Numbers 8:1-4 – Walking in God’s light.

The presence of God was central to the life of His people. Hence the tabernacle was an important feature of the nation of Israel. Essentially, the Tabernacle had two key compartments separated by a veil. The inner sanctuary is known as the Holy of holies and the outer part, the holy place. In the Holy of holies was the golden Ark of the Covenant and its cover, also referred to as the mercy seat. This was where God communed with Moses. Three pieces of furnishing: the table of showbread, the altar of incense, and the lampstand, were placed in the holy place.  Of these three pieces of furniture, only the golden lampstand was made of pure gold. The other two pieces only had gold plated over wooden structures.

Numbers 8:3-4, briefly summarised how the golden lampstand was made. Moses was said to have it made exactly like the pattern that God had shown him. Details of how the golden lampstand was to be made were given in Exodus 25:31-39. However, more important than how the golden lampstand was made was how it should be set up in the holy place. So in Numbers 8:1-2, God told Moses to instruct Aaron how it was to be set up, which Aaron did as he was instructed. How it was set up was important because the Tabernacle was a four-layered tent where no light from outside could pierce through it. The only light in the Holy place would come from the golden lampstand. If not for the light the tent would be engulfed by thick darkness.  

We need to know first and foremost that the golden lampstand is a symbol of God. That was why it was made of pure solid gold. The seven sprouts represent God’s complete and perfect presence. This golden lampstand and the light it would give was a picture of the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:22-27 which was essentially pronouncing God’s blessings on the people. It was an invocation for the Lord to make His face shine on His people and for His countenance to be lifted upon them to give them light. The light of the lampstand was to be placed where its light would shine in front where the table of shewbread stood. On that table were two stacks of six loaves of bread each. They represented the twelve tribes of Israel. God’s light shining on the loaves of bread was to be a symbol of His favor on His people.   

What do we make out of these four verses? The golden lampstand is a symbol of God, the light giver. Can we now understand why John in his Gospel presented Christ as the Light of the world? John 1:9 tells us that Jesus Christ, the true light has come into the world.  Again in John 8:12, Jesus declared saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” In a world of pitch darkness, we need Christ the Light. Without Him, we will continue to walk in darkness. Imagine the Tabernacle without the golden lampstand giving out its light. Then imagine our life without the light of Christ. Praise God  that in Christ our Lord, we no longer need to grope in darkness. But we must allow the light of Christ to show us how we should live moment by moment!  So let His light shine!