Hidden Meaning of the Menorah

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Melissa Flores

Menorah Symbols of the corporate church abound in scripture. We are alluded to as the bride of Christ, God’s vineyard, the body of Christ, and His temple built of lively stones. Whenever it comes to the individual believer, however, I’ve heard relatively little in the way of scriptural symbolism. In preparation for a conference this month, I stumbled onto a rich trove of delights in studying the 7-candle menorah. The following is a digest of my findings that may prove to stir something within you, too!

Before we start, let me briefly explain the difference between the 7-candle and 9-candle menorah, and why we are focusing on the former. The 7-candle menorah is the traditional candelabra prescribed for use in Tabernacle of Moses. It has come to be a symbol of Judaism and much more as we will, here, divulge. Nine-candle menorahs are known as Hanukkah menorahs, and are lit during the 8-day feast or holiday. After this study, I have come to discover that the 7-candle menorah is a beautiful symbol of the individual believer’s spiritual life as it is lit by the fire of the seven spirits of God.

The Perpetual Burning Bush

The design of the 7-candle menorah is meant to resemble the burning bush, from which God called Moses to become deliverer of Israel. How endearing that our God would want something nostalgic of that moment, perpetually before Him in the tabernacle! Divine instruction was given to the craftsmen on how to build this relic in Exodus 25:31-40.

v31 Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. v32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. v33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. v34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. v35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

v37 Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. v38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. v39 A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.v40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

The lampstand was to be made of pure gold, symbolic of divinity or divine influence upon the character of man. Gold is obtained through refinement and speaks to the purification process one undergoes in an ongoing relationship with the living God. That the almond blossom was called for is not a coincidence. The almond tree is the first to blossom in the spring. We are to be the head and not the tail, the first to give fruit among our worldly counterparts. Jeremiah was asked about the almond branch in Jeremiah 1:11, “What do you see?” The prophet answered, “I see the branch of an almond tree.” The Spirit of God replied, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” From this we understand that God is quick to deliver on His word, and sole Guarantor that it will be fulfilled.

Not only do the almond blossoms convey a prophetic meaning, but a priestly meaning as well. One cannot think of the almond blossom without considering Aaron, the brother of Moses. The leaders of the tribes were disgruntled with Moses and Aaron. The Lord called for the all the leaders to bring their walking staffs before Him. Numbers 17:8 tells how overnight, Aaron’s rod miraculously blossomed and produced almonds. This was a sign of the hand of the Lord upon his life and divine election as priest for the Israelites. We can infer that the almond blossoms speak to the divine election of the individual saint, as priest to Him and servant of the Kingdom. Furthermore, 22 total almond blossoms are prescribed for the menorah. Incidentally, there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alephbet, a direct allusion to the importance of the knowledge of the Word of God.

The seven-candle menorah is really six branches surrounding a center candlestick. Six is the number of man, flanking the One candle symbolic of Christ in the midst of mankind. Christ in us is our only hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27) The Hebrews, however, understood the menorah to mean something different. The six candles were symbolic of the six branches of human learning. All six of these branches were to be turned to face middle candlestick, representative of the wisdom of God. In other words, all human learning is valuable, only if it is turned to face the illumination of Who God is among us. Apart from His illumination, all human knowledge is but darkness or devolution.

The Menorah’s Function

The 100-plus pound menorah was meant to illuminate the Holy Place in the Tabernacle of Moses and Temple of Solomon. Three arenas of the tabernacle relate to the triunity of the human existence. The Outer Court represents the physical body; the Inner Court or Holy Place speaks of the mind or intellect; the Holy of Holies alludes to the spirit of man. The menorah held enough oil to light the Holy Place from sundown to sunrise. Only the center candlestick was kept burning 24 hours a day. We can infer that the menorah is representative of the inner life of the believer, which is to be constantly illuminated by the Spirit of Christ.

