God Enlightens Our Worship & Service (Ex. 25:30-40; 27:20-21; 37:17-24; Lev. 24:1-3)

7/16/2008 10:47 PM

My Worship Time           Focus:  God enlightens our worship and service

Bible Reading & Meditation     Reference:  Exodus 25:31-40; 27:20-21; 37:17-24;

                                                                                    Lev. 24:1-3

            Message of the verses:  “31 ¶  "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.  32  "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.  33  "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; 34  and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers.  35  "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.  36  "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.  37  "Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it.  38  "Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold.  39  "It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils.  40  "See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.”

            “20 ¶  "You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.  21  "In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.”

            “17  Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its shaft; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers were of one piece with it.  18  There were six branches going out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand from the one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it; 19  three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.  20  In the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers; 21  and a bulb was 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.  22  Their bulbs and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was a single hammered work of pure gold.

23  He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its trays of pure gold.

24  He made it and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.”

            “1 ¶  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2  "Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.  3  "Outside the veil of testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD continually; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations.”

            The picture of this lampstand or candlestick is not exactly what the one in Exodus looks like for the description in Exodus does not explain exactly how it looked.  It weighed seventy-five pounds and the purpose of it was to give light in the Holy place so that the priest could do their work of offering up the sacrifices.  The fuel was olive oil and the lighting from this lampstand was to burn continually.  The priests were to trim the wick each morning in order for it to work correctly.  There was only one lampstand made for the tabernacle and later on the temple.

            There are different pictures that can be seen from this lampstand.  Jesus said that He was the light of the world.  In Psalm 119:105 the Word of God is said to be light.  Aaron and his sons were to trim the lampstand wicks and put incense into the containers that held it each morning.  Incense is said to be the prayers of the saints and so the Word of God and prayer go together.  God wants His children to offer up intelligent worship and in order to do that the believer needs the light of the Word of God to guide them.  Zachariah writes that the oil represents the Holy Spirit and believers need the Holy Spirit in order to study the Word and be able to pray properly. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The light of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit shows me when I sin and need to confess my sin to the Lord.  They also are important in my study of God’s Word and prayer each day.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Let the light of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit guide me each and every day of my life.

7/16/2008 11:25 PM