Sanctuary, Salvation, & Our Savior

The Candlesticks

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: SSOS

Program Code: SSOS190010A


00:01 Music...
00:26 Welcome to another installment
00:27 in our Series that we've entitled:
00:29 "The Sanctuary, Salvation and our Savior"
00:33 and the focus of our study today is the Candlesticks
00:38 or the Menorah or otherwise known as the Lampstand
00:41 that was located in the Holy Place of the sanctuary.
00:45 Now, to my right, we have this beautiful LED
00:49 of the Menorah and it was covered in pure gold
00:53 made of wood
00:55 and it was to be in the shape of an almond tree,
00:59 there were seven lamps of fire that were burning there,
01:03 there was one central stand
01:06 with six stems going out from the central ones
01:09 and at the top of each one of these lamps
01:12 was an almond-shaped bowl that was to be filled with oil
01:17 daily by the priest
01:19 and also, there were wicks that were burning there as well
01:22 and the priest's responsibility was to insure
01:26 that these lamps were burning continually
01:29 in the Holy Place of the sanctuary.
01:32 It was the only source of light
01:35 in the Holy Place of the sanctuary
01:38 and it was the place from which light emanated
01:42 and there was a golden glow that would fill the room
01:46 of the Holy Place.
01:48 As we can see, there are three articles of furniture
01:52 in the Holy Place of the sanctuary...
01:55 the Candlesticks... the Altar of Incense...
01:57 and the Shewbread
01:59 and the focus of our study today is the Candlesticks
02:03 and when we talk about the sanctuary,
02:05 we're talking about God's plan of restoration...
02:07 it is to bring us back...
02:09 He wants to bring us into the Courtyard experience...
02:12 into the Holy Place...
02:14 and into the Most Holy Place Experience
02:17 and we noted that Adam and Eve before the fall...
02:21 were in a face-to-face encounter with God...
02:23 had that encounter...
02:25 that conversation with God as to a friend
02:27 but because of the fall,
02:29 the entire human race was placed outside the gate
02:32 and it's God's plan
02:34 through the illustration of the sanctuary,
02:36 to bring us all the way back
02:38 to that intimate face-to-face relationship with Him.
02:41 Now, when we look at the Lampstand,
02:44 we note that the reason why the fire is able to burn
02:50 is because of the oil that has been provided
02:54 and the oil represents the Holy Spirit
02:57 that is to fill us on a daily basis
03:01 and the only reason why we are able to shine for Jesus
03:05 is because of the indwelling spirit of God.
03:09 There are several different things
03:12 that the light from the lampstand illustrates
03:16 and first of all, this has Christological implications
03:19 meaning that it points to Jesus Christ.
03:22 The Menorah... the light emanating in the sanctuary
03:26 first and primarily points to Jesus
03:28 as Jesus said in John chapter 1 verse 9,
03:32 Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. "
03:35 Jesus is our spiritual illumination.
03:39 Jesus is the One that gives us light,
03:42 Jesus is the source of light and truth
03:46 and so, first and foremost,
03:48 the light that burns in the Holy Place
03:52 represents Jesus Christ.
03:55 There is a secondary significance
03:57 and this has ecclesiological implications
04:01 talking about the church.
04:02 So, first and foremost,
04:04 this is talking about Jesus the light of the world
04:07 and secondarily this refers to the church... God's people...
04:11 you and I...
04:13 the Bible says, "You are the light of the world"
04:17 in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 14.
04:20 Now, we are not the source of light,
04:22 we are a reflection of the light of God
04:25 so, not only is Jesus the light of the world,
04:29 but the church as evidenced in the seven lamps of fire
04:34 that were burning before the throne in the book of Revelation
04:37 representing the seven churches...
04:38 the church is to be the reflection of God's light,
04:44 we are the light of the world,
04:47 we are to be the agents that disseminate truth
04:51 to a dying world.
04:52 The oil, as we mentioned, is the Holy Spirit
04:56 according to Luke chapter 4 verse 18
04:57 and Zachariah chapter 4 verse 6,
04:59 the oil that is poured into the lamps is the Holy Spirit
05:04 and as we noted earlier,
