how true set-apartness and faithfulness is to be evident before all, remembering that while we were once darkness, we are now light in the Master, and therefore are called to walk as children of light! So what does a child of light look light? Turn with me to Luqas/Luke 12:35-48 and let us learn and be reminded how we are to continually be DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT! (Read).

As we consider the clear and very urgent appeal that is given all throughout Scriptures, in reminding us who have come out of darkness into the marvellous light of our Master, must remain in that light and abstain from fleshly lusts which battle against the being, and have our behaviour among the nations good so that when they speak against us as evil-doers, let them by observing our good works of obedience, esteem Elohim when He returns! (Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 2:11-12)

Being dressed in the compete armour of Elohim, the armour of light, and fitted for every good work as we meditate on and study His Torah, we need to ensure that we stay armed, awake, watchful and sober; and here in this passage that we have just read we are able to see the clear instructions of our Master, instructing us on how we are to be dressed and functioning as faithful ambassadors of His coming reign! As we look at this passage and look a little closer at a couple of the key words used here, we are able to be reminded how we ought to be living as faithful set-apart ones of the Most High!

Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning!

This command in itself carries immense insight and instruction when understood from a true Scriptural perspective, and as we look at the words contained herein we are able to see why!

The Greek word translated as ‘let’ is ἔστω estō – Strong’s G2077 which is the imperative of εἰμί eimi – Strong’s G1510 which means, ‘I exist, I am, stay, remain’; and so what we see here in this phrase is the clear command to ‘exist in’ or ‘stay’ dressed for action!!! This instructs us to be in a continual ready state of complete service and obedience, with our ‘loins girded’ and our ‘lamps burning’! If we are not found to exist in the proper ‘clothing’ – that of righteousness (which is our guarding to do all He commands us to) and are not ‘dressed for action’, then we shall be rejected by Him and told to depart from Him!

The Greek word for ‘loins’ is ὀσφύς osphus – Strong’s G3751 which means, ‘hip, loin, gird about’, and literally refers to the lower region of the back, the hips, and the reproductive organs; and the term, ‘to have loins girded’ means to be in readiness for anything! The expression “to gird up one’s loins” means to belt the garment which is worn ungirdled in the house or in times of relaxation, with a view to greater mobility for work, for travel, or for battle etc. And here we are able to see that we are not to be ‘relaxed’ in our duties and responsibilities of a set-apart priesthood, but are to be continually watchful and alert, ready to fight the good fight of belief at all times. In speaking of Messiah, we are told what His girdle is:

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 11:5 “And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and trustworthiness the girdle of His waist.”

Now if this is His girdle, then it is our girdle, for we are His Body – the ones who stay in Him!

The word used here for ‘girdle’ is אֵזוֹר ezor – Strong’s H232 meaning, ‘girdle, belt, waistband’ and we see from this that Truth must be a belt for us – strapped around our waist and loins so that we continue to walk in righteousness and not stray, for it is righteousness for us when we guard to do all that יהוה our Elohim has commanded us. (Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 6:25)

This word אֵזוֹר ezor is used in the words of יהוה to Yirmeyahu, in speaking of the those who are supposed to walk in His Truth, yet have disobeyed as the girdle or belt became useless, when they were clearly called to be a set-apart people:

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 13:10-11 “This evil people, who refuse to hear My Words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and walk after other mighty ones to serve them and to bow themselves to them, is like this girdle which is completely useless. 11 ‘For as the girdle clings to the loins of a man, so I have caused all the house of Yisra’ĕl and all the house of Yehuḏah to cling to Me,’ declares יהוה, ‘to become Mine – for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for an adorning. But they did not listen.’”

Those who refuse to listen to and obey the Torah are evil and dysfunctional, as they follow hard after the traditions and dogmas of man, that has become a useless belt for them, instead of putting on the belt of Truth!

