The Lampstand And The Branches

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you renew your strength?

Yes. Isaiah 40:31

Isaiah 40:31 (Amplified Bible)

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we renew our strength in the LORD because we are made with the same material: gold like the candlestick

IV. TEXT:

Exodus 25:31 (Amplified Bible)

You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. Of beaten and turned work shall the lampstand be made, both its base and its shaft; its cups, its knobs, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.

Interpretation verse:

John 15:5 (Amplified Bible)

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS for You are the Lampstand and I am the branch that bears much fruit for Your glory and honor.

VI. TITLE:

The Lampstand and the branches

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author and Central Character: Moses

B. Date written: 1447-1410 b.c.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

C. Purpose: To be a permanent reminder of God's redemptive act on Passover night; and of His care and direction, through the cloud of day and the pillar of fire of night, during His people's wilderness wanderings on the way to Canaan.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

D. To whom written: Each new generation of Israel

E. Main Theme: History of Israel from death of Joseph to the erection of the tabernacle

F. Key word: deliverance

G. Key verses:

Exodus 12:40-43 (Amplified Bible)

12:40 Now the time the Israelites dwelt in Egypt was 430 years.

12:41 At the end of the 430 years, even that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out of Egypt.

12:42 It was a night of watching unto the Lord and to be much observed for bringing them out of Egypt; this same night of watching unto the Lord is to be observed by all the Israelites throughout their generations.

12:43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat of it;

VIII. MAIN BODY:

Exodus 25:31 (King James Version)

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

The Head is the LORD JESUS CHRIST and the Body is the Church which are made of the same material: gold. (finest quality, fair weather)

A. The Lampstand which is made of gold represents the LORD JESUS CHRIST

"And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made:"

Revelation 1:20 (Amplified Bible)

As to the hidden meaning (the mystery) of the seven stars which you saw on My right hand and the seven lampstands of gold: the seven stars are the seven angels (messengers) of the seven assemblies (churches) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Revelation 2:1 (Amplified Bible)

TO THE angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lampstands [which are the seven churches]:

Revelation 4:5 (Amplified Bible)

Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne seven blazing torches burned, which are the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit];

Hebrews 9:2 (Amplified Bible)

For a tabernacle (tent) was erected, in the outer division or compartment of which were the lampstand and the table with [its loaves of] the showbread set forth. [This portion] is called the Holy Place.

Leviticus 24:5-6 (Amplified Bible)

And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake [of the showbread or bread of the Presence].

And you shall set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the table of pure gold before the Lord.

No doubt about it, the LORD JESUS CHRIST is made up of gold and He wanted and also made His body of the same material.

Some facts about the Body of CHRIST: the Church:

1. Perfected and equipped by the LORD

Ephesians 4:12 (Amplified Bible)

His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),