“And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made; his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers shall be of the same.
“And six branches shall come out of the sides of it: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side.
“Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch: and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
“And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
“And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
“Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
“And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
“And the tongs thereof, and the snuff dishes thereof shall be of pure gold.
“Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
“And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount” (Exod. 25: 31-40).
Pure Oil Olive for the Lamps.
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,” Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.
“Without the wail of the testimony in the Tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute forever in your generations.
The Candlestick of pure gold, and the pure oil olive next demand our consideration. The Candelabrum stood in the south Side of the holy place, and the Table of Shewbread exactly opposite. The only other vessel in the sacred apartment was the Incense Altar which stood right in front of the Veil.
There were no windows in the Tabernacle, no created light as the sun, no borrowed light as the moon, no artificial light as the candle illumined the holiest of all. There you are in the region of the Divine. “God is light.” The holiest was lighted up by the glory cloud between the cherubim, while the holy place must have been a blaze of brilliant light from the seven branched Golden Candlestick. Neither was there a chimney nor aperture of any sort by which the burning incense could escape. The sacred perfume which had its strength and fragrance drawn out by the fire of the Brazen Altar, filled the holy place constantly, and the holiest once a year. The light and the perfume were for those within.
The Spiritual Signification of the Candlestick.
The Candelabrum is Christ. The oil is the Spirit. The Candlestick was made wholly of the most precious of metals, pure gold, no shittim or other wood being employed in its construction. The Candlestick was wholly of gold; the Laver was entirely of brass. There were no measures nor dimensions of either. Both vessels represent Christ. The former had its place and use inside; the latter had its place and use outside.
Christ as man on earth was “the light” (John 17-9). “the light of men” (verse 4); and “the light of the world” (8:12). But the incarnation, that is, God manifest in flesh, neither created life nor light, but manifested both―revealed to men what previously existed. “God is light,” and it is in this sense that we view the Candlestick―Christ in His Divine nature as the light of all heaven.
We are privileged to take Christ’s place in the world as its one and only light. We are “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:1212Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:12)). The seven separate Candlesticks or Lamp-stands of the Apocalypse (1:20) are to light up the dense moral darkness prevailing on every hand. “The seven candlesticks are the seven churches.” Need we say that all light, moral or physical, is derived from Him who is its source and fountain. The tiniest star-twinkler does so in virtue of Him.
But Christ was and ever shall be the light, is not exactly the truth conveyed in the Golden Candlestick in the holy place. It is the acacia wood which sets forth the incorruptible humanity of our Lord, and the white linen the holy life and righteous character of the One born of the virgin. But in the pure Gold Candlestick, as also in the Mercy-seat entirely of sold, we have prefigured what is Divine. It is Divine light in the sanctuary in the power of the Holy Ghost. But in Whom and by Whom is the light expressed. In the heavenly City beheld by the Seer of Patmos we read “the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light (rather lamp) thereof.” It is the Lamb which transmits the rays of the Divine glory throughout heaven, and the future city of gold as well. Christ is the sevenfold light of the sanctuary.)
It is light in all its innate purity which is shadowed forth by the pure gold in which there was no alloy. The pure oil of special preparation could only be poured into pure gold bowls of unique description. Both the gold and the oil were beaten.
The Construction of the Candelabrum.
The Candlestick and its dishes were made out of a talent of pure gold—about 125 pounds weight, The gold employed was of the finest and purest procurable; supposed to be in value of about 6000 pounds sterling. The Candelabrum consists of (1) the shaft on which the center branch rested; (2) the upright massive column termed “his branch “ (37:17); (3) six branches―three on either side; (4) the bowls to receive the oil; (5) knops for ornament; (6) flowers for beauty; with the accessories (7) snuffers or tongs; (8) snuff-dishes to receive the waste or snuffings. In addition to all these we read, “and thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof” (25:37). These lamps were put on the extremities of the branches including the massive center one.
