The Old Testament- My Confession by Shalene

I have a confession to make. I was one of those Christians that tended to steer clear of the Old Testament, due to a belief that it was outdated or outmoded for life in today's society. I thought so long as I spent time in the New Testament of His Word, that that should be sufficient. I was woefully mistaken! I never realized just how pertinent the Old Testament is to us, even today, and how much of it is continued or expounded upon in the New Testament. In one of the bible studies I am doing right now, this fact has been brought home to me very strongly. Learning about the tabernacle that the Israelites built in the wilderness, has been very enlightening.

I think I mentioned before that unbeknownst to me, the tabernacle that they built was a "copy or a pattern" of that which is in Heaven, as shown to Moses on the mountain. How awesome is that?! A replica, if you will, of something that existed in Heaven, and we can "see" it just by reading the words in Exodus that describe it. I'd like to share something that I've learned about. Something that was in the tabernacle, and is in Heaven. I'd like to share with you about the Golden Lampstand.

The Golden Lampstand is the only item in the tabernacle that has no measurements given in it's description; and I'll tell you why in a moment. The Golden Lampstand was made of pure hammered gold, about 75 pounds worth- one piece of gold! Just try to fathom for a moment, the enormity of that task! Hammering a solid piece of gold into the artwork and illumination that the Golden Lampstand was to be. You see, the Lampstand was the only illumination in the God's Holy Place. It was the only means of seeing any of the other items in God's Holy Place.

The reason it's dimensions are not given? Well first of all, Moses was given the pattern on the mountain, for the tabernacle, but only one man was given the knowledge of the Spirit for which to build the Lampstand. His name was Bezalel. (see Exodus 31:1-5 NKJV) The other more important reason is that God's illumination cannot be measured! Think on that for a moment.

While you're thinking on the fact that God's illumination cannot be measured, let's look at the pattern for which this lampstand was made. In Revelation 4:1-5 NKJV we read about the Sevenfold Spirit of God. Though there is one Spirit of God, there are seven perfections of the one Holy Spirit. These are represented by the both the base of the Lampstand and the six branches. In Isaiah 11:1-2 NKJV we learn what those seven perfections are. So, as in my study, I'm going to show you an illustration. If you were to draw the lampstand, you would first draw the base with the all encompassing words, "The Spirit of the Lord" written on it, "because it proceeds directly from the 'root' of the lampstand".[1] Then on each of the branches, three on each side, you would write the words, "wisdom", "understanding", "counsel", "might", "knowledge", and "fear"; from right to left just as the Hebrews did. Now you have an illustration of the sevenfold Spirit of the Lord. For one last truth, you can also see from Isaiah 11:1 that Jesus was the "rod or shoot" that comes from the stem of Jesse. He is the Spirit of the Lord.

It continually amazes me, the things I can continue to learn if I will just spend time in His Holy Word, not ignoring any part of it! Meditate on this Scripture for today:

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:2, 4-6 NKJV

[1]Beth Moore, A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place