The Seven-Branched Candlestick
By Bro.  C.C. HUNT, Associate Editor, Iowa

THE BUILDER, FEBRUARY 1924

A BROTHER writes as follows:

"Our Grand Chapter insists on the display of the seven-branched candlestick in the M.E. Degree in the Royal Arch.  I have read carefully I Kings, II Chronicles and Josephus.  I can find nowhere where it is mentioned in the Temple of King Solomon, but in front of the veil before the Holy of Holies the ten golden candlesticks connected by golden chains are mentioned.  Josephus in Book VIII, Chapter 4, page 79, tells of Nebuzaradan taking from the temple the golden candlesticks (plural).  In the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 11th edition, Vol. XXVI, page 606, is mentioned ten golden candlesticks, properly lampstands.  Page 607 of the same volume mentions one golden candlestick near the table for shewbread in the sanctuary.  In the Royal Arch Degree a tabernacle is where the Council meets and naturally Zerubbabel would imitate as far as possible the seven-branched candlestick made by Moses by the command of God.

"Now it strikes me that maybe this difference occurs from the fact that Solomon built a temple, whereas Moses and Zerubbabel only worshipped in a tabernacle.  Can you enlighten me? Of course, what Grand Chapter orders must be done, but still it may be in error.  Sorry to bother you with all this, but I would like to know how I stand.  As far as the working of the M.E. Degree is concerned, it cuts very little figure.  Mackey in his Encyclopedia says: 'In the tabernacle, the seven-branched candlestick was placed opposite the table of shewbread.  What became of it between the time of Moses and that of Solomon is unknown, but it does not appear to have been present in the first Temple.  In Masonry it seems to have no symbolic meaning, unless it be the general one of light.'"


The use of the seven-branched candlestick in the Most Excellent Degree is correct according to the General Grand Chapter ritual, and has, I believe, an important symbolical reference in the work of that degree.  The Temple plan followed that of the Tabernacle very closely.  We are told in our Masonic work that the Tabernacle was the model for King Solomon's Temple.  The Temple, of course, permitted greater elaboration than the Tabernacle, but the same general plan was followed.

The directions for the Tabernacle were given to Moses in the mountain. (Exodus, Chapters 25 to 31.) These directions included the form by which the candlestick was to be made, and Moses was enjoined to see that he followed the pattern there given him. (Exodus 25: 40.)  The actual work of making the candlestick was entrusted to Bezaleel (Exodus 31:2-8) and the office was duly performed by him. (Exodus 37:17-24.) The candlestick was to be placed on the south side of the table of shewbread (Exodus 26:35) and lighted by night only. (Exodus 30:8. I Samuel 3:3.) Caldecott says: "When the light of day was no longer able to find its way into the Temple, owing to the double doors and the partition, ten such candlesticks were made, of which five were placed on either side of the Holy Place."

Schaff-Herzog's Encyclopedia says:

"In Solomon's temple, instead of one candelabrum there were ten upon golden tables - five on the north and five on the south side of the Holy Place.  The larger number fitted the larger space and the greater pomp of the worship (I Kings vii. 49).  The Chaldaeans carried them to Babylon (Jer. 1ii. 9).  In the second temple there was only one candlestick (Eccluc. xxvi. 17; 'as the clear light is upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in ripe age').  Antiochus Epiphanes removed it (I Macc. i. 21), and Judas Maccabaeus restored it (Mace. iv. 49); and it remained in Herod's temple until the destruction of Jerusalem, when Titus carried it to Rome, and it figured in his triumphal procession and was sculptured upon his arch, although it would seem not altogether accurately (Joseph, War, VII. 5, 5).  It was then deposited in the Temple of Peace.  According to one account it fell into the Tiber from the Milvian Bridge during the flight of Maxentius from Constantine, Oct. 28, 312; but the usually accredited story is that it was taken to Carthage by Genseric, 455 (Gibbon iii. 291), recovered by Belisarius, transferred to Constantinople, and then respectfully deposited in the Christian Church of Jerusalem 533 (id. iv. 24).  Nothing more has been heard of it." (Page 384.)