Over time, the menorah became part of the traditional artwork of the Hebrews. As shown, below, the menorah was inscribed on tombs and on murals in catacombs, symbolizing the spirit of man.

Proverbs 20:27, “The spirit of man is the lamp (niyr) of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart.” The Hebrew word, niyr, is the very word translated menorah in Exodus. Illuminated by the fire of the Spirit of God, the human spirit is a powerful force in the world. Friend, you are God’s menorah – His instrument of illumination in the earth!

The 7 Spirits of God

If we are His menorah, we must be illuminated by the fire of the 7 Spirits of God. Many believers are familiar with the concept of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead. Revelation further reveals the Holy Spirit as the 7 Spirits before the throne. Follow with me, please.

Revelation 1:4 …John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Revelation 3:1 …these things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars…
Revelation 4:5 …there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Revelation 5:6 …the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

It’s not that the Holy Spirit is seven differing spirits, but One Spirit manifesting in seven different characteristics. Seven is the number symbolic of perfect manifestation or divine fullness. The divinity of the Holy Spirit is expressed in seven various attributes. These attributes are enumerated in a special passage in Isaiah 11:1-2. Prophetic of the coming Messiah who would be filled with the spirit beyond measure, these two verses list the 7 Spirits of God in clear language.

v1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

v2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

Special graces of the Spirit were to rest upon the coming Messiah. Indeed these powers were evident in the life of Christ and are subsequently expected to illuminate the lives of His followers. Here is that list of 7, including the Hebrew meaning of each characteristic (in bold).

1. The Spirit of the Lord (Yehovah)

The Holy Spirit of God as the 3rd Person of the Trinity
The authorizing agent and qualifier for office.
The Spirit of the Lord came upon the prophets and kings of old to empower for service and grant utterance.

2. The Spirit of Wisdom (chokmah)

Ethical wisdom
Pragmatic / The ability to choose the best of options
Ability to foil the enemies schemes.

3. The Spirit of Understanding (biynah)

Judgment resulting from wisdom,
Discernment
Specially qualified for the task

4. The Spirit of Counsel (‘etsah)

Advice
Purpose
Faculty of forming plans

5. The Spirit of Strength (gebuwrah)

Valor/bravery
Effectiveness
Might

6. The Spirit of Knowledge (da’ath)

Perception
Cunning
Intelligence

7. The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord (yir’ah)

Reverence
Piety
Respect (both demonstrated and commanded)

As we grow to learn of and listen to the Holy Spirit within, these seven characteristics will blossom and mature in our lives. Sunday school taught me that the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to do three things for me:

1. Make me holy.

2. Give me the boldness to witness for Christ.

3. Produce a prayer language.

This is an entry-level understanding of the baptism. Consider these a door to the fullness of the manifestation of the 7 spirits which are to illuminate the life of the believer. These seven characteristics cause the world to take note of the believer as a light in the darkness. Unfortunately, we’ve placed GREAT emphasis on spiritual boldness and tongues, while neglecting the matter of world-relevance. I’m convinced the presence of the Holy Spirit will grant us the same powers Christ had, to confound the worldly wisdom of His day. Let’s face it, there are many “Spirit-filled” believers who can speak in tongues, but can’t tie their own shoes in the dark! Some “spiritual” saints profess the baptism, but lack the spirit of wisdom it takes to solve their own problems, let alone anyone else’s. Perhaps we should revisit what it means to be “spirit-filled”? I welcome your thoughts via the “reply” link, below.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider giving a donation, here. Your generous contribution of any size helps us to continue providing fresh, on-time words. Thank you for your support.

The Process of Ruach

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Melissa Flores

I am writing this after having spent three days in the kabowd. Our annual Women of Valor conference wrapped with a supernatural set of sessions on Saturday, April 14. Amazing testimonies are coming in of miraculous healings that transpired. A woman who suffered with a mute spirit for 18 years regained the full use of her voice. Another woman who had a double knee replacement and a rod in one leg, leapt after the Lord touched her. She no longer feels the rod in her leg!

