Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). He also said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). The olive oil in the lamps symbolized the Holy Spirit that illuminates the church. The lamp is a symbol of the Word, as well (Psalm 119:105).
There is rich symbolism in regards to the candlestick, and we will touch just a portion of it in this post. Each visitor is encouraged to make a deep study of the sanctuary for in it you will find a wealth of knowledge regarding the plan of salvation…as Paul Harvey used to say, “and that’s the rest of the story”.
Christ provides a beautiful illustration to humanity of the magnitude of his work to save his fallen creatures. The earthly sanctuary was a pattern after the true tabernacle in heaven (Hebrews 8:1-5, Ex. 25:9).
It is important to note that the earthly sanctuary had a courtyard which is a symbol of what Jesus came to do when He was on earth. There is no courtyard in the heavenly for the courtyard work was done on earth.
- Such as Christ death, it was ‘once and for all’, there was no longer a need for animal sacrifices upon the altar of burnt offering. In His baptism, though sinless, he fulfilled all righteousness (Matt. 3:13-15).
- Jesus’ baptism, by immersion, not only marked the beginning of his earthly ministry; but we by baptism symbolically enter into his death and burial of the old sinner. The resurrection for us is being born again with the newness of life and we can claim the promised bodily resurrection to come. Though we wait for the reality of the resurrection, we allow the working of sanctification to occur in our life. Baptism is not only a righteous thing to do, it also is a memorial to what Christ did on our behalf (took upon our sin, died the second death -paying the penalty for our sin, was buried, and broke the chains of death in his resurrection).
The Seven Branch Candlestick
The candlestick (also called: lampstand) joined by a central shaft with three branches on each side was located on the south side of the holy place (Ex. 25:31-40). It was made of solid gold decorated with almond-shaped cups and flowers. Its shape and the use of floral terminology suggest the image of a tree. The candlestick seems to have been a stylized three of life that represented God as the source of life for His creatures and pointed to Christ as the true source of life.
The golden candlestick (Exodus 25:31-40) was on the south side of the Holy Place, it represents:
- Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12, 1:9; Revelation 1:12-20, Matt. 5:14)
- Olive oil represents, God the Holy Spirit (1 Sam. 16:13; Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38)
- the light of life manifested through God’s church*, we are to let our light shine (Matt. 5:16-18)
– symbol of the Word as well (Ps. 119:105).
Jesus
In Revelation, the Holy Place of the sanctuary in heaven was opened to John; and there he observed seven golden candlesticks. He also had in view the Saviour walking among the golden candlesticks, of which the earthly one was a shadow.
The candlestick was made of gold beaten into shape by the workman’s hammer. Christ is our workman as he refines us through the sanctification process. He is the Light of the world, and as we change and reflect more and more of his character, we reflect his light as ‘image bearers’.
Jesus works through us individually and collectively to bring about the ‘good news’ to the world.
God The Holy Spirit
We cannot comprehend the word of the Lord without the Spirit to enlighten our minds. The light shines to the degree in which we take the word and risk our all upon it: and as we come into difficulties in following out the instruction given through the dead prophets, the Lord sends messages of strength and encouragement through the living prophet, to enable us to press forward to victory.
“These are the two sons of oil (light-givers), that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” It is the Spirit of God accompanying the word which has been committed to the people, that will give light. Whatever the prophets of God have revealed to man in the past, is light; and those who have adhered strictly to the testimony of God by His prophets, although it may be hundreds of years after the testimony was given, are spoken of favorably by the living prophet, as Zechariah spoke to Zerubbabel.
| TYPE | ANTITYPE |
| Exodus 40:24: Golden candlestick in the first apartment of earthly sanctuary. | Revelation 1:12: John saw the seven golden candlesticks in heaven. |
| Exodus 25:37; 40:25: There were seven lamps upon the candlestick. | Revelation 4:2-5: John saw the seven golden candlesticks in heaven. |
| Exodus 30:7-8: The high priest trimmed and lighted the lamps in the earthly sanctuary. | Revelation 1:12-18: John saw Christ, our High Priest, in the midst of the candlesticks in heaven. |
| Leviticus 24:2: The lamps were burned continually, always shedding forth light. | John 1:9: The Holy Spirit lightens every soul that comes into the world, whether he accepts or rejects it. |
God’s Church
Christ, in explaining to John the meaning of what he had seen, said, “The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:12-20). The number seven in the Bible denotes a complete number. The candlestick of beaten gold with its seven bowls for the lamps was an “example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5). Its seven branches, each holding aloft a lamp, represented the church of God.
