Saturday, February 07, 2004
THE HOLY ANOINTING OIL. A blend of five ingredients that composed the sacred anointing oil. That which was used to consecrate both the place of worship and those who ministered in the tabernacle and temple. The contents of the holy anointing oil were more expensive than those of the incense.
THE PURE MYRRH. [The pure myrrh is literally, freely flowing, an epithet which is explained by the fact that the best myrrh is said to exude spontaneously from the bark. [Barnes.] This would exemplify the sufferings of Christ.
THE CINNAMON. Sweet and odiferous. Of red color and taken from the tree. It is an example of the shedding of the blood of Christ on the tree.
SWEET CALAMUS. Actually, a reed. A reed was placed, in mockery, in the hand of the Lord Jesus as a Scepter. Mt. 27:29. He was smitten on the head with a reed. Mk. 15:19 The vinegar given Him on the cross was on a reed. Mt. 27:48 The humiliation of the cross is portrayed here.
THE CASSIA. The Hebrew word here for the name Cassia mean split. It was derived from a tree not unlike the cinnamon and was the inner bark. It was and aromatic spice. Once again the sufferings of the Lord Jesus are evident.
THE OIL. In order to obtain the oil from the fruit of the olive tree it was necessary to bruise and crushed the fruit. Once again, so like the suffering one who bore our sin in His own body. The sweet cinnamon and the sweet calamus were each of two hundred shekels, showing the divine and human natures of the Lord Jesus, blended into one. All this in Ex. 30:23-24
THE OIL OF HOLY OINTMENT. Because of its use, only for holy purposes it was not to be placed on anyone other than the ones for whom it was designated. Furthermore they were forbidden, under the sentence of death, to duplicate this precious anointing oil. Ex. 30:31-33 The holy anointing oil represents the unity and purity of the Spirit. He is the anointing oil. It is obvious that in anointing Aaron they were very generous. It was placed on his head and ran down over his face even to skirts of his garments. Ps. 133:2-3 Thank the Lord that He in our day, is extremely generous with the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The application of the anointing oil had a sanctifying effect on the priesthood. Lev. 8:12 The Lord considered the holy anointing oil to be a crown placed on the priest. Lev. 21:12 The new testament Christian in fulfilling the office of a priest must also be anointed with the Holy Spirit, for the true anointing of the Spirit will result in a life lived after the will and desire of the Lord Jesus. It is the seal of the Lord on our lives and is a most vital experience for each and every member of the church. 2 Cor. 1:21-22 With the anointing, the Word of the Lord is opened and we are taught of Him. In the person of the Holy Spirit the Lord dwells within our spiritual man and it is He who teaches us the way of the Lord and His doctrines. Surely if we all have the same Holy Spirit He will then teach us all the same doctrines and there will be no confusion. There is a real challenge in allowing the Spirit of the Lord to teach us the truths of the Word. 1 John 2:27