63. Sacred Objects (Leviticus 24:1-9)

• Jun, 23 2025

Sacred Objects in Worship: Light, Bread, and Covenant Presence (Leviticus 24:1–9)Sacred Objects: More Than Ritual Symbols Leviticus 24:1–9 outlines detailed instructions for two core elements of Old Testament worship: the golden lampstand and the bread of the Presence (shewbread). These sacred objects, placed in the tabernacle, were not mere ceremonial relics. They were symbolic of God’s covenantal relationship with His people and of man’s duty to respond in holiness, beauty, and obedience.In modern thinking, sacred objects may seem obsolete or superstitious. But Scripture teaches the opposite: God’s goal is to make all things holy (cf. Zech. 14:20–21). Holiness encompasses people, places, time—and things. The lampstand and bread are not outdated relics, but prefigurations of Christ, the Church, and the sanctification of the world under God's law.The Golden Lampstand: Man as Light in God’s HouseVerses 1–4 focus on the lampstand (menorah). It burned continually in the holy place—maintained daily by the high priest. The oil had to be pure, beaten olive oil, provided by the people, symbolizing man’s calling to sustain the light of God’s presence through faithful obedience.The lampstand represented:Man's responsibility to shine God's truth in a dark world The Church as a light (Revelation 1:20) The connection to Jesus Christ as the true Light (John 1:9) The believer’s call: “Let your light so shine before men…” (Matt. 5:14–16) The gold used in the lampstand and its placement in the sanctuary pointed to the beauty and glory God expects in worship. Rushdoony rebukes the modern complaint that the Church should avoid costly furnishings, noting that beauty is commanded in Scripture: “Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chron. 16:29).The Shewbread: Covenant Fellowship and Daily Provision Verses 5–9 describe the bread of the Presence, or “bread of faces,” consisting of twelve unleavened loaves placed weekly on the pure table before the LORD. These loaves represented:The twelve tribes of Israel—the entire covenant community Man’s dependence on God for daily sustenance A perpetual covenant meal shared in God’s presence Each cake symbolized two omers—enough to feed a man and his neighbor. This reinforced Israel’s communal identity and God’s provision. Ginsburg called it “a perpetual grace over meat.” Calvin said it symbolized God “descending familiarly” to dine with His people—a powerful image of divine intimacy.Importantly, only Aaron and his sons could eat the bread, and only in the holy place, because it was “most holy” (v. 9). This reinforces the idea that holiness governs not just worship, but access and behavior.Holiness and the Call to Sacralize All of LifeRushdoony insists that the sacredness of objects in Scripture isn’t superstition—it’s covenantal reality. Modern secularism replaces sacred objects with national symbols (e.g., shrines, monuments), while anti-Christian movements (e.g., Beat poets like Ginsberg and McClure) declare all things holy in their fallen state.In contrast, biblical holiness calls for:Sanctifying objects and time under God’s rule Obedient living to express sacredness Viewing daily bread and worship as spiritual acts This theology demands reverence for the material world, not its desacralization. All of life—including wealth, property, worship, labor—is either under God’s law or under humanistic misuse.The Cultural War over Sacredness Rushdoony warns that Christianity’s retreat from public life and sacred space has handed culture to the state. State holidays now replace holy days. State ethics replace biblical law. Freud’s vision of solving guilt through science, not atonement, is now the dominant model. But if guilt is not dealt with God’s way, judgment remains.Christians are called to reclaim every area of life:Bring every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5) Treat money, art, law, and space as under God’s rule See sacred objects not as outdated, but as symbols of God’s covenant claim on everything The alternative to a biblical worldview is not neutrality—it is false holiness, where fallen man declares himself god and deifies his sin.Conclusion: Sacred Objects as Covenant SymbolsThe lampstand and shewbread were physical symbols of spiritual truths: light in the world, and bread from God. These objects called Israel to constant remembrance, obedience, and celebration of God's covenant.Rushdoony’s analysis teaches:Holiness belongs to God and must shape all areas of life Sacred objects point to Christ, the Church, and the Kingdom Christians must stop retreating and begin reclaiming sacred space, sacred time, and sacred culture God is not confined to the inner life of man. He lays claim to every sphere, and the Church must live in that reality—visibly and materially.

Author

R.J. Rushdoony

Chalcedon Founder

Narrated by

Nathan F. Conkey

Narrator, teacher, missionary