Exodus 25:34 says, “And on the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms with its knobs and its blossoming buds.” The four cups shaped like almond blossoms on the central stalk of the lampstand with its knobs and its blossoming buds signify Christ’s humanity in His shining with the resurrection life.
Verse 35 says, “And a knob under two branches of it, and a knob under two branches of it, and a knob under two branches of it, for the six branches going out from the lampstand.” These three knobs do not hold blossoms but branches. This indicates that the branches are growing in order to branch out. The knob, or calyx, holding the branches signifies life growing. The branches are branching out through the growth of life. Thus, we have the life, the growth, and the branching out. This signifies the resurrection life’s branching out for the shining. Life is branching out by growing in order to produce the shining.
Although there is mention of blossoms, nothing is said of the fruit. Actually, the fruit is simply the shining light. This can be applied in our daily life with the Lord. As we grow in resurrection life, we shall bud, blossom, and bring forth fruit. If we compare Galatians 5 with Ephesians 5, we shall see that this fruit is the light. In Galatians 5:22 Paul speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, but in Ephesians 5:9 he speaks of the fruit of the light. Actually, the light is the fruit. As a result of growing, budding, and blossoming, we bring forth fruit. This fruit is the shining of the light. How is it possible for our relatives, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and schoolmates to see the light shining from us? They can see it only when fruit is brought forth in our Christian life, for this fruit will be the light.
Let us consider as an example the case of two sisters, one called Mary and the other, Martha. Mary is growing in the Lord and is budding, blossoming, and bringing forth fruit. Martha, however, does not grow, but remains in the flesh. When Martha comes in contact with Mary, she sees fruit in Mary’s life. This fruit is the light. With Mary herself, it is fruit, but in relation to Martha this fruit becomes the shining light. Martha sees this light and is enlightened by it. Then she realizes that she is fleshly, worldly, and far away from the Lord. In this way she is enlightened by the fruit of the light which is growing, budding, and blossoming in Mary.
Often the saints are enlightened in the meetings of the church. Even when no message is given, we may experience this shining. For example, certain young ladies may attend the meetings dressed in a way which is somewhat immodest or inappropriate. Spontaneously, they become conscious of the way they are dressed and desire to be fully covered. This consciousness comes from the shining of light in the church. These young ladies would not have the same realization if they were sitting in a place of worldly entertainment. This indicates that there is light in the church meetings. We are enlightened in the meetings because here we see the fruit, the shining. Therefore, with the lampstand we have the budding, the blossoming, and the shining of the light as the fruit.
Verse 36 says, “Their knobs and their branches shall be from it—all of it one beaten work of pure gold.” The fact that the lampstand and its knobs and branches are all of one beaten work of pure gold signifies that the entire entity is all purely of Christ’s divinity without anything added to it. The knobs and the branches were not added to the lampstand; they were part of the lampstand, part of one beaten work of pure gold. This indicates that in the lampstand there is no mixture. Mixture in our Christian life brings in darkness. But when our Christian life is purified through the divine nature, we have light.
Exodus 25:37 says, “And you shall make its lamps, seven.” The seven lamps signify the seven Spirits of God and the seven eyes of the Lamb (Zech. 4:2, 10; Rev. 4:5; 5:6) as the full expression of the Triune God.