THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #193 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #174

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3879

THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #193

THE LIFE OF MOSES #174

MOSES AT MT.SINAI#73

THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES ( Part 32)

THE MENORAH #2

The Menorah has two features that refer to plant life:

1. OUTER - designed after the Almond Tree.

White Almond Flowers announce the "resurrection" of Spring each year.

Jesus said He is the Light of the world ( John 8:12 )

2. INNER - fueled by oil from the Olive Tree's fruits.

Its outward beauty comes from its inner resources: Holy Spirit.

Let us study them. 

1. Outward Form: Almond Tree ( Jesus as the Light of the World )

I am zeroing on the almond bowls only.

The description given in Exodus 25 says that the bowls were to be made like almonds. 

The Hebrew word for almond is the same word for watchfulness or wakefulness and can symbolize awakening. 

Almond trees blossom (awaken) early during the winter, even before their leaves appear. It is the first tree to awaken or be resurrected from the dead winter.

And there is a word of YHVH unto me, saying, 'What art thou seeing, Jeremiah?' And I say, 'A rod of an almond (Shaqed in Hebrew) tree I am seeing.' And YHVH saith unto me, 'Thou hast well seen: for I am watching (Shaqed) over My Word to do it.'

(Jeremiah 1:10-11 )

This timeless message of resurrection of the almond is prophetic of Christ's own resurrection. 

2. Inward Resource: Olive Oil ( Holy Spirit )

"Menorah" is most frequently translated as "lampstand in Scripture." 

This particular light-bearing object used olive oil rather than wax. 

Olive Oil is significant in connection with the Holy Spirit.

"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."

— II Corinthians 1:21-22

The word "anoint" above has to do with oil. 

In the Old Testament, kings and priests were appointed and empowered through a ritual of olive oil pouring.

Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the Tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the laver and its base, to consecrate them. And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

— Leviticus 8:10-12

What is our revelation today?

The life of Christ exhibits this anointing ritual.

"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

— Acts 10:38

The Gospel of John identifies Jesus as the "Word of God" and "light."

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."

— John 1:1-5

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

— John 1:14

Later, in John's Gospel, Jesus also connects the concepts of Light and Word with the Holy Spirit.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

— John 6:63

And Jesus also tells us in John that it is the Holy Spirit that will reveal the truth of Christ to us.

". . . when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth."

— John 16:13

The preacher of Proverbs agrees when he writes.

"The lamp of the Lord is the breath of man,

that searches every innermost part."

— Proverbs 20:27

Jesus is the LOGOS ( Word ) who gives Light and Life.

The Holy Spirit is the RHEMA Word of God who gives us wisdom, understanding and knowledge, the composites of Truth.

On my teaching tours, we  stop to view the Giant Menorah in the heart of the Jewish Quarter of Old Jerusalem built by the Temple Institute in anticipation of the Third Temple . 

There I tell my students that the Menorah is a teaching aid. As a result many of them will buy a souvenir menorah and wax candles... which never fails to draw an ironic laugh from me!

N.B. Tomorrow I will point out how the Menorah relates to the Tree of Life that was a painful reminder of Paradise Lost to Adam and Eve. 

But for us - thanks to the Menorah - the symbol of the Tree of Life is now resurrected as our Paradise Regained.