THE BURNING FLAME OF GOD’S LOVE USWARD,THE CANDLESTICK OF PURE GOLD

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

Chapter 89

THE BURNING FLAME OF GOD’S LOVE USWARD,

THE CANDLESTICK OF PURE GOLD…

(Exo 25:31) And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold [the metallic symbol of God; “God is love” 1 John 4:8,16; gold = love]: of beaten work [who is getting beaten here? true love is sacrificial] shall the candlestick be made: his [central] shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

1. Commentary: gold = Gold is the symbol of God. The word means “to shimmer” in Hebrew; that brings Shekinah to mind. Gold is a soft, bright yellow metal. It can be found and used in its pure state, without smelting. Gold never tarnishes. It is extremely malleable which means that it can be easily formed into thin strips, delicate objects, and coverings. Gold is too soft a metal to be used for tools or weapons.

2. candlestick =Heb: menorah, men-o-raw'; fem.; a chandelier /// a yoke (prop. for plowing), i.e. the frame of a loom:--beam /// through the idea of the gleam of a fresh furrow; to till the soil:--break up /// to glisten; a lamp (i.e. the burner) or light:--candle, lamp, light.

3. beaten work = Heb: rounded work, i.e. molded by hammering:--beaten (out of one piece, work), upright, whole piece.

a. (Jer 23:29) Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

4. (Exo 25:17,18) And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

(Exo 25:32,33) And [in total] 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 [to hold the “pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always” Exo 27:20] 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.

1. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary: almond = A large tree resembling the peach tree in both size and fruit. The almond was chiefly valued for the nuts [seeds] it produced, which were used for making oil used in the home and as medicine. The Hebrew word for almond means “awakening,” an allusion to the almond blossom, which is first to bloom in the spring.

2. almond = Heb: the almond (tree or nut; as being the earliest in bloom) /// to be alert, i.e. sleepless; hence to be on the lookout (whether for good or ill):--hasten, remain, wake, watch (for).

a. (1 Pet 5:8) Be sober [Gk: to abstain from wine], be vigilant [Gk: keep awake: be watchful]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

b. Commentary: May we note that of the 10,000 saved soldiers in Gideon’s army, only 300 were proven by God to be “vigilant” enough in the presence of the enemy to be used as front-line combat soldiers, and the remaining 9,700 saved soldiers were sent back “unto his tent” (Jud 7:8) to be used as back-up support troops.

3. (Num 17:7,8) And Moses laid up the [twelve] rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

a. Commentary: This miraculous rod (the Holy Spirit) that budded almonds indicating (promising) fruitful resurrection life from the dead was later placed inside the ark of the covenant along with the golden pot of manna (Jesus Christ) and the two tables of stone, i.e., the ten commandments (God the Father). (Heb 9:4)

(Exo 25:34-36) And in the candlestick [central shaft] 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.

1. Commentary: The visual diagram of the golden candlestick located at the bottom of these notes is almost necessary and quite illuminating. There are three parts to each almond - a bowl and a knop and a flower, i.e., three objects. And there are three almonds or nine objects in total on each of the six branches. The central supporting shaft has four almonds or twelve objects in total. Therefore the three branches on the one side have 27 objects in total, each of the three branches having 9 objects. Likewise, the other side has 27 objects in total. And the supporting shaft has 12 objects in total.

2. Commentary: Applications = the left (or right) side of the candlestick has 3 branches of 9 objects each equaling 27 objects. These 27 objects, when attached to the 12 objects of the shaft = 39 objects. There are 39 books in the Old Testament. The remaining 27 objects on the other side of the candlestick represent the 27 books of the New Testament. The golden candlestick has in total 66 objects. The Bible has 66 books. Is this a grand coincidence? What do you think?

3. Commentary: Applications = Nine is the biblically accepted numerical symbol of the Holy Spirit. Each branch of the golden candlestick has 9 objects. There are 9 gifts of the spirit (1 Cor 12:7-11); and there are 9 fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22-23).

(Exo 25:37-40) And thou shalt make the seven lamps [Heb: lights] thereof [representing the seven Spirits of God: Isa 11:2]: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light [Heb: illumination or (concr.) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)] over against it [i.e., over against the table of showbread, illuminating the bread of the Word of God, Jesus Christ: John 1:14]. And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes 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 showed thee in the mount.

1. (Rev 4:5) And out of the throne [the composite triune ark in the Most Holy Place] proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne [the Golden Candlestick in the previous Holy Place], which are the seven Spirits of God.

2. (John 16:13,14) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear [the words of the Bible were an oral tradition until the 1611 printed KJV], that shall he speak: and he will show yo u things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine [the table of showbread], and shall show it unto you.

a. (1 John 2:27) But the [loving] anointing [of the Holy Spirit] which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

(Prov 3:9) Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

(Prov 3:10) So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.