The golden candlestick or menorah (Exodus 25:31-40) represents light and illumination, so it symbolizes divine understanding of the Word, the next level of insight and revelation where Word and Spirit are one. At this point, you are becoming able to see and apply the Word whenever and wherever it is needed.
The menorah was made of solid gold. There was no wood in this piece of furniture and there were no measurements given. Since there was no wood, humanity wasn’t represented in the candlestick. The function of the candlestick and what it symbolized has nothing to do with humanity.
In studying Jewish culture, it is said that when God instructed Moses to make the menorah, Moses lamented because the dimensions, details, and curves of the candlestick were impossible for him to envision. So God showed him a menorah of fire and eventually instructed him to throw the stem into the fire from which the completed menorah emerged. Moses didn’t have the tools to create the menorah according to God’s specification, so God formed it supernaturally. This leaves us with the understanding that when you embrace the menorah, you have come to the place where God begins to perform everything He reveals to you in prayer. You receive the illumination and God does the work. This means there are no limitations as you embrace the element. You have access to the mind of the Spirit and are able to discern the deep things of God.
The menorah had a stem (representing God) and six branches (representing the number of man, the church, which was born out of Him) (John 15:5). The golden candlestick helps us to see that Jesus is the vine (stem) and we are the branches (six candles) coming out of Him (John 15:6). An intercessor who disconnects from the vine goes back to the outer court. By illumination of the candlestick, the only thing you are going to ask for in intercession is the will of God because in this realm, His will is the only thing you desire.
The branches of the candlestick have the same decorations as the stem, a design that was beaten and shaped by fire. This design represents the attributes that Jesus gave the church when we were birthed out from Him.
Jesus gave us His glory (Matthew 5:14). Part of being this light to the world is reflecting His image, symbolized by the fine gold that was beaten for the candlestick until it was smooth and reflective. The design on the candlestick was comprised of almonds and flowers which again was beaten and burned into the menorah by fire. The almond on Aaron’s rod was the first branch to bud and blossom, bring forth fruit to the nations of Israel (Num 17:8). This speaks of the everlasting resurrection. As you embrace the work of the menorah, God will make sure to burn the image of the almond into your life. When the image of the almond is in your spirit, it doesn’t matter how many tests you endure or how many trials you go through, you have eternal “getting up power”. You have life and can speak life into any situation.
The flower represents everlasting beauty. If people cannot see the beauty of Christ when they look at you, if they cannot experience the sweet anointing of the Holy Spirit, if there’s nothing about your person that others desire, then the image of the flower isnt apparent in your life.
One final aspect of the golden candlestick is the fact that it was lit by the coals from the brazen altar. The fire of God that lit the altar originally came from glory in the third realm, lighting the golden altar of incense and then the brazen altar. By revelation this means that if there has never been any sacrifice in your life, and if you fail to willingly put yourself on the altar of sacrifice daily, then there will be no fire to light the golden candlestick in your life. There will be no reflection of God’s character for others to see.
The fire on the brazen altar will go out unless you continue to sacrifice to put your flesh and your will on the altar of sacrifice. If this sacrificial fire goes out, the fires of illumination on the golden candlestick will subsequently be extinguished. Even worse, the coals of the golden altar of incense will smolder and die.
Sacrifice is a vital element. Saying yes to God in your mind and in your spirit continually adds wood to the brazen altar and makes it possible to receive illumination in the holy place, making it easy to worship Him at the altar of incense. Personal sacrifice safeguards your understanding of what God desires to do in the lives of the people for whom you are praying. Sacrifice lights the way to prayer.
The golden menorah was crafted of the finest solid gold. The almond shape represented the resurrected power and the image of the flower represented everlasting beauty. This means when we go into intercession and the enemy starts shooting fiery darts at you, your love does not change, your joy isn’t hindered, your peace keeps flowing like a river, and your long suffering/temperance kick in as you carry the burden of the Lord. When you reach the golden lamp stand you will have a solid gold encounter with God.
You may wonder what kept the menorah lit. God instructed Aaron and his sons to keep the lamp stand filled with pure olive oil (Exodus 27:20-21). The pure oil of crushed olives symbolizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When you look into the process they used to make this olive oil, it speaks strongly of the threshing process. Basically, as the olive grows to maturity, the early fruit falls to the ground. Then at harvest time, they beat the trees with long sticks to yield the rest of the crop, and then gather all the olives off the ground. Then the oil was pressed out by crushing the olives in the hollow of a stone or by treading on them by foot. When the olives were first pressed, two different lots of oil would come forth. The first press was called extra virgin olive oil, meaning in its purest state. This was the oil that was used to keep the golden candlestick burning.
When you go to the point of wanting to be used by God, we must receive the anointing of the pure olive oil that illuminates. This goes beyond just having fire or intensity because the menorah will stay lit continually only if it is filled with the oil of the anointing.
One final aspect is related to the golden candlestick (Acts 2:1-4). As an intercessor, you need the oil of the spirit on a daily basis. This means that it is an absolute necessity for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit as the disciples were on the Day of Pentecost. Without that infilling, there will be no supernatural utterances from heaven in your prayer closet. Since oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit and oil had to be refilled in the candlestick twice daily to keep the holy place illuminated, there is a strong emphasis on the vital role this experience hold in an intercessor’s life.
(Teachings from Juanita Bynum)
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