Exodus 25:31-40 (37:17-24) ~ 20120318 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

03/18 Exodus 25:31-40 Furniture in God's Tent: The Light


In Exodus 25, God is giving us a glimpse of heaven on earth. He has given Moses a vision of his heavenly throne room, and instructed Moses to build a replica to place in the middle of the camp of Israel; a tent for God to dwell with his people. Through the details of this tent we learn much about God. We started in his very presence, where a box was to be placed containing the terms of God's covenant with his people. This box was to be covered with the propitiatory, a lid that covered his law, and this lid was to be smeared with blood, satisfying God's justice as he saw that his covenant had been violated. Outside this inner chamber or throne room we saw the table, piled high with bread, the bread of the presence, as well as containers for wine and trays for incense.

Psalm 16:11 ... in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

The next thing we are told about is the light.

Exodus 25:31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent of pure gold. 40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

Then the record of building it in Exodus 37:

Exodus 37:17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold.

And the instructions for lighting the lamps:

Exodus 27:20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

Light in the Darkness

As we will see, God's tent was made up of four layers; fine linen, goats hair, and two layers of leather or animal hide. This tent would be dark inside. So God gave specific instructions for light to illumine his tent. This is not because God is scared of the dark. It is not so that he wouldn't stub his toe on the table in the dark. Like the bread in his presence, the light would primarily benefit the priests who served in his tent. The lampstand was placed outside the curtain that hid the immediate presence of God from view. Inside the holy of holies, the radiance of the glory of God would be the only light. This lamp would benefit the priests who came in regularly to serve in the holy place.

These seven lamps, kept blazing all night long, were probably the brightest light in the camp of Israel. This would serve as a vivid reminder that someone is home in God's tent. God is indeed dwelling with his people. The lights in God's tent were to be kept on all night every night.

Psalm 121:3 ...he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Tree of Life

Look at the design of this lampstand. It is described with the language of botany. It has a trunk with branches, stems, buds, and flowers. The whole structure is designed to resemble a tree in bloom. It appears that there were three blossoms on each of the six branches, and four blossoms on the trunk, 22 blossoms in all. Seven of these blossoms would be the cups that would hold an olive oil lamp. This would be a dazzling tree of solid gold in full bloom, with seven of its flowers on fire.

This imagery of a tree, like much of the imagery in the tabernacle, brings us back to the presence of God in the garden in the beginning. The cherubim that serve as God's throne in the most holy place were first introduced in Genesis:

Genesis 3:24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

The cherubim with flaming sword were set to guard the way to the tree of life. Now we have another connection with the garden. This golden flaming tree that gives light in the presence of God reminds us of the tree of life in the garden of God. God is inviting his people back into relationship with him; back into his presence; back into paradise.

Jesus Light of Life

This is a tree shaped lampstand; its purpose is to give light. We are reminded that God is the author of light.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Light and life are closely connected throughout the scriptures. Without light, there is no life. So one of God's first creative acts was the creation of light. These words of creation and light from Genesis are echoed in the New Testament gospel of John:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus is the true light who came into the world. Everything we have seen in the tabernacle points us to Jesus.

The propitiatory or mercy seat points toward:

Romans 3:24 ...Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

The bread of the presence points to Jesus, who said:

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ...51 ...And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

And now the lampstand points us to Jesus, who said:

John 8:12 ... “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John 12:46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Jesus is life and light. He overcomes the darkness. This was prophesied in Isaiah.

Isaiah 49:6 ... I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Jesus is the life giving light of the world. How is Jesus the light of the world? In what way does Jesus give light? In John's gospel we see a focus on Jesus as the light. John's gospel begins by pointing us back to creation and back to the Word, or Jesus, who is God, who has always existed as God, and who was active in creation with with his Father. John tells us that life, the essence of life was in Jesus, that Jesus is the source of all life, and that the intrinsic life of Jesus was the light of men. When light shines, it overcomes darkness, and Jesus, the true light was coming into the world. But there was a problem. It says Jesus who created the world came into the world, but the world did not recognize him. It says he came to his own people, but even they did not receive him. In chapter 3, John says this:

John 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.”

There is a darkness in the heart of people that causes us to hate the light and cling to the darkness. Jesus comes as light, bringing the good news of eternal life to all who believe in him, and we scurry for a dark corner to hide from the light that would expose our wicked hearts. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that this is a spiritual problem.

2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Paul tells us that there is a diabolical blindness caused by the devil himself to prevent us from seeing the light of the good news of the glory of Christ. So Jesus, the light, shines in the darkness of this world, but we are blind, under the power of Satan, kept from seeing the good news in Jesus. This sounds like the darkness has overcome the light! What hope is there? Paul points us to our only hope in verse 6:

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

It is God, who spoke light into the darkness at creation, who can create light in the spiritual blindness of unbelieving hearts so that we can recognize and receive the good news of Jesus. God is still at work today overcoming darkness with his glorious light! This is what gave Paul the confidence to preach the gospel to spiritually blind people.

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

Paul knew that the means God uses to open blind eyes to the glorious good news of Jesus was the proclamation of the truth. Paul had confidence in the power of God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind because he had experienced this first hand. Paul, who was formerly called Saul, was zealous for God but hated this Jesus who claimed to be the Messiah, and genuinely thought he was serving God by 'ravaging the church, entering house after house, dragging off men and women and throwing them in prison, breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord' (Acts 8:3; 9:1).

God appeared to Saul on the Damascus road in blazing blinding light, knocked him to the ground, and said “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5; 22:8; 26:15), and he said to the stunned physically blinded but now spiritually alert Saul:

Acts 26:17 ...I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

God opened Saul's eyes to the fact that he had been blind, under the power of Satan, trying to earn favor with God by his own self-righteousness. What he desperately needed was to be knocked off his high horse, to have his sinful pride and self-righteousness forgiven as a free gift from God and begin a relationship with God through faith in Jesus. Later he contrasted his own good works with the gift of righteousness he received from God:

Philippians 3:7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--

Paul knew by personal experience that God overcomes blindness and darkness in hard, self-righteous unbelieving hearts by the light of the good news of forgiveness in Jesus. So Paul preached the good news with confidence in the power of God to save sinners. Paul says:

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Jesus, the light of the world, was lifted up and hung on a cross so that his light would shine down on lost sinners like you and me. Come to Jesus, the light of the world; let his penetrating light expose the wickedness of your proud heart, and trust him to freely forgive all your sin.

Followers of Jesus become Light

Amazingly, Jesus, who claimed to be the light of the world, turned to his followers and said to them:

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus, whose light shone in the darkness, who is a light for the nations, who said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” now turns to his disciples and tells us 'you are the light of the world. Let your light shine in such a way that the fruit of your faith draws attention not to you but to your Father.'

The life and light of Jesus comes and transforms the hearts of his followers, so that the light of Jesus now shines out from the lives of his followers. You are the light of the world. Let your light shine. We find the image of the golden lampstand again in John's vision on Patmos.

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet ... 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, ... 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

The light once contained in the temple is now going out for all the nations to enjoy. We, the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, transformed by the good news, now bear the light of the good news of the glory of Jesus for all to see.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.