You might have noticed over on my socials and on the blog a very quiet name change. I am a professional Marketer who has worked over the last decade on a variety of brands for corporate worlds. And, while I know brands like the back of my hand, wouldn’t you know I have never personally rebranded anything in my life.
How did the change occur, you may be wondering. It came with a lot of processing, prayer and understanding before taking the next step and publishing it. Even after I quietly changed things, I chose to still wait on God – making sure I understood it correctly. I always knew that “By Hannah Faith” wouldn’t be the long-term name of this blog. I knew that God would eventually give me something more substantial to roll with, and well, here we are.
Back in December, my husband and I began praying about a podcast name. We went through so many names, and in my true nature, I thought it was destined to be something about olives. I love the significance of olives in Scripture, so it made sense to me. However, God redirected us to pull a phrase from our family verse – Ezra 9:8-9. The podcast is appropriately named “Measure of Revival” and we couldn’t be happier. It makes sense for our mission, our vision and our ministry. However, this lingering thought of a beaten olive continued to resonate with me. While researching names and Scripture for the podcast, I began to study about fire and keeping fire on the altar. (We also thought it might be named something around fire.) I read so many Scriptures about the everlasting fire and light being kept on the altar. Until, I studied about the lampstands found in Revelation and in Zechariah.
And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
Zechariah 4:1-3, English Standard Version
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
Revelation 1:12-13, New International Version
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
Revelation 2:1, English Standard Version
All of the above references are of course the seven churches representing the lampstand, and Jesus as the light of the World, Messiah, walking through them. I want that to be very clear. As I was reading further about the oil used in the lampstand in the temple, I found the following:
Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly.
Leviticus 24:2, English Standard Version
You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.
Exodus 27:20, English Standard Version
Other versions say “pressed” but “beaten” holds a greater significance. It actually means to be torn to pieces or broken into pieces – kathiyth is the word in Hebrew. The Isrealites would take the olives, break them into pieces and then extract the oil by beating or crushing. This oil was considered to be the purest, like a first fruit of the olive. This first fruit oil would be used for the temple lamp – the Menorah. The rest of the oil found in the olives was then used for other purposes, but the significance of this oil hit my spirit in a new way.
The Beaten Olive, as you can see, was born out of much studying, processing and prayer. I believe this name change holds great significance in what I, like so many, have felt leading up to this point. The crushing, the beating and the pressing, all leading to the point of the oil in our lives being like a fragrance to our Father.
My heart is still the same – to spark hope within a hungry generation. But, my mission has changed to a powerful declaration of tending to the lamp until the King returns. Our lamps must be full, our hearts ready for His coming, and our lives fragrant with the oil of His anointing. I believe the hour is at hand for the Bride of Christ to rise up and be in pursuit of her First Love once again. We have found other things which occupy our eyes and consume our intimacy, however He is a jealous God whose eyes are set on His Bride. May our lives be like the fire on the altar and the oil in our lamps – eternally lit, constantly tended to and ready for our soon-coming King, Jesus.
I look forward to writing and scribing more in the coming days, weeks and months. I believe this fresh name change will help propel into a greater future with fresh vision, insight and understanding. Thank you for joining me on my journey!
Hannah F. Gillespie
PS – this is fantastic topic of study! I would encourage you to read more on various blogs.
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