Fri.’s Devo - The Candlestick

Read Ex. 25:31-40 The candlestick was made of one talent of pure gold (about 75 lb.) It was a menorah with 6 branches: 3 on each of the candlestick. Each branch will have a bowl at the top for oil and its wick and a knop and a flower. This knop is an ornamental round knob. The flower is the almond blossom. There are two kinds of olives: wild and sweet. The wild almonds contain cyanide and are deadly, but the sweet almonds are high in vitamins and minerals. Gen. 43:11 listed almonds among the “best fruits”. In Numbers 17 it was Aaron’s rod that blossomed with almonds. Tradition says that one side grew sweet and the other wild. This would definitely describe Israel. Many of their members were bitter and deadly. They murdered Jesus. The other half are tender to God and accepted Jesus as Messiah. The almond is a symbol of watchfulness and promise. It was usually the first tree to flower (Jan. or Feb.) giving the promise of all the other trees. This candlestick lit the room called the Holy Place. It stands for Jesus who is the light of the world and the illumination of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Without it the rest of the room looses its power. The Jews in modern-day Jerusalem have built a huge menorah. It is over 7 feet tall. The priests have to climb up steps to light it. I saw it when I went to Jerusalem and was amazed. In fact, they are reconstructing all of these pieces so that as soon as they get the temple mount and a red heifer, they can start sacrificing. Lord, you are our light that illumines the holy places of our heart. Shine so brightly that we leak your light everywhere we go today.