Such, in brief, is the history of the golden candlestick.

Referring to the letter of inquiry noted above, it would seem to be the opinion of the writer that the ten golden candlesticks of the Temple were different in form from that used in the Tabernacle, but such was not the case.  In II Chronicles, 4:7, we find the statement, "He made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form." The revised version translates this "according to the ordinances concerning them." Another translation gives it "according to the form which they were commanded to be made by." The ordinances concerning them are found in Exodus 25:31-40, which gives the form used in the Tabernacle, and therefore the same form must have been followed for the candlesticks used in the Temple.  It would also seem that there were ten tables of shewbread (II Chron, 4:8).

In I Chronicles, 28:15, reference is made to the "candlesticks of gold and their lamps of gold." - "Each candlestick and the lamps thereof." Notice the plural "lamps" with each candlestick.  Notice also in II Chronicles 28:16, reference to the tables of shewbread.  Thus it will be seen that there is no reason why the seven-branched candlestick should not be used in the Most Excellent Degree as well as in the Royal Arch.  It is not necessary to duplicate the elaborate furniture of the Temple in our Most Excellent Degree.  The single table and candlestick of the Tabernacle and the second Temple has the same symbolism as the ten of the first Temple.

There is no discrepancy in the references from the Encyclopedia Brittanica.  The ten golden candlesticks mentioned on page 607 of Vol. XXVI refer to the Temple, whereas the single golden candlestick mentioned on page 607 refers to Zerubbabel's Temple.  I might also say that the Jewish Encyclopedia claims that the reference to ten candlesticks in Jeremiah and in Kings is an interpolation.  If that is the case it is probable that it is an interpolation in Chronicles, also.

I do not agree with Mackey in stating that the candlestick has no symbolic meaning in Masonry.  It is true that no symbolic meaning is attached to it in the ritual, but the very fact that it is used as part of the furniture of the degree indicates that it has the same symbolism there that it had in its place in the Temple, which is, that the seven lights represent the seven planets, which, regarded as the eyes of God, behold everything.  The light in the center signifies the sun, the chief of the planets.  The other six planets represented by the three lamps on each side of the central light are Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.  Uranus was first recognized as a planet by Sir William Herschel in 1781 A. D. and the earth was looked upon as receiving light from the planets instead of being considered a planet itself.

The seven-branched candlestick was especially holy, and it was forbidden to make copies of it for general purposes.  For other purposes than that of its place in the Temple the branches must be five, six, or eight, etc., instead of seven.

The fourth chapter of Zechariah gives a symbolical meaning to the seven-branched candlestick which is very appropriate to our chapter work.  In fact, part of this very chapter is quoted in the work of the degrees.  From this chapter, taken in connection with other passages from the Bible, it will be seen that the seven-branched candlestick represents a stone with seven eyes, and the seven lamps are the seven eyes of the Lord.  With these eyes He sees the plummet in the hands of Zerubbabel.  "They are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth." (See also II Chron. 16:9.)

It is not by might nor by power that Zerubbabel is to accomplish his great task of rebuilding the Temple, but by the spirit of the Lord overseeing his work through these eyes.  In Revelation, the Lamb of God is likened to the seven-branched candlestick, "having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

It has been thought by some that the words of Christ, "I am the light of the world," were suggested by the seven-branched candlestick of the Temple, but it is more likely that he was simply referring to the prophecies concerning the Messiah and of which it may be the candlestick was the symbol.  How fitting it is that this candlestick, the symbol of the spirit of the Lord and the light of His countenance shining upon us through His eyes, beholding and encouraging us in the noble and glorious work of fitting ourselves as living stones for the spiritual building which is to be our eternal dwelling place, should have a place in the ceremonies of the Most Excellent Master's Degree, the sign which symbolizes the completion of that work and the dedication of the Temple to the service of the only true and living God!

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