In Ḥazon/Revelation 19:11 Yoḥanan gives a clear description of our Master who shall come riding on a white horse, and He is called Trustworthy and True, and in righteousness He judges and fights. He is coming to destroy all false and demonic faith, which we have been called out of! Blessed are those who have been called to the Marriage supper of the Lamb, and are dressed, ready and burning bright!

Let me ask you – are you girded about with Truth – does the Truth cling to your loins as you cling to His word and walk in it – or has your belt become loosened through compromise and sin! Through sin and compromise people become ‘fat’ in their own selfishness and pride and like a person that get fatter and fatter until their belt becomes too small and useless to wear, so do those who continue in sin and lawlessness become fat with pride and arrogance to the point where the belt of Truth no longer fits!

Having therefore our loins girded with the belt of truth, speaks of our need to be ready at all times, dressed and actively living in complete set-apartness, as trustworthy servants who serve in righteousness, worshipping the Father in Spirit and Truth! When your loins are girded with truth, you are able to stand and not waver in compromise!

Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, set your expectation perfectly upon the favour that is to be brought to you at the revelation of יהושע Messiah”

Kěpha tells us that since we have the loins of our minds girded and being sober we must set our expectation perfectly on that which is to come!

The Greek word used here for ‘mind’ is διάνοια dianoia – Strong’s G1271 which means, ‘the mind, disposition, thought, understanding’, and clearly gives us a vivid picture of our minds being equipped with the Torah of Elohim, and because of this we ought to walk sober and in fervent expectation of the favour that is coming, as we guard the commands that are now written upon our minds! This Greek word is written in:

Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 8:10 “Because this is the covenant that I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, says יהוה, giving My laws in their mind, and I shall write them on their hearts, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”

This is the Greek word used in the LXX (Septuagint) of the verse that this is quoted from, and is translated as ‘inward parts’:

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 31:33 “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”

The Hebrew word here for ‘inward parts’ is קֶרֶב qereḇ – Strong’s H7130 which means, ‘inward part, faculty of thought and emotion’. Having then His Torah written into our inward parts or mind, we must take heed to faithfully guard His commands by doing them, without compromise! Anyone who claims to be girded in the loin of their minds while having no regard for The Instructions and Laws of Elohim, simply show that they are in fact not sober, but are drunk on the maddening adulteries of the whore! Those who claim that the Torah is no longer valid and has been done away with are drunk! Our minds have been girded with the clear instructions and laws of our Mighty Master and Elohim, and this we must show as we diligently study and meditate on the Torah day and night, for His Torah is Truth!

Tehillim/psalm 119:142 “Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your Torah is truth.”

Eph’siyim/Ephesians 6:14 “Stand, then, having girded your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness”

The Greek word used here in Eph’siyim/Ephesians 6:14 for ‘girded’ is περιζώννυμι perizōnnumi – Strong’s G4024 meaning, ‘to gird, be dressed in readiness’, and is constructed from two words: 1) – περί peri – Strong’sG4012 which is a primary preposition meaning, ‘about, concerning, around, on account of’ and 2) – ζώννυμι zōnnumi – Strong’s G2224 meaning, ‘to gird’. This Greek word περιζώννυμι perizōnnumi is used in the LXX (Septuagint) and is used in reference to the command for readiness that was given to Yisra’ĕl in obeying the instructions regarding Pěsaḥ:

Shemoth/Exodus 12:11 “And this is how you eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Passover of יהוה.”

The Hebrew word used here for ‘girded’ is חָגַר ḥagar – Strong’s H2296 and carries the meaning, ‘to gird, gird on, gird oneself, be armed, dressed, come trembling’ and can carry the essence of being ‘belted’, as in ‘girded up and ready’!

This word is also used in:

Shemuʼěl Aleph/1 Samuel 2:18 “But Shemuʼěl was attending before יהוה – a youth, wearing a linen shoulder garment.”

What was he ‘wearing’ or ‘girded up with and ready’? A linen shoulder garment, and the Hebrew word for ‘shoulder garment is אֵפוֹד ephod – Strong’s H646 – ‘outer garment of priest’!!!

