I. Introduction
This study is interested in:
(1) The physical attributes of the tabernacle’s golden lampstand (the menorah) and,
(2) its theological significance.
We shall discuss its physical features and its location in the tabernacle first, and then by God’s grace try to understand its theological significance both in Moses’ day and in modern times.
II. The Golden Lampstand
A. Physical Attributes and Location
The details that we shall follow come from Exodus 25:31-39, with further reference to the work of Bezalel in its construction as related by Exodus 37:17-24.
The lampstand was made from a single piece of purest solid gold; thus, it was solid gold throughout, with emphasis on the word “solid” (as in “not hollow”). We could just as well emphasize the words “pure, and gold.” It follows that it was dependably sturdy, and precious[1]. The lampstand was a hammered work, which bespeaks of the great skill required to construct it, given its protuberances and ornate intricacies—lamp cups, and buds, and petals, and branches, and curves over against straight lines, and so forth. Quite a mix of geometry at the micro-scale, but elegantly simple at the macro-scale. Clearly Bezalel was a master craftsman gifted by His Lord Jehovah for this task. And to his credit he learned his craft, and perfected it, and didn’t quit, submissive to Jehovah’s guiding instructions along the learning curve, to the extent that Jehovah God trusted him to do this detailed, intricate work.
Form follows function. The God-given schematic of the lampstand consisted of three main sections:
(1) A base, upon which rested a main stem,
(2) Said stem, from which protruded six branches, three on each side of the main stem,
(3) Said branches, branching upward and away from the stem, with their lamp cups at the end, from which, together with the lamp cup atop the stem, radiated the light that fulfilled the function of Jehovah’s lampstand. It symbolized the Divine Light, the holiness and truth and wisdom of Jehovah God, spreading, suffusing, (Fig. 1).
The lampstand stood on the south side of the tabernacle, aptly, in the holy place, across from the table of shewbread, which was on the north side. It was fueled by the purest olive oil and was lit daily by the high priest.
The tabernacle was pitched with its entrance facing east, and if one stood facing the entrance the lampstand would be on one’s left upon entry (Fig. 2). The tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad pitched on the south side of the tabernacle, and thus adjacent to the lampstand[2], which is interesting as discussed just next.
B. Theological Significance
Now let us be careful and not pigeonhole Reuben, Simeon, and Gad into the valley of the shadow of darkness, but nevertheless let’s hear what the Patriarch Jacob had to say of these three sons (tribes) under inspiration (Genesis 49:1, 3-4, 5-7, 19). As concerns specifically, Israel—that southside Light needed to shine on precisely those adjacent tribes. They were second in the marching order, behind Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, and so they were (are) to play an extremely important role in the program of God for Israel, but these marchers needed God’s Light in their shoe leather to fulfill their destiny for Jehovah God. Now we must fast-forward to New Testament times. This means that until they appreciate and summarily appropriate that Light, namely, Jesus Christ, they cannot and will not fulfill their destiny for God, and for Israel, and for themselves. But does not the same illumination-need extend to all the tribes, that is, Israel proper and the scattered tribes? Definitely (“A Letter of Invitation” to you exceedingly beloved and blessed Israel). And not just Israel, of course. That Southside Light shines up through the bowels of darkness, exposing and illuminating, demarcating and guiding, ever shining, the Light of Life:
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12). Revealing, revealing Jehovah God (John 17:5-8, 2Corinthians 4:4-6, “A Letter of Invitation” to you exceedingly beloved reader). It is Jesus Christ in the holy place, a space otherwise devoid of Light without His Light (=unholy apart from Him). It is the holy place precisely because of His Light, symbolized by the golden lampstand.
Now let us consider the lampstand as a unified Whole. What is the significance of that? Why a hammered work from a single, solid piece of purest gold? It must surely signify the Body of Christ, One Body, His Church (Ephesians 4:1-6, Colossians 1:24), which is the light of the world by proxy (Matthew 5:14-15, 2Peter 1:19, Revelation 1:20, 2:5). A hammered work—under significant stress (Malachi 3:3, 1Peter 1:3-7, 4:12-16; persecution of Christians persists on through the present, actually intensifying at present), and precious, both in its quality per the estimation of Jehovah God owing to the purifying work of the Refiner, and certainly precious per its intimate unity with Jehovah God as His Beloved Bride (Job 23:10, Psalms 72:14, 116:15, Proverbs 17:3, 2Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:9).
