The above partial quote from Rev. 7:12 seems particularly appropriate today -- it is the essence of what we celebrate, thanksgiving to the God of us all. Reflecting on the entire verse, and thinking of the confluence of Hannukah with Thanksgiving this year, caused me to go down some different paths. The Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) celebrates the miracle of the oil that did not run out after the Temple had been cleansed and worship restored. According to the Law, the Temple menorah, which stood in front of the veil concealing the Ark of the Covenant, was to be kept lit at all times (Ex. 27: 20-21 & Lev. 24: 1-4). The tradition tells that when Judah Maccabee cleansed the Temple, only enough pure oil was found to keep the light burning one day, but miraculously it continued to burn for 8 days, until a new supply of ritually pure oil could be prepared. Judah then declared an annual 8 day feast to celebrate the miracle, to begin on the evening of the 25th day of Kislev.That is the explanation of the 9-branched menorah; one light for each of the miracle nights, plus the shamash light for ordinary lighting. However, the temple menorah was not 9-branched. The instructions given Moses in Exodus 25: 31-40 call for a 7-branched menorah, "And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount."
What was it that Moses saw? It was the pattern or shadow of the eternal things just as John saw them in the Apocalypse. Why 7 branches, and why a light fixture?
We read that Moses begged the Eternal, "I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory." And He (God) said, "I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the Name of the LORD before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." (Ex. 33: 18-19). "And the LORD passed by him, and proclaimed, '[1]The LORD, The LORD God, [2] merciful and gracious, [3] long-suffering, [4] and abundant in goodness and truth, [5] keeping mercy for thousands, [6] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, [7] and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation." (Ex. 34: 6-7). [Numbers are my notes.]
Zechariah speaks of this menorah, in chapter 4, and the LORD gives a message to Zerubbabel, saying, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, sayeth the LORD of hosts." The seven, he says, are the "eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth." John sees the vision of Jesus, Who tells him "the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven ekklesiai."
The Dispensationalists are fond of assigning "church ages" to the seven churches, but could it be that there is a link here to the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4: 5)? Perhaps a study of the characteristics of those churches compared to the proclamation of the LORD on Sinai would be fruitful.
Then too, in Rev. 7: 12 we have the adoration of GOD, again, a seven-fold praise (eulogia, doxa, sophia, eucharistia, timé, dunamis, ischus): might not the view here of the pneuma be more closely associated with the ancient Greek concept of the vital characteristics of life (rather than the person of the Holy Spirit)? I was particularly struck by the first -- blessing (eulogia; L. benedictus), and the traditional Hebrew beginning of prayer, "Blessed art Thou...". This seven-fold praise seems to be in direct parallel with the elements of the Lord's prayer.
The New Testament writings tell us that as those who have been born from above, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul, that wily Pharisee, wrote that our thoughts should center on things that are honest, just, pure, lovely, reputable, excellent, praiseworthy (Phillipians 4 :8) -- seven characteristics that should give light to the world. Perhaps we are called to celebrate the Feast of Dedication with a true 7-branched menorah.
