The words of God writes, Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand, its base, and its shaft are to be made of hammered work. Its cups, its bulbs, and its flowers shall be of the same piece. Six branches shall go out from its sides, three branches of the lampstand from one side, and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower. So for the six branches going out from the lampstand, And in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. And a bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. Their bones and their branches shall be of the same piece. All of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. and you shall make its lamps seven in number. And they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. And its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. It shall be made from a talon of pure gold with all of these utensils. And see that you make them after the pattern for them which was shown to you on the mountain. Father, we thank you for this holy word. We thank you for its principles, its promises, its directions, its light. Father, in this word, may we learn more of Christ. May we be reminded of how dear he is to us. Father, we are one with him by faith according to the word. form our hearts according into the image of thy son. Father, we pray that your words will be written upon our hearts and inscribed upon our lips. So shall all glory be to you as we study your word together in this place today. Amen. May be seated. Once again, we return to the tent of meeting, or the tabernacle of God. This tent is a very simple structure. It is built simply and solely for the purpose of being God's dwelling place with his covenant people, Israel. The construction of the actual tent was made of four layers, as we will see later when we return to this text. And the materials would range from the interior, which was a fine linen, to the exterior, which was actually a heavy coating of skins of a marine animal. And we don't know for sure if it's a porpoise or if it's something similar to a manatee. But the idea is that it would give a waterproof covering. And so with the result being that with a covering like this that covered both the roof and all the sides, the interior of the tent would be quite dark, extremely dark, at least to the eyes of the people who would enter and minister there, the Levites. Now, as we talked about Previously last week in as we discussed the table in the showbread this this portion of the tabernacle this portion of the tent was used for daily ministering and worship before God It consisted of the table and the bread of presence that we talked about last week it the the altar of incense was contained there and then the lampstand I'll focus for the day Once again, God is receiving to Moses, or God is delivering to Moses very specific instructions on how to construct this ornate piece of furniture, beginning with a statement that, like the mercy seat, this object, this menorah, is to be constructed completely and totally of solid gold. In fact, a single talent is to be used. Now when we hear that word single, we think, oh, that's not a lot. But a single talent could range anywhere from around 60 to 80 of our US pounds of gold. And so the view is that this particular candlestick, this lamp stand, it's been used and translated in the past as candlestick. However, the Hebrew word that we see here is actually light bearer or lamp stand. And the instructions that we find, much like both the ark and the table, are actually insufficient for us to recreate this piece of work accurately. But we do know that it was very intricately fashioned. Now, for many of you who have ever watched any type of metal work, you'll know what hammered work means. This is the action where a heating and a repeated beating takes place on the metal until it is formed into the shape. And the more intricate the details, obviously, the more intricate the work that has to occur. And the expertise of the craftsman has to be at an extreme level to make it happen. In the first verse, we are given very specific instructions regarding the lamp stand, that its base, its shaft, are all to be hammered work, and that the cups, the bulbs, and the flowers are to exist. The word that is translated cups here actually points to the base of a flower. So if you think about the way a flower looks at the very base of that flower, you have the little green portion that the petals rest in. That's what it's talking about when it says the word cups. And so the picture you have here is the entire life cycle. The budding, which is the bulbs of the branch, the generating of the cup, which holds, opening up into the blossoming of the flower. Later in verse 34, it teaches us that the fabrication of that is to not be any flower, any bulb, any cup, but it is to be an almond blossom. Now, the almond tree is one of, if not the very first tree, to blossom in January, late January, in that area of the world. It signifies and has come to signify life as we move out of winter, out of the gloom of winter and into the brightness of spring. Some commentators have even linked the description of the lampstand here in the construction with Aaron's Rod. If you remember, there's a time when Aaron's Authority is tested and and God affirms his authority in a challenge where they they bring their staffs and they lay them down and errands is the only one that actually buds a dead staff actually Creates new growth buds flowers all overnight Affirming it but the overall shape of the lampstand is would be such that it would mimic a tree. If you think about a tree and the way a tree is shaped at its base, it's wide and it's sturdy. It narrows down and necks as it goes up. The description we see, the word that's used for base here is actually the same word that they use for the word thigh, your leg. The shape is a tapered shape. would have been tapered starting wide at the bottom and working its way up to the top. Then the word that's used, shaft, here is also the word that is used to translate reed or stalk. The picture is a tree in its