The individual that forms a part of the “church of the firstborn, which are enrolled in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23) will often feel the workman’s hammer; “for we are His (God’s) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Then, “beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12). It is only the Master-workman fashioning you to become a part of the great church enrolled in heaven.
The candlestick in the type held seven lamps. The beloved disciple also had a view of the heavenly lamps, of which the earthly ones were models. Before the throne of God in heaven John saw the seven lamps of fire, “which are the seven Spirits of God” (Revelation 4:2,5). The church of Christ is the candlestick to hold up the light in the midst of moral darkness.
The Savior says, “Ye are the light of the world.” The Spirit of the Lord is said to be the eyes of the Lord which “run to and fro throughout the whole earth, strongly to hold with them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). The lamps in the earthly sanctuary were to burn continually (Leviticus 24:2). So, the Christian is ever to let the Spirit of God rule in his life, and thus shed its light abroad.
None but the high priest could perform the sacred work of lighting the lamps in the earthly sanctuary; he trimmed them each morning and evening (Exodus 30:7-8). ONLY our High Priest, who was “tempted in all points like as we are” (Hebrews 4:15), can give us the help we need.
*Christ is standing in the midst of the seven candlesticks. It was made of gold beaten into shape by the workman’s hammer. Christ, in explaining to John the meaning of what he had seen, said, “The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:12). The churches, represented by candlesticks, are to hold the Light of the world, Christ, high for everyone to see. (Exodus 25:31-37). People make up the church, so we are to let our light shine, which is the light of Jesus in our life.
Being a Light Bearer
The question may arise in many hearts, How may I become a light-bearer in the earth? When Zerubbabel was trying, under very adverse circumstances, to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem; he came to a time when the difficulties appeared like mountains before him. Then the Lord sent His prophet with a message to help and encourage him. Zechariah was given a view of the golden candlesticks, and was also shown whence the oil came that supplied the lamps. He saw two olive trees, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on the left side, which through golden pipes kept the lamps supplied with oil, that they might burn brightly (Zechariah 4:1-4).
The prophet asked the angel the meaning of what he saw. In reply the angel said: “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). Then he gave a message to Zerubbabel to go forward, and said that the mountain of difficulties would become a plain before him, and that as surely as his hands had laid the foundations of the house of the Lord, so surely would he finish it.
Zerubbabel was walking by faith in the words of the prophets who had foretold how and when Jerusalem would be rebuilt (2 Chronicles 36:20-23; Jeremiah 25:12; Hosea 1:7); but those prophets were dead. Then God sent a living prophet with a message of encouragement, to keep the light burning, and enable Zerubbabel to press forward and complete the work prophesied of by the dead prophets.
Word of God
It is clear from Scripture that the golden candlestick was understood to be a symbol of the word of the LORD as far back as Old Testament times. One place in scripture where this is particularly apparent is the prophetic vision of Zechariah 4, where the prophet Zechariah is shown a vision where the golden candlestick (like the one described in Exodus 25:31-40) features prominently. In this vision, the golden candlestick has a globular golden bowl on top of it. This golden bowl is receiving golden oil via two olive branches extending out from two olive trees which are standing on either side of it. Connected to the golden spherical bowl that is atop the golden candlestick are 49 golden pipes, which are supplying the seven lamps of the golden candlestick with golden oil that is being received from the two olive trees standing on either side of it. When Zechariah inquires about the meaning of the vision, he is told by the interpretative angel that the vision represents “the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel” (Zech. 4:6).
The notion that the golden candlestick represents the word of the LORD of course lines up perfectly with the collective witness of Scripture, which states that God’s word is a lamp and a light (Psalm 119:105; cf. Prov. 6:23). The relational equivalence between these two constructs is likewise apparent in God’s words to the prophet Isaiah when he says: “: . . . if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20). The implication from this statement is clear— the Word of God is light, and therefore anyone who rejects it or does not speak according to it is in darkness.
Parts of this post came from S.N. Haskell and Amazing Discoveries. See full article: The Golden Candlestick
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2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” AND 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”