05:06 we don't burn because of ourselves,
05:08 we don't give light because of ourselves,
05:11 we give light because of the Holy Spirit
05:14 that dwells in each one of us.
05:16 When the Spirit comes in,
05:18 we manifest the fruit of the Spirit,
05:21 we manifest love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
05:27 goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance...
05:29 the graces of Jesus Christ are a light to the world
05:34 and when we talk about our witness...
05:36 talk about light... talk about sharing Jesus...
05:39 many times we talk about the proclamation of the Word,
05:43 but in reality, it's also talking about
05:47 the proclamation of the life.
05:49 The strongest evidence of the reality of Christ...
05:53 of the living Christ...
05:55 is a loving and lovable Christian
05:58 so, as the Spirit is poured into our lives,
06:01 we are able to be a light...
06:03 be a witness to those that are around us.
06:07 The priest that put oil into the lamps
06:11 represents Jesus our High Priest in heaven
06:13 so, how fitting an illustration it is.
06:16 Jesus our High Priest in heaven, we are the vessel...
06:20 He pours in the Holy Spirit into us
06:22 which enables to be a light to... to emanate the...
06:26 the character of Jesus and the fruit of the Spirit to others
06:29 and this is an important part of our Christian experience.
06:33 You see, being a Christian
06:35 is not just about living in our own community
06:37 and having people that believe all the same that we do...
06:40 the same things that we do
06:41 and just living in our little club
06:43 and talking theology amongst ourselves,
06:46 no, the Christian experience is about being a light
06:50 to the world as well.
06:51 It's about sharing your faith.
06:53 It's about sharing the gospel.
06:55 It's about sharing the good news of a crucified and risen Lord.
06:59 Another thing about the elements in the Holy Place
07:04 was this word in the Hebrew, "Tamid"
07:07 which literally means "continually. "
07:09 Each one of the elements in the Holy Place
07:13 was to be continually before the Lord.
07:15 The priest was to tend to the bread
07:18 and keep it continually before the Lord,
07:21 the word "Tamid" here is used again
07:24 and then, we have these three elements:
07:27 Bread, Incense, and Candlesticks
07:30 representing Bible Study, Prayer and Witnessing
07:35 and each one of these was to be continually before the Lord,
07:39 the bread was to be a continual presence.
07:42 The light was to be continually burning
07:44 and the incense was to be continually ascending to God.
07:48 In other words, each one of these elements
07:52 of Bible Study... of Prayer and Ministry
07:56 are not just a one-time thing,
07:58 but it is to be Tamid... continually something
08:02 that the Christian by the grace of God
08:05 practices to sustain their spiritual life.
08:09 The word "Prayer" and "Witnessing"
08:11 is to be continually a part of our Christian experience.
08:16 Here's a quotation from "Steps to Christ" page 79,
08:20 "God might have committed the message of the gospel,
08:24 and all the work of loving ministry,
08:26 to the heavenly angels.
08:28 But in His infinite love
08:29 He chose to make us co-workers with Himself,
08:33 with Christ and the angels,
08:35 that we might share the blessing,
08:38 the joy, the spiritual uplifting,
08:40 which results from this unselfish ministry. "
08:44 You think about the implications of what this is saying,
08:48 who would you rather give a Bible Study...
08:52 me or the Angel Gabriel?
08:55 Now, that's a no-brainer...
08:57 the Angel Gabriel...
08:59 and the question is,
09:00 why would God choose frail human beings like myself
09:05 to be given this... just wonderful task...
09:10 this awesome responsibility of taking the good news to others
09:14 when He has far more capable entities and individuals
09:18 like the Angel Gabriel?
09:20 Why would He choose individuals like us?
09:23 Well, one of the reasons according to this quotation
09:26 from the book "Steps to Christ"
09:27 is this element of joy.
09:30 Now, I remember when I was a Bible Worker
09:33 in South Central Los Angeles,
09:34 we pitched a tent there on Florence and Figueroa
09:37 those of you that are from that area of the country,
09:40 you know that it's a tough part of town
09:42 and we went out door-to-door and canvassed the people