trunk as it grows up. Then we have the branches coming off of either side. Now those branches described for us in verse 32, a little bit difficult to follow in the English language. One of the words that we see here, one of the literary devices, the technical literary devices that we see being used in this particular passage is this repetition of groups of words that also includes a number. What that teaches us, what it tells us is that these branches are to be identical. These are to be absolutely 100% identical in craftsmanship. Each one is supposed to be crafted the same way. What you end up with is a tree that comes up, branches out, three branches on one side, three branches on the other side, and the center stalk forms the final branch. Any of us that have seen a modern-day menorah get at least a glimpse of what this would have looked like in construction. The Ark of Titus in Rome contains a carving of the lampstand that was removed from the temple when Titus sacked the temple in 70 AD, and so it is the closest depiction we have to what the menorah coming out of the tabernacle would have looked like. Now, the question is, is it really what it looked like? Because we don't know if that menorah was actually used inside the temple. We know that there are ten We know that they're fashioned, but we don't know. And we know that they're supposedly fashioned after the original, but we don't know if the original was actually included. At the end of each of these seven branches, as they come off, three to one side, three to the other, and the shaft in the center, they would culminate in something that was a placement for a hanging of seven lamps. And we'll get to the lamps and talk about them a little bit in just a few minutes. But presumably, this was sort of a small platform where the lamps would actually so that they would provide light to the whole space. You remember in Matthew's Gospel, the fifth chapter, the 15th verse that we read a few minutes ago where Jesus talked about placing a lamp up on the lampstand so that it would give light to the entire house. And so that's the idea of elevating this light so that it provides light to the entire area. So they would sit up here and then the instructions that are given to Moses here are in order to prepare for the light to enter the holy place. The lampstand itself doesn't bring any light. It is simply holy. It is simply something that supports the light. Now, there are a lot of speculations and thoughts surrounding the meaning behind this particular piece of furniture, its shape, its inclusions of the colored bulbs, blossoms of the almond tree. As I mentioned earlier, the almond itself symbolized new life, new birth, or rebirth. In Zechariah 4, 1 through 14, Zechariah has a vision of a lampstand where he includes some additional details. However, what we do know is that we don't understand, or we don't know, rather, is that if this particular lampstand in the vision of Zachariah is the lampstand that would have been the one that is marked in the tabernacle, or if it's one that came out of the temple, or if it has any bearing at all on any of these things. But one of the things that Zachariah does bring out is a possibility that the construction of the lampstand that the body of the lampstand, that the trunk and the base of the lampstand extending up to the branches was actually that of an olive tree. And then from the branches out, it became that of an almond tree. Now, the reason that it's important, the reason that this would be significant if this is the truth is because it points to three specific distinct things at one time, which is God's providence, the nationhood of Israel, and the miraculous and divine deliverance. However, I would invite you to study that on your own time, as it is one of those things, again, like I say, that we cannot prove. It is simply, at this point, a theory. But one thing, one thing that we do know regarding the purpose of the lampstand, and that is that the purpose is to hold forth the lamps. but construction of the lampstand demonstrate God's plan, God's provision, God's care in ensuring the work is done to prepare the way for the light. Unfortunately for the Israelites, they do not fully understand or grasp just what this means to them and indeed to all of humanity. if these instructions, preparation, fabrication of the lampstand is for the purpose is to hold forth the light, to prepare the way to enter into the darkness, then I would say that it is safe to view the Old Testament, which testifies to the preparations of God to bring his light, Christ, into the world as a type of lampstand. In 2 Corinthians 4, verses 6 and 7, Paul writes, for God who said, let light, a light shall shine out of the darkness, is the one who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. but we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves, that ultimately the light will shine forth from God through his people on this earth. And so the purpose of the lampstand is to hold forth the light. But as God comes to a conclusion on the construction of the lampstand itself, He then moves into the lamps that it is to hold. We read these words in Exodus 25 and verse 37, it says, Then you shall make its lamps seven in number, and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. Now, as we previously noticed, six branches coming off the central shaft, along with the top of the central shaft, form the seven lamp holders. To the Israelites, this represents that God is present among his people in his fullness. So the number seven is always equated in biblical studies with the idea of completeness or fullness or perfection. In other words, God is fully and continually present among them. but the lamps were lit, and were done so in a very specific way. They were done to cast light on the space directly in front of them. Now, what's interesting about this statement is, is in a normal scenario, in a normal situation, when you light up a room, your purpose is to light up the whole room. Except for when you want to provide specific directional light to call