Steadfast
11-06-2009, 05:04 AM
The Menorah
I would like to share with you a compilation of some information and conclusions that have intrigued me concerning the menorah. The menorah was a fascinating piece of the furniture first seen inside the original wilderness Sanctuary and also in the later Temples. It was a lampstand with six branches and a center stem that stood on the south side of the Holy:
Exodus 26:35 "And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table [of showbread] on the north side."
Here are two representations of the menorah that stood in the Holy:
http://www.templeinstitute.org/vessels_gallery_11.htm
http://www.ebibleteacher.com/3DTaber/3DTaberMenorah.html
This is how the menorah was to be constructed according to Jehovah's specific instructions:
Exodus 25:31 And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold: of beaten work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.
Exodus 25:32-33 And there shall be six branches going out of the sides thereof: three branches of the lampstand out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side thereof; three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower; so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
Exodus 25:34-35 And in the lampstand four cups made like almond-blossoms, the knops thereof, and the flowers thereof. And a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
Exodus 25:36-37 Their knops and their branches shall be of one piece with it; the whole of it one beaten work of pure gold. And thou shalt make the lamps thereof, seven; and they shall light the lamps thereof, to give light over against it.
The seven lamps of the lampstand were fueled by oil; olive oil, and attended to by the priests:
Exodus 35:10 And let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that Jehovah has commanded.
Exodus 35:14 …the lampstand also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light.
Leviticus 24:4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure lampstand before Jehovah continually.
So, the lampstand was constructed of beaten solid gold in the fashion of various parts of the almond tree: blossom, stem, and branch.
It is also interesting to note that the rod of Aaron was also the branch of an almond tree that blossomed, even producing almonds on it:
Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
Jewish tradition holds that the menorah also represents the Tree of Life, and that Tree originally stood in Eden:
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
If we look forward in time, we will also see that the Tree of Life stands in the middle of New Jerusalem during the 1000 years, whose fruits and leaves are used for the curing of the nations:
Jesus said: Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:2 In the midst of its street and of the river, from here and from there, was a Tree of Life producing twelve fruits: according to one month each yielding its fruit. And the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations.
I came across some interesting research by Ernest L. Martin, who drew some unusual conclusions about the menorah and what it could also represent. As a scholar and arecheologist, he came to the conclusion that Jesus could have died on an almond tree on Golgotha, and that the tree could also have represented the Tree of Life.
So what would be the connection between the menorah, the almond tree, the stem, blossom, and branch, the death of Jesus Christ, and the Tree of Life?
Some scholars have concluded that Jesus Christ and the two robbers all died on the same tree. (I personally believe that Christ didn't die on a cross, which seems to be nothing more than a Roman Catholic fabrication.)
Jesus died in the Jewish place of execution, not Roman. The place of the execution of Jesus Christ took place outside the camp (outside Jerusalem), which is where the criminals and enemies were generally executed. The common form of execution was either by stoning, or impaling/tying the guilty to a tree.
In the first century, there were many trees on *Golgotha, which was located east of the Temple. Many of those trees were almond trees. Those almond trees could grow quite large in circumference.
The menorah was constructed of six branches and a center stem. How could the menorah give us a picture of the impalement and purpose of the death of Jesus Christ?
If you look at a menorah, you will notice six branches coming out from a center stem, three to each side. In Jewish tradition, the center stem of the menorah is called the 'Servant.'
Isaiah 53 describes the suffering servant. :
Isaiah 53:1-2 Who would have believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For he shot up right forth as a sapling, and as a root out of a dry ground; he had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, nor beauty that we should delight in him.
Isaiah 53:3-4 He was despised, and forsaken of men, a man of pains, and acquainted with disease, and as one from whom men hide their face: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; whereas we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed. All we like sheep did go astray, we turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah has made to light on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:7-8 He was oppressed, though he humbled himself and opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; yea, he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away, and with his generation who did reason? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due.
Isaiah 53:9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich his tomb; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush him by disease; to see if his soul would offer itself in restitution, that he might see his seed, prolong his days, and that the purpose of Jehovah might prosper by his hand: Of the travail of his soul he shall see to the full, even My servant, who by his knowledge did justify the Righteous One to the many, and their iniquities he did bear.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the mighty; because he bared his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus the 'servant,' the center stem, is shown in the menorah with both arms extended upward. The four branches, two to each side, picture the arms of the two robbers who were executed on either side of him.
The tree on which Jesus died became the Tree of Life.
Not only did Jesus Christ die for the restoration of the Tree of Life, but the two robbers could also picture something in this drama. Jesus promised one repentant robber that he would be with him in paradise:
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise."
The other robber could picture a man who did not understand the significance of Jesus as Messiah. Could it be that these two illustrate the righteous and the unrighteous who will be in the resurrection? Jesus said:
John 5:28-29 "Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil to the resurrection of judgment."
Is the Father giving us a glimpse and magnificence of the 1000-year judgment day?
One of the functions of the menorah was to provide light. Jesus is also called the light of the world:
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Jesus is also the Lamp in New Jerusalem:
Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its Lamp is the Lamb.
Jesus is also seen in the opening chapters of Revelation as standing in the midst of the seven menorah that represent the congregations:
Revelation 1:12-13 And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, having been clothed to the feet, and having been girded with a golden girdle at the breasts.
The symbolism behind this ancient sacred furniture is too coincidental to ignore, and perhaps we can appreciate what might be its true significance.
Love,
Steadfast
*Note: To access Golgotha from the Temple, the only way to do it was to go out the East gate of the Temple, across the Kidron Valley Bridge (also called the Bridge of the Red Heifer) to the Mount of Olives. Golgotha was located on the southern summit of the Mount of Olives.
