Power & Prayer (Anointing Oil & Incense) – Exodus 30:22-38

In this message we will study the anointing oil and the sweet incense. In both we will see pictures of the Saviour and principles for the saints.
 The Anointing Oil – The Power of the Spirit for Service
 The Sweet Incense – The Prayer life of the Believer in Service

This chapter: The altar of incense, atonement money, laver, anointing oil and incense.

In our last message, we studied the atonement money, which pictures the atoning blood of Christ, and the laver, which speaks of cleansing for service.

In this message, we will study the anointing oil and the sweet incense. In both, we will see pictures of the Saviour and principles for the saints.

• The Anointing Oil – The Power of the Spirit for Service.
• The Sweet Incense – The Prayer Life of the Believer in Service

The Anointing Oil: Power (Vs. 22-33)

The anointing oil is typical of the Holy Spirit, and speaks of His ministry of exalting the Saviour and empowering the saints for service.

The Recipe of the Oil (Vs. 22-25)

1. The Specialness of the Spices (Vs. 22-23a)
   1. God gave the formula. The Holy Spirit comes from God and is God.
   2. The spices are described as “principal spices”, meaning “the best spices”. The Holy
   3. The Specifics of the Spices (Vs. 23b-25)
2. Four spices were mixed with pure olive oil, bringing the total to five ingredients. The oil for the lamp was pure olive oil, but the anointing oil also had a beautiful fragrance on account of the four spices. The fragrances of the Spirit are ultimately the fragrances of Christ. The Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of Christ” (Rom. 8:9, 1 Pet. 1:11) and the “Spirit of Jesus” (Phil. 1:19) and His delight is to testify of the glories and beauties of Christ. Let’s consider each of the 5 ingredients in the anointing oil:
   1. Myrrh – Ridout has suggested that “myrrh” (v.23) refers to the bitter gum which flows spontaneously from a small tree that grows in Arabia. This aromatic gum had multiple uses, and it was bitter to the taste. It was one of the gifts given to Christ by the wise men (Matt. 2:11). It was one of the items brought by Nicodemus when he came to prepare the body of Jesus Christ for burial (John 19:39). The Hebrew word “pure” has the idea of “freely flowing” and the root word for “myrrh” has the sense of “to distill in drops, trickle”. In addition to being free-flowing and bitter-tasting, myrrh was sweet-smelling. The voluntary and vicarious sacrifice of Christ was extremely fragrant. His willingness to taste death for every man has taken the bitter taste of it out of the believer’s mouth. Since the day Christ died on the cross, the air at Calvary has been filled with inexpressible sweetness. (Weaver) “The myrrh was obtained through cutting an incision in the trunk, boughs and branches of the bush, and was used in the anointing oil as the first of the “principal” or “best” spices. On the cross, it was God who ‘Incised’ and brought forth the myrrh from His own Son. The anointing oil speaks of the fragrance arising to God through the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. (See Matt. 2:11, Mk. 15:23, Jn. 19:39) (Grant) The Holy Spirit loves to testify of Christ, and Him crucified.
   2. Sweet Cinnamon – this spice was obtained from the bark of a small evergreen tree in the laurel family. The removal of the bark was the removal of its life. The tree from which the bark was taken was evergreen. Sweet cinnamon speaks of Christ’s unswerving devotion to the glory of the Father. His changeless determination to glorify the Father brought him to the cruelty of death. (Weaver). The word ‘sweet’ reminds us that the ministry of the Spirit in our lives is sweet.
   3. Sweet Calamus – comes from a Hebrew root meaning “to stand upright,” and is thought to be the spikenard of the New Testament. It grows in marshy places, and it speaks of the perfect humanity of Christ, “who in the mire of this world grew up erect and fragrant for God.” The aroma of calamus came by crushing, speaking of the grace of God that comes to the believer because Christ was crushed on Calvary. (Weaver) Calamus comes from reeds that grow in the Jordan Valley and are cut down before they flower. The calamus oil is obtained from the centre, from the pith of the plant. This represents the deepest thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ, His deep emotions and compassion. (Grant)
   4. Cassia – a spice taken from the inner bark of an Indian tree (Cinnamomum cassia), which differs from that which produces cinnamon in the shape of its leaves and some other particulars. It was probably in ancient times, as it is at present, by far less costly than cinnamon, and it may have been on this account that it was used in double quantity. (Barnes) Pink has suggested that “cassia” (v.24) comes from the root of a Hebrew word meaning “to stoop” or “to bow down.” It is suggestive of submission and worship, and it pictures Christ’s submission to and worship of God. Grant notes, “The bark is stripped when the tree is five to seven years old, the outer bark is removed, and the fragrant oil is distilled. Cassia was used as a treatment for many illnesses, the oil warming the body. It speaks of the healing which the Lord brings with Him.”
   5. Olive oil – produced by beating and pressing. “The element in which the spices were found, and by which their fragrance was exhibited, was the oil. The principal spices speak of Christ’s special and fragrant qualities in his earthly life. As discussed previously, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As the oil exhibited the fragrant spices, so the fragrant qualities of Christ are exhibited by the Spirit. Jesus said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but what soever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13-14). (Weaver)

