The
Tabernacle was a special, four-layered tent. The interior was lined with fine
linen covered by cloth woven from goat’s hair. These two layers would then be
covered by another layer of Ram skins. These three layers would then be draped
over by a water-proof canvas made of the thick hides of sea cows. No light
could pierce through this tent and there was not a single window. But for the
Golden Lampstand that God placed in the Holy Place, the priest entering into
the Tabernacle would find himself engulfed in pitch darkness. This tells us
that God will never leave His people to wander about in darkness.
In
Exodus 25:31-40, we see God instructing Moses how He wanted the Golden
Lampstand to be made. A scan of this passage of Scriptures will tell us how
intricate this piece of art, the Golden Lampstand was. Without immeasurable
skills from God, it would be hard to fashion it. This Golden Lampstand would
then be placed opposite the Table of Shewbread in the Holy Place to provide
light. It was to be beaten out of one piece of gold. It is so hard for anyone
even to describe it, much less to make it without the wisdom and skill that
only God can supply.
We
cannot even imagine how it was made, but we are told that it was not assembled
but beaten from a piece of one talent of gold. In today’s equivalent, it would
be approximately 75 pounds of gold. The complete lampstand would be about five
feet tall. It had one central shaft with a broad base. This would be the main
stem. Spread out from this stem were six branches, three on each side. Let us
allow Exodus 25:31-36 to tell us how it was to be made. God told Moses, “Then
you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base
and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its
flowers shall be of one piece with it. Six branches shall go out
from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three
branches of the lampstand from its other side. Three cups shall
be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb
and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in
the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out
from the lampstand; and in the lampstand four cups shaped like
almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. A bulb shall be
under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and
a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of
it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out
of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. Their bulbs
and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be
one piece of hammered work of pure gold.”
What’s
the purpose of the Golden Lampstand? Firstly, for obvious reason, it was to
provide light for the priest serving inside the Tabernacle. Secondly, for us,
it represents God’s gift of light and life to us, His people. The lampstand was made in the shape of a tree, bringing us to the thought of the
Tree of life. It also brings us to the tree that our Lord Jesus was hanged so
that we can have life in Him. The Golden Lampstand also shed light to provide
guidance. We know that from this tree, we don’t need to stray in darkness
because we can have light and revelation on how to live a God-pleasing life. There
is one thing that we must not miss i.e. there are life and light in God’s
presence. Let us not neglect to come to the tree of life and find life and
light in His presence!
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