#18 Tabernacle: Explanation of the Lampstand

In seeking to understand the various parts of the Tabernacle of Moses it is important to understand what is said and what is not said. To see what is left out will give us a new focus upon what is written. For example most of the furniture in the Tabernacle is made of wood but then overlaid with gold or brass. However, the Lampstand is not built that way but is wholly made of gold, hammered out of one piece.

EXO 25:31 “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. [32] “And 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. [33] “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; [34] and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. [35] “And a bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. [36] “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. [37] “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. [38] “And its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. [39] “It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. [40] “And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

The information that is given about the construction of the Lampstand is so limited that it is not possible to draw it. If it was necessary to draw one before we could understand the function of the Lampstand, God would have given us this information. Since details are not given it means that we must seek revelation in another way.

Gold in the Bible speaks to us of Divinity while wood speaks to us of humanity. Wood overlaid with gold speaks to us of humanity overlaid with Divinity. The term “us in Christ” would mean that we as humanity are encapsulated in Christ as Divinity. Many of these types break down if they are carried too far. For example we see that wood, hay and straw are not acceptable building materials for the church. Only silver , gold and precious stones are acceptable building materials because the fire of God must test each work. Wood will not withstand the fire of testing. However, the Brazen Altar of Sacrifice on which was intense fire was wood covered with brass. The Golden Altar of Incense also had fire upon it but was wood overlaid with gold. Then the fire was not the reason there was no wood in the Lampstand so we must seek for another explanation.

The Lampstand in the Tabernacle of Moses was a type and shadow of the church in the New Covenant. REV 1:20] “As for the mystery of the seven stars which 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.

In Rev 2 & 3 these seven churches are being addressed and each one represents one lampstand. A lampstand church in each location. At first we may think that a “Lampstand Church” must be perfect because of the location of the Lampstand in the Tabernacle. Particularly since the Lampstand was made of pure gold. All of the seven churches had problems but only one of the churches was threatened with the removal of the lampstand out of it’s place. If the Lampstand was removed that would mean that the Holy Place life and ministry would go into darkness. The Outer Court activities might still go on but without the revelations connected with the Showbread. There certainly would be no real incense that is burned upon the Incense Altar because it would be in darkness.

Since there is no wood connected to the Lampstand but only gold it can only mean that the Lampstand is wholly built out of divinity but not out of humanity. This seems very confusing because how can we have a lampstand church without humanity. If the church really was all divinity and no humanity the world would certainly believe that the Father sent Jesus.

I will offer one explanation although this is probably not the only explanation.

GEN 2:7] Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. [8] And the LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

GEN 2:21] So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. [22] And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. [23] And the man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”

COL 1:16] For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created by Him and for Him.

In the beginning God created ALL things in the heavens and on the earth. HEB 11:3] By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. God spoke and the worlds were formed. Everything that was created, God created simply by His Word.

However, when it came to the creation of Man everything changed. Now God was going to make man in His own image and likeness so the process had to be changed. God formed a statue out of the dust of the ground or out of dirt. Then He breathed into it the breath of life and that “man” became a living soul or being. We should now ask; Which was image and likeness, the statue or the breath of life or as some say, both? The answer obviously was neither because both were natural. Then man must eat from the Tree of Life to become image and likeness. God is Spirit.

God said it was not good for this first man, Adam, to be alone. Every other male had it’s female counterpart but no counterpart was found for Adam. Therefore, God set out to make a wife for Adam. However, He didn’t take another pile of dirt and form it into a woman and breathe into it the breath of life and bring her to Adam.

Now God caused a deep sleep to fall upon first Adam. Then God opened Adam’s side and removed a “rib”. From that substance removed from Adam God “built” {margin} a woman. The woman that God built was full grown and a perfect match for Adam. The “sleep” had nothing to do with sin. God brought her to Adam as his wife. This is the first of the arranged marriages that God designed.

Eve was not formed from the earth but was formed wholly from Adam and God did it all. The application to the church is this; Eve is a type or picture of the church and the first Adam is a type or picture for us of Christ, the last Adam. God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Christ at Calvary when He died for our sins. After Jesus Christ was dead and our sins were handled through His death and blood, we were reconciled to God. Following His death the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear and water and blood came out. This act was not a matter of sin or justification because that was already handled in His death and blood. This act had to do with creating a bride for Jesus. This substance that came from Jesus is now what God is using to “build” a bride for Jesus. Both water and blood.

