seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Exodus 25:31 “Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.
37 “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. 39 A talent[f] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
37 “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. 39 A talent[f] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
f. Exodus 25:39 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
This is from GodVine.
These lamps were probably like those used by the Egyptian and other nations, shallow covered vessels more or less of an oval form, with a mouth at one end from which the wick protruded. The candlestick was placed on the south side of the holy place Exodus 26:35, with the line of lamps parallel with the wall, or, according to Josephus, somewhat obliquely. If the wick-mouths of the lamps were turned outwards, they would give light over against the candlestick; that is, toward the north side (see Numbers 8:2).
Light was of necessity required in the tabernacle, and wherever light is used in ceremonial observance, it may of course be taken in a general way as a figure of the Light of Truth; but in the sanctuary of the covenanted people, it must plainly have been understood as expressly significant that the number of the lamps (seven) agreed with the number of the covenant. The covenant of Yahweh was essentially a covenant of light.
Light was of necessity required in the tabernacle, and wherever light is used in ceremonial observance, it may of course be taken in a general way as a figure of the Light of Truth; but in the sanctuary of the covenanted people, it must plainly have been understood as expressly significant that the number of the lamps (seven) agreed with the number of the covenant. The covenant of Yahweh was essentially a covenant of light.
And as there is no evidence whatever that there was any temple among the heathens prior to the tabernacle, it is reasonable to conclude that it served as a model for all that they afterwards built. They had even their portable temples, to imitate the tabernacle; and the shrines for Diana, mentioned Acts 19:24, were of this kind. They had even their arks or sacred coffers, where they kept their most holy things, and the mysterious emblems of their religion; together with candlesticks or lamps, to illuminate their temples, which had few windows, to imitate the golden candlestick in the Mosaic tabernacle. They had even their processions, in imitation of the carrying about of the ark in the wilderness, accompanied by such ceremonies as sufficiently show, to an unprejudiced mind, that they borrowed them from this sacred original. Dr. Dodd has a good note on this subject, which I shall take the liberty to extract.
This is from the easy English commentary.
The lampstand has 7 branches. The Jewish name for this lampstand is ‘menorah’. It has become a sign for the modern country called Israel. In God’s special tent, the priests used it to give light in the dark Holy Place. Also perhaps it was a sign to remind the Israelites. They should be a ‘light to other people who do not recognise God’ (Isaiah 60:3). In Psalm 27:1 the writer says that God is his light. God made him alive and God guided him. The number 7 is a sign that something is perfect. So the 7 branches and everything on the lampstand were solid gold. The workers needed about 77 pounds (35 kilos) of gold to make it all. The name for that amount was a talent. The almond tree was the first tree to have flowers in the spring. The young almond flowers (called buds) and the flowers made the lampstand beautiful. Perhaps that reminded people that God cared about his people, the Israelites. Many years later, when Jeremiah saw an almond tree, it reminded him about God’s character. God was awake and he was looking after his people (Jeremiah 1:11-12).
There were 7 cups at the top of the branches. Each of the cups had a piece of string in it. This string brought the oil up into the cup. And the oil on the string burnt when the priest lit it. The priest used the gold scissors to look after those strings. Perhaps he used the trays to prepare the oil. Also, he had to cut off the pieces of the string that had burnt. So probably, he used the trays to receive those pieces of the string.
There were 7 cups at the top of the branches. Each of the cups had a piece of string in it. This string brought the oil up into the cup. And the oil on the string burnt when the priest lit it. The priest used the gold scissors to look after those strings. Perhaps he used the trays to prepare the oil. Also, he had to cut off the pieces of the string that had burnt. So probably, he used the trays to receive those pieces of the string.
As I read this... I keep thinking.... The Box will soon contain the tablets. God is laying down the law in stone and then the law will be laid down in the box by the light of the lampstand.