These verses we see here in Shemuʼěl Aleph/1 Samuel 2, describing what Shemuʼěl was doing is an example of pure devotion in contrast to the wickedness of the sons of Ĕli, who defiled their duty as priests.

The ‘ephod’ represents for us the need to be girded up and ready to do the good works of the Torah that has been prepared beforehand for us to do and speaks of being ready, attending to the required duty of the royal set-apart priesthood in Messiah, keeping the lamps burning as we wait for His soon return!

In Shemuʼěl Bet/2 Samuel 6:14 we are told that Dawiḏ was wearing a linen shoulder garment when he was dancing before יהוה with all his might when they brought back the Ark of Elohim, after it had been at the house of Oḇĕḏ-Eḏom for three months, and so pictures for us a wonderful reflection of wearing true and pure garments of praise and service unto Elohim as we ‘carry/bear’ His presence daily!

How we are girded is an important aspect in being totally set-apart, and if we are not girded with truth and walking in righteousness then our girdle will be useless. When we look at the ancient pictographic symbols used for this word for ‘girdle’ – חָגַר ḥagar, we are able to see our need to stay in Messiah.

This word חָגַר ḥagar – Strong’s H2296, in the ancient pictographic script is pictured as follows:

Ḥet – חָ:

this is the Hebrew letter ‘ḥet’, which in the early script is pictured as , which is a ‘tent wall’, and carries a meaning of ‘separation’, as a tent wall separates two halves of the tent, or can also reflect the outside walls that separate the people inside from that which is outside and so can also symbolise protection and security to those inside, while picturing a cutting off of those who are outside. Hence this letter can mean ‘established, secure’ as well as ‘cut off, separated from’. A wall is also built up by stones, which can also picture for us as living stones being built up in Messiah!

Gimel – גֶ:

This is the letter ‘gimel’, which in the ancient script in pictured as – –which is ‘a foot’ and carries the meaning to ‘walk, gather, carry’, as clearly referring to the functions of a foot; and it can also give the meaning of a gathering of people, and we know that ‘feet’ in Hebrew speaks of one’s walk and ability to keep the Feasts of יהוה, and represents one’s ‘walk!

Resh – רֶ

The ancient script has this letter as and is pictured as ‘the head of a man’ and has the meaning of the head of a man as well as chief, top, begging or first. Top as in the top or head of a body and chief an is head of a tribe or people as well as the one who rules the people.

When we consider the Hebrew word for ‘girdle’ as pictured in the ancient pictographic form, we are able to recognise what is means for us to be girded about with truth, as we are able to render this word as meaning:

We, as living stones, have been separated unto the Master, being built up in Him as we walk in complete obedience – as we walk as He, who is our Head, walked!

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:6 “The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.”

Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 2:4-5 “Drawing near to Him, a living Stone – rejected indeed by men, but chosen by Elohim and precious – 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a set-apart priesthood, to offer up spiritual slaughter offerings acceptable to Elohim through יהושע Messiah.”

We are to be ‘girded up with truth’ and ready to serve; and our obedience is seen in our walk, for our belief shall not be dead but be very much alive, as we hear, guard and do all He has commanded us to, meditating upon His Torah day and night!

With our loins being girded with truth we are also able to see how important it is for us to teach and train our children in righteousness, as the loins also picture for us the reproductive organs, and we therefore take heed to the command to train up our children in righteousness so that they shall not depart from the truth!

Our loins are to be girded and our lamps are to be kept burning!!!

The Greek word used in Luqas/Luke 12:35 for ‘lamps’ is λύχνος luchnos – Strong’s G3088 and this call to keep our lamps burning reminds us of the clear instruction for the priesthood, that is found in:

Shemoth/Exodus 27:20 “And you, you are to command the children of Yisra’ĕl to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.”