But a few further details are added. On each of the six branches there were displayed three bowls — a bowl, a knop, and a flower alternately (25:33); while in the Candlestick (verse 34), i.e., the center branch were four bowls with knop and flower― a bowl, a knop, and a flower alternately. Besides, there was a knop under each two branches—three in all. Those three knops must have hung across the upright branch-from the side branch to the other side branch, probably in the shape of a pendant. All were hammered into shape and beauty. The massive center piece with its ornaments and flowers, must have presented a magnificent and valuable piece of workmanship.
The Threefold Object of the Candlestick.
The sevenfold light of the Candlestick was first to light up the interior of the holy place. All other light was excluded. The gold on the sides, and the beautiful curtains above, could only have their glories and beauties witnessed in the light. The light brought out imperfections, if such existed. The exquisite beauties of the holy place―above and around — were discovered by the light.
The beauties of the Candlestick, its purity of gold, its ornamental work, its flowers, its exquisite blending of bowl, knop, and flower on its branches and stem, the wonderful workmanship of the whole could only shine in the light: otherwise these glories were hid. God has put the beauties of His Son upon us. His moral likeness is what the Spirit would exhibit in each of us. By and bye we shall wake Up with His likeness stamped on the sinless brow. The light of the Spirit is to discover the beauties of Christ. In the Son these perfections and glories shine forth in the sanctuary in Divine effulgence. In us down here the gold snuffers have to be often used, never so with Him. He is the Golden Candelabrum, the absolute reflector of the light of God―no flaw, no dimmed glory in. Him. Absolute and alone in His beauty, perfection, and glory.
The third purpose to be served by the lamps was to throw their combined light on the table of Show-bread. The Candlestick and the Table were placed exactly opposite each other (26:35; 12:24). The Candlestick was “put in the tent of the congregation, over against the table on the side of the tabernacle southward.” Light and food in the holy place. It was so then, it is so now. There were twelve loaves on the Table, and seven lights in the Candlestick. The former numeral refers to RULE and GOVERNMENT in connection with Israel in millennial days (Matt. 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28); Rev. 12:11And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: (Revelation 12:1)): the latter number expresses what is SPIRITUALLY COMPLETE (Rev. 5:66And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)). The teaching therefore is of great value as opening up the present and future in relation to the whole nation of Israel. The twelve tribes are represented by the twelve loaves on the Table; believers of this dispensation also. All during the night the lamps threw their light on the exhibition bread on the Table. The unity of the whole nation is ever preserved before God, although its displayed unity was only of brief duration, and now a thing of the past. But God is ever true to His purpose. The nation as one is ever before Him (see James 1:11James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1)). During these ages of rejection―Israel, outcast of wearied breast and wandering foot―the nation is preserved before God. If to man Israel is a broken vessel, to God Israel yet lives, and shall in glory yet to come, bask in the smile and under the immediate government of her Messiah. Of all and more we have the witness in the lamps shedding their light on the Table inside, while outwardly all is dark and hopeless. In the light in the sanctuary during the silence and darkness of the night, we have a picture of the present, Israel downtrodden, the nations in turmoil, and darkness brooding over the scene, and the apostacy with its horrors soon to burst upon a christless Christendom, but above, all is light, all is peace. God sits upon the throne and all is well.
Aaron and the Lamps.
The children of Israel supplied the oil. We have our part in that bright scene above. We instrumentally furnish the material, but Aaron alone could light the lamps and keep them burning. He lit the lamps in the evening which burned all night till the morning, when he dressed them supplying fresh oil and using the snuffers or tongs and snuff dishes. This is what Christ is doing now. Our association with the High Priest in heaven necessitates His priestly care, intercession and sympathy. How many and varied are His services. He first supplies the oil (Acts 2:3333Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33)); then we bring it to Him, and He lights and trims the lamp, freely using the snuffers so that the light may burn brightly. There was no extinguisher provided. He may have to remove all that hinders the light shining (Phil. 2:1515That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15)), but extinguisher! there is none. The branch has to be purged that it may bring forth more fruit. The light―so often dimmed and flickering—in us, may demand the free use of the tongs to remove the dead waste so that the light may shine brightly. But all is conducted in the sanctuary alone by our great high Priest; and His service of love never dies.
“O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.”