"THE SEVEN BRANCHED MENORAH"
Exodus 25:31-40 KJV And you shall make a candlestick (menorah) [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 you shall 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 shown thee in the mount.
God has chosen a symbol for LIGHT; it is the Menorah, the seven branched lamp-stand that stood in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. In the 25th chapter of the book of Exodus, God instructed Moses to make a lamp-stand of pure gold. Please take a few moments and read Exodus 25:8-9 and 31-40. The details are specific and as with all the furniture for the Tabernacle, God told Moses to be careful to make everything according to the pattern that was shown to him on the mountain.
The Menorah is a symbol of the Word of God, the Presence of God through the Spirit of God. It is actually the most comprehensive symbol of the entire Bible. There are seven lamps and the center one is usually positioned higher than the others. It is called the "Shamash" or servant candle and represents the Messiah, the servant of Yahweh (The name of God).
When the Psalmist wrote: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.." in the Hebrew it is literally "Thy word is a nerah sometimes pronounced menorah to my feet..." Why? From God’s perspective light is not simply a single entity, but the light of God is seven-fold in nature and this is what is symbolized by the seven branch Menorah.
God commanded Moses to locate the Menorah in what was known as the "Holy Place" in the sanctuary. Throughout the years of Temple worship, it was tended on a daily basis being trimmed every morning and re-lit by the ministering priests. It was the only source of light in the wilderness Tabernacle as it continued to be in all future Temples except for the annual glowing of the Shekhinah glory visitation in the Holy of Holies. The lamp-stand occupied a place of great prominence among the instruments used in worship. From earliest days the Hebrew people held strongly to the understanding that God was the source of all light. It is our conviction that the Menorah should also take its rightful place in Christian symbolism; not that it should ever become an idol, but rather an ever-present symbol of truth much like the cross.
The Menorah is a timeless symbol. For as we shall see later, there is one in heaven! The scripture tells us so. It is far more than a Jewish relic for the scriptures call it the "Lamp of God", not the lamp of the Jews or the lamp of the Temple, but the "Lamp of God". Let us recall for a moment the circumstances surrounding the prophetic call of Samuel. Israel was in a backslidden condition and Scripture records in I Samuel 3:3 that the "lamp of God" was going out. This is a symbolic way of saying that God’s presence was departing from Israel. Soon afterward the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, Eli the High Priest died and a child was born to Phinehas whose name says it all: Ichabod - the glory has departed.
In principle, this account parallels many of the conditions of the Church through its history. It also serves as a prophetic picture for our time. The setting was evening time, the light from the Lamp of God was shining less brightly in the temple and there was "no open vision." It is rather unusual that the "lamp of God" would have been going out at the very time of day when it normally should have been burning its brightest. Is there a message here for the church today?
We are no doubt rapidly approaching the end of the age. The prophetic signs that this is true are more than abundant. The "Lamp of God", which according to Psalm 119:105 is the Word of God and our understanding of it, should be shining most brightly through us and yet that light has been seriously eroded, largely due to the forsaking of the Hebraic foundations of our Christian faith. Are we possibly manifesting in this day the truth contained in the parable of the 10 virgins. Five of them held lamps that were "going out" because they foolishly slept instead of being alert and awake to the hour of destiny. The Menorah should remind us that we are called to shine like lights in a world of darkness.
The Menorah is the biblical symbol for the Church. Some would be quick to argue that the symbol for the church is the cross. May I gently suggest that the empty cross is the symbol of the Risen Savior, not the church? The Church was given a mandate to be a Lighthouse to the world of the truth and grace which are in the Messiah, and in His Word. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine that men may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.’ (Read Matthew 5: 14-17) This is the life of the Church and there is no better symbol for this life than the Menorah created by God Himself. Can this be shown more clearly in the Scriptures? Absolutely!
In the first chapter of the book of Revelation we find substantial confirmation of this truth. The church here is represented by the symbol of the candlestick or lamp-stand. The angel states: ". . . the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches." Rev. 1:20
We see this truth confirmed again in Chapter 2, when the Lord calls the church of Ephesus back to her first love: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen and repent and do the first works; or else I will come to you quickly and will remove the candlestick out of its place, unless you repent." Rev. 2:4-5
In addition to the obvious spiritual interpretation there is also a practical consideration. There is every reason to conclude that during the first century, the Menorah was prominently displayed in the congregations and for very good reason. The early believers were far more Jewish in nature and appearance than the subsequent church which came under the pagan influence of Greece and Rome. In recent archeological digs in Jerusalem, this has been clearly proven to be so. On multitudes of artifacts discovered on Mount Zion where the disciples and early believers met shortly after Pentecost, has been found etchings of what has come to be called the Messianic Seal of the Early Church. This seal is comprised of a Menorah and a Fish, so inter-carved that they form a Star of David at their center. It has now become a popular motif for Messianic jewelry produced in Israel.
Check out these findings on www.anchor-church-surfside.org. Look under the section entitled Hebraic Studies. There are three articles there for your reading enjoyment.
Finally in Revelation 4:5 we read, "Out of the throne proceeded lightenings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." What are these seven spirits of God? Why are they portrayed as seven lamps burning - the Menorah?
The prophet Isaiah answers this question for us in the eleventh chapter of his book, verse 2: ‘And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." The Scriptures show us these seven spirits ablaze before the Throne of God that we might know that the principles of the lampstand are also manifested in the heavenlies. The Church is called to be a light in the world, a living lamp-stand in the earth, the light that Jesus Himself exhorted us to be in Matthew 5. These seven manifestations of the Spirit of God at work through us individually as well as corporately enable us to serve as lights to others around us. The Menorah has been given to us to continually remind us of this important mission. "And 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." Rev. 5:6
Around the world churches are again beginning to display the Menorah, to light it during their worship services and to teach the congregations the truths about this precious symbol.