The Holy Oil (Lev. 24:1-4)

11/2/2008 8:22 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                 Focus:  The holy oil

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Leviticus 24:1-4

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2  "Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.  3  "Outside the veil of testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD continually; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations.  4  "He shall keep the lamps in order on the pure gold lampstand before the LORD continually.”

            This picture of the lampstand is probably not actually what it looked like, but I do not think that anyone truly knows at this time what this lampstand looks like.

            Verse two of this passage is saying that the people of Israel had to bring clear oil to the tabernacle to be used in this lampstand, and that the oil had to be pure, and this oil had to be beaten of pressed for that was the best way to get this kind of pure oil. 

            There are a number of passages in the Scriptures that associate oil for anointing as a symbol of the Holy Spirit of God who anoints people for service  2 Cor. 1:21, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, and 1 John 2:27, “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”  However this oil that is used in this lamp is used for burning, but is also could be the symbol of the Holy Spirit.  Zechariah saw a vision that is recorded in chapter four of his book and in that vision he saw a lampstand that had olive trees connected to it in order for the lampstand to get it’s oil.  At the end of the vision Zechariah writes this, “6  Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.”  Dr. Wiersbe points out that this oil for burning is a symbol of the Holy Spirit as well.

            What is it that this lampstand represents?  First of all it should be noted that this lampstand was in the holy place next to the curtain that led into the holy of holies.  The holy place would be very dark if it were not for the lampstand that was in it so the lampstand was the only sores of light in the holy place to which the priests could see to do their work.  Dr. Wiersbe said in his commentary that he believed that the lampstand represented the Word of God, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” is how the Psalmist writes it in Psalm 119:105, and Peter says that, “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.”  Those who are unconverted can not see what the Word of God truly says because they are in the dark and lack the ministry of the Holy Spirit, “But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him,” (Romans 8:9b). 

            Believers cannot see what the Word of God means without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the priest could not see to burn the incense on the altar without the light of the lampstand.  Incense represents the prayers of God’s people and His people cannot have an effective prayer ministry without the Holy Spirit guiding them.  Ro 8:26  “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

            The lampstand could also represent the nation of Israel, but their ministry was not what it should have been as they became attracted to the pagan nations around them and so God took them out of their land.  Jesus Christ said that He was the light of the world, “Joh 8:12  Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

           

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The people of Israel had to bring the beaten oil to the tabernacle so that the priests could see while they were ministering to the Lord.  In the same way it is the job today of the local church to be faithful in spreading the light of the Gospel in the community that they are and therefore that is part of my job too as a part of my local church.  I have to pray and give to be an effective member of my local church.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. My prayer life has not been what it should be lately and according to the passage I need the power of the Holy Spirit in my life in order to have an effective prayer life and so I call upon the Holy Spirit to give to me this effective prayer life.

Memory verses for the week:                                  Romans 6:1-4

1. What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2. May it never be!  How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death.
4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

11/3/2008 8:49 AM