Good Morning.
You shall make seven lamps for it, and they shall arrange its lamps so that they give light in front of it. (Exodus 25:37)
As we mentioned previously the Menorah was, among other things, a representation of a tree that speaks of light and life. It was a golden tree that exhibited “fruit” in its “branches” and produced illumination for the Holy Place. From where it was positioned, its light would illuminate the table of showbread (bread of the face). So if the bread represents the Word of God that is continually refreshed, the light of the Menorah represents the illumination of the Word — i.e. understanding of the Word — that come only by the Spirit of God. As Paul said, “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).
It is important to acknowledge that, for the menorah to provide its light, there must be fuel for the lamps. In the Holy Menorah, the fuel for that light was the purest olive oil, extracted from olives grown in a special olive yard that were crushed in a press especially set apart for that one duty. It is no accident, then, that on the eve of His crucifixion, Messiah went into a garden called Gethsemane — in Hebrew, Gat shamani — the “olive press.” It was there that He was crushed under the weight of His purpose — that He would die that we might have life and light.
Ultimately, the menorah speaks of Him and His Spirit — He is the Light of the World that illuminates our path that we might navigate this life and fulfill our purpose. In pursuit of that purpose, we have been challenged with the responsibility to “take up our cross” and follow Him. If we are truly going to follow Him and fulfill His purpose for us, we also must submit ourselves to the crushing that is surely to come.
Think of it this way: if He, the Light of the world, refers to His people as the light of the world, it must be that we are somehow represented in what represents Him (the menorah). In other words, like our Master, to fulfill God’s call upon our lives, we must allow our flesh to be crushed in the olive press. It must be so in order that pure oil can be extracted from our life, and that in our dying to self, the world can see the purest light. As we go through this process, let us hold fast to the promise that He is always with us and, because He has overcome, we can overcome also.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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