A chapter about worship, about the Tabernacle, and specifically about the golden Lampstand/Candlestick and the Table (also overlaid with gold) then loaded with fresh Bread … ending in such a “sad” way!

A man has “blasphemed the Name of the Lord!” While in a fight, in a moment of anger, but still he “slighted, belittled, dishonored” God’s Very name! Leviticus 24:11 … “And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.”

We learned in verse 10 that the man’s “father was an Egyptian,” likely a half-hearted follower of God anyway. (Part of the “mixt multitude” maybe … as in Numbers 11:4?)

Parents have great influence on their sons, their children. For good or (sorrowfully) for evil.

But Moses did not know what to do with this blasphemous offender! So … “They put him in ward (jail, confinement), that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.” Verse 12

Then shortly, the heavenly Answer came! “The LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation STONE HIM. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever CURSETH HIS GOD shall bear his sin. And he that BLASPHEMETH the name of the LORD, HE SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH, and all the congregation shall certainly STONE HIM: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he BLASPHEMETH the name of the LORD, SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH.” Verses 13-16, conclusive!

Serious to God, THE HONOR DUE HIS NAME!

So … “Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel DID as the LORD commanded Moses.” Leviticus 24, last verse.

Surely this “Word/Instruction from God” has nexus to the Third Commandment. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

I’ve related this whole Story in order to share a “quote” this morning, something I read in preparation for this Lesson.

“In the Bible GOD’S DIVINE NAME takes the place which in other religions was occupied by their graven image.”

Wow!

Of course we worship God and God alone (the Godhead) … but the only conception we have of our precious God is … HIS NAME!

His Name becomes His Character, His Person, His Essence!

Think of the nearly countless times in the Bible GOD’S NAME is uplifted, and rightly so!

Exodus 20 continues to teach us along this same line: “Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record MY NAME I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” Verses 23-24!

Did you get that Last Clause, God speaking … “IN ALL PLACES WHERE I RECORD MY NAME I WILL COME UNTO THEE, AND I WILL BLESS THEE.” 

God’s Name … need I say more?

No wonder then His Name is never to be denigrated, cursed, blasphemed!

Psalm 72:19 … “And blessed be HIS GLORIOUS NAME for ever.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Hallowed be THY NAME,” Jesus taught us to pray! (Matthew 6:9, sometimes called “The Lord’s Prayer.” But for sure, “The Model Prayer!”

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Unusual for Leviticus, a bit of narrative now enters the picture. Read it please. “And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; and the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed.” Leviticus 24:10-11 (The man will ultimately be put to death for this major Violation.)

WHY is this shocking event reported immediately after that lovely Section on the Candlestick and Table of Bread? On God shining the sweet Light of His Presence upon His people?

I think this is part of the reason. Any blessing from God (including Communion, Fellowship, Intimacy) involves knowing God, honoring God, enjoying His Person, His Name and His Character. (His “Attributes,” the theologians say).

Here’s a prime Old Testament example. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:22-27, the famous God-commanded “Priestly Blessing.”

Note that God’s Name is reference three times in the Blessing proper. “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” Count them!

Light (think Candlestick) shining upon God’s united people (think the golden Table of Shewbread, twelve loaves) … is here illustrated as God’s NAME placed on His people!

In fact, notice the last verse (number 27) above … where God says: “And they (the priests) shall put MY NAME upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”

Wow!

NOW … I see what this man’s sin of blaspheming God’s Name is placed exactly here in the chapter!

There is a direct Link between honoring God’s NAME, enjoying God’s Light …. and receiving God’s Blessings!

More about this sin, this man … tomorrow, the Lord willing.

Meanwhile … honor the Lord, His Name all day long!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Just as the “Blessing” cited above uses God’s NAME three times … so does the full Account of this man’s blasphemy mention God’s NAME three times! The Holy Spirit is telling us something here!

Numbers 6 … how to do it, honor God’s Name! Leviticus 24 (verses 10 onward) … how NOT to do it, a man dishonoring God’s NAME!

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Both Pieces of Furniture (using that word reverently) are located in the Tabernacle proper, in the Holy Place. (Not the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant is situated.) Yes, both the Lampstand and the Table of Bread.

And they faced each other, clearly. (The Tabernacle was always pitched eastward. With the Lampstand on the south side of the Holy Place and the Table of Shewbread on the north side.)

Then we learned that the Lampstand was to be “lit” (exactly as God commanded) so that the radiance from it would shine “toward, upon” the Table of Bread! With its twelve loaves, representing the people of God!

Citing Numbers 8:2-3, an Addendum to our chapter here, to Leviticus 24. “Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light OVER AGAINST (‘paniym’ in Hebrew, meaning ‘facing’) the candlestick. And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof OVER AGAINST (‘facing”) the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.”

See it?

Don’t miss this.

This marvelous Light (Jesus and the Holy Spirit empowering Him) is to shed its glorious Splendor upon the twelve loaves, upon godly (saved) Israel!

This is a picture of God fellowshipping with man! God designing the very Tabernacle to reflect that longing of His Heart! And this is man basking in the Light of the Glory of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Communion indeed, in the deepest sense of the word!

This was the goal (although it failed) in the Garden of Eden, God’s ultimate Desire! This is the final Result of the New Jerusalem and all eternity. Jesus (the Living Candlestick) shining all over us the people of God! (No sun needed there, the ineffable Aura of God the Son bespeaks His Presence and His Delight in His Body, His Church, His Kingdom! In all His precious redeemed ones!

Wow!

And just “when” (in ancient Israel) was this sublime Fellowship, this sweet Communion to occur?

