What can we learn about God's holiness from the lampstand's design in Exodus 37:20? Reading the Verse “On the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms with buds and petals.” (Exodus 37:20) Observing the Details • One unified piece of pure gold (Exodus 37:17) • Four almond-blossom cups, each with buds and petals • Seven lamps fed by pure olive oil (Exodus 37:23) • Placed in the Holy Place, opposite the table of the bread of the Presence (Exodus 40:24) How the Design Reflects God’s Holiness • Pure gold only—no alloy or impurity. God’s holiness is absolute, untouched by corruption (Habakkuk 1:13). • Made from one piece—His holiness is indivisible; He is consistently holy in every attribute (Leviticus 11:44). • Almond blossoms—first tree to bloom in Israel, signaling life after winter. God’s holiness is living, active, never dormant (Jeremiah 1:11-12; the Hebrew wordplay on “almond/watchful”). • Buds and petals—creative beauty. Holiness is not sterile; it radiates splendor and draws worship (Psalm 29:2). • Cups that hold oil—holiness both receives and gives. The cup cannot spill if kept level; God’s holiness never wastes His light (James 1:17). Light and Purity Intertwined • The lampstand’s perpetual flame (Exodus 27:20-21) pictures God as “Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). • Oil had to be pure, pressed, and undefiled. Holiness requires purity in what fuels our worship (Psalm 24:3-4). • Seven lamps—completeness. God’s holiness is perfectly illuminating, leaving no corner untouched (Revelation 4:5). Continuity in the New Covenant • The lampstand points forward to Christ, “the true light that gives light to every man” (John 1:9). His holiness is the same gold, the same flawless shine. • Believers are now called lampstands (Revelation 1:20), reflecting His holiness in a dark world (Matthew 5:14-16). • In the heavenly sanctuary the lamps still burn (Revelation 4:5), showing that God’s holiness remains unchanged for eternity (Hebrews 13:8). Personal Takeaways • Pursue purity, because holiness tolerates no mixture. • Cultivate watchfulness; God’s holiness is always awake. • Let your life bloom early and visibly, like the almond blossom, showing the world that God’s holy life is in you. • Keep your lamp supplied with the pure oil of the Spirit, so the flame of holiness never flickers (Galatians 5:16). |
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