1 JOHN 5:6] This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. [7] And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. [8] For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

The principle is this; Nothing from this earth can be used to build a bride for Jesus but only that which comes from Jesus. The bride of Christ is built from Christ. This is the exact reason that the bride CAN come to perfection. The excuse that since we are only human the church can never come to perfection, is not valid. God is not building the church out of “humans” but out of Christ. COL 1:27] to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [28] And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete [ perfect] in Christ. [29] And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

GAL 2:20] “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

JOHN 12:24] “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. [25] “He who loves his life [psuche] loses it; and he who hates his life [psuche] in this world shall keep it to life [Zoe] eternal.

GAL 4:19] My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you

The principle I’m presenting is that Christ must increase but we must decrease. As we lay down our “self-life” {psuche} the Life of Christ {Zoe} will increase. Since the church is only built from Christ it is Christ in us our hope of glory. As Christ is formed in us and continually grows in us, we become more and more like Him in character etc.

COL 3:9] Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, [10] and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him. The new self is in His image!

When we can truly say with Paul “ It is no longer “I” who live but Christ lives in me” we are gold for the lampstand. If the Lampstand is wholly built from Christ [gold] and not with humanity [wood] then the type can be complete. Now while all this sounds too idealistic to be practical I would have to agree if I didn’t see the “lampstand churches” in Rev 2 & 3 had a lot of human problems.

The pure gold lampstand is certainly what God wants and what he is building but the building is a process. The message to the seven churches in Asia were to correct certain things that were not pure Divinity but certain “impurities” were present that had to be corrected. Some had defiled themselves and some had not. If those who had defiled themselves repented and cleansed themselves, the Lampstand would be intact. If they refused to repent they must be removed from the Lampstand church. If the Lampstand church is no longer the Lampstand God designed, then the Lampstand must be removed.

REV 2:4] `But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. [5] `Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out its place- unless you repent.

If the type of Adam and Eve, corresponding to Christ and the church, is valid then it is clear that much of what we have done “to build the church” is wasted effort. If the church which IS His body is only made out of Christ, it is clear that “He must build His Church” Himself and man can only mess it up. If “the ministries” are to be part of the church the individuals must no longer live but Christ must live in them. They must decrease and Christ must increase. It is still Christ in THEM which is THEIR hope of glory. Christ must be formed in THEM same as in every organ in His body. When “ministries” think they are above the body, they already exclude themselves from the body.

I used to think my ministry was to prepare the bride for Christ but now I understand that is way beyond my feeble capacity. This work is assigned to the Holy Spirit and the best that we can do is be obedient to Him and try to cooperate with Him. At the same time every ministry must also be in the process of being prepared for eternity by the removal of themselves. Many fail on this point! If we are too proud take up our cross daily and deny ourselves through the death of self, we will stop in our spiritual growth. Then we are in deception if we think we are in the process of perfection. “Ourselves” and the big “I” are opaque and must be removed to become transparent to fit into God’s eternal city. Only Christ is “transparent Gold like crystal clear jasper”. If we are to grow up in all things into CHRIST that means to become transparent gold. If only He is transparent gold then it can no longer be we who live but it must be Christ who lives in us.

Since the glory of God must shine right through the New Jerusalem to illuminate the nations of the New Earth, nothing opaque can be in that city. That city IS the bride of Christ! Nothing of this earth will ever fit into the city of God. Everything of earth must be left on the earth. That is why our body must be left here.

. EZE 1:27] Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. [28] As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

REV 4:2] Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. [3] And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.

REV 21:10] And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, [11] having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.

REV 21:18] And the [18] And the material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. [19] The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper;

Both Christ and the bride have the same appearance and carry the color of jasper but the city is crystal clear. Even the wall of the Eternal City {The dwelling place of God} was jasper. This indicates that the bride-city has come to the character of Christ and will carry His same appearance. We might say that “image and likeness” is complete.

These multiple precious stones are formed by tremendous pressure and temperature. They are created within a cavity of the earth or even of rock. When the earth is stripped away the precious stones are revealed.

2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; [8] we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. [11] For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death works in us, but life in you.

2CO 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. [17] For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, [18] while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF ALL THIS IN THE PURPOSE OF GOD?

We saw that Adam is the type of Christ and Eve is a type of the church that has been taken out of Christ and is now in the process of coming to perfection. The perfected church will be “the bride” {city} that will be presented to Christ in the glorious presentation.

God’s purpose for eternity will be achieved through the co-ministry of Christ and the perfected church. They will be co-rulers over the works of God’s hands. Both Christ and His bride are required together in order to meet God’s need. This is the purpose for which Christ is Himself “building His church”. Even as Eve was planned by God before the foundation of the world so also God has designed and planned the church before the foundation of the world. He knows exactly what He requires in the church to fulfill His eternal purpose and He is working toward that end. This eternal purpose is to be accomplished through both Christ AND the church! Even as Eve was created to be a “helper” to Adam so the Church is created to be the “helper” of Christ. The Holy Spirit then has come to be a “helper” to the church.

