The 7-branch menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It is found mostly in temples and synagogues, often up front as an item by itself, and also as a design in stained glass windows, ceilings & wall murals, paintings, sculptures, and more. Interestingly, increasingly some churches also have seven branch menorahs in their sanctuaries to remind them of the menorah that once stood in the Temple in Jerusalem. Although, this should not be such a surprise bearing in mind the menorah’s place in the Hebrew scriptures and the role of the Old Testament in the life of the church & Christian.

In addition, menorahs are popular as display items in both Jewish & Christian homes, and can also be found in schools, museums, art galleries just to mention a few. Unlike the 9-branch hanukkah menorah, the 7-branch menorah has no Shamash (servant), and it has just seven branches; that is because the purpose of the 9-branch hanukkah menorah is to remember the miracle of the oil at hanukkah, whereas the 7-branch menorah is a symbol of the Jewish faith and was always present in the Temple when it stood in Jerusalem.

The 7-branch menorah is made according to the commandment in Exodus 25:31-40. Priests would light it every evening and clean it every morning. Jewish sages teach that this menorah was the vessel that G-d used to blend the spiritual life that is to come with the physical life of this world. Ultimately, the purpose of this menorah is not to illuminate the temple but to spread its light throughout the world. It is a symbol of the nation of Israel and it is a physical reminder of the commandment in Isaiah 42:6 to be a light to the nations. This commandment, given originally to the people of Israel, is often used by Christians to justify the requirement upon them to spread their faith and the gospel, hence, again, the significance of the menorah for them again.

The 7-branch menorah can be of any size. For example, one of the largest menorahs stands in front of the gates to the Knesset building in Jerusalem. It was erected as a reminder of the indestructibility of the Jewish people; a truth that has borne true time and time again despite persecution, wars, and even assimilation. It was the 7-branch menorah that was lit after the Maccabees had their victory and rededicated the Temple, and the oil they found that was only enough to burn for one day actually lasted for eight while more oil was being made and consecrated.

The seven branch menorahs found today can be lit with oil or candles (special glass oil containers with special wics are required for oil burning), and there are even some that are electric; in addition, they can be of any size, ranging from 4″ to over 4 feet. There are various styles of menorahs, with the more popular being the “Large Cups Menorah” which is considered closest to that found in the Temple long ago, the “12 Tribes Menorah” which carries the symbols of each of the 12 tribes of Israel, and various contemporary designs. Many of these menorahs are made in India, so ask before you buy because there is a big difference in quality, weight, and how they are made!

This discussion is based on 2Peter 1:3-11 and since it is rather long, I am going to summarize my thoughts. However I encourage you to take out your Bible and read it for yourself. As Peter is preaching to the early church, there was a concern about some of the leaders teaching about the saving grace of our Lord being through faith, which is true. But what is being left out (much as it is today) is that we need to add to this faith through our actions. Peter is very clear in this teaching, summarizing what our journey with Christ should be and the reward awaiting us. I hope you read through these verses carefully.

The first principle spelled out by Peter is we are given power over sin. In verses 3-4 he discusses God’s divine power we receive upon accepting Him as our Savior. He transforms us in His glory and through His great and precious promises we will be able to escape the corruption in the world. It is very interesting how he finishes verse 4. Through the wonderful promises of our Lord, we are able to escape the corruption of the world, “caused by evil desires”. What he is saying, yes there is evil in this world but it is our own desires to partake in it that causes temptation and sometimes sin. However, through the promises of Jesus Christ, we have the power to over come them.

Verses 5-9 really puts the pressure on us to use this power to transform our lives and add to the faith we have in Jesus Christ. Peter explains our journey to maturing faith and being fruitful in the Lord depends on our actions, or in other words, he says in verse 5, “make every effort”. Peter goes on to explain by saying, “Add to your faith goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” Well as you read through this, it is easy to realize it is a lifetime of work Peter is calling us to and the process is not automatic. We must “make the effort” for these qualities to be a part of our life. Then immediately after telling us this, we are told if we possess these qualities, in ever increasing measure, you will be productive in producing fruit in the work the Lord has for you. He then proceeds to tell us in verse 9, if we are not making this effort to use the power we have to add to our faith, we are blind and have forgotten that the Lord has cleansed us from our past sins. In my mind, it does not get any more direct or powerful than this. Read this paragraph again.

Finally in verses 10-11, if we are eagerly doing the above, we will be sure of our place in heaven and will not fall. We will “receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. We choose the narrow path to travel because it leads to eternal glory with our Lord, but we also know all too often it is not an easy road that leads to heaven. However it will be well worth it, not only here on earth, but for eternity.

Tarot cards are used in many European countries in card games but Westerners are more familiar with their usage in divination. A Tarot reader can look to the cards for insight into what is currently happening and what might happen in the future. Every card in the deck has its own symbolic meaning. There are traditional and themed decks available, so the symbolisms (and cards) can vary somewhat depending on what kind of card is being used. The most popular Tarot card deck used in the Western world is the Rider-Waite deck.

The Rider-Waite Tarot deck consists of seventy eight cards with a different image on the face of each one. Twenty two of the cards are the Major Arcana that are numbered from 0 to 21. In a Tarot reading, the Major Arcana cards relate to matters of great importance or significance. The images on these cards are very symbolic to that point that some of the images have entered the public consciousness. The image of The Fool standing on the edge of his summit and the dangling The Hanged Man are familiar images to many who have never had a Tarot reading.

The remaining fifty six cards in the Tarot deck are called the Minor Arcana. In a reading, these cards deal more with the day to day occurrences than the Major Arcana. There are four suits of Minor Arcana cards: Wands (fire), Coins (earth), Cups (water) and Swords (air). Each suit contains fourteen cards that start with Ace (example: Ace of Wands), then continue numerically the way a normal card deck would from two to ten. After the ten there are the Page, Knight, Queen and King. Other than the elements, the suits each also represent a faculty or theme. Wands deals with creativity or energy, Coins with the physical body or possessions, Cups with love or emotions and Swords with will or reason.

The way the cards are laid out (also called a “spread”) has an impact on what the reader will be able to deduce about the problem or question at hand. The most common is the Celtic Cross, a pattern that involves ten cards total- five arranged in a cross, four forming a vertical line to the right of the cross and the last laying horizontally over the center card of the cross. The bottom center card represents what is at the core of the problem/question. The Tarot card on top of the center represents what is acting as an obstacle to satisfaction of the problem/question.

The horse shoe pattern has seven cards in a V shape. Reading from left to right, the Tarot cards represent past, present, influences, obstacles, expectations, best course of action and likely outcomes. A three card spread can provide a quick reading where the first Tarot card is the past, the next the present and the last the future. An Astrological pattern features twelve cards in a circle with an additional card in the center. In a Tetractys reading, ten cards are placed in a pyramid with four rows with each row representing an element.