Facing Forward

Last Sunday, my scripture reading for the day was in Numbers.  I came to Number 8:1-3 and those three verses stopped me – I read them over several times.  As many times as I’ve read those verses in the past, there was something that had never caught my attention before.  The NLT translation I was reading says this:  “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Give Aaron the following instructions: When you set up the seven lamps in the lampstand, place them so their light shines forward in front of the lampstand.’  So Aaron did this. He set up the seven lamps so they reflected their light forward, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

Those of you that read my blog regularly, know by now that sometimes my mind goes down a rabbit hole, for no good reason.  I guess that’s what happened here, because I just kept wondering to myself why the specific directions for the lamps to shine forward?  I kept thinking – it’s because we should be facing forward – looking forward – moving forward, as opposed to backward.  

When I got to church I asked three men in my class – one a former pastor and two others that are very well versed in the Bible – their opinion of why the specific directions to shine forward?  Two of them had no immediate response, but the other one said something like – “Maybe because we need to look forward and not backward.”  I said “That’s exactly what I was thinking too!”  Then he said “Look at what happened to Lot’s wife.”  Okay, now another rabbit hole to go down!  

Since then I’ve been doing some research to learn more about the lampstand, etc.  What I found is that the Table of Presence (also called the Table of Shewbread) always had 12 loaves of bread on it – which should’ve represented God’s provision for them among other things.  This table sat opposite the lampstand in the Holy Place in the tabernacle.  This room had no windows so the light provided by the lampstand was the only light source – so of course, it was needed for the priests to carry out their responsibilities.  One source said this:  “The practical function of the golden lampstand was to shed light in the holy place, but also represented the life and light God gives to his people.”*

So, in our daily lives, we will be much better served if we face forward, look forward and move forward always considering how God is our provision and is the life and light to us all.

In Genesis 19, Lot and his family were given the opportunity to flee the very dark and sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah – a life they needed to leave behind them.  But verse 26 (TLB) says:  “But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following along behind him and became a pillar of salt.”  She wasn’t facing forward, looking toward the light and God’s provision, but was looking back at the darkness she’d escaped.  Not only that, she apparently was lagging behind her husband and children – possibly enough that when she stopped and looked back, the impact of the destruction was upon her and she lost her life.  

Now also consider how the Israelites were delivered out of slavery in Egypt.  They were promised a wonderful land of their own (a land of milk and honey) and witnessed God perform many wonderful miracles on their behalf – yet they often looked back.  Exodus 16:3 (TLB):  “‘Oh, that we were back in Egypt,’ they moaned, ‘and that the Lord had killed us there! For there we had plenty to eat. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to kill us with starvation.’”  What are they doing?  They’re looking back with no appreciation for the rewards facing forward will get them.

Our enemy will try to distract us from facing forward – he prefers we focus on the past – especially any negative things and failures.  That can prevent us from moving forward.  Isaiah 43:18-19 (GNT):  “But the Lord says, ‘Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago.  Watch for the new thing I am going to do.  It is happening already—you can see it now!  I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.’”

Think about a track with runners lined up for a race.  When the gun sounds and they all take off facing forward you don’t see any of them suddenly turn around and start running backward.  That’s not how to win a race because the finish line is before you.  Also, it’s rare that you’ll see any of the runners looking over their shoulder behind them.  As I read about this there seems to be a “no looking back” rule for runners because it’s part of a mental game that might be perceived by the others as a weakness on your part; or, it might cause you to trip or lose your rhythm and momentum.  Winners – in races and in life are facing forward, never backward.    

We need to keep our focus on God and our goals.  Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14 (CEV):  “My friends, I don’t feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.”  This is indicative of our ultimate goal – eternity in heaven.  But that can only be achieved by facing forward, leaning into what is before us.

I believe there is a difference between looking back and remembering.  It may seem like they’re the same, but this is what I personally think after the research I’ve done.  When looking back, it can be easy for us to yearn for things in our past – as the Israelites yearned for what comfort they had in Egypt even as they served as slaves.  That process can prevent us from looking forward to the promises before us.  But remembering can inspire us to act on the positives and the promises and to relegate the negatives out of our minds.

Looking backward over my shoulder can only trip me up and give my enemy a chance to distract me. So, I hope to daily consider seriously how I need to be striving for what is before me, reaching out for those good plans that God has for me, facing forward.

Written by Karran Martin – February 21, 2025

[All bold & underlined emphasis is mine]

*https://www.learnreligions.com/golden-lampstand-of-the-tabernacle-700108