“And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.” (Numbers 8:4, ESV)
In the Tabernacle were seven golden lampstands. These were to cast light upon the table of Presence with the twelve loaves. They were to be kept burning continually.
The verse tells us that the lampstand was a“hammered work, according to the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.”We must note that the Lord did not tell Moses to make the lampstand as Moses saw fit. The Lord gave a specific pattern to Moses for the making of the lampstand.
Often, in the church and in our individual lives, we are concerned only with the end result. We determine the mission or goal that we are to achieve and then pursue it according to our own plans or patterns. This can lead us down a slippery slope. As Moses was to build the lampstand according to the pattern that the Lord gave him, we also must seek the goals He has for us and pursue them in accordance with the pattern that He has given us in His Word.
You see, the ends do not justify the means. We must do things the way the Lord has prescribed and trust Him for the results. For this reason, we must become students of His Word so we will know the ways of God. Only then will we be able to adhere to the pattern He has set for us in our church and in our individual lives.
Renewing the Heart 