I was one of two scheduled speakers on the final day, along with my step-father, Prophet Tim Colisino. Our webstream captured then entire morning from front to finish (nearly 5 hours of glory!). The archived video begins with Prophetic Intercession led by Robbin Arnold (approx. 10 minutes). The Tony Ebert Band leads in a few brief minutes of praise, after which I bring a word entitled, “The Process of Ruach.” If you intend on watching, be warned of the potential for spiritual intoxication! There was some difficulty delivering this for the weighty glory that fell. After an intermission, Tim brought us into prophetic worship and ministry of a heavenly nature.

The Process of Ruach

This message is an in-depth look at the creative force of the Spirit (or ruach in Hebrew), and how the Lord is stirring up His people prophetically in this hour. Play this video as you relax or work around the house and supercharge your atmosphere. Should time be an issue, feel free to revisit this video again, and glean all you can at your leisure. We simply wanted to bless you with the heavenly touch we received this weekend at the Lighthouse. You are loved.

Watch The Process of Ruach

10 Manifestations of Ruach

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Melissa Flores

The following powerpoint was part of my morning session at Women of Valor 2012, Grantsville, MD. Click on the link below to access and download for use in your church or intercessory prayer group. God bless.

10 Manifestations of Ruach

Two Sacrifices God Will Not Accept

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Melissa Flores

God doesn’t accept just anything. Worship is the act of offering what God asks, with a heart of affection. Both Cain and King Saul experienced God’s rejection from the altar. Neither men met the simple criteria of true worship, and were refused for it. God reveals the worship He enjoys in scripture, particularly the sacrificial law. May it be noted, Jesus satisfied all of the law’s sacrificial requirements, freeing us to worship our Father in spirit and in truth. Still, the sacrificial law recorded in scripture offers us precious revelation on true worship. While the Torah prescribes all the outward acts of worship, it doubly reveals the inward spirit Father is looking for.

The grain offering, for instance, tells us volumes about what God is looking for from each of us. As one of the least expensive offerings, grain (or bread) was something that anyone could give. That the King of Heaven would share a meal with the poorest among the Israelites, speaks of His unfathomable love for all mankind. Any one, rich or poor, is capable of offering a meal to the Lord that He will savor and bless.

To be received and burned on the altar, the bread must be yeast-free. Leviticus 2:11a tells us, “Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast.” Leavened bread could be offered as a first-fruits offering to the priests, but never as a burnt offering to the Lord.

Why No Leaven?

For the Israelites, leaven carried a negative connotation for a handful of reasons. First, yeast-risen bread spoiled quickly, symbolizing corruption and hypocrisy. Rising dough speaks of the puffed-up pride of the self-life. Also, the warm, enticing loaf of yeast-bread appeals to the senses, making it a guilty pleasure (indicative of the uncontrollable desires of the flesh).

But more importantly than these things, what does yeast represent to God in worship? According to Maimonides, (b.1135) one of the greatest Torah scholars, yeast was forbidden as a burnt sacrifice because it was the sacrifice of the common man to the pagan gods of the era. A true sacrifice in God’s estimation, was that which was rejected by the false gods. Talk about counter-cultural! On a deeper level, yeast speaks of the ingenuity of man’s intellect. As man grew more sophisticated in his culinary abilities, yeast was discovered as a manipulative tool to chemically alter simple grain dough. If one wants to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, all machinations must be left behind. All Father wants are the simple grains, mixed with salt, incense, and oil.

“Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings...Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering. The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as an offering made to the Lord by fire.” Leviticus 2:13, 15-16

No doubt, your wheels are turning on the ingredients of covenant salt, incense (prayers), and oil (the resident anointing or presence of God.) Since yeast is the focus of this discussion, I must digress and allow you to ruminate on your own time. The matter is clear. The closer we draw to spirit-based worship, the farther we flee from human cleverness. He’s not looking for originality or invention, but authenticity and humility. I understand that creativity and authenticity are not mutually exclusive. Still, the essence of spirit-based worship is to depart from intellectual demonstration to enter into humble observation of His magnificence. Psalm 46:10 explains, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, requires a yielding of the intellect to matters of spirit. Vis a vis, can we admit that what God wants, and what our fallen nature wants to give Him are two very different things? He doesn’t want what we want for Him. He wants what He wants. Period.

Also for your consideration, is the following commandment:

“For you are not to burn any yeast or honey in an offering made to the Lord by fire,” Leviticus 2:11b.

Why No Honey?

Pagan idolaters were known to smear their meat and bread offerings with honey. Again, the One True God meant to differentiate Himself from the false gods in the land. If they required honey, He would not. Let’s take a deeper look at why the idolaters offered honey.

Have you ever noticed that the word “sugar” never appears in scripture? There are three mentions of calamus (sugar cane) in the OT as a precious import from distant lands. Sugar cane, as food for the masses, was not introduced until the Roman era.1 Honey was the Hebrew sweetener of choice. Since idols are gods fashioned by the hands of men, they tend to be fashioned in the likeness of men. Men enjoy sweet things, and have historically placed a premium on the saccharine. But, God’s ways are not ours. He doesn’t need His offerings sweetened, revealing to us that His appetite is different from ours.

Honey and sacrifice do not mix. There is nothing saccharine about the cross of Christ, or the surrender of self-will to the sovereignty of God. The sweetness lies in the reward of sacrifice, which is the unabated fellowship of spirit to Spirit. We don’t need to sweeten the pot to gain the favor of God. Humble grains of obedience will do.

Prayer
Father, we want to know what true spirit worship is. Show us where we’ve made a practice of offering you what we want, rather than what You desire. Teach us how to worship, with an understanding of Your unending covenant, from a lifestyle of continual prayer and communion. Reveal any idolatrous tendencies. Forgive us for not offering the simple things you’ve asked for, a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Thank you for the honey, which serves to brighten our countenance. We offer you our gratitude for the simple pleasures in life. However, we will put pleasure in its place, and offer you our all. Amen.

1. Feinberg Vamosh, Miriam (2007). Food at the Time of the Bible. pp. 12–13.

Vision in the Darkness

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Melissa Flores

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path,” Psalm 119:105. Such a short verse, and yet, so pregnant with power. God’s Word has the ability to illuminate our here and now. When walking in unfamiliar territory, in the dark, I tend to watch my feet intently. Snakes, bears and boogeymen could be around the bend… but if a slimey slug squishes through my toes, trip’s over! All silliness aside, the Word of God reveals where we stand.

I have expressed my frustration to Father about being near-sighted. The prophetic is more than being able to diagnose and declare the issues at hand. True prophetic people are like the sons of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12:34, “Who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” It’s not good enough to know what’s happening. We must press to find out what we should do. It is also written of Issachar in Genesis 49:15 that, “When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.” When we see the promise ahead, we’ll work however hard we need to make it happen.

What about America? What about her church? So many are angry and confused in the dark. Not knowing much more than where we stand can be frightening. The good news is, friend, His word is also a light unto our path. How do we find our way? Turn on the light! With a little oil and fire, (symbolic of the Holy Spirit) we can see on down the path into His perfect plan. His Word, His Wisdom, His Way is our only answer.

According to the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary, this verse is a poetic allusion to the lamps and torches carried at night before an Eastern caravan. Caravans carry merchandise. Father won’t keep us in the dark… We’re carrying His precious Kingdom goods. He will make sure we deliver what our nation needs in it’s most critical hour. I know you’re probably angry, right now. Over half of America is. Don’t sulk in the dark.. Arise and shine! Join the caravan and we’ll be on our way!

By the way, this former post may be of encouragement to you: Why America’s Still Blessable

: : : : : : : : : : :