Ex 27:20+21, "And you shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel. 
	Today, we read the specifics concerning the interior of the tent of the tabernacle. As we have seen, the details are very precise and defined by God as to even the materials to be used. Nothing was left to chance or to human interpretation. Everything was ordered and prepared by God to be the expression in physical type of what would be put into place in the spiritual reality opened to us in Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father. 
	In this morning’s passage, we have several items of interest to us as the scripture reveals, even in the Old Testament, the truth of what is now in place in Jesus Christ. We want to spend a few moments with the fact that the light was to be kept burning, and what that entails and details for us. It is very easy to just claim that it is the light of Christ. However, let us focus on the fact that the oil for the fuel for that light needed to be supplied by the people and maintained by the ministry of the priests. It was a combined responsibility which has great importance for you and me.
	Please open in your Bibles to the story of the boy Samuel as he was being called by God. 1 Sam 3:1-4. In this account, we have the boy hearing the call and being open to respond to that call. 1 Sam 3:1-4, Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am." 
	There is a key aspect to this scripture. We are told …the lamp of God had not yet gone out. It was the duty of the priests, those who ministered to the people to keep the lamp lit. While this has reference to the physical lamps within the temple that were to be kept lit throughout the night so as to show no darkness within the temple of God, it also has reference to the hearts of those priests and to the hearts of the people who were to seek after the light of God in their lives. They were to come before the Lord with the olive oil that would keep the light alive, supplying it continually for the sake of the testimony as to the purity of their hearts before the Lord. 
	It also was reflective of the priestly duties to maintain that light for the sake of the Lord’s testimony and ministry to the people. They were to hold firm to the way of the Lord and minister according to His direction and His Law in the means with which they dealt with the nation of their heritage. However, in the case before us, that light, that lamp of God was dimming within both the priestly ministry and the hearts of the people. It was not fiercely lighting up the testimony of God with brilliance, but was flickering and slowly being extinguished. But, with Eli, as we are told…the lamp of God had not yet gone out. Samuel was there and hearing the voice of God and willing to respond to it. He would take the mantle given to him to serve the Lord, even to the point of arguing with the Lord when the people so turned against the light of the Lord that they wanted an earthly king to rule them instead of the Lord God Almighty. 
	Later, after the nation had split apart into the northern and the southern kingdoms, those of the tribe of Judah still held to the light of the Lord God Jehovah. They were the ones who kept the dimming light of God from being completely extinguished, and they faced the wrath of the northern tribes of Israel for that testimony. In 2 Chron 13:10-12, we read that proclamation made to the northern nation which had turned its back on God and brought forth a battle in which the northern country tried, in vain, to put out that light of God which caused them so much distress. 
	2 Chron 13:10-12, But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the Lord as priests, and the Levites attend to their work. And every morning and evening they burn to the Lord burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him. Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you will not succeed." 
	In the ensuing battle, The Lord routed the army of the north despite the trap that they had laid against Judah. It was only because of the Sovereign and Overruling Hand of the Omnipotent One that the battle was reversed upon the nation of Israel and they were defeated by the tribe of Judah. Judah held true to the light of Jehovah and its priests continued to burn the light of the testimony of God. 
	Then, in Mal 2:4-7, we have the Word of the Lord declaring what the purpose and the ministry of His priests was before the people who would seek Him and honor Him and serve Him. Mal 2:4-7, "Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi," says the Lord of hosts. "My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me, and stood in awe of My name. "True instruction was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity. "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
	This is the detailed commission that was to define the service of those who would answer the call, as did Samuel during those night hours. The people were to come to the priests and to supply the oil, the clear and purified olive oil that would be used to burn throughout the dark hours to show that in God, there is no darkness at all. It has no place within His temple or within His people. They are to come to His priests to receive instruction and knowledge since the priest is to be the messenger of the Lord, supplied to meet the needs of those who were truly desirous to hear from God. The priest would be the intermediary on behalf of the people, bringing before God the needs and the issues and the illness of the people, seeking for the Lord to give what was needed for the sake of His testimony.
Despite the detailing of this function, the people would not seek the Lord and there would be a 400 year silence within the remnant until the day of the Lord was come. They experienced the darkness as the light became a mere flicker in the hearts and minds of a meager remnant of both priests and listeners who served to keep the light of God from being extinguished in the Temple of the Lord. 
	 The temple rituals were observed. The religiosity of the priestly order continued, but there had not been much true seeking after the Word of the Lord or of the instruction from Him. Everything had become just custom and ceremony and habit, without the spark of the light of God in evidence. 
	There were those few remnants of true believers and followers of God, in the midst of the darkness, who kept their hope for the flickering flame of the consolation of Israel alive. But very few and the flame of the fervor for God was dim and barely distinguishable.    
One of those was Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. As we read in Luke 1:13-17. Luke 1:13-17, But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. "And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb. "And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. "And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 
Notice how the Lord was working to the preparation for the reception of His Only Begotten Son. John the Baptist would be the one to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. He would…turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. This was absolutely needed as the people had turned away from God and were indulging in the mannerisms and the behaviors of those who were stumbling in darkness, lost and forlorn and not even knowing that they were missing the light of God. 
Then, in verses 67-79 of this first Chapter of Luke, at the birth of his son, we have Zacharias’ prophesy concerning what was finally coming into place through the mighty working power of God. Luke 1:67-79. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant — As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old — Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us; To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace." 
…With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace." There was a recognition that the light of God was about to shine forth in brilliance and glory and majesty by those few who had been longing after God and His glory for all those centuries upon centuries. 
We see this remnant of the faithful again characterized at the appointed time of the circumcision of the Christ-Child as recounted in Luke 2:25-32. Luke 2:25-32. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart In peace, according to Thy word; For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, A light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel." 
	Simeon was shown that the light of the world was here in this child. He saw the vision of the salvation of God being established through this life that he was holding. He also was keenly aware of the fact that the Light was not just for the Jews, but for all peoples…For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, A light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel." All the longing for the Lord to reveal Himself and His salvation was wrapped up in the Christ-child in His arms, the Light of Heaven come to earth to extinguish forever the darkness of sin and death.
	Then another of the named remnants of those faithful to the Lord is recorded for us in the next verses. Luke 2:36-38. Luke 2:36-38. And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 
	The Light of God was finally here. Soon there would be no more need to bring the oil into the temple, because the temple was going to be built within the hearts of those who would but see the Light and rejoice together in Him. So be it!
And you shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel. Amen.

This morning’s benediction is Ps 106:48. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, "Amen." Praise the Lord! Amen.