attention to something. Now, as an understanding around this, we need to understand a little bit better the layout of the tent. The whole place within the tabernacle was laid out so that as one entered, on the north wall, one would see the table of the Bread of Presence. And directly across from it, on the south wall, always on the south wall, we would find the lampstand containing the lamps. Interestingly enough, south actually represents in Hebrew writing warmth and light and blessing. Luke 12, 55 says, and when you see a south wind blowing, you say it will be hot all day. And it happens. Job 37, 17, you whose garments are hot when the land is quiet because of the south wind. Again, this idea of warmth and light coming from the south. And so the lamp stand set along the south wall with its lamps set to illuminate directly across from it and the space in between the table and the bread of presence. Now Leviticus 2, 24, 1 through 4 gives us a little more insight into the lighting of the lamps and to what's going on here. And it says to us this, then Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, command the sons of Israel that they bring you clear oil from beaten islets for the light to make a lamp burn continually outside the bed of testimony in the tent of meeting and shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh continually. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. Ye shall keep the lamps in order on the pure gold lampstand before Yahweh continually. Note, the lamps are to be tended evening and morning continually before God. Now there is little disagreement on whether this meant that the lamps, there is a little disagreement on whether this meant that the lamps would burn continuously, or if they were only lit in the evening and kept burning until morning, and then the cycle would repeat itself the following evening. However, what is important here, first, that Israel understood the meaning and the timing so that they were obedient to God's command, and secondly, that we understand that the purpose was not to provide light to God, but to his people. God didn't need the light. He has no need for the light, for he himself is the light and the life. We are the ones who have needs for the light and the life. We are the ones who are walking in darkness. We are those who without the light of God shining in our hearts are in a perpetual state of darkness. Again, to ancient Israel, these lamps lifted up on the light stand, demonstrated the light of God's presence with his people as he dwelt among them. However, because we are not men, we do need to understand what this teaching of scripture says to us today. In 2 Peter, chapter 1 verse 19 Peter writes, and we have as more sure the prophetic word to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place. Until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your heart note that peter describes the word of god as a lamp shining in to a dark place In jesus in john's gospel jesus declares again 8 verse chapter 8 verse 12 and jesus again spoke to them saying I am the light of the world he who Follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life and John 1 through 4 John writes in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the word was God He was in the beginning with God all things came into being through him and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being in him was life and the life was the light of men Now we could simply leave the subject here, declare the lampstand and the lamps are representative of Christ, the incarnate world, the light of men. But brothers and sisters, if we do this, we miss the fuller picture here. Absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt, Christ is the light of the world. He is the Incarnate Word. He is the light of men. He is the one whom Isaiah identifies in chapter 9 verse 2 as the great light that the people have seen, that the light that shone on them in the darkness. He is the light of that Those walking in darkness have seen the light that is shown in the hearts of men He creates them and in them both the will and the desire to come to him by faith and to receive within themselves This light but it does not end there Now this is where it gets very important not that it hasn't been imported all the way already A few moments ago, I read to you John chapter nine, verse five. Hopefully you remember what it said. If not, I'm going to read it to you in any way. It says, while I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Now understand that Jesus is not saying that he ceases to be the light of the world, but what he is saying is that there is a transition that has taken place. Now, as he was walking and talking with his disciples, this transition was a future transition that had not yet happened. But as we stand here today, it is a transition that has happened. Christ has ascended. He has gone to sit at the right hand of the Father. He is there waiting to return to call us home. And that means that we, we are now the ones responsible for holding forth the light. M.R. DeHaan writes this, the world has no light other than the light which we shed abroad. Holding a light, holding alas the lamp of the word and lifting the Lord Jesus Christ and letting him shine through us. A.W. Pink makes an interesting observation. He talks about us being in an interval space. Referring back to 1 John 1.7, where it says, but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another in the blood of Jesus. His son cleanses us from all sin. He notes that only those people who are now walking in the light are those who are the elect. That these are the only people who see the light. These are the people who are walking in accordance and in obedience to his word. This is the way he describes the time in which we currently live. It is now night time. Because the day spring from on high is absent. The lampstand tells of the gracious provision which God has made for his own beloved people during the interval of darkness. Before the sun of righteousness shall rise once more and usher in for