金燈台The Lampstand
作者: John D. Currid 譯者: Maria Marta
金燈台是以色列會幕聖所內擺設的三件物件之一。上帝命令為聖所制作燈台的記載出現在出埃及記廿五章31–40節（也參卅七章17–24節）。燈台（lampstand）的希伯來文是menorah，源自一個動詞，其意思是「燃燒」。燈台此名字僅僅強調燈台的實用目的：為會幕聖所內工作的祭司提供光線。
在出埃及記廿五章40節，上帝告訴摩西，燈台要特別制造，要謹慎「照著在山上指示你的樣式去做」。事實上，整個聖所和它所有的擺設都要依照天上提供的樣式或設計圖來製造（9節）。會幕完全仿照某一模型來建造的。它就是天上的原型，即天上聖所的複制品。故此製造燈台的規範細節是上帝在西奈山直接交給摩西的。
燈台由純金制成，燈台的各個部分全部都是用固體金塊錘出來的。燈台的非連接配件，如燈剪和燈花盆，也都是純金做的。燈臺和它的所有配備必需用一「他連得」的純金制造（39節）。根據出埃及記卅八章24–31節的記載，一他連得大約等於三千舍客勒，或介乎五十三至七十九磅。
金燈台的設計：圍繞一條主幹，左右兩邊各伸出三根分支，連主幹共七根支幹。它看起來像一棵樹。事實上，金燈台的設計具有古代近東藝術裏的樹的繪畫的典型風格。在古代近東，繪畫藝術中的樹是生命、繁榮、與生產力的象征。對上帝的百姓而言，聖殿內的燭台具有相同的象征：生命和上帝賜給祂的百姓的祝福。而且燈台還提醒希伯來人那棵特別的樹。
如許多學者承認的那樣，帳幕/聖殿的計劃和設計是為了提醒敬拜者：伊甸園是聖所，亞當是祭司。在伊甸園-聖所的中間是生命樹。燈台不僅是生命樹的象征，更是上帝真正子民的永恒生命的象征。燈台不僅讓人回想起伊甸園的生命樹，而且它也預期啟示錄廿二章所記載的新天新地的生命樹。使徒約翰有一個異象，在新耶路撒冷的伊甸園聖所，有一道明亮如水晶的生命水的河流，從神和羊羔的寶座那裡流出來，經過城裡的街道。河的兩邊有生命樹……每月都結果子；樹葉可以醫治列國。（啟廿二1-2）
值得注意的是，燈台是一座有七個分支的燭台。在希伯來文化裏，數字七通常帶有完全和圓滿的概念，也許此數字指向安息日是上帝創造的圓滿這一觀念。因此，燈台也許是對敬拜者的提醒：上帝在七天創造周將第一道光帶入世界。對希伯來敬拜者而言，燈台不僅指向過去上帝的光闖入世界，而且在會幕的現今應用中，它也指向上帝光照盟約團體這完美之光。
對今天的信徒而言，燈台是敬拜的非必要物件，因為耶穌宣稱：「我是世界的光，跟從我的，必定不在黑暗裡走，卻要得著生命的光。」（約八12） 事實上，耶穌是「那光來到世界，是普照世人的真光。」（一9） 新耶路撒冷將不再需要燈台，因為「這城不需要日月照明，因為有 神的榮耀照明，而羊羔就是城的燈。」（啟一廿23）
最後，上帝在祂的律法中命令亞倫和他的子孫要「從晚上到早晨」料理燈台（出廿七21）。祭司每天都要履行這一職責，使燈常常點著（廿七20）。除了實用用途之外，連續性的燃燒象征上帝無止境的賜給祂的子民生命和光…….特別在耶穌基督的道成肉身和工作當中。
本譯文的聖經經文皆引自《聖經新譯本》
本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2017年十二月號 。
The
Lampstand
by
John D. Currid
ne of
the three objects to stand in the Holy Place of the tabernacle of Israel was
the golden lampstand. God’s command to make a lampstand for the sanctuary
appears in Exodus 25:31–40 ( see also 37:17–24). The Hebrew word for
“lampstand” is menorah, and it derives from a verb that means “to flame.” The
name menorah simply underscores the utilitarian purpose of the lampstand: it is
to give light to the priests who work in the Holy Place of the tabernacle.
In
Exodus 25:40, God told Moses that the menorah was to be made specially and
specifically “after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the
mountain.” In fact, the entire sanctuary and all its furnishings were to be
built based on the pattern or blueprint provided from above (see v. 9). The tabernacle
in full was to be modeled on something else. It was to be a replica of a
celestial archetype, that is, the heavenly sanctuary. So, the very
specifications for the menorah were given by God directly to Moses on Mount
Sinai.
The
lampstand was to be made of pure gold, and all of its various parts were to be
hammered out of one solid lump of gold. Unattached equipment for the menorah,
such as tongs and trays, were also to be made of pure gold. The lampstand and
all its accoutrements together were to be made out of one “talent” of pure gold
(v. 39). According to Exodus 38:24–31, the talent equals about three thousand
shekels, or between fifty-three and seventy-nine pounds.
The
design of the golden lampstand was formed around a central trunk with three branches
on each side, thus equaling seven branches in all. It looked like a tree. In
fact, its design was typical of stylized trees depicted in ancient Near Eastern
art. In the ancient Near East, the tree in art signified life, prosperity, and
productivity. For the people of God, the menorah in the temple symbolized the
same thing: the life and blessings that God had given to His people. But also,
the lampstand was to remind the Hebrew people of a particular tree.
As
many scholars have acknowledged, the tabernacle/temple was planned and designed
to remind worshipers of the garden in Eden as a sanctuary with Adam as its
priest. In the midst of the garden-sanctuary was the tree of life. The menorah
was symbolic not only of life, but of eternal life for the true people of God.
It not only looked back to the tree of life in the garden, but it also
anticipated the tree of life that stands in the new heavens and the new earth
in Revelation 22. There, in that Edenic sanctuary of the new Jerusalem, the
Apostle John has a vision of
the
river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God
and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either
side of the river, the tree of life . . . yielding its fruit each month. The
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev. 22:1–2)
It is
also significant to note that the menorah was a seven-branched candlestick. The
number seven in Hebrew culture often carried the idea of completeness and
wholeness, and it may be that the number was to point to the concept of Sabbath
completion. As such, it may be a reminder of the seven-day creation week in
which God brought the first light into the world. For the Hebrew worshiper, the
lampstand thus pointed to the past when the light of God broke into the world,
and in the tabernacle it had a present application of pointing to the perfect
light that God shone on the covenant community.
For
the believer today, the menorah is an unnecessary object for worship because
Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not
walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Indeed, Jesus
is “the true light, which gives light to everyone” (1:9). And in the new
Jerusalem, there will be no need of a menorah because “the city has no need of
sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is
the Lamb” (Rev. 21:23).
Finally,
the Lord in His law gave a command to Aaron and his sons to tend to the
lampstand “from evening to morning” (Ex. 27:21). This duty was to be done daily
by the priests so that the lamp would burn continuously in the tent of meeting
(27:20). Apart from the utilitarian usage, the continuous nature of the burning
symbolizes God’s everlasting giving of life and light to His people . . .
especially in the incarnation and work of Jesus Christ.
Dr.
John D. Currid is Carl McMurray Professor of Old Testament at Reformed
Theological Seminary, Charlotte, N.C., and senior pastor at Ballantyne
Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.