The “church” that is not helping Christ is mis-named. All those who are in the “church” but are hindering the work of God by spreading discord among the brethren are not helping but hindering. Even as Adam alone could not satisfy the heart of God so Christ alone cannot satisfy the heart of God or fulfill God’s eternal purpose.

All this is covered more fully in another study but we saw that God’s purpose for man was to deal with God’s enemies. [Psalm 8]. God was going to deal with His enemies, who are created beings, through His other created beings that were created as a much lower creation than the fallen angels. If God could take the lowest element of earth which was dirt and perfect it into a man of perfect submission and obedience through the exercise of man’s own will ,then God could judge the fallen angels in righteousness, through man.. In Rev 12 we see that when the man-child is caught up to the throne of God, immediately Satan and his angels are judged.

Adam without Eve was declared “not good” by God. So also Christ without the functioning church is still “not good.” God’s purpose is to grow the church up to be exactly like Christ, in His own image and likeness. God reveals that in eternity His plan is not just to have Christ rule but also that the church rule with Him. His bride, will rule with Him but also she will rule like Him. In “working”, Christ needs a “helper”. In warfare Christ needs a “helper”. In Eternal glory Christ needs a “helper”.

In the beginning of this study we saw that Eve was taken wholly out of Adam and was not made of anything from this earth. In the reality of Christ, the church must be taken wholly out of Christ and nothing from this earth can be used to build the church. Whatever is not OUT OF Christ is not the church that He is building. The gates of hell cannot overpower the church that He is building because that church is built from Christ.

Each of our physical bodies were handed down to us through first Adam while each of our spiritual bodies were provided in Christ.

1 COR 15:41] There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. [42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; [43] it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; [44] it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. [45] So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. [46] However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. [47] The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. [48] As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. [49] And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

2COR 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Too much of what we see that we identify as “church” is just a gathering of people on Sunday morning. Discouragement sets in if we think that is the best that Christ can “build”. What Christ is gathering together and perfecting as His bride is not visible but is being formed out of those who assemble on Sunday morning. This is the message that offends the Sunday people who have no desire for God to do a deep work of “perfection” in their lives.

Even as Eve was the image of Adam so also the true church must be the image of Christ. This is entirely possible because the church is taken out of Christ and is built from Christ. Trying to perfect that which was taken out of Adam is a great mistake and causes many church leaders to give up and quit. Until Adam is dead and buried in the waters of baptism, and remains dead, experientially, the perfecting of the “church” will be disappointing and impossible.

Since we don’t see God breathing the breath of life into Eve we know that Eve took her life from Adam. In like manner the church must receive her life from Christ. In John 20:22 Jesus breathed directly into His disciples and infused them with the “Spirit of Life” which must have been His Life. When the testimony of the church is that she no longer lives but Christ lives in her, the work of “perfection” is proceeding toward God’s eternal purpose.

Since the Lampstand church has no wood, it is clear that humanity has been swallowed

up by His Life. Now lest we get discouraged with the carnality we see in the “church” we should look closely at the 7 Lampstand churches in Rev 2 & 3. Each one had several severe problems but Jesus only threatened to remove the Lampstand from one church. Rev 2:5 While the Lampstand is already built from God’s side it is still under construction from the church’s side.

The good news is that problems do not immediately remove the Lampstand from the church if there is genuine repentance in the church. Individual problems are not as severe as corporate problems. Until the church is the manifestation of Christ, God cannot rest from His work. While Eve was taken from Adam she was Adam in a different form. The true church is Christ in a different form.

The Lampstand was hammered out of one piece {sheet} of gold into a perfect unity. All the talk now in the church about unity is certainly valid but Lampstand unity requires much more than getting together to have meetings. This is not a doctrinal unity but an organic unity like the body of Christ is the union of various organs into an organic whole. Individual believers that are scattered cannot be in organic unity with the body. The independent natural believer has nothing to do with the real church which is His body.

The reality of John 6 has not been universally experienced by believers simply because they believe something about Jesus. To eat of His flesh and drink of His blood is to ingest Christ until He becomes our Life. Even man’s natural talent is outside the church which is His body. Natural talent has no organic unity with Christ.

Natural talent must be dragged through the cross to remove the natural part of the talent. Talent is not wrong but the “natural” part will soon exalt self instead of Christ. Much of the Christian music industry is a good example of wonderful natural talent that has sidestepped the cross. The natural mind and natural talent are two things that dilute the church. Until all that is natural has been effectively dealt with by the cross, the church will just be a gathering of people for religious purposes. Just an earthly structure with a heavenly purpose like the Tower of Babel.

