Consistent Light and Bread

Leviticus 24:1–3 (ESV) The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. 3 Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.

We take for granted the ability to light our homes. An electric current that conveniently powers all of our rooms and even outside our homes is one of the modern world's most incredible developments. Yet in the ancient world and even as little as 150 years ago, this idea was unheard of. Think of wandering in the wilderness and living in times before electricity. It had to be fearful. The world gets very dark when there's no lights around to switch on. 

It is in that understanding that we come to the rules of the Tabernacle for the people of Israel. The people were to all partake of making sure there was always light in the Temple. The light of the temple was available both night and day and all throughout their generations. 

Of course the Temple pointed to Christ. He declared in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In the original temple, there was always light. In Jesus there is eternal light. John would begin his Gospel declaring this to be the case:

John 1:4–5 (ESV) In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Think about the fact that Israel was commanded to keep the lights in the Temple burning at all times. It had to be a challenge. It also had to reveal their need for someone to provide the light that would never go out and bring rest to their light-making ways. 

Only in Jesus do we find the true light. When people come to Him, the "light" goes on. They understand the things Spiritually discerned and awaken to the truth of God. 

The second thing the Temple continually had was bread. 

Leviticus 24:5–8 (ESV) “You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. 6 And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the LORD. 7 And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to the LORD. 8 Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the LORD regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever.

Another thing we take for granted today is the availability of bread. Most homes have bread in them on a consistent basis. Israel was to make sure that the Temple would be a place you could always find food. Here again, we have something to be continually present in the Temple. There would always be bread in the house of God. And it would be bread like none other. This bread carried the fragrance of frankincense on it. It was nourishing and well pleasing. 

Jesus again fulfills this in Himself. He declares in John 6:35 (ESV) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Jesus offers us continual bread like no other meal. He is the one who spiritually nourishes our souls like no one else. Only in Christ do we find true food and true contentment. 

The Israelites were to be a nation where in God's presence was constant light and consistent food. As Christians, it is our calling to show the world that we do not walk in darkness and we do not hunger for nourishment. Christ is all in all.

Amen.