The Role of the Oil (Vs. 26-30)

The anointing oil was to be used for:

1. The Anointing of the Sanctuary of God (Vs. 26-29)
   1. The Tabernacle tent was to be anointed. Each piece of furniture had to be anointed. Every vessel had to be anointed.
   2. The anointing oil would set apart each vessel for sacred use. Without that anointing, it was unusable. Every part of the sanctuary of God was to be anointed!
   3. In the New Testament sanctuary, every ministry needs the Spirit’s blessing and empowering. No facet of the local church is to operate without it!
2. The Anointing of the servants of God (Vs. 30)
   1. Both Aaron and his sons were to be anointed. “This signifies the anointing of believer-priests by the Holy Spirit. “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Co. 1:21-22). The priests were anointed with blood and oil at the same time (Ex. 29:21). Likewise, the believer is washed by the blood of Christ and indwelt with the Holy Spirit at the time of his conversion (Eph. 1:12-13).” (Cloud)
   2. Notice that the anointing was essential to consecrate them to the priest’s office. We become priests when the Holy Spirit indwell us at the moment of salvation.
   3. We are also reminded that the power of the Spirit is essential for priestly service.

The Restrictions on the Oil (Vs. 31-33)

There was to be:

No Misapplication of the Anointing Oil (Vs. 31, 33)

“Though men used the oil, it was not the property of men. It belonged to God. It claimed all it touched for the service of God. The oil consecrated all in the service of God for the service of God for all of life.” (Weaver)

1. It was not for man’s flesh.
   1. The Holy Spirit’s power is NOT available for fleshly purposes. The anointing oil was to glorify God, not man, and the same is true of the Spirit’s power. He does not anoint you to make much of you, but to make much of Christ. Check your motives when you ask for God’s anointing power on your life and ministry! God is not going to give you His power to promote yourself.
   2. The Holy Spirit’s power will NOT rest on anything produced by the flesh. The flesh cannot be sanctified; it has to be crucified. The Holy Spirit’s anointing power can only rest on that which is produced by the Spirit through our new nature in Christ.
   3. Let us be careful about being hasty to attach the Name of the Spirit to something in our lives that might actually be carnal or ungodly!
   4. “The graces of the Spirit can never be connected with man’s flesh, for the Holy Ghost cannot own nature. Not one of the fruits of the Spirit was ever yet produced “in nature’s barren soil.” We must be born again. It is only as connected with the new man, as being a part of “the new creation,” that we can know anything of the fruits of the Holy Ghost. It is of no possible value to seek to imitate those fruits and graces.” (Mackintosh”
2. It was not for a stranger (Vs. 33b)
   1. A stranger was a non-Israelite, a pagan. The anointing oil was not for someone who was not a follower of the one true God of Israel.
   2. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling and enabling are only for the redeemed. If the Holy Spirit does not indwell you, you are not saved! Romans 8:9 “…Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” 2 Cor. 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
   3. The empowering (anointing) of the Spirit is only available for those who first experience the indwelling of the Spirit through salvation. Have you been saved? It is impossible to live the Christian life without the Spirit’s power!
   4. “Anointing is forbidden to those who are strangers to the grace of God. The person who has never been saved has no place in the service of God. He is a stranger to the works and ways of God.” (Weaver)
   5. “Those who do not have the Spirit are unregenerate and have no part in the things of God. They are strangers. They are still in their sins and are unclean before God. They should not be allowed to join the church as members or to serve in the church in any position. Their service is not acceptable to God.” (Cloud)

