GOD spoke to Moses: 23 “Take the best spices: twelve and a half pounds of liquid myrrh; half that much, six and a quarter pounds, of fragrant cinnamon; six and a quarter pounds of fragrant cane; 24 twelve and a half pounds of cassia– using the standard Sanctuary weight for all of them– and a gallon of olive oil. 25 Make these into a holy anointing oil, a perfumer’s skillful blend.
Let us talk about team. Starting with a verse about the making of anointing oil? Glad you asked.
The verses tell us that God has a strong opinion about the perfect mixture for anointing oil. All the spices are given, as well as the measurements. Much could be said about the different spices, and as I know myself there will be a time I talk about exactly that. But know we talk about other aspects.
Different spices and oil. For me the spices stand for ourselves, the oil obviously for the Holy Spirit. God knows exactly which ingredients he needs and how much of each. He also tells us not to use this recipe for anything else. He puts it together, and it is reserved for him. You won’t find this mixture in the Lions Club, but you will find it in the church.
God tells the church of Corinth – the church of Corinth of all churches, the one, Paul had to write two stern letters to – that they had all they needed. The perfect mixture. All the gifts they needed, and the Spirit – spices and oil.
In the Old Testament God asks us whether, if a priest is to carry dead unclean flesh in his garments, the garments would become unclean or the flesh clean. The answer is: the garments will become unclean. That is why it was not allowed to touch unclean people with lepracy. But Jesus in the New Testament shows us differently. He, the Anointed One, touches them, and they become clean.
Everything, touched with the anointing, the perfect mixture, becomes clean and holy (see verse 29). When we touch a man’s heart, and he decides to believe, he becomes holy. And when all gifts work together, the process of perfecting to holiness is set in place and followed through. A process of discipleship, of change takes place. Sanctification and healing unto sonship. And he will become part of the perfect mixture.
God takes the spices and lays them out like on a painter’s palette. The palette being a symbol for the local church, in which he plants the different gifts. Then he pours out the oil and starts stirring and mixing. That usually feels like a storm. Ever tried to make a tornado in a water bottle or a bowl stirring? In the process we rarely interpret this as a perfect mixture being created. We feel pressure, blame the enemy. But in faith we find peace. And as soon as all spices – really all spices – blend with the oil, there will be peace. Peace for the oil to pick up the aroma, the individual note of all the spices, and peace for the spices to blend totally with the oil.
God is full of grace. He does not wait for the blending to be finished but lets us have an impact even before that. Even the touch of an imperfect blend changes lives. How much more if we allow him to stir and mix until we complement each other, work together, have a collective impact.
I want to be planted and blended. Like Jesus I want to find peace in the storm. I want to be saturated with oil. But not alone. I want to be complemented with other spices and fragrances.
How about you? Let me know in a comment.