III. Concluding Comments
We wish now to summarize the sections above, and then by God’s grace draw some conclusions.
This study was interested in the physical attributes of the tabernacle’s golden lampstand, and its theological significance. We wanted to study its physical features and come to some understanding of its theological significance both in Moses’ day and in modern times.
The details of the lampstand’s physical features that we followed came from Exodus 25:31-39, with further reference to the account of Bezalel’s work in its construction as related by Exodus 37:17-24.
We said that the lampstand was made from a single piece of purest solid gold, that it was a hammered work, and we tried to appreciate the great skill required to construct it, given its complex geometrical population: protuberances and ornate intricacies, things like lamp cups, and buds, and petals, and branches, and curves over against straight lines and so on. We said that Bezalel, who first built a golden lampstand exactly according to God’s requirements, was certainly a master craftsman (cf. Jesus, Psalms 139:13-14, Proverbs 8:30, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:10), quite gifted by His Lord Jehovah for the task, and that to his credit he learned his craft, and perfected it, and didn’t quit, submissive to Jehovah’s guiding instructions all along the learning curve, to the extent that Jehovah God trusted him to do this magnificent work (consider Hebrews 5:8-10).
We noted that the God-given schematic of the lampstand consisted of three main sections:
(1) A base, upon which rested a main stem,
(2) The main stem, from which extended six branches, three on each side of that stem,
(3) The branches, branching upward and away from the stem, with their lamp cups at the end (please consider here John 15:1-6), from which, together with the lamp cup atop the stem, radiated the light that fulfilled the function of Jehovah’s lampstand, which, physically, was to fill the holy place with light, given that that this space had no other source of light (no windows or otherwise (Fig. 1). It symbolized the spreading, suffusing Divine Light, the holiness and wisdom (Proverbs 8:12, Isaiah 11:2, “Be Holy“) of Jehovah God.
The lampstand stood on the south side of the tabernacle, in the holy place, across from the table of shewbread, which it illuminated. It was fueled by the purest olive oil (consider Luke 24:49, John 14:16-17, 26), and lit daily by the high priest (Hebrews 5:9-10, 7:25). We noted that the tabernacle was pitched with its entrance facing east, which meant that if one stood facing the entrance the lampstand would be on one’s left upon entry (Fig. 2).
The tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad pitched on the south side of the tabernacle, and thus adjacent to the lampstand. The progenitors of these tribes, their spiritual character as related by Scripture, rather characterizes the human sin-condition[3], and so their spot adjacent to the lampstand, adjacent to the Divine Light it symbolized, got us thinking more theologically.
As concerns specifically, Israel—that southside Light needed to shine on precisely those adjacent tribes. They were second in the marching order behind Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, and so they were to play an extremely important role in the program of God for Israel, and thus wherever they are these days, they must appreciate and embrace that Light, namely, Jesus Christ, in order to fulfill their destiny for God, and for Israel, and for themselves. The same certainly holds for the rest of the tribes. Not just lost in space here, as are ten tribes presently, but lost in time going forward as well is the sad reality otherwise.
We considered the lampstand as a unified Whole, a hammered work stemming from a single, solid piece of purest gold, and thought that it must surely signify the Body of Christ, even One Body, His Church, which is the Light of the World by proxy these days. Here is the lampstand’s true theological significance, latent in Moses’ day, but ever so relevant in modern times going forward since the first advent of Jesus Christ and the founding of His Church. The Body of Christ, the Church, exceedingly stressed as it shines forth Christ’s Light, which is Jehovah God revealed, which is quintessential holiness revealed. The Body of Christ, the Church, exceedingly precious in and of itself owing to its Progenitor and, not least, exceedingly precious like unto a Bride in the eyes of Her Husband, Jesus Christ.
Praised be your Name great Southside Light Jesus; how good it is that you ever shine the Light of God upon us through your Beloved, the Church. Amen.