Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
Numbers 8 opens with a message from God to Moses for Aaron. It is about the seven lamps on the golden lampstand, and where their light was to fall. The command is short, but it raises two questions. Why does light come up at this point in the book? And what were the lamps meant to light up?
Only the lampstand appears at this point in the book, and it appears uncovered.
It is striking that the lampstand is the only piece of tabernacle furniture brought in at this point. We have nothing about the golden altar, nothing about the golden table. The lampstand alone is before us. And it is not wrapped in its covering of blue and badger skins, as in chapter 4, where it, like everything else, is dressed for travel. Here it stands lit, not covered. It comes in between the offerings of the princes and the consecration of the Levites, and gives out its mysterious light as the Lord commanded. In the wilderness you cannot do without light.
The chapters on either side show two ways of serving God: by what His people give, and by what they do. The lamps stand between them.
Numbers 7 has shown us that God's people may serve Him with their offerings, and that God notices each offering one by one… Next, God's people may serve Him by what they do. We see this in the Levites in Numbers 8. But God will weigh it all in the light of the sanctuary, that is, the light of the Holy Spirit. And remember, the light of the Spirit is to shine through us, His people.
Older translations read "when you light the lamps." One writer looks at what that word actually means.
A footnote by J. N. Darby in the New Translation says that the phrase "when you light the lamps" really means "caused to ascend." The same word is used of the burnt offering and of the incense on the golden altar. In each case it is "caused to ascend." The thought is that the work is done first of all for the pleasure of God. Let us keep that before us in our service for God. Cause it to ascend, seeking God's pleasure first. Nothing else shapes service like this, and it saves us from serving only for others to see.
Inside the holy place, no outsider ever saw that glow.
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 nearby nation. They did not shine to light anyone's path through the darkness of the world. The priests serving inside did walk in that light, but the aim of the shining was God Himself.
The lamps threw their light back onto the lampstand itself. Commentators differ on what that lampstand pictures. For some it is the risen Christ.
The lights — the Holy Spirit — were to give light in front of the lampstand — the perfections of Christ risen. In other words, the one distinct work of the Spirit is to show the perfections and glories of Christ.
Others read the lampstand as the Church, lit up so that everyone can see what God means it to be.
The lampstand represents the Church by the power of the Spirit holding up the light — "holding forth the word of life."… The light showed the lampstand, as well as everything else. So should it be now with the Church; not only should the light shine from it, but on it, showing what it is in the mind of God.
The way the lamps burned says something about how God's servants work alongside one another.
There were seven lamps (seven conveys the idea of perfection or completeness) but there was only one light, not seven lights. If our service for God is right, it will not clash with the service of others. It will blend with theirs into one united service in the light of the holy place.
Aaron did not only start the lamps; he also cared for them through the night.
The finest proof of true spiritual work is that it exalts Christ. If attention is sought for the work or the workman, the light has grown dim, and the one who serves in the sanctuary must trim the wick. It was Aaron's job to light the lamps, and he was also the one who trimmed them… The golden shaft held up the lamps. The priest's hand supplied the oil and trimmed the wicks. It is all in Christ, from Christ, and by Christ.
- Placed — Only the lampstand appears here, uncovered and burning. It stands between the gifts of chapter 7 and the Levites of chapter 8.
- Weighed — God weighs both what His people give and what they do in the light of the sanctuary.
- Ascending — The word for lighting the lamps means "caused to ascend." Serve for God's pleasure first, not for anyone else's eye.
- Focused — The light shines back onto the lampstand. Commentators read that lampstand either as the risen Christ, whose glories the Spirit displays, or as the Church, seen as God means it to be.
- Sustained — Seven lamps gave one light, and the same priest who lit them supplied the oil and trimmed the wicks.
And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
Aaron lights the lamps of the golden lampstand, doing just what God told him through Moses. The scene is small, but its position matters: light must shine in the wilderness before God says another word about who may serve Him.
Why does the lampstand appear at this point, between a chapter about gifts and a chapter about workers?
It is striking that the lampstand is the only piece of the tabernacle's furniture brought in at this point. We hear nothing about the golden altar, nothing about the golden table… Here we see it lit, not covered. It comes in between the offerings of the princes and the consecration of the Levites. It sheds out its mysterious light, just as the Lord commanded. We cannot do without light in the wilderness. So the golden lampstand must be stripped of its covering and allowed to shine as a testimony for God… Only the light of the sanctuary shows the true worth of anything or anyone.
The ESV says the lamps shine "in front of the lampstand." Older translations read "over against" it, and one writer draws out that older wording.
The term here translated "over against" is unusual, and carries the thought of lighting up the lampstand itself, illuminating it. This is quite different from shining on the bread of the Presence, and it is an extra idea. It is the light displaying to believers the beauty of the vessel itself — God fully revealed in Christ.
Another writer reads the lampstand itself as a picture of Christ, and the oil as the Holy Spirit:
The lampstand is the type of Christ as in the sanctuary, that is, Christ in glory… The oil in the seven lamps represents the Holy Spirit. Applied spiritually, we have here the picture of the Spirit of God shedding light on Christ. This is why He is given to His people, to glorify Christ. And this is the great need of God's people on their journey through the wilderness. The eyes of the pilgrim and stranger, passing through the wilderness, must be fixed on Christ in glory.
Oil does two jobs here, and the number of lamps matters too.
As the anointing oil it points to power, but in the lamps it points to light in the holy place. We need both of these in our service for God. Light without power would leave us helpless to answer the light. Power without light would leave us confused, not knowing what to do. But power with light lets us serve our God with understanding… There were seven lamps (seven carries the idea of perfection or completeness) but there was only one light, not seven lights. If our service for God is right it will not clash with others. It will blend with theirs in one united service in the light of the holy place.
