Oil for the Lampstand

Oil for the Lampstand
Words of Faith 2-10-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Exodus 27
[20] "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. [21] In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.

We used to sing a song growing up: "Give me oil for my lamp, keep me burning." Of course, the song speaks of the oil of the Holy Spirit burning within us. But these images go back to the Tabernacle itself.
The lamp of the menorah was lit and kept burning from evening until morning. Josephus, the Jewish historian, later reported that lamps were also kept burning throughout the day. At this point, the directive was to bring clear oil pressed from olives so that the lamps may be kept burning. Oil was extracted from olives through a crushing process. In later times, only the very first oil from a pressing could be used in the temple for the menorah. But this seems to be an additional requirement based upon bringing only the very best to the house of the Lord.
Zechariah interpreted the lampstand as the presence of God. "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty" (Zechariah 4:6). The lampstand also speaks of Christ in us. Jesus declared: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). The first image of Christ in the book of Revelation shows him walking in the midst of the lampstands. He is seeking to maintain the church's light of witness alive and burning on earth.
The Scripture here gives witness to the oil of the spirit that comes forth through the pressing of the olives. It is hard not to think of the place we call Gethsemane, a word that means oil press. In Gethsemane, Jesus found himself in the greatest agony as he contemplated what was ahead.
The Scripture reports that this moment was like no other experienced by the humanity of Christ. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." (Mark 14:34). It was this time of pressing that brought forth a light that continues to shine in the darkness even when the darkness does not comprehend it (John 1:5).

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus and his great sacrifice. Thank You for the place of Gethsemane, the oil press. Thank You for the oil of your spirit that gives light to the lamp of Christ in the darkness of this world. Thank You most of all for the light of Christ in me. In Jesus' Name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.