this earth that morning without cloud. We live in the space between the first advent, where the light entered the world, where the light was among men in physical form, and the second advent, where the light will return and usher in new Jerusalem. And in that space, we are the reflections of his light. We are the ones that are called to shine forth in the darkness of this world through the proclamation of his truth and the power of the Holy Spirit. We, the Holy Spirit, which is the oil that feeds the lambs. that keeps the light burning. Verse 38 and 39 describe equipment that is used to maintain the light coming from the lamps, the tongs, and the trays. Understand it wasn't just a simple matter of light it and forget it. It took work to continually keep the light burning. And so what you would have is these particular implements were used to trim the wicks. That was what we said used here, the word tongs that's translated in the LSB. Other places it's actually used. It's translated as something roughly around wick trimmer. And then there was the trays that would actually carry the trimmed wick outside of the tent of meeting and dispose of it, preventing an uncleanness from entering into the place. What's interesting to note is of the six times, six, only six, that this word is used, the word tongs is used in the New Testament, five of those times specifically refer to ministering to the lamp stand and the lamps on it in the sense of either the tabernacle or the temple. There's only one exception. The one other time, that we encounter this term is in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah records for us his great encounter with the glory of God, with Christ incarnate. And this is what he records in that description. In the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up, with the train of his robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above him, each having six wings, with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And the seraphim called out one to another and said, holy, holy, holy is Yahweh of hosts. The earth, the whole earth is filled with his glory. And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called out while the house of God was filling with smoke. Then I said, woe is me for I am undone. For I am a man of unclean lips, and live amongst a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King Yahweh of hosts. And one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. The only other occurrence of this word outside of the other five and he touched my mouth with it and said, behold, this has touched your lips and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is atoned for. The only time that this word is used in scripture for something other than the maintenance of the wicks and the lamps that provide the light is found here. Now, these lamps would have been typically clay pots in this situation. They may actually have been made of solid gold because it refers to the entire piece being made of solid gold. But typically, the lamps would have been made of a clay pot that basically had one end pinched together. And in that one end, they would fill the clay pot with the oil. And that one end, they would stick the wick. And we all know what happens to a wick as it burns over time. And in today's world, as it burns into a candle, it just kind of drops in there and goes away. In the ancient times, they would actually have to trim the wick and keep moving the wick and addressing the wick so that the light continued to be the same way. And as they trim the wick, they would place the ashes or the burnt pieces within this tray and then take them outside to prevent this from becoming an unclean space. Notice the words of Isaiah regarding his lips. He says, I am a man. of unclean lips, and it's the people of unclean lips. standing and encountering the presence of the Holy God, Isaiah immediately understood the impact that the lips and the mouth have. Listen to me, brothers and sisters, as you are the light in this world, you do not be the light simply by your actions. You have to open your mouth and proclaim the word of God, because without the word of God, you're not shedding light in people's hearts. Your actions aren't transforming people's lives. The gospel transforms people's lives. The problem is, is that when our lips get involved, typically speaking, we become a problem. And so to cleanse the lips of Isaiah, the seraphim takes the tom, sears his lips clean. And just like the trimming of the lips so that the light will continually burn bright and will not be made unclean by the ash, just like Isaiah's unclean lips that had to be cleansed, so too must we be trimmed and cleansed, washed in the water of the word, prepared so that our light does not dim in the sight of man, but in fact grows stronger, brighter, demonstrating life-giving, life-sustaining, life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then we come to the final verse. A verse that we could easily dismiss as we see it as a repetition of verse nine. However, as we have talked about in the past, anytime we encounter something repeated in scripture, you better pay attention. because it's there for a reason. Here's the words that we find in verse 40. And see that you make them after the pattern for them which was shown to you on the mountain. So in this text, God immediately delivers to Moses not one, but two imperatives. The first imperative that we see here is the word look, or in the LSVC, but it is translated in the New Testament later in the Greek, it is what we would see when John proclaims, behold the Lamb of God. particular way the sins of the world. It was more than just this quick glance or quick look. It was more than just the action of seeing. It was just more than just the fact that light shone onto your retina, created an image, and your brain interpreted. This is actually understanding the minutiae of the detail. It's studying it. It's so that we understand the instructions that God gave Moses were to be precisely obeyed. Now, this is important. And the reason it is important is