By Maria Merola אריאל
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, August 2002-2023
There was a time when I believed that the nine-branched Chanukkiah (used for Chanukkah) was unbiblical, and therefore, I would only use the seven-branched menorah during Chanukkah. I would light one candle each night, and on the 7th night & the 8th nights, I would light all seven of them.
There has been much controversy among rabbis for centuries on whether or not it is prohibited to replicate the 7-branched menorah seen in the Temple. There are basically three schools of thought on this matter: This article explains more: A Seven-Branched Candelabrum
Question: In view of the Biblical prohibition against replicating vessels that were used in the Mishkan, would one be allowed to make a seven-branched candelabrum? If one owns such a candelabrum, is he allowed to keep it? Discussion: The Talmud forbids fashioning [or owning] a seven-branched menorah, in keeping with the Biblical prohibition of “imitating” any of the vessels (keilim) that were used in the Mishkan.
There are three views in the early authorities as to the extent of the prohibition:
1). Only an exact replica is prohibited—any deviation from the original in the Mishkan is permitted.
2). Any Menorah which would have been considered kosher b’diavad in the Mishkan is prohibited.
3). Any seven-branched menorah, made out of any metal, regardless of its shape or form, is prohibited.
Because of these Talmudic prohibitions, this has led to those within Judaism to use a 9-branched menorah for Chanukkah, instead of the 7-branched menorah.
Even though Judaism has their own set of reasons for using the 9-branched Chanukiah, I gradually began changing my mind over the years about the 9-branched menorah.
It all began when I suddenly realized that there were exactly nine months of gestation between our Messiah’s conception on Chanukkah, and his birth on the Feast of Trumpets. To be exact, we know it was 271 days.
2 + 7 = 9 + 1 = 10
I began thinking about the fact that 270 days equals 9 months of 30-day lunar cycles, and there is one extra day for the delivery of the baby. When adding up these numbers, we arrive at the #10. The number ten is highly prophetic in scripture, as it relates to “The Ten Northern Tribes” of the lost sheep of Yisra’el, which is who our Messiah came to seek out (Matthew 10:16 & 15:24).
I began wondering if YaHuWaH had another reason for allowing the Yahuwdiym (Jews) to display the 9-branched menorah, which was the beginning of his 9 months in the womb.
After all, our Messiah is called “The light of the world,” (John 8:12 & 9:5), and he is also called “The sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). Therefore, his conception is when the true spark of light came into the world with the meeting of the egg and the sperm, (as previously discussed).
I decided to ask YaHuWaH to show me if there was a pattern in the TaNaKh (Old Testament) for the number “nine.”
I already recognized that there are “Nine Fruits of the Ruwach/Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) & “Nine Gifts of the Ruwach/Spirit,” (1st Corinthians 12:-1-11).
But I found nothing in the TaNaKh pointing to the number “nine,” and this was perplexing to me. That’s when Yah revealed the prophetic meaning behind the 9-branched Chanukkiah to me.
He reminded me once again, the pattern of there being “SEVEN ASSEMBLIES” in the Book of Revelation, represented by “SEVEN LAMPSTANDS” that are outlined in Revelation 1:20 & Zechariah 4:1-3.
But he also showed me that it is the olive oil that comes from the “TWO OLIVE TREES” that lights the “SEVEN BRANCHES!”
1 And the malak (angel) that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2 And said unto me, What do you see? And I said, I have looked, and behold a MENORAH (candlestick) all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his SEVEN LAMPS/LIGHTS thereon, and SEVEN PIPES to the SEVEN LAMPS/LIGHTS, which are upon the top thereof:
3 And TWO OLIVE TREES by it, one upon THE RIGHT SIDE of the bowl, and the other upon the THE LEFT SIDE thereof.
From Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 4:1-3, we see that the TWO OLIVE TREES are the source of the OLIVE OIL, which lights the SEVEN LIGHTS on the SEVEN-BRANCHED MENORAH.
Then, Zecharyahuw asked the following questions:
Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 4:11 Then answered I, and said unto him, WHAT ARE THESE TWO OLIVE TREES upon the RIGHT SIDE of the MENORAH and upon the LEFT SIDE thereof?
*Explanation: There are TWO OLIVE TREES, one on the RIGHT, and one on the LEFT of the SEVEN-BRANCHED MENORAH!
Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 4:12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these TWO OLIVE BRANCHES which through the TWO GOLDEN PIPES empty the golden oil out of themselves?
*Explanation: Notice that Zechariah switches from calling them “Two Olive Trees,” to “Two Olive Branches!”
The Hebrew word in Zechariah 4:12 is “shibbol,” which means “A branch.”
In the previous verses, he used the word “zayith,” which means “A tree or a branch.”
Therefore, when Shaul (Paul) in Romans 11:17 refers to the “The Two Olive Branches,” it has the same meaning as the “Two Olive Trees!”
Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 4:14 Then said he, These are THE TWO ANOINTED SONS, that stand by YHWH of the whole earth.
*Explanation: YaHuWaH called the nation of Yisra’el “My first-born son” in Exodus 4:22.
In Jeremiah 31:9, he calls Yisra’el/Ephrayim his FIRST-BORN SON!
The English translators used the phrase “THE TWO ANOINTED ONES,” but in Hebrew, it is “BEYN YITSHAR,” which means “THE TWO ANOINTED SONS!”
This is the identity of the “TWO WITNESSES” in Revelation 11:4, for they are “TWO OLIVE TREES & TWO CANDLESTICKS.”
You might be asking “Why aren’t the Two Olive Trees on fire, like the seven-branched menorah?”
