Chapter VIII
The Lampstand
The lampstand (candlestick) had the buds, flowers and fruit of an almond tree. It is necessary for us to refer back to Aaron’s rod that budded documented in Numbers 17:8, “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.” This rod was a type of resurrection, and for all practical purposes was a dead and lifeless rod. But Moses, by faith, laying it up before God witnessed that this rod brought forth bud, blossom, and fruit. Life from death, or we might say, resurrection power; this prefigures the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ. The branches of the lampstand, three on each side, went forth from ‘buds’ on the main shaft, then the branch developed ‘flower’ and ‘fruit,’ much like the believer in Christ. Notice that the ‘bud’ was the source of life, and as the shaft, the Lord is the source of our life. Christ is the first begotten from the dead, in Him we have life from death. We are freed from the bondage of death, (Hebrews 2) because we have died in Him; thus, He imparts newness of life, and this life is resurrection power. Think of the sign which the tailor hangs out in front of his establishment, ‘We dye to live.’ it appears to be a paradox, yet, there are many paradoxes in the Christian faith. We, as the branches, are in eternal union with Him — no one can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8) The lampstand was made from ‘beaten gold’ as the mercy seat within the veil. This beaten gold expresses the sufferings of Christ for us. “Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4,5)
We, as Christians, are joined to the sufferings of Christ in this manner: “He was rejected of men,” and Christians who are real, suffer persecution, rejection, and tribulation in this life. Yet, we have an enduring indwelling peace because we are joined to the impeccable Christ. This is the confidence that we have in Him, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24) These seven lights, although they are one lampstand, and one light, are one and yet separate. The purpose of these seven lights is to reveal Christ in their midst.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, (Ephesians 4:1)
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Ephesians 4:2)
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, (Ephesians 4:5)
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6)
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (Ephesians 4:7)
Did you notice that there are seven “one’s” in this passage of Ephesians, just as the candlestick has seven lights. We, again, have the unity of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can clearly see this expressed as a wonderful type in the candlestick in the holy place in the tabernacle.
Also, the light speaks of the Holy Spirit. According to John 14, the Comforter (who is the Spirit of God) was sent by the lord to ‘reveal’ all truth pertaining to the glory of the Son of God. So also, the candlestick illuminated the sanctuary, and showed all the glory of the articles therein, which reflected the glory of Jesus Christ. The illuminating power of the Spirit of God reveals unto us unity, communion, faith, hope, resurrection, and all the heavenly glories of Christ Jesus. The oil expresses the Spirit of God. The oil in the lamps provided the power, the source, and the energy for the light, yet it was dispensed through the small wick. Here in the small wick we have the believer showing light into the world as he is filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Thus, it is in His energies that the believer is burned, or allows himself to be consumed for God’s glory testifying for the Lord Jesus Christ.
This oil also speaks of the anointing power of the divine Spirit of God. We have this (in type) with the anointing of Aaron, and his sons; with the anointing of King David, and the anointing of the Lord. Christ was anointed at the Jordan so that God’s Son should be manifested to men. In like manner, the church received the anointing of the Holy Spirit of God, once and for all, on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The wick is engulfed by the oil as we are engulfed in the Spirit, enabling us to make our lives and our way, and our conversation in Him.
The believer is consumed for the glory of Christ; yet, abiding in the oil of the Spirit — never perishing because of eternal life. God is all to him, and he is all to God; so that we (who believe) might worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
- The believer is part of the stem — Christ in Him, and Christ in God.
- The believer is part of the branch — unity in the one body, the church of His Spirit.
- The believer is part of the gold — speaking of God’s righteousness.
- The believer is part of the oil — the indwelling and manifestation of the Holy Spirit of God.
- The believer is part of the light — manifested into the world concerning the testimony of God’s Christ.
- The believer is part in resurrection with Christ — speaking typically of the almond tree.
- The believer is part of the perfection of God in Christ — we see this in the 7 lamps, the 7 buds, the 7 flowers, and the 7 almonds. God declares His perfect number 7, and Jesus Christ is His perfect Son.
© Copyright 2007, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. “Freely ye have received, freely give“
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)