Leviticus 24:1-4

2. HOLY LAMPS AND SHOWBREAD 24:1-9
a. THE HOLY LAMP 24:1-4
TEXT 24:1-4

1

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2

Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

3

Without the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, shall Aaron keep it in order from evening to morning before Jehovah continually: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations.

4

He shall keep in order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before Jehovah continually.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 24:1-4

562.

Who was to supply the oil for the lamp?

563.

What is meant by pure olive oil beaten?

564.

How often was the lamp to be trimmed?

565.

The light in the holy place was there continuously. Is this true?

566.

Was the candlestick to be kept clean? Is this the meaning of Leviticus 24:4?

PARAPHRASE 24:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, Tell the people of Israel to bring you pure olive oil for an eternal flame in the lampstand of pure gold which stands outside the veil that secludes the Holy of Holies. Each morning and evening Aaron shall supply it with fresh oil and trim the wicks. It will be an eternal flame before the Lord from generation to generation.

COMMENT 24:1-4

S. H. Kellogg has given us some very splendid comments on these verses. We offer them here to our readers:

First (Leviticus 24:1-4) is given the direction for the ordering of the daily light, which was to burn from evening until morning in the holy place continually. The people themselves are to furnish the oil for the seven-branched candlestick out of the product of their olive yards. The oil is to be pure, carefully cleansed from leaves and all impurities; and beaten, that is, not extracted by heat and pressure, as are inferior grades, but simply by beating and macerating the olives with water, a process which gives the very best. The point in these specifications is evidently this, that for this, as always, they are to give to God's service the very best, an eternal principle which rules in all acceptable service to God. The oil is to come from the people in general, so that the illuminating of the Holy Place, although specially tended by the high priest, is yet constituted a service in which all the children of Israel have some part. The oil was to be used to supply the seven lamps upon the golden candlestick which was placed on the south side of the Holy Place, without the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting. This Aaron was to order from evening to morning before the Lord continually. According to Exodus 25:31-40, this candlestickor, more properly, lampstandwas made of a single shaft, with three branches on either side, each with a cup at the end like an almond blossom; so that, with that on the top of the central shaft, it was a stand of seven lamps, in a conventional imitation of an almond tree.

The significance of the symbol is brought clearly before us in Zechariah 4:1-14, where the seven-branched candlestick symbolises Israel as the congregation of God, the giver of the light of life to the world. And yet a lamp can burn only as it is supplied with oil and trimmed and cared for. And so in the symbol of Zechariah the prophet sees the golden candlestick supplied with oil conveyed through two golden pipes into which flowed the golden oil, mysteriously self-distilled from two olive trees on either side of the candlestick. And the explanation given is this: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord. Thus we learn that the golden seven-branched lampstand denotes Israel, more precious than gold in God's sight, appointed of Him to be the giver of light to the world. And yet by this requisition of oil for the golden candlestick the nation was reminded that their power to give light was dependent upon the supply of the heavenly grace of God's Spirit, and the continual ministrations of the priest in the Holy Place. And how this ordering of the light might be a symbolic act of worship, we can at once see, when we recall the word of Jesus (Matthew 5:14; Matthew 5:16): Ye are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

How pertinent for instruction still in all its deepest teaching is this ordinance of the lamp continually burning in the presence of the Lord, is vividly brought before us in the Apocalypse (Leviticus 1:12-13), where we read that seven candlesticks appeared in vision to the Apostle John; and Christ, in His glory, robed in high-priestly vesture, was seen walking up and down, after the manner of Aaron, in the midst of the seven candlesticks, in care and watch of the manner of their burning. And as to the significance of this vision, the Apostle was expressly told (Leviticus 24:20) that the seven candlesticks were the seven Churches of Asia,types of the collective Church in all the centuries. Thus, as in the language of this Levitical symbol, we are taught that in the highest sense it is the office of the Church to give light in darkness; but that she can only do this as the heavenly oil is supplied, and each lamp is cared for, by the high-priestly ministrations of her risen Lord.

FACT QUESTIONS 24:1-4

577.

In what sense was the oil to be pure and beaten?

578.

What principle is here given?

579.

Why was the oil supplied by the people?

580.

Zechariah 4:1-14 explains the significance of the symbol. What was it?

581.

Was Israel to be a light to the world? Explain,

582.

Revelation 1:12-13 gives us the application of the Golden Lampstand for our life. What is it?