Pure & Pressed Like Gold

“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning” (Exodus 27:20).

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead. …I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:10, 14 NASB).

Let’s examine the symbolism of the Lampstand in light of Yeshua being the Light of the World. The Golden Lampstand was only fed by the purest of olive oil (Exodus 27:20-21). In fact, the oil that lit the Temple Menorah had to be pressed, not crushed. Do you feel hard pressed at times? Remember that the Lord disciplines the ones He loves. To even harvest the olives, their trees must be battered with sticks. Then the olives are pressed or squeezed, depending on its use.

The sense of Exodus 27:20 is that the oil for the menorah had to be absolutely pure from the start; therefore, the oil was made meticulously by pressing each olive gently until one drop of pure oil emerged. What a picture of the care the Lord our God takes in our lives. “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servant for Jesus’ sake. For God who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body” (2 Cor. 4:5-10 NASB).

Exodus 27:20 says that the Golden Lampstand is to be lit continually. It was continual in the sense that it was kindled every single day without exception, being lit from evening until morning. Another fascinating fact about the very intricate Golden Lampstand is that it was made from one solid gold ingot. This was not just an average gold ingot, but a 125-pounder, which represents indivisibility. It speaks of a person having one set of values and only one where all areas of our lives must derive from that same set of values. Everything on and in the menorah had to be hammered out of the gold ingot, including the almond bud and blossom lamps. Nothing could be made separately… nothing. It would have been easier to make the pieces of the menorah separately, and then attach them; but God absolutely forbid His Temple Menorah to made in a piece-mill fashion. You, and all of mankind, have been made in God’s own image (Genesis 1:26). Even though God perfectly made us as He designed and desires, we are still being formed into the image of the Son. Take heart. The Bible tells us, “But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10 NASB).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Why was the Golden Lampstand lit at sundown?

2. Do you ever feel like the Lord is meticulously pressing out one drop of pure anointing oil out of you? Tell us about one difficult circumstance where God took His time to bring forth gold in your life.

3. Can you think of any other reasons why the Golden Lampstand was made out of solid ingot of gold; and nothing could be made separately, and then attached?

~ Robin Main

www.sapphirethroneministries.com
www.santa-tizing.com
www.mysticmentoring.com

Copyright 2014 – Sapphire Throne Ministries – Robin Main

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Other posts about celebrating Hanukkah in the Messiah:

• GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CELEBRATING HANUKKAH – KINDLING LIGHTS & BLESSINGS => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/general-guidelines-for-celebrating-hanukkah-kindling-lights-blessings/

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 1 – “Walking As Yeshua (Jesus) Did”=> https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/hanukkah-devotional-reading-night-1-walking-as-yeshua-jesus-did/

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 2 – “Priests Cleansing Our Temples” –  https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/hanukkah-devotional-reading-night-2-priests-cleansing-our-temples/ 

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 3 – “Eyes to See” =>  https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/hanukkah-devotional-reading-night-3-eyes-to-see/ 

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 4 – “What Do You See?” => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/hanukkah-devotion-reading-night-4-what-do-you-see/ 

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 5 – “Pure & Pressed Like Gold” => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/hanukkah-devotion-reading-night-5-pure-pressed-like-gold/ 

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 6 – “The True Light of Love” => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/hanukkah-devotion-reading-night-6-the-true-light-of-love/ 

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 7 – “The Place of Miracles” => https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/hanukkah-devotion-reading-night-7-the-place-of-miracles/ 

• HANUKKAH DEVOTION – READING NIGHT 8 – “Will You Be Betrothed?” =>  https://santatizing.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/hanukkah-devotion-reading-night-8-will-you-be-betrothed/

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RESOURCES AVAILABLE:

• Ascension Manual book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578188511

• Understanding the Order of Melchizedek: Complete Series book => https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Order-Melchizedek-Robin-Main/dp/0998598240/

• MEL GEL Study Guide book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578188538/

• MEL GEL Study Guide: Volume 2 book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998598232/

• SANTA-TIZING: What’s wrong with Christmas and how to clean it up book => https://www.amazon.com/SANTA-TIZING-Whats-wrong-Christmas-clean/dp/1607911159/

• Blazing New Wine of Hanukkah book =>https://www.amazon.com/Blazing-New-Wine-Hanukkah-Understanding-ebook/dp/B010MHNZMK/

• Let There Be Light! Hanukkah Meditations book => https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998598208/

• Set of Hebrew Living Letter Flash Cards => https://www.sapphirethroneministries.com/flashcards

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