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Using Candles In Prayer

 


Constantine is reported to be first to have candles used in churches for prayer. Many claim this was a carry over from his paganism and a corruption. Evidently people do not know their Bibles, for The Lord God required in The Tabernacle and Temple a great lampstand, 

“You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand..” (Exodus 25:31-40). While this may not have been a wax candle, you have to understand wax candles were not common, oil lamps were because access to the oil made from olive oil, “While most homeowners know olive oil as a tasty ingredient in cooking, most don't know you can use it as lamp fuel. Olive oil is one of the cleanest burning types of lamp fuel out there, as it is renewable, odorless, non-toxic, and smokeless. Traditional olive oil lamps are small dishes with thick, wide wicks.” (Google Answers). Leviticus affirms this!, “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the Lord regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. He shall arrange the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold before the Lord regularly.” (Leviticus 24:1-4). 


Lest anyone think the Lampstand is an Old Testament tradition, Jesus our Lord stands in the midst of the Lampstand in Heaven, “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man (Jesus, see Luke 5:24, Mark 10:45, Mark 14:62, John  3:14-15, ), clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.” (Revelation 1:12-13). Contrary to modern Menorahs which have all seven lampstands in one, the original lampstand in The Temple had giant lamps and were placed separately about to light up the Temple and Tabernacle. Since the Temple and Tabernacle were places of prayer, and lampstands were there, it stands to reason there is nothing wrong with praying near candles or using them in prayer.  The Same Lord who became flesh as Jesus Christ ordered the creation of the Lampstand, and so candles are  no different except its wax based rather than oil based, they serve the same function and were placed in sacred places of prayer. 


I see nothing wrong with using candles in prayer. The only issue I foresee is if you become dependent on candles to pray or feel the candle prays on your behalf in pagan fashion. If The Lord has lampstands, I see no harm in candles of wax, which are just a different means of making a lamp. The issue with all aids in prayer is not to become dependent on them lest they be taken away or you can no longer afford them. If you enjoy them that is great! But learn to pray without candles so that you can commune, connect, and converse with The Lord Trinity anywhere. Amen. 



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