09:46 and we would ask them, a very simple question,
09:48 "Do you have a prayer request?"
09:50 and we'd write them down and we'd go back to our rooms,
09:51 we'd pray for those individuals
09:53 and it was a miracle of miracle that summer...
09:54 changed my life forever.
09:55 We would have these people come into our tent
10:00 and from night to night, 700 to a 1,000 people
10:04 gathered together in that tent
10:05 and there were miracles that summer.
10:08 At the end of that summer, I saw an individual
10:11 that I had been the first contact,
10:14 I had knocked on their door...
10:16 I brought them to the meeting,
10:18 they came to the meeting...
10:21 they accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior...
10:24 they accepted the truths in Scripture...
10:27 they fell in love with Jesus the Way the Truth and the Life,
10:30 and I saw that man getting into the water and being baptized,
10:33 and I remember to this day, standing by the pool...
10:37 standing as that man was being baptized...
10:40 with tears of joy streaming down my face
10:43 as I saw that person that I had been so...
10:47 so just... just humbled to be used
10:50 to lead that person to Jesus Christ,
10:53 giving their life over to God in the waters of baptism
10:56 and I wanted to... there was a feeling of joy
10:59 and elation that I cannot describe
11:03 and if you've never led someone to Jesus Christ,
11:05 I want to ask... I want to encourage...
11:07 to pray to God and say,
11:08 "Lord, give me an individual to share my faith with... "
11:10 and here I was by the side of that pool
11:13 and that man was getting into that water
11:14 and it was an experience of joy and I'm so thankful to God
11:19 that He has given us the privilege
11:22 of being a light to the world.
11:25 He doesn't need us...
11:26 are you kidding me?
11:28 He doesn't need me...
11:30 He could do this Himself with His angels
11:33 but He doesn't want us to miss out on the joy
11:37 and the return that we have
11:39 and the thing is, when you get to heaven,
11:43 do you know, you can't take anything.
11:47 You can't take your house, you can't take your car,
11:50 you can't take your 401K,
11:52 you can't even take your body...
11:53 praise God for that,
11:56 you could only take your character and people.
11:59 Now, think about the implications of that.
12:02 Have you ever gone to a place and you went by yourself
12:07 and you're seeing this beautiful waterfall...
12:10 picturesque sunset...
12:12 and you're there by yourself.
12:14 Have you ever thought to yourself,
12:16 "Oh, I wish so-and-so could be there...
12:18 I wish this individual was there
12:20 so he could experience this with me...
12:22 I wish they could experience the joy
12:24 of what this time and this place really is... "
12:28 but you are by yourself
12:30 and I believe that one of the reasons
12:31 that God called us to be a light and a witness for Him
12:34 is that when we get to heaven,
12:36 He knows we can't take any material possession with us,
12:39 no investment...
12:40 no 401K...
12:42 but when you get there, you can bring people with you
12:45 and how much greater return and joy it is
12:50 to know that when you lead someone to Jesus Christ,
12:53 you allow God to shine through you
12:55 through the fruit of the Spirit,
12:56 you allow God to use you in a Bible Study
12:59 or to lead someone to Jesus Christ,
13:00 that throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity,
13:03 that that person will be there.
13:06 What a joy it will be as you see them
13:10 criss-crossing the universe in eternity
13:14 after a billion or trillion years,
13:17 what a return... you can look at that person...
13:20 "I'm so glad I shared my faith with them, praise God... "
13:23 and God knows that the return of that investment
13:28 of our time and resources will give eternal returns
13:33 in the new heavens and the new earth.
13:35 I want to encourage you to stay with us as we study
13:39 how God has called us to be a light for Him
13:43 to burn for Him... to shine for Him...
13:46 to give the character of Christ for Him,
13:48 we're going to take a short break right now
13:49 and stay with us as we return to study
13:52 how Christ wants to shine through us
13:55 as evidenced in the Menorah and the Lampstand.


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Revised 2019-10-15