GreyJay Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 59 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 38 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/23/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted October 18, 2019 I am curious about the menorah, and I have a question for those who might know more about it than me. I have read that the center lamp in the menorah is called the "shamash," which can mean "servant" or "helper." I have read some suggestions that this is a reference to Messiah, who is called "the servant" in Isaiah's servant songs. I have also read that the shamash is lit first, then is used to light the other lamps. I was wondering if anyone knows if there is any link understood between the shamash and the "helper" Jesus promised -- the Holy Spirit. If the Jewish NT believers understood the shamash as Jesus, was the symbolism at Pentacost a sign to those believers that their experience then was from Him? i.e., Acts 2:3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzephanyahu Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,625 Content Per Day: 0.79 Reputation: 2,033 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/10/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted October 18, 2019 Shalom @GreyJay I'm not sure of any explicit NT references to the Lord Yahushua being the centre of the Menorah, but there are arguable allusions I suppose. The Menorah is a fascinating piece of Tabernacle furniture as it has no equal with anything else in this world. It's a truly unique and deliberate design which may be modelled on the Tree of Life. But it's seven linked (all one piece) branches may be revealing a truth about the seven-fold nature of the Holy Spirit as well. Another interesting parallel can be made with the Feasts of Yahweh... There are seven Feasts of Yahweh and they have a unique arrangement. Rather than being evenly spread across the year, there are three close together in the first month and three close together in the seventh month. In between both of these Festival seasons, there is one Feast remaining, which we call "Pentecost", associated with the birth of the church. Pentecost is the only Feast which allows leavened bread to be eaten - perhaps a reference to sinners/gentiles being welcomed into the family of Yahweh. Anyway you effectively have this arrangement throughout the year. 1. Passover 2. Unleavened Bread 3. First Fruits 4. "Pentecost" 5. Trumpets 6. Atonement 7. Tabernacles Hopefully you can see the Menorah's pattern there- 123 4 567. Prophetically, the first 4 Feasts have been fulfilled on the day they are observed, with the the death and resurrection of the Messiah and the birth of the church. The final 3 Feasts are still to be fulfilled - A great sounding of trumpets, Judgement Day and Yahweh dwelling with us. Therefore, I have no issue seeing the Menorah as a symbol of the great Feasts of Yahweh, and the full plan of salvation and restitution. Perhaps someone else can help with another interpretation as well. Love & Shalom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Adams Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 26 Topic Count: 61 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 9,604 Content Per Day: 3.99 Reputation: 7,795 Days Won: 21 Joined: 09/11/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted October 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Tzephanyahu said: Perhaps someone else can help with another interpretation as well. The Gospel in a Tent. It is all there for us to understand. The Mercy Seat (throne) the Heavenly Throne Guardians, the Bread etc. Symbols that (believe it or not) show us that Yahweh Knew What He was doing all along. He is beyond understanding and is Our Great High Priest and Commander. God and man at table did sit down... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyJay Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 59 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 38 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/23/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 18, 2019 @Tzephanyahu Thanks man, I hadn't thought of the feasts connection to the menorah. You're right about its appearance, I've seen some of the more ancient depictions. I think generally people see the leavened bread on Shavuot to signify the grafting in of gentiles, which is fulfilled by the events at Pentacost. I'm not sure why it would be the center lamp, though, except maybe for the image of the tongues of flame that separate and alight on the believers. I think -- and I could be wrong -- the center lamp is generally thought of as the last lamp, making the menorah look like: 123 7 456 - the center being sukkot. If that's the way we look at it, it's a pretty cool connection to the center lamp being understood as Sabbath, but also the sukkot "7-day rest" (rest on all the days) fulfilled in Rev 21:2-3, but also, maybe, a connection to Messiah as the lamp (i.e., v23). Maybe it's also interesting that the "last lamp" is lit first. I.e., it's both 123 7 456 and 234 1 567: "I am the first and the last," both the Passover lamb and the final, eternal dwelling of God among people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzephanyahu Posted October 18, 2019 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,625 Content Per Day: 0.79 Reputation: 2,033 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/10/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted October 18, 2019 Great points @GreyJay! Awesome comments. I think that Yahweh is at such a level of magnificence that there is nothing of the Tabernacle that has one meaning only. I believe there are many reasons for the specific designs and each interpretation will work in harmony. The repeating pattern of lighting, connecting 1 to 7 and 7 to 1, is just like the days of the week and the notes in a musical scale which again repeat in sevens - connecting 1 to 7 and 7 to 1. It's interesting that the first 3 Feasts relate to Messiah, the last 3 relates to the Father, and the centre Feast relates to the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). And all the candlesticks are of one piece, they cannot be seen as separate but one Menorah. Maybe the centre candle lighting the others is to indicate the Spirit's power throughout these past and future events? I suppose that ties into your last comment. The seven fold nature of the Holy Spirit, and seven horned, seven eyed Lamb is still a great mystery to our small 4 dimensional minds, but perhaps we will understand these things and the Menorah a lot more when we are before the Throne. Still, it's fun to wonder! Love & Shalom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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