By Mike Caton

Exodus 25:31-39, “Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand – three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair – six branches in all. The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold. Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.”

Obviously lamps and lampstands are for light. These things would be inside of the tent of meeting or tabernacle, so it would be more dark than light inside. And these will be kept burning all the time, for continual light. We’ve probably all seen pictures of what this looked like, we might think of a candelabra, with three candlesticks or lights on each side. But this lampstand would use oil for the light. The lampstand was to look like branches and buds and blossoms, with the lights at the end of the branches.

And this thing was to be solid! That talent of pure gold was about 75 pounds worth! So this lampstand was not going anywhere. Psalm 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” We must remember that God’s word is that light that shines the truth for us. It reveals everything, even the things we think are hidden. It shows us the way we are to be living, going, growing and maturing in our lives. And like that 75 pound lampstand in the temple, the word of God is steady, permanent and not going anywhere. And so we need to stay in the light God provides.

But the only way that lampstand is going to work is if the priests keep the lamps filled with oil. Provisions will be made for this as they move along. But we, too, need to make sure we keep the word of God shining in our lives. We need to spend time in the word of God, there is no substitute for that.

Father, keep your light shining in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works as a full time AEMT with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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