I would like to share with you a compilation of some information and conclusions that have intrigued me concerning the menorah. The menorah was a fascinating piece of the furniture first seen inside the original wilderness Sanctuary and also in the later Temples. It was a lampstand with six branches and a center stem that stood on the south side of the Holy:
Exodus 26:35 "And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table [of showbread] on the north side."
Here are two representations of the menorah that stood in the Holy:
http://www.templeinstitute.org/vessels_gallery_11.htm
http://www.ebibleteacher.com/3DTaber/3DTaberMenorah.html
This is how the menorah was to be constructed according to Jehovah's specific instructions:
Exodus 25:31 And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold: of beaten work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.
Exodus 25:32-33 And there shall be six branches going out of the sides thereof: three branches of the lampstand out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side thereof; three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower; so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
Exodus 25:34-35 And in the lampstand four cups made like almond-blossoms, the knops thereof, and the flowers thereof. And a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
Exodus 25:36-37 Their knops and their branches shall be of one piece with it; the whole of it one beaten work of pure gold. And thou shalt make the lamps thereof, seven; and they shall light the lamps thereof, to give light over against it.
The seven lamps of the lampstand were fueled by oil; olive oil, and attended to by the priests:
Exodus 35:10 And let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that Jehovah has commanded.
Exodus 35:14 …the lampstand also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light.
Leviticus 24:4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure lampstand before Jehovah continually.
So, the lampstand was constructed of beaten solid gold in the fashion of various parts of the almond tree: blossom, stem, and branch.
It is also interesting to note that the rod of Aaron was also the branch of an almond tree that blossomed, even producing almonds on it:
Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
Jewish tradition holds that the menorah also represents the Tree of Life, and that Tree originally stood in Eden:
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
If we look forward in time, we will also see that the Tree of Life stands in the middle of New Jerusalem during the 1000 years, whose fruits and leaves are used for the curing of the nations:
Jesus said: Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 22:2 In the midst of its street and of the river, from here and from there, was a Tree of Life producing twelve fruits: according to one month each yielding its fruit. And the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations.
I came across some interesting research by Ernest L. Martin, who drew some unusual conclusions about the menorah and what it could also represent. As a scholar and arecheologist, he came to the conclusion that Jesus could have died on an almond tree on Golgotha, and that the tree could also have represented the Tree of Life.
So what would be the connection between the menorah, the almond tree, the stem, blossom, and branch, the death of Jesus Christ, and the Tree of Life?
Some scholars have concluded that Jesus Christ and the two robbers all died on the same tree. (I personally believe that Christ didn't die on a cross, which seems to be nothing more than a Roman Catholic fabrication.)
Jesus died in the Jewish place of execution, not Roman. The place of the execution of Jesus Christ took place outside the camp (outside Jerusalem), which is where the criminals and enemies were generally executed. The common form of execution was either by stoning, or impaling/tying the guilty to a tree.
In the first century, there were many trees on *Golgotha, which was located east of the Temple. Many of those trees were almond trees. Those almond trees could grow quite large in circumference.
The menorah was constructed of six branches and a center stem. How could the menorah give us a picture of the impalement and purpose of the death of Jesus Christ?
If you look at a menorah, you will notice six branches coming out from a center stem, three to each side. In Jewish tradition, the center stem of the menorah is called the 'Servant.'
Isaiah 53 describes the suffering servant. :
Isaiah 53:1-2 Who would have believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For he shot up right forth as a sapling, and as a root out of a dry ground; he had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, nor beauty that we should delight in him.
Isaiah 53:3-4 He was despised, and forsaken of men, a man of pains, and acquainted with disease, and as one from whom men hide their face: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; whereas we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:5-6 But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed. All we like sheep did go astray, we turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah has made to light on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:7-8 He was oppressed, though he humbled himself and opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; yea, he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away, and with his generation who did reason? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due.
Isaiah 53:9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich his tomb; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush him by disease; to see if his soul would offer itself in restitution, that he might see his seed, prolong his days, and that the purpose of Jehovah might prosper by his hand: Of the travail of his soul he shall see to the full, even My servant, who by his knowledge did justify the Righteous One to the many, and their iniquities he did bear.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the mighty; because he bared his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus the 'servant,' the center stem, is shown in the menorah with both arms extended upward. The four branches, two to each side, picture the arms of the two robbers who were executed on either side of him.
The tree on which Jesus died became the Tree of Life.
Not only did Jesus Christ die for the restoration of the Tree of Life, but the two robbers could also picture something in this drama. Jesus promised one repentant robber that he would be with him in paradise:
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise."
The other robber could picture a man who did not understand the significance of Jesus as Messiah. Could it be that these two illustrate the righteous and the unrighteous who will be in the resurrection? Jesus said:
John 5:28-29 "Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil to the resurrection of judgment."
Is the Father giving us a glimpse and magnificence of the 1000-year judgment day?
One of the functions of the menorah was to provide light. Jesus is also called the light of the world:
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Jesus is also the Lamp in New Jerusalem:
Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they might shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its Lamp is the Lamb.
Jesus is also seen in the opening chapters of Revelation as standing in the midst of the seven menorah that represent the congregations:
Revelation 1:12-13 And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, having been clothed to the feet, and having been girded with a golden girdle at the breasts.
The symbolism behind this ancient sacred furniture is too coincidental to ignore, and perhaps we can appreciate what might be its true significance.
Love,
Steadfast
*Note: To access Golgotha from the Temple, the only way to do it was to go out the East gate of the Temple, across the Kidron Valley Bridge (also called the Bridge of the Red Heifer) to the Mount of Olives. Golgotha was located on the southern summit of the Mount of Olives.