Revelation 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, FIRE PROCEEDS out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
The TWO WITNESSES have FIRE coming forth from them, just like the SEVEN-BRANCHED MENORAH!
To learn more about who the Two Witnesses are, see this blog: Who Are the Two Witnesses?
We are shown from Zechariah’s vision that there are TWO HOUSES/TWO KINGDOMS OF YISRA’EL WHO PROVIDE THE OLIVE OIL FOR THE SEVEN-BRANCHED MENORAH!
When we conceptualize the SEVEN-BRANCHED MENORAH, with TWO OLIVE BRANCHES on the RIGHT SIDE & LEFT SIDE, what do we see?
We see NINE BRANCHES!
Do you remember in Ezekiel 4:4-6, when the prophet was commanded to lay upon his “right side” for the Kingdom of Yahuwdah (Judah) and upon his “left side” for the Kingdom of Yisrael (Ephrayim)?
From this, we understand that the right side represents the “The Two Southern Tribes of the Kingdom of Yahuwdah (Judah)” and the left side represents “The Ten Northern Tribes from the Kingdom of Yisra’el/Ephrayim.”
This also explains why there were TWO THIEVES who were crucified on either side of our Messiah!
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
Marqos (Mark) 15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
Even though these two gospel accounts do not tell us which of the two thieves was redeemed, we can assume that the one on the right represents the Kingdom of Judah, for they were the ones who rejected and betrayed him at that time.
Luqas (Luke) 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If you be Messiah, save yourself and us.
Luqas (Luke) 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do not you fear Elohiym, seeing you are in the same condemnation?
Luqas (Luke) 23:42 And he said unto Yahuwshuwa, Master, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Luqas (Luke) 23:43 And Yahuwshuwa said unto him, Verily I say unto you, Today shall you be with me in paradise.
This also correlates to when our Messiah shall divide the goat nations, placing them on his left, and the sheep nations, placing them on his right.
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
At the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 & Mark 9, there was seen both Mosheh & Eliyahuw (Moses & Elijah). These two figures represent “Towrah & Prophets.”
From the Towrah, we receive wisdom, and from the Prophets, we receive prophetic revelation.
This is why we are instructed by Yahuwshuwa to be “Wise as serpents and gentle as doves.”
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Why is wisdom represented by the serpent? Because before Satan fell from heaven, he was at one time a “covering cherub” at the throne of Elohiym, and he was the perfection of beauty and wisdom (Ezekiel 28:12).
However, his wisdom became corrupted by pride, which led to his downfall (Ezekiel 28:15-18). We are instructed in Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before a fall, and a haughty spirit before destruction.”
And why is revelation represented by the dove? This one is more obvious, since our Messiah was anointed at his baptism, and the sign above his head was the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit) resting upon him as a dove. Therefore, the anointing of the Holy Spirit (who teaches us all things) is represented by the dove.
Now we can understand why the prophet Elisha asked for a “double portion” of the anointing or spirit that was upon the prophet Eliyahuw (Elijah).
2nd Malakiym (Kings) 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Eliyahuw (Elijah) said unto Eliyshuwa (Elisha), Ask what I shall do for you, before I be taken away from you. And Eliyshuwa (Elisha) said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.
*Side note: The fuller spelling of the name Elisha (Eliyshuwa) is found in two other places in Scripture, 2nd Samuel 5:15 & 1st Chronicles 14:5. This name means “Elohiym is salvation.”
The “double portion anointing” consists of the wisdom that comes from the five books of Moses (Towrah), as well as
the revelation that comes from listening to the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit). Whenever we ignore one or the other, we are out of balance!
Those who rely too heavily on “head knowledge” from the Scriptures, (but they refuse to yield themselves to hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit), are often too rigid, and legalistic in their views.
Those who are always chasing down signs and wonders, (but they don’t consult the Scriptures enough) are in danger of being led astray by false doctrines. This is why the Apostle Shaul (Paul) instructed us as follows:
2nd Qorintiym (Corinthians) 3:6 Who also has made us able ministers of the Renewed Covenant; not of the letter, but of the Ruwach/Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Ruwach/Spirit gives life.
The meaning of the Hebrew word for “seven” (sheba) comes from the root word “shaba” meaning “To take an oath by repeating a declaration seven times.”
Therefore, the number “seven” represents “covenant,” which is why we are commanded to keep every Seventh Day (Shabbat) holy, and to cease from our own works.
We are also commanded to celebrate “Seven Feasts” as part of our Marriage Covenant with YaHuWaH.
The seven-branched menorah also represents the Seven Assemblies in the Book of Revelation.
The Hebrew word for “two” (shanayim) represents “Two Witnesses.”
In addition to there being Seven Towrah Feasts, (representing covenant) there are also Two Prophetic Feasts that represent the Two Witnesses of Scripture (Towrah & Prophets).
Abraham had “two kinds of seed” as follows:
Bereshiyth (Genesis) 22:17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed AS THE STARS OF THE HEAVEN, and AS THE SAND which is UPON THE SEA SHORE; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
1.) THE STARS OF THE HEAVEN - Wild Branches, born-again of incorruptible seed through Messiah (Galatians 3:29; Romans 11:16-19).
2.) THE SAND UPON THE SEA SHORE - Natural Branches, born of corruptible seed, but they too must become born-again of incorruptible seed through Messiah (Galatians 3:29; Romans 11:16-19).
“Chanukkah” means “Dedication,” and it celebrates the cleansing of the Temple.
It also celebrates the conception of our Messiah in the womb (Haggai 2:18-20; Revelation 21:22).
If there had been no Dedication (Chanukkah) of the Temple following the Maccabean Revolt (167-164 B.C.), there would not have been a nation for our Messiah to be born into!
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