because precision is a key element in the worship of God. And if we need evidence of this, there is no better place to turn than to the events surrounding the sons of Aaron who offered strange fire before the Lord and immediately paid the price with their life for their disobedience. It is necessary to be precise in the worship of God. The second imperative then picks up where the first left off. It's not enough just to look. It's not enough just to see. It's not enough just to understand. It is also imperative that you do. In this instance, he was told to make. He didn't say just, hey, Moses, memorize the pattern so that you've got it locked into your brain. He said, no, memorize the pattern, understand the pattern, repeat the pattern, know the pattern, and then make the pattern. and do the work that I have commanded you. Moses tells him, you're not just to behold it, to look intently upon it, to scrutinize, study, memorize it, you're to move into action. Take the knowledge that you have gained and put it into practice, ensuring that as you put this knowledge into practice, you do it exactly as I have instructed. Now, this is the point where it is imperative for us sitting in the church today. For believers on this side of the incarnation, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, to put these pieces together and completely begin to understand God's message to us. Obviously, Moses' message was to study the tabernacle, study the pattern, and build it as God commanded. We've already talked about the fact that we are reflected light of Christ in the world today, and that through the power of the Holy Spirit, our light should shine brightly, and our light should be mentioned or maintained by the word. But the question is, where does all this take us? There's a simple answer here, is that it takes us into the world. that it takes us beyond the walls of the church into the people of the world to display the light. Light can't really shine brightly when it's enclosed by four walls. But there's also a cautionary tale here that we cannot and we must not ignore. As a young man, a member of youth groups, I remember singing, and this will tell my age a little bit, the old song, Pass It On. Now, some of you may be unfamiliar with this song, but it starts with this verse. It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing. That's how it is with God's love. Once you've experienced it, you spread his love to everyone, you want to pass it on. Now obviously, there are some great truths contained within that verse. Obviously, once we have experienced the love of God, once we have been impacted by the light, once his light has called through our lives, we should have a desire to share and spread the love of God. But we have to remember God's caution to Moses. See that you make them after the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain. And here, here, here, church is where we fall short. And the reason we fall short is that this is what happens. The light is shown in our life. We have been given a new life and a new hope. The Holy Spirit is at work within us, revealing the perfections of Christ, making Him real to us and giving Him to our hearts. And it enables us to behold and enjoy His excellence. And we want to go out and share that with those we love. And then we go out and we share because we don't want them to be unaware. We want them to know. We want to proclaim the truth. We want to shout it from the mountaintop. We want to do as God has commanded us to do and go and share the good news. But we are required to do so in a way that ensures that we stay true to the word that He's given us. He didn't say go out and tell half the story. Paul, writing to the church at Galatia, warns them that if someone brings to them a gospel that is contrary to the teaching of Scripture, that they should be accursed. Jesus, in the Great Commission, that commission that we so often love to quote, where we say, go and make disciples, and we just stop there. It doesn't stop there. Jesus says, make disciples of them by teaching them all that I have commanded you. In other words, we are required to share the gospel, and to share the gospel means that we can share the whole counsel of God, not just some little itty bitty part. Now, obviously when we introduce someone to Christ for the first time, we don't say open up and shove the whole word down their throat. We don't force them to eat the elephant at one time. But we do have the responsibility to continually feed them truth, to continually teach them what the word means. See, we live in a society where that has become not even part of who we are. We just want to get them down the aisle, sign their name, get them on a roll and say, we won one for the kingdom today. And what we fail to realize is that we are doing exactly what Christ warns and calls out a woe to the Pharisees on and making them twice the son of the devil because we're not giving them the truth of the gospel. We're not giving them the entire word of God. We have great tools to open the door. but we fail to equip them to guard and protect the door. We forget to ensure that the only thing built in their life is built after the pattern that we have been given in the word of God. And so my brothers and sisters, it is of utmost vital importance that we understand that just as Moses was called to obey the pattern, we too were called to obey the pattern that God gives us in his word. Now the subject of light and darkness and a lamp stand is an incredibly rich subject which we have only dipped our toe in here this morning. It is one that can be studied for a long time. And before we close, I do want to leave you with a few more short applications that need to be made so that we are being as faithful as we can. First of all, in Revelation Chapter 2 and 3, we have letters to the seven churches. Now, contained within those churches, by the way, those seven churches are simply representatives of the type of church that we can find in this world today. But unfortunately, what we see is that in most of those churches, They are