Torah Class: Day 65 - Praying Through the Sanctuary: Menorah

Basis for our Studies:

The Bible tells us that the “End (of the world) is declared from the “beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). Certainly, this means that the early Biblical record of human history bears End-time prophetic significance. But, it’s actually even more specific than that. The original Hebrew word translated as “beginning” in Isaiah 46:10 is תישאר (rê’shı̂yth). This is the root of Bereshith, which is the Hebrew name of the first Book of the Bible, “Genesis”. In other words, prophecies of the End of the World are found in the Book of Genesis.

The Torah is one of the five keys for unlocking End-time Prophecy… Prophecy is unlocked through the Statutes!

Praying through the Sanctuary:

Praying through the Sanctuary, as one experiences each Space and piece of Furniture, in order, can dramatically empower and enhance our prayer lives. It helps us have all the “ingredients” needed for effective prayer.

The Psalmist actually tells us that in praying through the Sanctuary, we will come to more intimately know Yahweh.

Psalm 77:11-13 – “I will remember the works of Yahweh: surely I will remember Thy Wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy Work, and talk of Thy Doings. Thy Way, O God, is in the Sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” 

Sanctuary Prayer Ingredient #10: The Menorah

The Tabernacle is about restoring man to Eden again…  You really see this in the Menorah…

·  Exodus 25:31 – “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold… its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it”

·  The Menorah is designed to look like a tree… it has branches, it has blossoms, it has almond flowers, it has bud-like cups…  This connection is not made vaguely, but rather intentionally.

·  The Tree of Life is a Heavenly Tree – and has been taken back to Heaven after the Fall…  Notice that it is the only part of Earth that sinful/fallen man is not permitted to touch… Sin touches everything… all of nature… all animals… and people… every thing under Adam’s dominion is touched by his sin… Everything on earth except the Tree of Life is touched. The Tree of Life is supernaturally guarded and ultimately removed and taken back to Heaven. Genesis 3:24 tells us that the Cherubim guarded the Tree after the Fall. This is because this Tree is not of Earth.

·  The Center of Eden was the Tree of Life… Humanity loses access… death comes… Then, suddenly inside the Tabernacle, which is a miniature Eden in the Wilderness, the Tree of Life appears in symbol…  Centrally located in the Sanctuary Holy Place, stands a glowing Tree of Light.

·  The Almond in the Menorah takes this meaning deeper still, in spiritual imagery:

o   Exodus 25:33-34 – “Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.”

o   What is the spiritual meaning and significance of the Almond tree?

§  In Hebrew, almond is shaqed, which is from the root (H8245) that means “to watch” and to be “wakeful”.

·       Jeremiah 1:11-12 - "Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said Yahweh unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten [watch over] my word to perform it."

§  The almond tree is the first tree to awaken from winter and bloom, sometimes while other trees still appear dormant. God used it as a symbol that He is awake, alert, and actively watching over His promises and prophecies…  Yahweh’s End-time saints are likened to the almond because they are alive and blooming (in Yahweh) while the trees around are barren.

§  Almond Trees also signify the priesthood of Yahweh.

·       Aaron’s rod “...brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds." (Numbers 17:8)

·       So when Aaron’s rod budded it produced all three stages of life, instantly: buds, blossoms, ripe almonds…

§  The Menorah’s almond connection gives a message about Life defeating death – overcoming it. The is Resurrection symbology before the Resurrection had happened – it’s a prophecy!

·       There are no windows in the Tabernacle – Light is generated by the Menorah. The Menorah is the Light. So the priests do their ministry in the Light shining from the Menorah.

o   Psalm 119:105 – “Your Word is a Lamp to my feet…”

o   Psalm 27:1 – “Yahweh is my Light…”

o   Isaiah 9:2 – “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great Light…”

o   John 8:12 – “I Am the Light of the world…”

·       Seven Lamps on the Menorah – Seven is the number completion…  It’s completion of what Yahweh has started…

·       Going back to Creation, Yahweh created Light before the sun and moon appeared (Light was made on the first Day, and the sun and moon were created on the fourth Day). The very first Words spoken were “Let there be Light.”

o   In the Menorah, inside the portable Eden, a seven-branched Tree of Life stands before Yahweh’s Divine Presence.

·       The Tabernacle is retelling Genesis…

·       Leviticus 24:2-4 – the fire of the Menorah could never go out. Light defines the Holy Place… To have a “holy place” without the light from the Menorah is to have a personal abomination of desolation set up! Light defines holiness! There is no holiness without Light (signifying Truth, the Word, and Yahshua Himself)

·       We tend the Light – tend the Menorah of our souls through loving the Light, refreshing the Light, keeping the Light alive and shining

o   John 3:19-20 - “And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

o   John 12:35 - “Then Yahshua said unto them, Yet a little while is the Light with you. Walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”

o   2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

·       How do we keep the Light Burning? As priests we must tend the Light of the Menorah in us…

o   • SHEMA ISRAEL—Deut. 6:4-9

o   • TURN FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT—Acts 26:18

o   • EXPOSE HIDDEN DARKNESS—1 Corinthians 4:5

o   • BEHOLD THE LIGHT—Psalm 89:15

o   • REPENT FOR BITTERNESS & HATE—1 John 2:9-11.

o   • READ & MEMORIZE GOD’S WORD—Psalm 119:105

o   • PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT—Romans 13:12

o   • HAVE A “SINGLE” EYE—Matthew 6:22-23...

For more Scripture and a deeper study into practical ways to tend the Light in our own souls... go to: https://www.lightedway.org/html/Newsletters/23Magazines/Oct-Dec2023NewsletterMagazine.pdf 

Video Links

·   The Tabernacle and What it Reveals to Us - (5 minute video by Chosen People Ministries)

The Tabernacle of Moses Structure - 3D Animation - (6 minute and 51 second video by Messages of Christ)