This magnificent piece stood on the left hand, or south side of the holy place.
It was made entirely of pure gold, and of beaten work. This means that it was not cast in a mold, but formed by hand. It and its utensils were made of a talent of pure gold equal to 1500 ounces. A talent of gold only forms a small block, so it was probable that it was hollow on the inside. It was about 3 feet 6 inches high. It sat on top of the golden altar which was 3 feet high, so this made it a good height for the priests to be able to see what they were doing.
It is thought that the candlestick that Titus used in the Temple was one that was made after the same pattern that God gave to Moses and was the same size.
From the base sprang a main branch out of which came six other branches like arms, with three on each side. The main branch then rose to the center for the seventh candlestick, and was probably a little higher than the others.
The ornamentation consisted of bowls, knops and flowers. We don’t know from the text what they were intended to represent, but they were exquisitely graceful and lovely figures, and were with the rest of the magnificent lamp exquisitely formed by the hands of the inspired craftsmen with the finest and most delicate tools imaginable. It is specially noted that the candlestick was fashioned “according unto the pattern the Lord had showed to Moses” in Numbers 8:4.
It surpassed all of the other vessels of the Sanctuary in its sheer loveliness. Nothing else had the delicate ornamentations that the candlestick did. It must have been quite a striking object when it was lit.
The oil that supplied the lamps was pure olive oil. It was obtained from olives that had not been ground in a mill, but had been beaten in a mortar to render the oil a finer grade.
There are different opinions as to whether the lamps burned constantly or just at night. But as there were no windows in the Tabernacle, and the priests had duties to perform during the day in the holy place, it is almost certain that the lamps burned both night and day. It seems that maybe they dressed the lamps every morning, and then put enough oil to last the night in them. Then the next morning the main task of the oil would be done again.
The Holy Spirit is signified by oil, which is also what kings and priests were anointed with before they took their offices. The Holy Spirit is within every believer, as the candlestick was within the sanctuary and a source of light and life and comfort. All true light emanates from Him and comes to the believer. Titus probably realized the significance of it somehow because he thought he had secured a rich and rare prize in the golden candlestick. After he captured it, he displayed it proudly like a rare find in his triumphal procession back to Rome.
Below is a picture of what this candlestick may have looked like.