The Menorah

This menorah sits quietly on the mantle in my office. It used to grace a shelf in an antique shop before it came to me. I wonder who had it before, and why they parted with it? I have a small menorah in Arizona, purchased at my neighbor’s garage sale, and a large one that I brought home from Israel.

I love these pieces, and although they rest quietly on my shelves, they are not silent. They speak to my heart about a people who suffered to pass on a faith that I hold dear. I have been asked more than once why I have the menorahs, and that is the answer I give. That is the short answer.

There is a longer answer, though, and I will start to give it now. You see, Jesus is a Jew, and so were His beloved disciples. He gave His life to reconcile us to His Father, and the disciples gave theirs in spreading this news far and wide. Apart from these events which took place more than 2000 years ago, the faith I hold dear just wouldn’t be.

There are events, however, that happened even earlier - centuries before - that are of inestimable significance to my Christian faith. The menorah reminds me of these events, specifically the Covenants God made with Abraham, Moses and David. My interest and enthusiasm for this topic has been piqued during these Covid months where I’ve had more time to read, and I’ve learned a lot. Whenever this happens to me, I want to share what I have learned, so wait for a blog called “The Covenants”. I’m excited about how the Bible has opened up to me in a new way. Learning new things is “water to wine” for me.