A Source of Light

O.T. #228  "A Source of Light"
Feb. 13, 2014
Exodus 27-Part 3
And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil, olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.  Exodus 27:20

LET IT GLOW

What sources of light do you have in your home? I have the electric light bulbs, candles, oil lights, flashlights, matches, and the fireplace. I bought two red oil lamps several years ago, but have never used them. They sit on a rock which sticks out on the fireplace, looking countrified. I have used candles quite often, though, whenever the electricity goes out. I don't like being in the dark, do you? Just as I need light to do things around the house, so did the priests doing their duties in the Tabernacle. Shall we shed a little light on the subject?

What do we learn about the oil to be used in the lampstand in the Holy Place?

• The Israelites were commanded to supply the oil for the Lampstand in the Tabernacle. It was the only source of light for the priests to have as they ministered there.
• The Bible describes it as pure oil, olive, beaten for the light. the Hebrew word for oil, shemen (pronounced sheh'-men), refers to grease, especially liquid as from the olive, often perfumed. This word comes from shaman, which means to shine. Pure (zak) means clear, clean.
• It was to cause the lamp to burn always.

The clear oil from crushed unripened olives granted almost a smoke-free light. The people were to provide the fuel to maintain the light needed by the high priest and his priestly staff in the Holy Place.
(MacArthur)

Verse 21 in New International Version is written this way: In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.

Do we fulfill our obligations, our calling, within the church?

In John 9:5, Jesus said, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Jesus described us as light of the world in Matthew 5:14. He told us in verse 16 to: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

If Jesus is our light, and He is supposed to be shining through us, are we allowing Him to do so? Or is our sin hiding Him?
Paul instructs us in Ephesians 5:8: For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

That is our challenge today-walk as children of light (God's child with Jesus in my heart).


LET IT GROW

David Guzik's Commentary on the Bible says

The oil for the lamps on the lampstand-the only light in the tabernacle-came from pressed olives, not beaten olives.  We, like Paul, may be hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed (2 Cor. 4:8)-and God uses our times of pressing for His glory. The priest were to tend the lamps, making sure that the lamps had oil to burn and that their wicks were trimmed, so that the lamps would never go out-especially during the night. God never wanted the lamps to lose their fire. Only by a continual supply of oil and trimming of the wicks could keep them burning. We can only continue to be on fire for God if we are continually supplied with the oil of the Holy Spirit, and are "trimmed" by God to bear more light.  In dark days there is all the more reason to be filled with the Holy spirit and to be "trimmed wicks" for the LORD.

 The lamp's light in the Tabernacle was to "burn always" (Lev. 24:2). Do we attend to our lamp of light daily, allowing the Holy Spirit to control us and work through us?
Don't let your light go out, dear one.

LET IT GO

Keep going to my source of light, Jesus, then allow Him to clean up my life, trimming the wick, removing those things not pleasing to Him.

Don't hide my Light. Tell others about Jesus. Bring them to the Light.

Show that He is in my life by sharing His love.