No Mimics of the Anointing Oil (Vs. 32b, 33a)

There are many substitutes today for the genuine power of the Spirit. They may appear on the surface to be the Spirit’s power, but when put to the test of God’s Word, they are exposed as look-alikes and gimmicks. Beware of that which is manufactured by man versus that which is sent down from heaven! For example:

1. Preaching that relies on one’s own personality. God can and does use our personality in our service, but our personality needs to be yielded to the Spirit of God so that it is His power working through us and not something worked up from our own energies and resources. Some preachers rely on their natural gifts of intellect and emotion and can even sound powerful on the surface, but their messages only touch you on the soul level.
2. Preaching that is in word only. It may even be doctrinally sound, but it lacks unction. See 1 Thess. 1:5 & 1 Cor. 2:1-5.
3. Praise that blends the sacred with the secular. People feel there is power in contemporary rock and roll “worship”, but in reality, it is a substitute power. It’s the power of driving rhythms, amplifiers and sensual vocal techniques!
4. Praying in false Charismatic tongues. People think they are under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit when babbling in some incoherent gibberish, but it is NOT the power of the Spirit at all. In fact, in some cases, no doubt it is Satan’s power!
5. Programs as a substitute for power through prayer. Fervent service is a vital part of the Christian life. Structure and scheduling have their appropriate place in the life of the church (things are to be done decently and in order), but machinery without God is hollow and empty. Some churches are abuzz with activity, and this can give a false sense of life and power. A good test is to see what emphasis a church places on prayer. If prayer occupies little to no priority in a church but the church has a full program, that’s a substitute power! Busyness is not a substitute for bending the knee in prayer! Illustration: Lighthouse Rockhampton
6. Illustration: A counterfeit bank note can look very similar to the original, but under examination, key elements will be missing (e.g., the watermark). Counterfeit bills often lack sophisticated security features that are difficult to replicate, such as specific tactile sensations, colour-shifting elements, and embedded watermarks.
7. “In Exodus 20:25, God told Israel that he would allow no strange altar; in Exodus 30:9, he told them that he would allow no strange incense; and in Exodus 30:33, he told them that he would allow no strange oil. Soltau has suggested that the warning about the attempt to imitate the oil was a word of caution about false spirituality. Those who say that they are acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, when in reality they are not, they are in a dangerous position.” (Weaver)

The Sweet Incense: Prayer (Vs. 34-38)

The incense speaks of the ministry of intercession; Christ’s intercession for us and our intercession through Christ. “These fragrant ingredients, about which little is known, speak of the merits of Christ which form the basis of the believer’s appeal in prayer.” (Weaver)

The Recipe for the Incense (Vs. 34-35)

