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Symbol and Origin Menorah 7 Branches

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redacteur-chretien-Benoit

Written by Benoît Santos - Updated on Oct 27, 2024

Summary :

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    The meaning behind the menorah

    If you look at ancient buildings and archaeological finds in Israel, you will notice that the symbol of the menorah appears time and time again. For millennia, it has been the symbol of the people of Israel, long before the Star of David. But, historians are not really sure why this symbol is used so much rather than another. And, we can also ask ourselves the question: what is the true meaning of the menorah..?

    The menorah has always been God's idea. It first appears in Exodus chapter 25, when God tells them how to make it:

    “You must make a menorah of pure gold. It must be made of hammered work; its base, its stem, its cups, its ring of outer leaves , and its petals must be of one piece with it. It must have six branches extending from its sides, three branches of the menorah on one side and three on the other. On one branch must be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; likewise on the opposite branch three cups shaped like almond blossoms , each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; and likewise for the six branches extending from the menorah… Make seven lamps for the menorah, and set them up so as to give light to the space in front of it. (verses 31-37, Complete Jewish Bible)

    When we look at the instructions God gives to Moses on how to build the tabernacle , we are struck by the incredible amount of detail involved. Every little detail was thought out to perfection. This may sometimes sound strange to our ears, but if we are willing to “search diligently” as the two central words of the Torah say, then we can find wonderful truths hidden in God ’s law .

    The book of Hebrews helps us in our quest, reminding us in chapter 8 that all the objects God asked Moses to make "are a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things."

    “…For when Moses was about to pitch the tent, he received a command from God , saying, ‘See that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.’ But the Messiah has obtained a ministry that is much better than the former, in proportion as the covenant that he mediates is better, since it is based on better promises . Hebrews 8:5-6

    By studying the tabernacle with all its details, we can learn more about heavenly things. They are a shadow, a pattern of what was to come in the Messiah. But let us look at the original candlestick commanded by God. Solid gold, with seven sockets but of one piece, and adorned with almond blossoms…

    The Menorah spreads light

    First, the light given by the massive menorah in the dark tent would have been a powerful symbol of God’s light and holiness in our dark and sinful world . Jewish tradition holds that it reminds the people of Israel that they are also called to be His “Light to the nations” as God commanded in Isaiah 42:6. Gently diffuse the light without forcing it –

    “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord,”

    in Zechariah 4:6, when the prophet asks about the menorah. It is a symbol of bringing God's glory , truth, and light into the world. And His people are called to be His representatives in bringing that light as well. Jesus teaches in Matthew 5 that we too are called to be that light to the world:

    "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. The light is a witness of and of God.

    In John 8 we find Jesus speaking in the temple, declaring,

    "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The Pharisees called out to him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.

    Verse 20 tells us that:

    “He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple courts near where the offerings were placed.

    He stood by the huge menorah in the temple , declaring himself to be that ultimate light and witness, as indeed he is. The menorah was a shadow of the coming Messiah and his chosen witnesses to the world: the body of believers.

    The Seven-Branched Menorah

    menorah-symbol

    As we know, seven is the number of God's completion, but despite the plurality of lamps, it is made of one 'piece'. Seven in one, like a rainbow, or a week. We know this is to represent the presence of God among them, and in Revelation we also see the lampstands representing the presence of the Spirit in the churches to which John writes Jesus' messages . There are seven churches listed, but one bride of Jesus.

    The other aspect of the seven-branched design is that it resembles a tree. In Jewish tradition, the menorah is reminiscent of the tree of life in the creation story. We can see in the New Testament in the book of Revelation that the tree is equated with eternal life . Adam and Eve were banished from it, and Revelation 22 tells us that those with clean robes are allowed to eat from it. So the menorah speaks of eternal life with God for His bride, made available to all of us, only through the blood of the Messiah. Yeshua said, “I am the true vine, you are the branches” in John 15. He is the tree, and only in Him can we live spiritually and produce fruit.

    Almond Blossom

    And why do almond trees blossom on the menorah? Every detail is important to God, and no word is wasted. Almond trees are mentioned elsewhere in the Bible in significant ways—the first time was when Aaron’s priestly authority was challenged, and his staff budded, blossomed, and produced fruit overnight as God’s validation .

    The second is when God shows Jeremiah an almond branch in a vision. God uses a Hebrew play on words, for the word “almond” is also the root of the word “to be diligent and industrious,” because the tree blossoms and produces fruit before any other tree—in the middle of winter. It is a metaphor for haste and determined work. God assures Jeremiah that he is diligently watching over his word to fulfill it, in Jeremiah 1:12, and so the almond blossoms are a symbol of God’s determination to carry out his plans. In Zechariah 4, we see the prophet baffled by the vision of a menorah with two olive trees on either side, providing oil for the lamps. Again, if we turn to the New Testament for two olive trees, we hear Paul describe the Jews and Gentiles in Romans 11 as two olive trees; the wild Gentile tree being grafted onto the cultivated Jewish tree, by Yeshoua. The two become one in him:

    “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ . For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments in ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thus killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

    For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father . So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:13-22)

    The articles in the wilderness tabernacle spoke of what was to come in the New Covenant—a bride of the Messiah: Jew and Gentile called together, brought purified and pure before God to dwell with Him. What a powerful symbol and riches are spoken by the menorah designed by God. How wonderful it is to have been brought into the New Covenant , and that we can see the fulfillment in Jesus, the One to whom the menorah points.

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