The Golden Lampstand (Exodus 25:31-40).
The making of this may be analysed as follows:
a The lampstand to be made of beaten work of pure gold: its base, its shaft its cups, its buds and its flowers, all made of one piece with it (Exodus 25:31).
b As well as the shaft it has to have six branches going out from it, three each side of the shaft, with cups made like almond blossoms, a bud and a flower. The shaft to have four cups, made like almond blossoms with the buds and flowers (Exodus 25:32-34).
c The description of the buds on the branches (Exodus 25:35).
c The making of the buds and the branches in pure beaten gold (Exodus 25:36).
b The total of lamps are to be seven (the shaft and the six branches) and they shall light its lamps to give light opposite to it (illuminating the table of showbread), and these are to be made along with the tongs and fire-holders of pure gold (Exodus 25:37-38).
a The whole is to be made of a talent of pure gold in accordance with the pattern shown in the mount (Exodus 25:39-40).
Note that in ‘a' the lampstand is to be of pure beaten gold, and in the parallel the gold required for it and all connected with it is measured. In ‘b' we have the description of the lampstand with its six branches and its shaft, while in the parallel we are told it is sevenfold, and is to be lit to shine on the table of showbread (compare Numbers 6:25 with Exodus 8:3). In ‘c' we have details of the making of buds and branches.
“And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand will be made of beaten work, even its base and its shaft. And its cups, its buds and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. And there will be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of its one side and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. Three cups made like almond blossoms on one branch, each with a bud and a flower. And three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, each with a bud and a flower. Thus for the six branches going out of the lampstand. And in the lampstand four cups made like almond blossoms with its buds and its flowers.”
The general pattern is clear, a central shaft from which will go from each side three branches per side, a main stem and six branches in all making a sevenfold lampstand. And at the top of the branches and the shaft will be cups made like almonds blossoms to receive the lamps. It would seem that each branch had three cups and the central shaft four. The lampstand was to one side of the Holy Place, the table of showbread to the other.
“And a bud under a pair of branches, of one piece with it, and a bud under a pair of branches, of one piece with it, and a bud under a pair of branches, of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lampstand. Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one beaten work of pure gold.”
Under each pair of branches there is an almond bud and the buds and branches are specifically to be of one piece with the whole. Thus one significance of the lampstand is that, with its branches and its almond buds and flowers, it symbolises an almond tree. The almond tree (shaked) was ‘the waker', the first tree to come to life and blossom after the dry season. So it is a symbol of new life, the new life into which Israel has entered. Furthermore in Jeremiah 1:11-12 the almond tree also symbolises the watching (shoked) of Yahweh over His word. Thus it symbolises His watch over the covenant.
“And you shall make its lamps seven, and they will light its lamps to give light over against it.”
The seven lamps, possibly made of terracotta, symbolise divinely perfect light. ‘Over against it' presumably means that they are set to throw their light forward towards the centre. Thus the lampstand speaks of life (the almond tree) and light (the fire in the lamps) coming from God. This is why Jesus could speak of the ‘light of life' in relation to it (John 8:12). That was during the Feast of Tabernacles and the lampstand was closely connected with that feast.
In Zechariah the lampstand (Zechariah 4) signifies the all-knowingness of God (Zechariah 4:10) and the presence of the living God feeding life to His anointed ones. Just as a man's life was often called his ‘lamp' (Job 21:17; Proverbs 20:20; Proverbs 24:20 see also 2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Kings 11:36), and the lampstand, once removed, signified the death of the church (Revelation 2:5), so the lampstand represents spiritual life. Thus the lampstand represents the living God, ‘the Lord of the whole earth', fully present and fully aware behind the veil, in His giving of that life to His people.
So in the Most Holy Place is the throne of God between the guardian Cherubim, who continually bow before Him, which no man can behold, but which can be approached from behind a veil which safeguards man from the awesomeness of His presence, and in the Holy Place are the Table of Showbread and the golden Lampstand which represent His feeding of His people, both physically and spiritually, and His giving of life and light to them. We learn both of His total ‘otherness' which cannot be experienced in its fullness, and of His gracious giving of Himself to His people.
In the Book of Revelation we have the expansion of this when one day His own will walk openly in the light of His presence, and will enjoy the light of God and will feast on the tree of life (Revelation 21:22 to Revelation 22:5).
“And its tongs and its fire-holders shall be of pure gold. With all these vessels it shall be made with one talent of pure gold.”