The Greek word λύχνος luchnos is used here in the LXX (Septuagint), and the Hebrew word used here for ‘lamp’ is נֵר ner – Strong’s H5216 meaning, ‘lamp, candle, light’.

Tehillim/Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

A lamp in ancient times would primarily be a vessel with a wick for burning a liquid such as oil in order to produce light; and as one would walk the lamp would typically be carried in one’s hand! The picture here is that as we take each step, our hand (which speaks of our works) needs to hold up (that is to do) the lamp (which is the Word) in order to let our eyes see the path before us!

In the ancient pictographic script the word for נֵר ner – lamp, would look as follows:

Nun – נֵ:

This is the letter ‘nun’ (נֵ), which in the ancient text is pictured as , which is a ‘spouting seed’, and gives the idea of ‘continuation or an offspring or an heir’, speaking of that which sprouts forth will be the heir of the promise of continuation, and represents one’s life expectancy.

Resh – רֶ

In terms of us seeing these letters being expressed as ‘lamp’, we are able to clearly identify who it is who gives us our light and who is our lamp – יהושע Messiah, The Word made flesh, who is our Head and is The Seed!

As we walk in the Master and uphold His Torah, we keep shining the Light of His Truth, and this we are to do continually.

The lamp was to burn ‘continually’ which is translated from the word תָּמִיד tamid – Strong’s H8548 which means, ‘continuity, all times, always, constantly, regularly, continually’.

This is a clear picture for us in the command to keep our lamps burning continually:

Tehillim/Psalm 119:44 “That I might guard Your Torah continually, forever and ever”

How we keep our lamps burning continually is to be a people who are guarding His pure and clear Torah, day and night!

As we read in Tehillim/Psalm 119:105 that the lamp is for our feet, we recognise once again that our feet speak of our walk and when walking in the light of the truth our feet will continue in steadfast obedience in guarding His Feasts!

We are told in:

Shemoth/Exodus 23:14 “Three times in the year you are to observe a festival to Me”

The Hebrew word used for ‘times’ in verse 14 is רֶגֶל regel – Strong’s H7272 and means ‘a foot/feet or to walk’, and speaks of one’s obedience to walking according to His commands and obeying His call to keep His feasts as commanded. The Feasts were not limited to just 3 but rather all His Feasts were grouped in three – Pěsaḥ and Matzot were the one time you would celebrate in the 1^st month; Shavuot the second time in the 3^rd month and in the 7^th month – Yom Teruah (Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Atonement) and Sukkot (Tabernacles) being the 3^rd time. The term ‘celebrate’ in the Hebrew carries the implication of dancing and literally to dance in a circle or cycle – speaking that we keep this cycle every year with great rejoicing. Three is also symbolic of stability as a 3 legged stool is the most stable.

In the ancient script the Hebrew word רֶגֶל regel is written as follows:

Resh – רֶ

Gimel – גֶ:

This is the letter ‘gimel’, which in the ancient script in pictured as – –which is ‘a foot’ and carries the meaning to ‘walk, gather, carry’, as clearly referring to the functions of a foot; and it can also give the meaning of a gathering of people, and we know that ‘feet’ in Hebrew speaks of one’s walk and ability to keep the feasts of יהוה, and represents one’s ‘walk!

Lamed – ל:

In the ancient script this is pictured as , which is pictured as a ‘shepherd’s staff’, representing ‘authority’ and can give the meaning of ‘to or toward’ and can represent that which pushes or pulls a flock in a direction, and can speak of authority or a yoke that is used to lead and guide, as well as the ability to bring back by Authority, as well as be submitted under the Authority of the Good Shepherd!

When looking at these pictographic letters, in terms of understanding our needed obedience to keeping the Feasts of יהוה, we are able to clearly understand the message in these, as: ‘In our walk of obedience, we gather as commanded, as we are led under the authority of our Head’. The beginning of our walk of obedience is to submit under the authority of our Good Shepherd and guard His Appointed Times of gathering!

