Candles and lamps are important symbols found in many legends, myths and religious stories.  They are both lights so there symbology is almost identical.  
    Candles often represent the power of the sun, either the physical sun or the spiritual sun (Sun of Righteousness).  They can represent spiritual enlightenment or to indicate that even in the darkest night, there is still light, the light of God.  They can represent Christ as the light of the world.  In some churches, three candles can represent the Holy Trinity.  The Jewish Menorah with seven candles indicates the divine presence and also represents the sun, moon and the five major planets as well as the seven days of the week, and the seven cycles of the world.  Candles at a funeral represent the passing of the person into the Worlds of Light.

Candle, candle burning bright, make my wish come true tonight.

    Lamps can represent life, divinity, the sun, God or Christ.  In most Christian churches, an eternal lamp burns to represent the presence of God or Christ.  They can represent enlightenment or one who is seeking enlightenment.  Today, this is often used instead to represent getting an idea by showing a lamp or light bulb over the head.  Diogenes of Sinope, a Greek philosopher,  was said to wander the streets carrying a lamp even in daylight, looking for an honest man (a tale which sound to me like a parable of the search for spiritual enlightenment).