Leviticus 24:1–4

After the Feasts comes a new section of this third book of Moses, which we will now look at. It is a mixed group of details not yet set out in the book. The first words deal with the provision for the lampstand and the table before the LORD continually.

In this chapter we have two grand ideas. First, the unfailing record and memorial of the twelve tribes, kept before God by the power of the Spirit and the effectiveness of Christ's priesthood. Second, the falling away of Israel after the flesh, and God's judgement carried out on it. Only a clear grasp of the first will let us look at the second.

It is important for us to feel the part which God gives His children and expects from them. He would give them no such part if He were indifferent to His own honour or to their blessing. What a privilege and responsibility for the sons of Israel! They could not enter the holy place: the curtain barred everyone but the priests. Yet on all the children of Israel lay the charge of providing pure beaten olive oil for the light of the sanctuary, in front of the veil of the testimony, to keep the lamps burning continually.

The "pure oil" represents the grace of the Holy Spirit, resting on the work of Christ, as the lampstand of "beaten gold" shows. They pressed the "olive" to yield the "oil," and they beat the gold to form the lampstand. In other words, the grace and light of the Spirit rest on the death of Christ, and the priesthood of Christ keeps them clear and strong.

Here, however, it is the same Light, but not as when He was on earth, "the light of the world." He is the light shining in the sanctuary. He is the light of God for those who have priestly right to enter there, during the darkness that rests on the people who reject Christ… We also know what the oil means that made the light burn. It was the Holy Spirit given without measure. In that Spirit the Lord met the tempter. In that Spirit He was anointed for all His service. In that Spirit He offered Himself spotless to God.

We might ask, "What was the real reason for the light?" No doubt it gave light in the holy place. But there was another reason!… The chief purpose of the light seems to have been to shine on the lampstand itself, showing its beauty and remarkable workmanship.

First, the children of Israel were to bring the pure olive oil. This points to the responsibility of God's people on earth, the vessel that was to display the light — Israel then, and the church now. Aaron was to set the lamps in order. This teaches that only the priestly care and intercession of Christ can keep the light of the Spirit on display… Every ray of light that shines out below, whether through the church or the individual believer, is only the answer to His priestly work.

What a privilege and responsibility for the sons of Israel! They could not enter the holy place: the covering or curtain forbade it except for the priests. But the charge lay on all the children of Israel. They had to provide pure beaten olive oil for the light of the sanctuary, outside the veil of the testimony, so that the lamps would burn continually.

The children of Israel must supply the oil that keeps it burning — a blessed necessity! It is through the people of God that the light of the Spirit keeps burning, for the Spirit works through man and in man. So the lamp burns from evening to morning before Jehovah continually. Nothing is said but of the night, for in the world it is always night.

He is the light shining in the sanctuary. He is the light of God for those who have priestly title to enter there, while darkness rests on the people who reject Christ... We also know what the oil means that made the light burn. It was the Holy Spirit given without measure. In that Spirit the Lord met the tempter. In that Spirit He was anointed for every kind of service. In that Spirit He offered Himself spotless to God.

The "pure oil" stands for the grace of the Holy Spirit. That grace rests on the work of Christ, as the lampstand of "beaten gold" shows. The "olive" had to be pressed to yield the "oil," and the gold "beaten" to form the lampstand. So the grace and light of the Spirit rest on the death of Christ. The priesthood of Christ keeps them clear and strong.

Aaron was to order the lamps. This teaches that only the priestly care and intercession of Christ can keep the light of the Spirit shining... Every ray of light that shines out below, whether through the church or through one believer, is only the answer to His priestly work.

So God has provided that there will always be a testimony. There may be a break in it — and sadly, as we know, there has been in God's dealings down the ages. Still God will keep up, without fail, what suits His own character... The great High Priest keeps up the light during the long night of Israel's history.

This was not a light for the crowds of Israel to see. The first veil hid it from those outside. It was for the eye of Jehovah first of all, and then for those who had the privilege to serve inside the holy place... "Pure beaten olive oil" is the fruit and work of the Holy Spirit. That oil gave the light that showed the features of the lampstand before God and before those who were near to Him.

Aaron had to keep the lamps burning. Their light was to fill the holy place and show up the beautiful features of the lampstand inside it. This light was not for the crowds of Israel to see. The first veil hid it from everyone outside. It was first of all for the eye of the LORD, but also for those who had the privilege of serving inside the holy place. There the priests who served before the LORD could take in what met His holy eye.