In Shemoth/Exodus: 17 the same phrase is seen: “Three times in the year…”, and the Hebrew word used here for ‘times’ is Strong’s H6471 – פַּעַם ‘pa‘am’ – means ‘a beat, foot, step’ and can also be expressed as how one ‘conduct one’s life, formally – one’s walk, step or footstep, i.e., the patterns of behavior as a figurative extension of a stepping of a foot forward’. We keep these cycles with joy as we press on forward and do not turn back but always moving forward in His cycle.

His Feasts are our rehearsals and we are to be diligent in rehearsing according to His set forth instructions, for in it lies His complete plan of redemption for which we continue to walk in faithfully.

His feasts are, in a way, a sure roadmap that ensures the Bride’s complete preparation and are eternal appointments for every generation that are prophetic in nature helping the Bride be led in Truth to her wedding with the Master!

Coming into these celebrations, with Mosheh’s’ writings and the Sabbath as our guides, leads the Bride to her wedding, preparing her every step of the way to that special day. These Feasts are also called paths of right ways or righteousness. When the Feasts are not celebrated or honoured, the Bride can be unprepared and may even miss her own wedding day!

Dressed and girded in truth, keeping our lamps burning is the clear call from our Master; and here in Luqas/Luke 12:36 He furthers this instruction by telling us to be like men ‘waiting’ for their master! The Greek word used here for ‘waiting’ is προσδέχομαι prosdechomai – Strong’s G4327 which means, ‘look for, wait for, expect: the fulfilment of promises’ and is constructed from two words: 1) – πρός pros – Strong’s G4314 which is a primary preposition meaning, ‘advantageous for, at (denotes local proximity), toward (denotes motion toward a place)’, and 2) – δέχομαι dechomai – Strong’s G1209 which means, ‘to receive, accept, welcomed’.

This word προσδέχομαι prosdechomai can be understood as ‘going toward that which is to be received and welcomed’, and is used in:

Titos/Titus 2:11-14 “For the saving Gift of Elohim has appeared to all men, 12 instructing us to renounce wickedness and worldly lusts, and to live sensibly, righteously, and reverently in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed expectation and esteemed appearance of the great Elohim and our Saviour יהושע Messiah, 14 who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people, His own possession, ardent for good works.”

How do you ‘wait expectantly’? Renounce wickedness and worldly lusts and live set-apart lives in complete reverence of Elohim, for we recognise that Messiah has redeemed us from lawlessness! We wait expectantly by guarding His laws!!! The Greek word for ‘lawlessness’ is ἀνομία anomia – Strong’s G458 meaning, ‘lawlessness or lawless deeds, unrighteousness’ and comes from the word ἄνομος anomos – Strong’s G459 meaning, ‘lawless or without law, transgressors’. Sadly we see that many translations have rendered this as ‘iniquity’, which clearly deceives the reader from the clear truth that it is from ‘lawlessness’ that we have been redeemed; and as Yoḥanan makes it very clear for us in:

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 3:4 “Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

The Greek word here, as we know, for sin is ἁμαρτία hamartia – Strong’s G266 which means, ‘sin, failure, miss the mark, to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong’, and also carries the meaning of, ‘wandering from the law of Elohim, violate the law of Elohim’. We also know, yet I will once again remind you, that the Greek word used for ‘lawlessness’ is ἀνομία anomia – Strong’s G458 meaning, ‘lawlessness or lawless deeds, unrighteousness’ and comes from the word ἄνομος anomos – Strong’s G459 meaning, ‘lawless or without law, transgressors’.

This verse spells it out very plainly for those who seem to miss the fact that to not walk in the Torah is sin! It is as though Yoḥanan was spelling out this fact very bluntly and straightforward for those who struggle with a Greek mind-set and see no need to walk in the Torah – well right here in the Greek it is clear – If you are lawless (that is to walk contrary to the Torah) then you are indeed sinning!

