Christ in all the scriptures Pure olive oil

 Christ in all the scriptures

Pure Olive Oil Beaten

Readings Exodus 27v20-21

These verses represent a turning point in the detail of the tabernacle.  From 25v1-27v19 the emphasis has been on GOD APPROACHING MAN, beginning with the Ark and ending with the beautiful gate of entrance.  Now from 27v20-30v43 the emphasis is on MAN APPROACHING GOD!  In this section we have the olive oil; the office and service of the Priesthood; the golden altar of incense; the brazen laver; the holy anointing oil, the sweet spices for incense, all associated with man's approach to God.  This establishes the fact that in our reconciliation to God, the initiative is all from God.  Had He never sought us, we would never have sought Him!  This much is stated in Paul's exposition of the gospel-Romans 3v11 "There is none that seeketh after God".  The emphasis is always on God seeking us.  This is a very important fact that God has ever sought us in our lost and sinful condition.  From the beginning in Eden-Genesis 3v9, "Adam where art thou?"  Matthew 13v45 "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls".  The three pictures in Luke 15, seeking the lost sheep; seeking the lost silver; seeking the lost son, are all pictures of God seeking the lost.  Luke 19v10 "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."  John 6v44 "No man can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him".  God moved toward us in order that we might move toward Him, and this pattern is clearly seen in the presentation of the tabernacle.  As John said "We love Him because He first loved us"-1st John 4v19.  

Note also the first consideration in approaching God is the pure oil olive to keep the lamp  burning continually.  Service to God never ceases and the empowering element is the oil.  This is interpreted for us in Zechariah 4.  The oil is the Holy Spirit (4v6-"...not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts").  Our service to God is spiritual, inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  In this chapter, the supply of oil is constant as the vision is of two olive trees, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.   The supply of the Spirit never ends.  There are three functions of the olive oil in the service of God-1) to maintain a light for the lamp (Exodus 27v20); 2) as a necessary ingredient in the grain offering (Leviticus 2v1v2v4v5v6v7v15v16-no matter how the grain offering is presented it must be mingled with oil); 3) as a necessary ingredient in the anointing oil (Exodus 30v24).  The oil for the lamp represents public testimony; the oil for the meal offering is for personal character; the olive oil, as part of the anointing oil, is for special service-three offices in Israel required anointing, the Priest, the King, an d the Prophet.  Every aspect of service in association with God required the olive oil, symbolic of the Spirit of God.  In our public testimony, in our personal character, in official service, the Holy Spirit is a necessity.  This we all possess but we have to be empowered by Him, else all service is vain.

Scriptures abound with the necessity of the Spirit in all that we are and do.  This is a massive subject, and its importance cannot be over emphasised.    We cannot, by ourselves, achieve this, we need His help.  The Lord, before He commissioned His disciples to serve, said "Receive ye the Holy Spirit"-John 20v22.  In the Acts the Spirit is mentioned 51 times; in Romans 24 times; in the Corinthian letters 25 times; in Galatians 14 times; in Ephesians 12 times; in Philippians twice; in Colossians once; in the Pastoral epistles 9 times; in Hebrews 7 times; in James once; in the epistles of Peter 6 times; in the epistles of John 6 times; in Jude twice; in Revelation 15 times.  The extent of that should be enough to convince us of the primary role He plays in our lives and service, being indispensable in every aspect.  He inspires, He leads, He guides, He transforms, He restrains, He empowers, He, controls, He enriches, He enlarges...He is our Comforter, who draws alongside us in our pathway.  

Of course, our Lord Jesus Christ is the supreme example of conformity to the Spirit the Spirit rested on Him in the form of a dove, a picture of absolute beauty and serenity.  No wonder it says that "God gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him"-John 3v34.

The oil olive had to be pure, it also had to be beaten.  Historians tell us that there are over 800 million olive trees on planet earth, mostly around the Mediterranean.  We all know that olive oil is symbolic for health and vigour.  Experts tell us that while the olives are ultimately crushed to collect the oil, the best of the oil comes from initial beating, which is done to extract the best quality.  It is interesting to acquaint ourselves with the process of extraction.  The beating is actually quite brutal, literally to break into pieces.  Olive oil, which is considered to be the elixir of youth and health, is extracted first through a process of beating, then by final crushing.  There was no one more beaten than the Lord Jesus, bodily, mentally, and spiritually.  The Spirit of God is beaten and bruised as He traverses this world for God.  We, believers can grieve Him, quench Him, and ignore Him.  The world at large rejects Him, and insults Him, and mocks Him.  Yet He remains pure, and goes about His work gracefully.  For us to reflect the youthful, healthy joyous vigour of the oil, may involve a time of trial through beating-"Whom the Father loveth, He chasteneth...Hebrews 12v6.  He does this to bring the best out in us, for the finest oil of olive comes from the process of beating.  We are exhorted not to despise His chastening, nor become weary if it continues for a while.  True light for God shines only when the pure oil olive is at work.