Christ Our Light

God Provides A Light

The Menorah was originally designed for the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that the Israelites built during their exodus from Egypt, and later for the Temple in Jerusalem. It is described as a seven-branched lampstand with a central stem, from which three branches extend on each side. It was made of pure gold, and each branch had a cup for holding oil, with wicks that would burn continuously. The gold was symbolic of that which is pure, has surpassing value, and it lasts — it doesn’t easily fade or whither away…there is permanence.

The Menorah’s light is often understood as symbolizing the presence of God among His people. This symbolic light can be interpreted as a representation of divine wisdom, guidance, and purity and holiness.

Its position in the tabernacle would shed light on the showbread in an otherwise dim area. Remember what Kyle reminded us last week, that the table of showbread serves as a reminder of both God’s presence and His provision…the light shines on the presence and provision. This idea may seem simple and insignificant until you understand in light of John 1.

Further, the light was meant to remind Israel of her call to be a light to the world, to bring the light of true worship to the nations. We see this in Isaiah 42:6 ““I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,” and in Isaiah 49:6 “he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.””

Finally, there was one main branch on the menorah with six small stems, three on each side, branching off of the main stem. Later menorah’s would have sometimes eight or nine stems, but this wasn’t added until after the Maccabean revolt. There is, I believe, symbolism in the seven branches as well:

The center branch was the servant branch.

The servant branch would be the one to provide the light for the other six branches.

God Is The Light

Proclaimed outright, notice John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” But, we’re going to focus our attention on John 1 because it fleshes out the implications for us!

Jesus comes into the world as the true light. As He comes, He gives light to everyone. This is significant. It answers the call that Israel had forsaken.

Remember how the menorah would shine in the dimly light area, pointing to both the presence and provision of God? What is Jesus doing as He comes into the world?

He shines light on God’s presence, for He Himself is God in the flesh. John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

And, He gloriously shines a light on God’s provision: grace upon grace. John 1:16 “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

What about the wisdom and guidance and holiness that the light pointed to?

Jesus gives us both wisdom and guidance.

Jesus is the Word who became flesh, and He is full of both grace and truth. John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

Remember that a disciple is to be with their rabbi, become like their rabbi, and do as their rabbi did. Jesus taught us that as disciples, we seek to obey all that He commanded us. And, He gave us the promised Spirit to guide us into all truth. As a matter of fact, everything we NEED for life and godliness have been provided through Jesus. 2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”.

And, as the light, we get the blessing of asking for wisdom knowing full-well He grants it. James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Consider also the fact that Christ gives us a yoke and burden that are light. His interpretation and application of the law is simple: love God with everything and love one another as much as you love yourself. In case we miss how to do that, He gives us four books worth of examples.

Jesus received the rejects.

Jesus lifted up the hopeless.

Jesus proclaimed life to the ones who were dead in their sin.

Jesus included the outcast and casted out the in-crowd.

He made a habit of befriending and embracing the ones that offered Him nothing in return.

And, He did it all for the Father’s glory…not His own.

And, He was the holiness of God put on display for all to see.

Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Colossians 1:19 “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,”.

He makes us into the holiness we are called to be as well. 1 Peter 2:4–5 “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Furthermore, He is the light that stands for all times, unperishing, unfading, the treasure of surpassing value that abides for all times! Since Jesus is the light, the fulfillment of the menorah, what are some specifics John teaches us?

He gives salvation.

John 1:12–13 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Let me ask the straight-forward question this morning: Do you believe in Jesus? (FLESH OUT BELIEF)

He dwells among us.

We’ve mentioned it already, but John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Jesus walked among His people in His incarnation, and no through His Spirit, He lives in His people. We were once alienated, hostile and far off from God, intent and content to do evil deeds. But in our rebellion, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in order to die for us that we might be brought back to the one thing we never knew we needed so much: intimacy with God.

Man once lived in face-to-face communion with God.

The fall prevented man from living in this close intimacy, so the Lord provided a way for His people to be near His presence, first through the tabernacle, then through the temple.

Finally, God has made us to be His temple so that His presence can once again be intimate and near.

He gives knowledge.

John 1:16–17 “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

We mentioned this before, so I won’t belabor the point, but Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. His fullness is the fact that He is both grace and truth, the two guide wires, the holy tensions that keep our life upright and in working order.

If only there were truth…

If only there were grace…

But in Christ, we have both — truth to spur us on to righteousness and holiness, and grace to pick us up when we fall.

He reveals God’s glory.

John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

This is the pinnacle of it all. Jesus takes the unique holiness of God and puts it on display for all to see. This is the beauty of the miracle of the incarnation: the God who is far above and beyond anything that we could think living as one of us., We get snippets and polaroids and thumbnails of God throughout the Old Testament, all true and all of it is exactly what God intends to communicate to us, but in Christ, we get the God Himself in flesh and blood. What was once beyond comprehension in His fullness, what we would call the transcendence of God, becomes an obedient Son, born of a woman, a carpenter by trade who goes to wedding parties and gets labeled as a drunkard and a glutton because of the company He keeps…not in stuffy white ivory towers, and not in the halls of academia, not separated from the people for fear of becoming impure, but in us and with us and among us, God in the flesh being made known through Christ the Son.

Jesus is the Light of the World.

No longer do we walk in darkness.

No longer do we long for His presence.

No longer do we need a new revelation.

No longer do we wonder what God is like.

Jesus is the Light of the World.