The verse records no discussion and no delay. One writer ties that obedience to real progress in the things of God, and then traces the steps behind it.
It is useless talking about response if we are not obedient to the voice of God. Someone has said, "That which is light becomes law to us," and that is very true. If we do not answer the light God gives us, we shall not receive more… The message became a command to him, and he obeyed God and did what God commanded. This is the path of true progress.
What begins as a message from God (verse 1) becomes a command (verse 3), and leads to illumination (verse 4) — light in our souls.
If the light falls on the stand and not on itself, service has a test built into it.
The very finest evidence of true spiritual work is that it tends directly to exalt Christ. If attention is sought for the work or the workman, the light has grown dim, and the minister of the sanctuary must use the snuffers. It was Aaron's job to light the lamps, and he was the one who trimmed them too. In other words, the light we as Christians are responsible to give is not only founded on Christ but kept burning by Him, moment by moment, all night long. Apart from Him we can do nothing.
The test covers both what God's people give and what they do:
Numbers 7 has shown us that God may be served by the offerings of His people… Then, God may be served by the activities of His people. This is seen in the Levites, as recorded in Numbers 8. But all will be measured by God in the light of the sanctuary; that is, the light of the Holy Spirit.
- Spoken. God's word came first; Aaron lit nothing until Moses brought him the command.
- Obeyed. Light received becomes law; refuse to act on the light you have, and you receive no more.
- Aimed. The lamps shine back on the lampstand — the Spirit's one business is to display Christ, not the lamp.
- United. Seven lamps, one light: real service blends with others rather than competing.
- Measured. That sanctuary light weighs both what we give and what we do; work that draws eyes to the worker has already dimmed.
And this was the work of the candlestick [it was] of beaten gold; from its base to its flowers was it beaten work; according to the form which Jehovah had shewn Moses, so had he made the candlestick.
Israel worshipped at a tent in the wilderness, and inside it stood a gold lampstand. Numbers 8 stops to say how that lampstand was made — so why does this one piece of furniture appear here, and why does its making matter?
One writer begins with what is missing from this passage, and with where the lampstand sits in it.
We have nothing about the golden altar, nothing about the golden table. The lampstand alone is before us, and not in its covering of blue and badgers' skins. In chapter 4 we see it, like all the rest, in its travelling dress. Here we see it lighted, not covered. It comes in between the offerings of the leaders and the consecration of the Levites, and sheds forth its light according to the commandment of the Lord. We cannot do without light in the wilderness, so the golden lampstand must be stripped of its covering and allowed to shine in testimony for God. Never forget: that is the great object of everything. It may be the offering of our goods, as with the leaders, or the dedication of our persons, as with the Levites. It is only in the light of the sanctuary that the true worth of anything or anyone can be seen.
One writer weighs what the lampstand is not made of.
Verse 4 reminds us that the workmanship of the lampstand was all of hammered gold, made of one piece. There was no acacia wood in it at all. The lampstand does not symbolize the humanity of the Lord Jesus in any way, but His glory as the eternal God. Life is completely divine, and so is light, showing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We need that light for our whole path on earth.
Commentators differ on what the lampstand pictures. Another writer reads the same missing wood differently:
The lampstand was of pure gold, which is a symbol of Deity. No acacia wood — a picture of humanity — goes into the making of the lampstand. So it is not a picture of the Son of God, who alone of the persons of the Deity became man. We have no difficulty in seeing that it pictures God the Holy Spirit.
Older translations call this hammering "beaten work". One writer hears in it what it cost to give us light.
Again and again we are told that the lampstand was of "beaten work". It was not cast, but hammered out... Is this not significant? The True Vine would have fruit-bearing branches. The True Lampstand would have light-bearing branches. The True Grain of Wheat would not stay alone, but bear much fruit. For that there must of necessity be "the sufferings of Christ", and that "beaten work" surely suggests them. Because He died, we live; because He went through the darkness of Calvary, we are now "children of light". Had He not died, the blackness of darkness must have been our portion. But the Lamb has died, and both life and light are ours through His death.
One writer finds two processes behind a lampstand of pure gold, beaten into shape.
The crucible is some severe, sharp, short trial — it separates. Its object is to make a vessel of pure gold. It does not add to it or take from it... We are gold, and we are put into the crucible to separate us from the dross... The hammer is slow, sure, and it forms... We are not fit to be light-bearers for God if we shrink from the crucible and hammer. If we really want to be light-bearers for Him, we will welcome the crucible because it separates, and the hammer because it forms.
The verse ends with the pattern God showed Moses. One writer says what that shuts out.
This left nothing to the natural mind of Moses... Blessed be God, He has left nothing to the mind of fallen man. He has revealed everything fully in His Word — no longer a "pattern," but Him who is His very image. The "pattern" will be full of Him in its smallest details.
One writer follows the word "showed" and the three steps behind it.
In this word "showed" we have the thought of "illumination," and this is the main thought connected with the light... What begins as a divine communication (verse 1) becomes a command (verse 3), and leads to illumination (verse 4), light in our souls. In its application, first we hear what God has to say to us. Then through grace we answer to it, and so we grow in the knowledge of God.
- Pattern. Nothing about the lampstand came from human imagination. Moses followed what God showed him, leaving nothing to the natural mind.
- Pure. Gold alone, with no wood — because light, like life, is entirely divine in its source.
- Beaten. Hammered, not cast — writers see in that the sufferings of Christ, through which light came to us.
- Placed. The lamp stands between the leaders' gifts and the Levites' consecration. Only the light of the sanctuary shows the true worth of either.
- Shining. God speaks, grace answers, and light grows in the soul.