ἁμαρτία hamartia – Strong’s G266 is ἀνομία anomia – Strong’s G458

The word ‘redeem’ here in Titos/Titus 2 is λυτρόω lutroō – Strong’s G3084 which literally means, ‘to release by paying a ransom, redeem’ – in other words Messiah has paid the price for us and released us from all lawlessness by paying the ransom for our lives with His Blood.

Sha’ul tells us in:

Romiyim/Romans 6:18 “And having been set free from sin, you became servants of righteousness.”

יהושע Messiah has redeemed us from lawlessness so that we can walk in righteousness with our loins girded and our lamps kept burning, always being ready for His soon return.

We are to be ‘waiting’ and ‘ready’ – and this makes it very clear that to be waiting and ready implies that we are filled with His Spirit and are guarding His commands continually. In Mattithyahu/Matthew 25:10 we read of the foolish maidens who were not ready and had no oil, so when the Master came they had gone to but oil and the door was shut! If we are not continually standing and serving completely DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT we may find that we shall be shut out when He comes! In verses 36-38 of Luqas/Luke 12 we are given the clear picture of being found ready when He comes and knocks; and this reminds me of the words given to the assembly in Laodikeia in:

Ḥazon/Revelation 3:20-21 “See, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I shall come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 “To him who overcomes I shall give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

The blessing of the ones who wait as they should is clear – they shall dine with the Master, and He with them, and they shall be appointed over the Master’s possessions! Anyone who is not ‘ready and waiting’ faithfully will not be awake and alert to open when the Master ‘knocks’, and to those who are not DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT, He shall come as a thief and destroy those who have neglected to heed the call to be watching!

The Greek word for ‘watching’ is γρηγορέω grēgoreō – Strong’s G1127 which means, ‘to be awake, keep watch, alert, vigilant, be cautious, give strict attention to’ and comes from the root ἐγείρω egeirō – Strong’s G1453 which means, ‘to raise up, to waken, stand’. The word γρηγορέω grēgoreō is also used in:

Ḥazon/Revelation 16:15 “See, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who is staying awake and guarding his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

In verse 40 of Luqas/Luke 12 we are told to be ‘ready’ and the Greek word for ‘ready’ is ἕτοιμος hetoimos – Strong’s G2092 which means, ‘prepared, accomplished, ready, ready at hand’!

Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 3:15-16 “But set apart יהוה Elohim in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer to everyone asking you a reason concerning the expectation that is in you, with meekness and fear, 16 having a good conscience, so that when they speak against you as doers of evil, those who falsely accuse your good behaviour in Messiah, shall be ashamed.”

What we must recognise, as we are clearly told here in Luqas/Luke 12, is that much has been in entrusted to us and much is expected of us, and we will do well to keep this in mind continually, so that we remain DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT!

As you read further in Luqas/Luke 12 we are able to see from verses 49-53 how the Master goes on to express the clear reality of the division that will come as a result of those who are faithfully DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT and those who are not – and this division will even be in one’s homes, for a man’s enemies can even be from his own home!

Mattithyahu/Matthew 10:34-36 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword, 35 for I have come to bring division, a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – 36 and a man’s enemies are those of his own household.”

As we consider this very clear instruction of the Master that commands us to be watchful and waiting by working out our deliverance with fear and trembling, we are called to assess our lives on a daily basis, making sure that we are in fact DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT!

How are you dressed? Are your loins girded about with truth or has your ability to stand and fight the good fight of faith been shaken by compromise? Is your readiness evident, or do you stumble at your required bold confession as you waver in the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth? Are you burning bright or have you been lacking the true ability to walk according to the Spirit as you find that you react foolishly, according to the flesh, when confronted with trying circumstances, instead of having the Word light your path by meditating on the Torah day and night?

The Master is coming soon, and as He asked the question of whether He will find belief on the earth when He comes, may our lives be able to give a resounding YES as we take heed to remain faithful, trustworthy and steadfast in continually being DRESSED – READY – AND BURNING BRIGHT!

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show you favour; יהוה lift up His face to you and give you Shalom!