Guides for Life

Exodus 35:14

The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,

Inside of the tabernacle were two things needed to give light to the workers. The candlestick was the main piece needed for light, but oil was also needed to give light. Imagine having the candlestick inside the tabernacle without oil; there would be no source to give light. Likewise, you could have oil in the tabernacle, but the oil could not give light if there was no candlestick. Both the candlestick and the oil were needed to give light.

Now, what is the purpose of the light? The light allows you to see where to go and how to serve. You could certainly serve in darkness, but it would be difficult and would hinder your ability to serve. The light was needed so those inside that tabernacle could do their jobs correctly and allow them to see where they should go next.

The candlestick, oil, and the light represent three things for the believer. The candlestick represents the church, the oil represents the Holy Spirit, and the light represents Jesus Christ. All three of these are needed to give guidance to the believer. Many say they want to do God’s will for their lives, but they don't use what God gives them to give guidance for their life. Let me share how each of these things help to give you guidance to do the right thing in life.

First, the church is a tool God gives the believer to know what they should do in life. In church, you will find God’s Word is taught and preached. The truths you hear taught and preached are for your guidance to know how to do God’s will for your life. Many miss the guidance they need because they are unfaithful to church. Your faithfulness to church is critical so you can learn what to do in life.

Second, the light is needed to help give you guidance in life. Of course, the light represents Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 8:12, I am the light of the world. However, John 1 declares Jesus to be the Word. In other words, God gives you His Word, the Scriptures, to help guide you in life. A daily reading of God’s Word is a guide to help you live right daily. To miss one day of reading God’s Word is to miss one day of what God wants you to do. Stay faithful to reading God’s Word. Read it early in the morning, for God uses that early reading to show you what you need to do for Him that day.

Third, the oil is needed to help give you guidance. The oil represents the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is given to guide you into truth. John 16:13 says, Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:… If the believer yields himself to the Holy Spirit, he will find the Holy Spirit will guide him into what he should do in each circumstance of life, and how he should live each day.

Now, it is critical to understand that all of these are necessary to know what you should do. To go to church but not read the Scriptures will cause the believer to miss some instruction to guide their life. Being faithful to church, reading the Scriptures daily, and yielding to the Holy Spirit gives the believer the light to show them what they should do daily, but it will also help the believer to be a light in a dark world. God says in Matthew 5:14, that the believer is to be the light of the world. My friend, you can be that light the world needs if you will get light for your life through faithfulness to church, reading God’s Word, and yielding to the Holy Spirit.