The service of the people of Israel was to bring the oil that kept the lamp burning always. The special care of Aaron and his sons was to arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord. ... So during the dark night of Israel's history, arranging the light is the care of the priestly family. But in reality it depends on the High Priest — that is, on Christ in heaven.

He is the light shining in the sanctuary. He is the light of God for those who have priestly right to enter there, during the darkness that rests on the people who have rejected Christ. Verse 3 gives us the detail: "in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the LORD regularly." This is the work of the high priest — and we know Who it is that acts this way in heaven itself. He acts there, not in a holy place made by hands or in the copies, but in the true one. We also know what the oil stands for that made the light burn. It was the Holy Spirit, given without measure.

Notice how long the light was to burn. It was to be "from evening to morning." The lamp is for the night. All through the night of Israel's unbelief, until the day dawns and the shadows flee away, the golden lampstand is to be arranged before the Lord. The intercession of the One they rejected and crucified keeps up this witness to their true place, all through the weary years of their dark unbelief.

So the lamp burns from evening to morning before the LORD continually. Nothing is said except about the night, for in the world it is always night... The light is in the house of God, and Israel was not that house. The lampstand that carries this light is Christ, the first-born from the dead... God has indeed kept the light burning while Israel has turned away from Him. And He has not only kept it — He has lifted it up to a higher, heavenly place.

Exodus 27:20 might make you think the lamps had to stay alight all the time. But this does not appear to be the sense of "burn always." It should be read "burn continuously" — that is, every evening. The next verse adds "from evening to morning"... In the morning the lamps were allowed to go out.

God gave this to Israel as "a statute forever" throughout their generations. It was to be a service to Him that never failed. Sadly, in the days of Eli, the record says, "the lamp of God went out" (1 Samuel 3:3), which shows Israel's failure. But there is no failure with our Great High Priest. He waits in patience for the day of His coming, when He will take His own to be for ever with Him. All that time He will keep the lamps shining for the pleasure of His God and Father.

The seven lamps rested on the seven branches of the beautiful lampstand. Inside the Holy Place, they shed their light on the lampstand itself. Those outside never saw the light of the lamps fall on the varied features of the lampstand. The lamps did not shine to attract Israel, or any of the nearby nations. They did not shine to light anyone's path through the darkness of the world. The priests who served inside the Holy Place did walk in the light of the lamps. But the shining was for God Himself.

Here, however, it is the same Light, yet not as when on earth He was "the light of the world." He is the light shining in the sanctuary. He is the light of God for those who have the priestly right to enter there, while darkness rests on the people who have rejected Christ... This is the work of the high priest — and we know who acts this way in heaven itself. He serves not in the hand-made holy places or the copies, but in the true one... Here we have Him under the figure of the lampstand, displaying the light on high.

The "pure oil" represents the grace of the Holy Spirit, founded upon the work of Christ, as shown by the lampstand of "beaten gold." The "olive" was pressed to yield the "oil," and the gold was "beaten" to form the lampstand. In other words, the grace and light of the Spirit rest on the death of Christ. The priesthood of Christ keeps them clear and powerful.

The golden lamp spread its light through the sanctuary during the long hours of night, when darkness covered the nation and everyone was asleep. In all this we have a vivid picture of God's faithfulness to His people whatever their outward condition. The keeping of this light did not depend on Israel. God had provided someone whose task it was to look after it and keep it in order continually.

First, the children of Israel were to bring the pure olive oil. This points to the responsibility of God's people on earth. They were the vessel in which the light was to be displayed — Israel then, now the church. Aaron was to arrange the lamps. This teaches us that only the priestly care and intercession of Christ can keep the light of the Spirit on display. Every ray of light that shines out below, whether through the church or the individual believer, is only the answer to His priestly work.

There was not only the trimming of the lamps, but the arranging of them (Lev. 24:4), so that the light would shine according to the mind of God. As the Minister of the Sanctuary, Christ in His perfect wisdom arranges the details of the lives of His own. He does this so that the will of God is carried out, and so that His own features are reproduced in us. Sometimes, in arranging the lamps, the Great Priest, in His wisdom and love, sets us where we would not choose to stand. But He knows that there we can best serve the will of God.

Three times over in these verses we find that God would have the light of the lamps shine continually. A patchy testimony will not do for God: it must not be interrupted. He must always have before Him the beautiful features of Christ. Those features gave Him unbroken pleasure when His Son was here.