1885 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

during the present age is quite secondary and incidental. The fullBLESSING of the World will follow in God's "DUE TIME."THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK was all of one piece, hammeredout; there was one central shaft with a lamp on top, and threebranches on each side of it, each bearing a lamp, making sevenlamps in all--a perfect or complete number. Does not this representthe complete Church from the Head, Jesus, to and including the lastmember of the "little flock," He is taking out from among men, tobe partakers of the divine (gold) nature? Jesus says, "The sevencandlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Rev. 1:20.Yes, that candlestick represented the entire Church of the first-born.Not the nominal but the true Church is here meant however-- theRoyal Priesthood.The form of workmanship was beautiful --a fruit and a flower, afruit and a flower following successively, shows us that the truechurch ["whose names are written in heaven"] is both beautiful andfruitful from first to last. The lamp part on top of each branch wasshaped like an almond, the significance of which we will see whenconsidering Aaron's rod.The oil for this lamp was Olive oil-- beaten or refined; and thelamps were kept lighted always. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.It was for the benefit of the priest class only, and represents thespirit or mind of God given to enlighten the church, in the deepthings of God, which are entirely hidden from the natural man (1Cor. 2:14), even though he be a believer--a justified man (a Levite).None were permitted to go, or even to see, into this deeper light,hidden in the "Holy," but the true church, the consecrated ones--theRoyal Priesthood. These always had access to the "Holy;" it wastheir right and privilege; it was intended for them. (Heb. 9:6.) TheLevites could not see in, because of the vail of human-mindednesswhich came between them and the Sacred things; and the only wayto set it aside was to consecrate and sacrifice wholly the humannature.The lights were to be trimmed and replenished every morning andevening, by the High Priest--Aaron and his sons who succeededhim in office. (Exod. 27:20-21; and 30:8.) So our High Priest, isdaily filling us more and more with the mind of Christ, andtrimming off the dross of the old nature.Are we sometimes puzzled to know why some who are in thechurch cannot see any but natural things--cannot discern the deeperspiritual truths of the Word? They can see Restitution for naturalmen, but cannot see our heavenly calling. These Tabernacle lessonsshow us why this is: They are brethren, of the household of faith,but Levites--in the Court; they never consecrated as priests,consequently cannot enter the "Holy," nor see the things preparedfor the priests only. The natural "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard--neither have entered into the heart of man the things which Godhath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them