The lampstand and its appurtenances are to be made of a talent of gold, that is about thirty kilogrammes. ‘Fireholders.' The significance of the word is uncertain. They possibly received the old wicks when they were removed from the lamps.
“And see that you make them after their pattern, which has been showed to you in the Mount.”
This verse finalises the details of the three most important pieces of furniture to be placed in the new Dwelling-place, referring back to verse 9. Each is important and they are important as a unit. They represent different aspects of Yahweh's covenant with His people, firstly, the reign of Yahweh and the covenant requirements, secondly, the giving of life and light by Yahweh and His guarantee of bread, and thirdly their receiving by it (for it represented all that they needed) of all that they needed for the future.
It is stressed that they must follow the pattern shown to Moses which demonstrates that the detail was vital. Nothing must be added. Nothing must be changed. They speak of heavenly things. That they are spoken of first and separately shows how very important all three were seen to be. (The altar of incense is not mentioned here because that represented worship from man to God, whereas the above furniture was from God to man).
Notes on the Christian significance of this passage.
In the New Testament it is made clear that the Dwellingplace was no longer a tent. Paul could say to all true believers, ‘we are a sanctuary of the living God, even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” ' (2 Corinthians 6:16-17). And again in 1Co 3:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, ‘You are God's husbandry, God's building -- do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you -- the temple of God is holy, which temple you are'. For God would tabernacle among His people, first in Jesus Christ (John 1:14) and then by His Holy Spirit in His people (Ephesians 2:22). In 1 Corinthians 6:19 each Christian is therefore a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit within the whole sanctuary. The significance that can be drawn from this is that we are indwelt by God and by Christ (Galatians 2:20; John 17:22-23; Ephesians 3:17, and that therefore our inner lives with their outward expression must be worthy of Him. Daily as we go out to meet the world we must each say to ourselves, ‘the only way the world will know about God and about Christ is what they see of Him in me, for I am where He dwells in this sinful world, I am the one through whom He is to be made known. Lord, live out your life through me today that men may see through the purity of my life that Jesus Christ still walks among them'.
Furthermore men once gazed at the ancient Sanctuary and were comforted by the thought that God was close to them, dwelling among them. That is what they should sense also when they look on God's true people, the church of the living God, a people vibrant and joyful and full of actively revealed concern because they follow the Master. But sadly often all they see is a church wrapped up in itself.
The fact that we all make up one sanctuary stresses the unity and fellowship that there should be between all who truly love Christ. All contribute to the whole, and without a part the church is mutilated.
The Ark of the covenant within the Dwellingplace is a reminder that God Himself dwells in us (as God's dwellingplace), that Christ lives within us and seeks to live out His life through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4). There in our heart of hearts is the living Christ (Ephesians 3:17) Who reigns in us so that we might reign through Him (Revelation 5:10), and through Whom we should know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:19). Thus we are to reckon ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God, in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:11). But how easily we forget that it is so, and just as the people of old tended to overlook the significance of the Tabernacle in their daily lives, so sadly do we as we leave our houses each day. We keep God locked in the throne room, while we control our own affairs. Some have seen in the Ark a picture of Jesus Christ as both God (gold) and man (acacia wood).
The Table of Showbread reminds us that Christ is the bread of life (John 6:35). That we who eat of Him by believing in Him will live for ever. He is the living bread that came down from heaven that we might live and not die (John 6:51). Thus do we pray, ‘give us today the bread of the great Tomorrow'. And as we look to Him He feeds us with His very life.
The Lampstand is a reminder that Christ constantly shines in our hearts revealing His truth and revealing God (2 Corinthians 4:6), that God's great light shines on His people Who are ever before Him, and that through knowing Christ Who is the light we do not walk in darkness. And it is a reminder too that we are to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:16; Revelation 1:12-13). The one who is a true Christian walks daily in that light (1 John 1:7), and comes constantly to the light that his deeds may be open to God's scrutiny (John 3:18 ff).
But it also has a heavenly significance. For the Dwellingplace is a reminder that God is in heaven where He dwells (Hebrews 8:1-2) and that we may approach Him through our Lord Jesus Christ Who is out great High Priest (Hebrews 9:11-12) Who makes propitiation for us (Hebrews 2:17). We can therefore enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way which He has prepared for us through His becoming man and offering up His flesh for us (Hebrews 10:19-20), and thus we can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And there dwells God in unapproachable light Whom no man has seen nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16). Although one day all who are truly His will dwell in that light (Revelation 21:23-24). And there we shall feed on Him for ever (Revelation 7:17).
End of note.