Dear John, Virginia, Eliot, and all Doves,
      Thank you for your responses Virginia and Elliot. I was trying to collect my thoughts in the middle of the night and was not as clear about the theme of 4 as I could have been.  In essence, so many clues are pointing ahead to Hanukkah 2007. Regardless of precise dates, Hanukkah is a great anniversary.  Thank you Eliot for your information about timeline. The few long ago fought to the death to reclaim the temple, their commanded ways of living and worship, the torah, the use and teaching of Hebrew language and so on. They were being told to assimilate into pagan Greek ways or perish. Are some people being told to assimilate now? Once again are the choices clear? Ten generations, if a generation was apart every 15 years, prepared for the spiritual world into which the Christ/Messiah was born. Our Master needed a world with some vibrant and true faith. This certainly included His family. Hanukkah is very important. My musings about the number 4 are part of  my reflections about the nearness of the time of the Festival of Lights / Hanukkah/ Dedication and personal  rededication as living stones in the temple for us now.
      I did not refer to an arked white tunnel. Typical menorah design or shape, for a menorah of  7 or 9 lamps, has a bowl shape which looks like an ark. There are all sorts of shapes and designs. Some are reverent and some are whimsical. Some are so beautiful they can take your breath away. Some are clever and amusing. I was making reference to the theme of an ark now that we are like in the days of Noah. As I try to share ideas with you I always look to the Scriptures and try to see how and approximately when we are drawing near to the season of His coming. The  days ahead of  candlelights and happiness are lovely ones. I hope each of us will appreciate them in some way. Our Master celebrated these days in Jerusalem according to the Gospel of John. If it was important to Him to build upon the Festival of Lights by declaring Himself to be THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD it should be important to me, too. He is my greatest spiritual light among men.
      Are we nearing the season of the Bridegroom? Perhaps. May we prepare and watch every day. I am more interested in being in season than in knowing the day. The day may seem much more obvious, as we move in His season, toward the day. My prayer is that my postings, as flawed as they may be, will still help strengthen the blessed hope for each and all Doves. Bless Him for how He lights us within with sheer blessedness.

With Love and Shalom,
Jean Stepnoski