Primarily and particularly for the Jew … on the Sabbath Day! (In fact, that Bread, all twelve loaves, was to be changed every Sabbath! Renewed, refreshed, recreated (in a way) … to further soak in the Light emanating from the Candlestick/Lampstand!

And just think of the quality of Light in that Room! A golden Candlestick, a golden Table, and gold overlaid walls! What reflectivity, what radiance, what brilliance! Then think of the Glory of Jesus we (in a limited sense) now enjoy … via the Word of God and the Holy Spirit!

What will it be when we see Jesus literally? The Mount of Transfiguration re-lived in front of our very eyes!

Wow!

Now tomorrow, the Lord willing … we shall look at the rest of Leviticus 24, which mentions (three times) “the Name of the Lord.” 

A man there would NOT honor “the Name of the Lord!” He blasphemed Almighty God, in reality! The Very Name we must have “shining” upon our lives, being diminished (in verses 10-16) by derogatory speech!

Yes, I am saying that Communion/Fellowship with God (the principle illustrated by the Candlestick and Shewbread) is dependent on one’s valuation of God’s Name! On one’s delighting in God’s Name!

But as I said … more tomorrow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Unexpectedly we find information here about the “shewbread” (using the name for it popularized in the Book of Exodus) that is not supplied anywhere else in Scripture! (Called “shewbread/showbread” because it was to be placed “before the FACE of Almighty God” within the Tabernacle’s Holy Place! So He could SEE it and be delighted in it! This Bread undoubtedly represents Jesus as the BREAD OF LIFE! That’s why God so pleased with it, so intent in gazing upon it!)

Yet … Numbers 24:5-9 (today’s Text) does NOT use the term “shewbread” at all! Here we simply have “twelve cakes!”

“5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake TWELVE CAKES thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 9 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.”

Let’s study …

Twelve cakes … representative of the Twelve Tribes of Israel … enough Food to meet everyone’s needs! Enough Jesus! (Same idea as the twelve stones on the High Priest’s Breastplate … enough Love (worn on the Priest’s chest, over his heart) to go around to everyone!

“Two tenth deals” … in verse 5 above … equals about two gallons of flour, fine flour! Pretty big loaves! Implying that Jesus is more than enough for all our needs!

Amen!

“Set in rows,” two rows in fact … a picture of Jesus being organized (no chaos) and aesthetically (spiritually too) pleasing to His Father’s Eyes! (“Altogether Lovely,” so says Song of Solomon!)

And the “frankincense” … typified the sweet Aroma Jesus brought to His Father’s Nostrils! A “sweet savour” Offering if you will recall Leviticus chapters 1 through 3, those Offerings. When frankincense is burned (gets hot as in an oven) it emits the sweetest smell imaginable!

This Bread was also to be “always fresh” being changed every week, every Sabbath! (Verse 8 above.) And need I even say it? Jesus too is always Fresh, never Stale!

Then, last of all, Aaron and his sons (the priests) could EAT that bread every week! (Verse 9 above.) Feeding upon Jesus our Lord! As is depicted in Psalm 34:3 … “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

What a paragraph today, instructing the Priests of ancient Israel how to respect the Bread of God!

By the way, if you are saved … you too in God’s Eyes are a priest! Enjoy Jesus then … all day long!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Yes, Revelation 1:6 says God … “hath made us kings and PRIESTS unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Wow!

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Our chapter (after quite a while in Leviticus 23) begins with a bit of instruction regarding the “pure candlestick” in the “Holy Place” of the Tabernacle.

The Paragraph is brief and can be shared in its entirety. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.” Leviticus 24:1-4

I believe this candlestick is a Picture of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Piece of Furniture is the only source of light within the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. (Now in the Most Holy Place the very Shekinah Glory of God would have been the Light! At least at times.)

Jesus as Light? Of course so … John 8:12 … “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.”

He too is the Light that burns “continually!” An adverb meaning “always.” That is, in perpetuity. Faithful Jesus!

This Beauty is also called the “pure” candlestick. And in Hebrew “tahor” means “clean, fair (as in lovely), free from any defilement.” That’s a Pattern of our sinless Jesus! (Our Saviour … “Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26)

And the “oil?” I suspect an Emblem of God the Holy Spirit. Who empowered and sustained Jesus while He was on earth. (John 3:34 … “For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: FOR GOD GIVETH NOT THE SPIRIT BY MEASURE UNTO HIM.” Speaking of Jesus again, Whom God hath sent.) An immeasurable Supply of the Holy Ghost upon/within our Lord!

And yes, the Holy Spirit (the Oil here) is too “pure.” (After all, He is God!) And the Godhead is indeed impeccable! (Of Latin origin: meaning “not able to sin!”)

But the oil as “beaten?” I sense the Holy Spirit too (as was Jesus) was “grieved” again and again by the old sinful world … as the Darling Son of God walked its paths two thousand years ago! Hurt and crushed as men rejected Truth day after day.

But lastly, get this too. The Jewish “people” themselves were to bring the oil to the Sanctuary! “Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure OIL olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.” Verse 2 above.

Like the Tribe of Asher, for example … with its favorable location up north where olive trees grew so abundantly. (Moses blessing Asher … “And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, AND LET HIM DIP HIS FOOT IN OIL.” Deuteronomy 33:24, olive oil, and lots of it. To give to God for worship!)

Yes … God wants His people to be involved in worship!

To share in its delights!

In fact, ancient Israelites (as I suspect so do modern-day Christians) had a responsibility to bring something, a gift, when they came to worship God! Here’s proof …

“Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: AND THEY SHALL NOT APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD EMPTY. Every man shall GIVE as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.” Deuteronomy 16:16-17, and that giving apparently included “pure, beaten olive oil.”

Practical Lessons indeed.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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