The Golden Lampstand

God first established the Tabernacle through Moses, with the primary purpose of dwelling among His chosen people. The original word for “tabernacle” means “covering.” Once the people’s sins were covered, God could commune with them, and lead, care for, and protect His people. When people sinned, they could go to the Tabernacle to offer sacrifices, confess their sins, and seek forgiveness.

According to the Old Testament, the structure of the Tabernacle could be divided into the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. The Outer Court contained the gate, the altar, and the laver. The Holy Place contained the table of showbread, the seven-branched lampstand, and the altar of incense. The table of showbread was opposite the seven-branched lampstand. The Most Holy Place contained only the Ark of the Covenant.

All the sacred items in the Tabernacle had specific dimensions and specifications, except for the golden lampstand, which is not described in terms of size in the Bible. According to the biblical description, the lampstand was made of one talent of pure gold, located on the south side of the Holy Place, with a central shaft and three branches extending from each side. According to Jewish tradition, it was estimated to be five feet tall, with the branches extending three and a half feet across (Exodus 25:31-39; 26:35). There were a total of seven lamps, placed on top of the shaft and the branches. The main shaft had four cups shaped like almond blossoms, with a knob and a flower, while the other branches each had three such cups. However, where the two side branches connected to the central shaft, there was an additional knob, so the main shaft had a total of seven knobs. When Solomon built the Temple, there were ten lampstands, five on the left and five on the right, which were likely made in the same style (2 Chronicles 4:7). After Babylon conquered Jerusalem, the golden lampstand was taken to Babylon for a time and later brought back to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:7). In AD 70, when Jerusalem was captured by the Roman general Titus, the holy vessels of the Temple were plundered again.

The lampstand was the only source of light in the Holy Place. The priests had to clean the lamps daily so that they would burn continuously, day and night (Leviticus 24:1-4). This prefigures that the gospel of Christ is the true light of the world (John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4), the light for the church’s work (John 11:9-10; Ephesians 5:13), and the light of life in people’s hearts (John 1:4-9; Ephesians 5:8). The church in the world should hold up the truth of the gospel (God’s Word) and shine brightly (Mark 16:15; 1 Timothy 3:15), so the lampstand also prefigures the church (Revelation 1:20).

The Bible records:

[Exodus 25:31-37] You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its shaft, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, and a calyx of one piece with it for every two of the six branches going out of the lampstand. Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. You shall make seven lamps for it, and the priests shall set up its lamps so that they may give light in front of it.

[Zechariah 4:1-3] And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

[Revelation 1:20] As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.