1. The Maker of the Incense (Vs. 34a, 35a). Moses was to make the incense. Moses typifies Christ, and we are reminded that prayer is possible only through Christ as our Mediator.
2. The Marvel of the Incense (Vs. 35). It was made after the “art of the apothecary”. There was skill involved in the making of the incense. An apothecary is a skilled compounder of spices, oils, and perfumes, specifically responsible for creating sacred, fragrant mixtures (perfume maker). Derived from the Hebrew “raqach” (perfumer), they were essential to producing holy anointing oils and incense. Christ Himself designed prayer, and it is a marvellous and wonderful thing.
3. The Makeup of the Incense (Vs. 34)
   The incense was made up of:
   1. Sweet Spices – the phrase “sweet spices” is mentioned twice. Christ’s intercession for us is infinitely sweet. Prayer is a sweet and fragrant exercise in our lives.
   2. Special Spices – four spices went into this special incense in equal measure. The first three are mentioned only here in Exodus 30:34, so we assume they were rare and special. “Each of the four spices contained an equal measure, and all were evenly mixed to make one perfume. Not a single characteristic of Christ stands out above the others, but all the fragrant qualities of Christ are equally balanced. Some qualities in men are more noticeable than others, but everything about Jesus Christ was perfectly proportioned.” (Weaver)
      1. Stacte – The first of the spices named is “stacte” (v.34). Ridout has suggested that “stacte,” translated from the Hebrew, means “to drop, distil,” no doubt referring to the gum which dropped from the tree producing it. He further added that “stacte” has been translated as “balm.” This aromatic gum trickled from the tree when it was pierced. (Weaver)
      2. Onycha – It is believed this fragrance was derived from a “scale or shell, that is, the aromatic mussel” (Strongs). This substance was ground up to produce the perfumed spice. In like manner, Christ was crushed at the cross, providing the pure perfume of salvation.
      3. Galbanum – comes from the Hebrew word meaning “fat” or “fertile”. “This was a “kind of gum” (TWOT) Ratcliffe explains that “Galbunum is a resin obtained from the giant fennel, a member of the parsley family, with elegant, fern like, deep green foliage.” It appears to have been used to cool a fever and reduce agitation. Christ cooled the fever that gripped Peter’s wife’s mother (Mk. 1:29-31). He calmed the anxious hearts of the disciples as He said “Peace by still”, to the raging sea (Mk. 4:35-41); and He brought peace to a man tormented by demons (Mk. 5:1-13).” (Grant) Apparently, it was bitter to the taste. It speaks of the fat of sacrifice, emphasising Christ’s submission to the bitterness of death and the offence of the cross. (Weaver)
      4. Frankincense – the word “frankincense” means “to be white.” It comes from the root word “heart” in Hebrew. Its resin came from the incisions made in the tree. (Weaver) “Ratcliffe writes that this tree is “a shrubby, multi-branch evergreen tree, bearing spikes of white, five-petal flowers. The plant naturally exudes the fragrant resin through its leaves, twigs and papery bark…The fragrance of burning frankincense is recognised as the finest in the world.” It was this ingredient that produced the smoke that filled the Holy Place and the Holiest of All. (Grant) “Frankincense” speaks of the perfect humanity of Christ, who was made an offering for sin. His sacrifice came from His heart.
      5. Note the common theme in each of these spices. They were produced by piercing, cutting and crushing. They all point to the work of Christ on the cross. The cross makes prayer possible! We come into the holiest of all “by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19)

The Role of the Incense (Vs. 36)

1. This incense was burnt on the altar of incense in the tabernacle before the curtain. This was the meeting place between God and His priests – “where I will meet with thee”. Prayer is where we meet with God, and it is a sweet and fragrant exercise.
2. It was to be “beaten very small” before being used on the altar of incense. The beating of the incense reminds us of the beatings of the cross that made effectual prayer possible.
3. The small pieces of incense teach a practical lesson: there is value in both small and long prayers!

The Restrictions on the Incense (Vs. 37-38)

1. It was to be held as holy (Vs. 37).
   1. It is called “most holy” in Vs. 36. There is no exercise in the Christian life as high and holy as prayer. That’s why the world, the flesh and the devil oppose it so vehemently!
   2. Holiness is to be maintained in prayer. Irreverence has no place in our prayers!
2. There were to be no substitutes (Vs. 38)
   1. They were not to make anything “like unto” the incense.
   2. Beware of false incense! “Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.” (Vs. 9)
      1. The false incense of pagan prayer – new age prayer practices, Roman Catholic prayer practices.
      2. The false incense of perverted prayer – e.g., the tongues prayer language movement.
      3. The false incense of unscriptural prayer – praying according to my will rather than God’s will. That doesn’t smell sweet. That stinks!
      4. There must be no strange altar (Ex. 20:25), no strange incense (Ex. 30:9), no strange oil (Ex. 30:31-32), no strange fire (Lev. 10:1-2).

Conclusion

1. Do you seek the anointing of the Spirit upon your service as a believer-priest? Are you yielded to him in your service? Or are you relying on false, substitute power?
2. How important is intercession to you? Are you conforming your prayers to God’s will as found in God’s Word?

Sermon 55 in Exodus Series

Sermon Audio Id: 425261155115870