not being what they should be. Their life has been tarnished. There is a threat, a real threat from God that their lampstand will be removed. In this case, the lampstand here, it is representative of the ministry of the church. It ties directly to the lives of the individual believers. It is the responsibility of the church and the leadership of the elders to equip and train the men and women of God fully and properly. Part of full and proper training involves rebuke, reproof, and correction, and when the church fails at this, this task, the people suffering the light can be tarnished, just as the part of the responsibility of the priest was to trim the wick. We used to have that. As the representative reflective lights of Christ in this world, you and I, individuals, and leadership of our church must properly maintain and care for the light of our testimony. Our life and ensure that it is subject to the commands of God. Secondly, this is a crucial one because so many times today, this is not what occurs, but we must remember that Christ, Christ, Christ is the true light, not us. Now, I want to say here, that a lot of times we feel as if we are the light. Because we read the words of Christ where it says, you know, you are a city on a hill. You're light. But you're only a light because his light shines through you. And the danger to this becomes that if it is not Christ, if Christ is not the true light, and if you portray yourself as the true light, then the gospel on which you build is faulty and crumbled. And you're doing people a worse disservice. In fact, this is so much not about us, it's not even funny. It's not about us or even primarily for us. All my life I was taught that this book was an instruction manual for me. And while there is a thread of truth in that it contains the commands by which I am to live. This book is a proclamation of God. This book is the story of the redemption of mankind for God's glory. Now, I understand that in all of this, our good becomes a result, but it is literally and truly about Christ and Christ alone. He is the light for the people. Psalm, Proverbs 4, 18, but the path of righteousness is that the light of God that shines brighter and brighter until the fullness of day. 2 Corinthians 4, 6, for God said, who said let light light shall shine out of darkness is the one who has shown in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ he is also the light in his people Ephesians 1 18 so that you the eyes of your heart having been enlightened will know that What is the hope of His calling? What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints? And then again in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 13 and 14, but all things become visible when they are exposed by the light. For everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, Awake, sleep, or arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. And finally, he is the light through his people. Again, Matthew 5, 14 through 16, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven, not glorify you. Finally, As in the beginning, life brings forth. Light brings forth life. So too, the lampstand stands as a reminder to use God's life-giving, light-giving power. Listen, it is by His Word that this world came into existence. It is by His Word that this world holds together. And it will be by his word that the sun returns and ushers in new Jerusalem. One of the great messianic texts found in Isaiah 11, 1 and 2, we read, then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his root will bear fruit. The spirit of Yahweh will rest on him. The spirit of Yahweh will rest on him. The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel, the spirit of might, the spirit of knowledge, and the spirit of the fear of Yahweh, the seven spirits. Seven spirits demonstrating the fullness of God, that fullness that according to Colossians 1 verse 19, that God was pleased to have dwell in Christ. It's also shown to us in Revelation where John standing, viewing the revelation, John in Revelation four or five says, and out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God, the seven lamps, the seven lights corresponding to the seven spirits, the fullness of the presence of God dwelling with the people of God, Christ. Our light dwells within us and through our holding forth and standing firm on the foundation of His word and in the power of the Holy Spirit, we reflect that light in the world today. And so I leave you with this question. Is your life, your life truly a beacon of God's light or Are you allowing the ashes of sin, neglect, or compromise to dim that flame? Listen, Christ has placed His light in you, not to be hidden, but to shine brightly. How would you respond? Would you commit this morning to trimming the weights of your heart by repenting of your sin, feeding the flame through the Word, and walking daily in the power of the Holy Spirit. The world around us is desperate for light, for hope, for truth. Let each of us rise as faithful light bearers, reflecting the radiance of Christ to a watching world so that they too may glorify our Father. in heaven. Let us pray. Gracious heavenly Father. Lord, there are times when words fail us. Father, when we stand before you, Lord, not knowing exactly what to say. Father, we know that You are the light giver. We know that Christ is the light of men. Father, we know that in our lives, Christ shines forth in this dark room. Father, we pray this morning that we are obedient. That we are obedient to the call that you have placed on our life, that we are obedient to the fullness of your word. Lord, that we stand firm on Your truth, that we do not compromise, and that we move forth assured in Your grace, in Your love, in Your mercy, knowing that apart from You, We are nothing. Father, we just ask that Your Word would pierce our hearts. Father, that we would seek to be obedient to You in all things. Father, we love You. We thank You. We praise You. We give You the honor. We give You all of the glory. And we ask all of this in your most holy and heavenly name. Amen.