Every church will “progress” for a short time through human effort but then the cross must be faced head on. Those who refuse the cross and reject dying to themselves will present a great problem. Either the church must reject the cross corporately or the lukewarm must find another church that has rejected the cross in which they can feel comfortable. Even though we have the Life of Christ in us we still need the Holy Spirit to work in us to combat the natural man and the flesh. If He is not permitted to do His work, the flesh will rule the church by popular opinion.

How can those who insist upon their individualism be restricted by being organs in His body? “Believers” may leave but organs have to stay put and function. The organs must do many disagreeable tasks in their function. Those who have no desire to be organs will be unhappy if they stay. They should join in with other believers who are living for themselves. When “I”, “Myself”, is enough to meet My need, I need to find others of like mind. The self-centered seem to gravitate to the same groups.

Those who are willing and ready to give themselves as the full Consecration Offering will cause all those who are not willing to be very uncomfortable. This is the danger of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to those who are satisfied just to be “saved”. This is why many “Pentecostals” are gravitating to “super grace” churches. These churches are growing in numbers now through the dissatisfaction of those faced with the message of full commitment. Many are looking for the message of salvation without cost and without a personal cross. Every Christian will be faced, sooner of later, with the confrontation of a personal cross. They must either die to self or look for someone to reassure them there is no such thing as a personal cross. Many think the personal cross is just the devil trying to steal their blessing!

The message of super grace is this; Jesus took up His cross so that we wouldn’t have to. He became poor so we could become rich. He became sick so we could be healed. He was bound so we could be free. He fulfilled the law so we could live without restraints. Man is the center of the universe and God just wants to serve man and provide for him abundantly. It is all by grace so just tell God what you want. God is there to fulfill your purpose and bring joy to your heart! Anyone who has read the Bible should know there is more to the Christian life and God’s purpose than that!

If the church is built from Christ and functions IN Him and through Him and from Him and for Him, it is important to reflect upon our work to see if it comes from us or from Him.

JOHN 5:19 Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing;

The Greek phrase could also be translated “The Son can do nothing out of Himself”. In other words all work proceeds out of and has it’s source in the Father. This is certainly the principle by which ALL work is successful and eternal. The church working fervently out from itself is producing nothing eternal. The church at her very best is just a help-meet to Jesus in the same way that Eve was designed to be a help-meet for Adam. When the church originates anything she is just spinning her wheels but producing nothing eternal. She may be producing much in her own eyes but it is still producing nothing in His eyes.

Let us begin with an assumption or perception that our church has no love. Or that the world manifests more love than the church. The best that men can produce out from themselves is brotherly affection, whether in the church or in the world. What we should be asking is “What is the source of the love that is manifested?” Is it from man or is it from God and is it genuine Agape or is it simply social graces and etiquette. The world knows nothing of Agape because that Love only originates in God and comes from God by the Holy Spirit.

1 COR 13:2] And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [3] And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

This is not speaking of social graces but of God’s own Love, Agape! The common practice is to condemn others because they don’t have Love but be totally unable to manifest Love themselves. It is generally the selfish and self-centered who complain that others are not loving them but the self-centered accept no responsibility to love others. Is it wrong to prophesy, remove mountains by faith and give our possessions to feed the poor? No! That is just basic Christianity. When we look at the source of our good deeds and find that they originate with ourselves there is no benefit to us but others may still profit from our sacrifice and be grateful to God. Even if we have all “the appearance” of Love it still benefits us nothing if it is not the Love that originates in God and is imparted to us in His life.

If it is a fact that we can do nothing apart from Him then we certainly cannot Love with Agape apart from Him because He is the only source of Agape. Whatever we do outside of Christ is worthless to fulfill God’s eternal purpose.

If we set this in the Vine-branch union it is easier to understand. Without the Vine, the branch can produce nothing useable. The fruit of that Vine-branch union is Agape. Trying to develop Christian character through the effort of some powerful ministry is disappointing. We can’t receive or release Agape by the laying on of hands. The self life, selfishness, self pity and self-centeredness must be put to death by the cross in order to release Agape from our lives.

A valuable aspect of the gift of discerning of spirits is being able, by the Spirit, to discern the source of the manifestation. Is the source the Holy Spirit or is it from man? If we judge only by the words spoken we might be deceived into thinking that God has spoken when the source was really man. The “ideal ministry” is ALL from Him and nothing from us. Of course we realize that we are not there yet. There is still too much of ourselves within ourselves but our desire is to die to ourselves so Christ can live in us. This is still the only valid objective if we anticipate participating in that pure gold Lampstand. Leaving “first love” is connected to the removal of the Lampstand. Leaving the “priority of Agape” must be very serious. Since God IS Agape, He alone is the only source for us! Trying harder to Love is disappointing.