The Trail of the Blood

The Way to God (10 of 16)

Exodus 25.31-40

        In tracing the scarlet thread through the Bible . . .

we come to Tabernacle which shows the Way to God.  In

fact... God not only used the Tabernacle in showing

how to get to Him... He also used the sacrificial

system and the High Priest.

        Now we have seen that the Tabernacle had only one

gate.  There was only one way to God and there is

still only one way to God!  Jesus said in John 10.9,

"I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be

saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

        Now after walking through the gate the first

thing they would see was the Brazen Altar.  It was

there they would make a blood sacrifice.  It was there

the innocent would be sacrificed for the guilty.  For

without the shedding of blood there is no remission of

sin.

        And then moving to the West... they would come to

the Laver: the place of cleansing!  And we saw last

week the importance of coming clean before worship and

as a part of worship.

        Now tonight... we are moving into the Holy Place

where you would find three pieces of furniture: THE

GOLDEN LAMPSTAND . . . THE TABLE OF SHEW BREAD... and THE

GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE.

        We read about the Golden Lampstand in Exodus 25

beginning in verse 31.

        Exodus 25.31-40 . . . After walking into the Holy

Place... immediately to the left was the Golden

Candlestick or Lampstand.  Right across from the

Lampstand was the Table of Shew Bread.

        Now the Golden Lampstand was the only source of

light in the Tabernacle.  There was no windows in the

Tabernacle . . . only the Golden Lampstand.  It was also

to be a permanent light!  Exodus 27.20, "And you shall

command the children of Israel that they bring you

pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the

lamp to burn continually."  There would never be a

time when all seven lamps went out.  Even when the

Priests would trim them... they would always have a

light turning.  Verse 20b, "...to cause the lamp to

burn continually."

        But why?  Well... practically speaking... it was

the only light in the Tabernacle.  The Priest needed

the lamps burning in order to see what they were

doing.   But spiritually speaking... that lampstand

was a shadow of another light that would come in

another day.

        Now "oil" in the Bible is a picture of the Holy

Spirit.  "Gold" is a picture of Deity.  And the Holy

Spirit's role is to draw attention to the Son!  That's

what Jesus said in John 16.14, "He will glorify Me,

for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to

you."

        Now of course the Golden Lampstand pointed to the

Lord Jesus Christ who is the light of the world.  John

1.6-9, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was

John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of

the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was

not the light, but was sent to bear witness of that

light.  That was the true light which gives light to

every man who comes into the world."

        John 8.12, "Then Jesus spoke to them again,

saying, 'I am the light of the world.  He who follows

Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of

life."  That Candlestick was made of gold... a picture

of deity.  That Candlestick gave off light.  It was a

shadow or a picture of the divine light that God would

send into the world!

        And now today... we carry that light as John

carried that light to a world that is living in the

dark.  And do you know how we're to do it?  By the

oil!  God told Moses to use the oil to light those

lamps.  Acts 1.8, "But you shall receive power when

the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be

witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

        There would have been no light from the

Candlestick without the oil just as there is no light

from our life without the Holy Spirit. 

        Now... we're not the light.  Jesus is the light. 

But we need the Holy Spirit to fill us and fuel us so

that our lives may be maximized for Him! 

        If the Brazen Altar speaks of salvation and the

Laver speaks of sanctification... the Candlestick

speaks of illumination.  My prayer and hope for FBC is

for us to be in that light so that we might reveal

that light.  That's what the Lighthouse of Prayer

movement is all about!