Vision Logo Circle
Vision Logo Circle

Menorah Pt 1

by | Tue, Oct 16 2018

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Probably more than any other symbol, the Menorah is the most notable and the most obviously Jewish. The Star of David ranks right up there now, but for millennia, long before the Star of David was adopted, the Menorah was the primary symbol of the Jewish national people.

There are others to be sure, symbols of such things as the Lion of Judah, the shofar and the lulav which is waved during the feast of Sukkot; they’re all notably Jewish and used as identifying symbols for Israel, but by far, the Menorah is the number one symbol. But why?

When you look at both ancient and modern buildings in Israel you see the Menorah. Archaeological discoveries all over Israel and in other nations where Jews were living in the Diaspora, reveal the symbol of the Menorah. When visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Laodicea in modern day Turkey, we were shown an ancient pillar with the carving of a Menorah and a shofar together, revealing that there was a significant Jewish presence in the city thousands of years before. Still, not many people know why this particular symbol was so universally accepted as the symbol for the Jewish people.

God Himself designed the Menorah, in fact He gave Moses exact detailed instructions for the Tabernacle and everything that was to go inside it, and the Menorah was a primary and crucial piece of furniture that was to be placed inside it. Following are God’s instructions and description of the Menorah.

Exodus 25:31-37, “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. 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. 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; and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it; and bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 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. 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.”

Basically, it was a lampstand that had the main post in the centre, the three branches on each side coming out of the post and the top of each branch had a flower shaped bulb based on the almond blossom. It was hand hammered from a single piece of gold and in other verses you learn that the fuel that was burned in the Menorah was olive oil especially made for burning in the menorah and only in the menorah.

One of the things that is so wonderful about God’s Word is the detail…information that at first glance seems to be way over the top, details that we think are unnecessary or innocuous but are in fact very, very important. It just takes a little digging.

While I struggle a lot with the book of Hebrews, it contains amazing insight about all things Jewish, but persevering through parts of the Bible that are a bit complicated brings great rewards. The author of Hebrews talks about Jesus role as a priest and goes on to talk about the service and framework of priestly service being a ‘shadow’.

Hebrews 8:5-6 says, ‘…who serve a copy and shadow of heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the Tabernacle; for, “See”, He says, “That you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” But now He has ordained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.’

What we learn right from the start here is that the Tabernacle and all that was inside it were a copy, a shadow, based on a pattern of things already in heaven.

What is the purpose of a lampstand? It’s supposed to provide light so that anyone near it can see clearly. We also know that everything in Scripture is pointing to Jesus. (John 5:39) If we want to know what the heavenly things are, we simply need to study the copy or the shadow which was the Tabernacle and the items in it. The Menorah was made of gold, it had branches with bulbs in the shape of almond blossoms and it provided light inside the Tabernacle…and later on the Temple.

If you read through all the elements that were used in the construction of the Tabernacle you realise that the Menorah was the only light in it, there was no other light source. Next time we’ll take a closer look at what the Bible says about light with regard to God, His people and His order of service.

God had a calling for His people that we mentioned numerous times in other programs, and that calling was for God’s people to be a light to the rest of the world that was blinded and deceived by false gods and false religions. The problem with darkness is that you can’t see where you’re going and that means you’re lost and you’re in danger.

Isaiah 42:5-6, ‘Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it, “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, and I’ll appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations.”’

So God called His people and the purpose for the election and calling wasn’t because they were extra special, but they were to be a light before the nations of the world so they would point them toward God. Jesus taught the exact same thing as Isaiah did, that God has called those who belong to Him to be visible, light in the world that is essential dark so that they can see the truth and respond to it.

Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus said, “You’re the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It’s no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You’re the light of the world. A city set on a hill can’t be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who’s in heaven.”

The light is therefore a witness to and for and about God.

John 8:12, ‘Then Jesus again spoke to them saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me won’t walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”’

The really interesting thing about this conversation Jesus had with the religious leaders is that He was standing in the Temple, near the treasury and He would have been quite close to the Menorah while He was declaring Himself to be the Light of the world. We’re going to see what this has to do with the Menorah in our next program. (John 8:20)

 

Shalom

Mandy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based in part on an article at oneforisrael.org