Sharper Iron & The Saga of Salvation: The Essential Lampstand Shines in the Darkness

http://archives.kfuo.org/mp3/SI/SI_Sep_10_2019.mp3
Download Audio File

Rev. Steve Hokana, Assistant Director of the Ministry to the Armed Forces for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Exodus 25:31-40, Exodus 27:20-21, and Exodus 37:17-24.

Any item that will be transported on a long journey must be essential to the trip. Though human wisdom would likely not deem an expensive, heavy, and intricate lampstand as such an item, the LORD knows better. The lampstand for His tabernacle is an essential item to teach His people who He is. His presence among them shines into the darkness of their sin and overcomes it through the sacrificial blood of the tabernacle. Even at night, He is there to guard and watch over His people. The oil used in the lampstand was first and pure, a reminder of the healing that the LORD alone can give. The lampstand is also an essential item to teach His people who they are. They are the light to the nations, pointing all people to the truth that the LORD is the only true God. All of this points us to Christ Jesus our Lord. He is the true light of the world. Not even the darkness of Good Friday could overcome Him, as He defeated sin and Satan on the cross and death by His third day resurrection. Now, His presence among us, His Church, makes us a light to the world, as we point all people to the truth that Christ is the only Savior, whom we await on the Last Day to take us to dwell in His eternal light

“The Saga of Salvation” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that takes a step-by-step walk through the book of Exodus. This premier account of salvation in the Old Testament proclaims that the LORD is the one true God, the Creator and Redeemer, who alone is worthy of our worship and faith, all the while pointing us forward to the ultimate deliverance He gives through the exodus accomplished by Christ.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Exodus 25:31-40

The Golden Lampstand

31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 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;33 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. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 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. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent[a]of pure gold. 40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

Footnotes:

Exodus 25:39 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

Exodus 27:20-21

Oil for the Lamp

20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

Exodus 37:17-24

Making the Lampstand

17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were 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; 19 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.20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent[a] of pure gold.

Footnotes:

Exodus 37:24 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms