Mature Class Study, teacher Leslie Crain.
God blessed Leslie after she prayed he would anoint the COVE community center she volunteers at as the lunch lady to serve and feed 11-25 children. She’s often been frustrated by her black and white view of things. In trying to figure things out, she prayed God would anoint the building, herself, and everything. She thought, what does it mean to be anointed? Anoint: to dedicate to the service of God; to select for an honor, a particular role or an office.
When we seek God’s anointing, we accept the role and are dedicated to the service God has for us in his body. On the mountain God gave Moses the law and how to build the tabernacle (Exodus 24). He gave Moses the anointing oil recipe.
Exodus 30:22-25 Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: And…make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
Myrhh 48 lbs. 4 oz: a fragrance from the trunk of the commiphora tree of Arabia produced from tears formed when the bark is penetrated. The tree secretes a resin/gum in harvest by repeatedly wounding the trees to bleed the gum. It hardens and becomes glossy with deepening color as it ages. It is steamed and melted to an oil that becomes perfume.
Cinnamon 24 lbs. 2 oz: thick bark of an evergreen tree makes cinnamon sticks, the leaves and berries of the tree are squeezed so the oil comes out.
Sweet Calamus (sweet flags) 24 lbs. 2 oz: reed that grows in swampy water and looks like an iris. The head is filled with oil and bends down almost half way at harvest time. The leaves and rhizome root contain oil that give the odor and flavor.
Cassia 48 lbs. 4 oz: another variety of cinnmon tree that has long, reddish leaves when young – called senna. It is used by some for inner cleansing and was valued as an additive for embalming mixture brought from Egypt around 500BC. The Greeks, Romans, and ancient Hebrews used cassia bark as a cooking spice, also for medicines and perfumes.
Olive oil about 5 quarts: this oil was the only one used in temple candelabra. Olives are ground into paste and applying pressure using a millstone to separate the solid material from the oil. The extracted liquid runs into a pit and the oil rises to the surface to be removed by decantation. That oil is also filtered to produce a clear oil. The residue is used to light fires.
The process to get the oil involved pressure, pain, heat, and standing still. The spices were infused into and then strained out of the oil to leave a likeable smell. The oil was used to anoint the tabernacle, the furniture, and the priests to be sanctified or set apart as holy for the Lord’s service and purpose. All the parts of the tabernacle were anointed (Exodus 40).
Exodus 30:26-31 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. And…anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me… And…speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
God had a jealous care and the anointing oil had one purpose. Moses finished the anointing and God’s glory filled the tent. This shows how our life has to be in order before God can fill us so there isn’t room for anything else. Aaron and his sons were the first priests to be anointed (Exodus 40:12-15). The oil was used to anoint kings to God’s service (I Samuel 10:1).
Exodus 40:33-35 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent…because the…glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
The people rejoiced greatly when Saul was anointed to be their king.
I Samuel 11:14-15 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. And all the people went to Gilgal; and…made Saul king before the Lord…and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
The primary purpose of anointing a person was to sanctify and set them apart as holy. Jesus spoke of anointing by the Spirit.
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given…
Jesus told his disciples the Comforter or Holy Spirit would guide and teach them to fill the role or office God had in the body.
John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear…he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me…and shall shew it unto you.
Prophesy of Joel said the anointing of the Spirit would come.
Acts 2:16-21 But this…was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
John admonished the people to hold fast. We need to stay clear and hold onto the anointing. It’s precious to teach us truth.
I John 2:27-29 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie…as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
An article Leslie read likened the 5 anointing ingredients to traits of an anointed life.
- Myrhh – meekness and submission to God’s will. Meekness is not weakness but strength in harness for service. Meekness: attitude or quality of heart by which a person is willing to accept and submit without resistance to the will and desire of someone else.
- Cinnamon – uprightness is how you stand on truth, living above reproach but not judging those around you (God is the judge. Ephesians 6:11-14 says “Stand…Stand…Stand.” “stand against the wiles of the devil” “having done all, to stand” and “Stand therefore.” When you’ve don’t all you can to to stand, stand. When you feel you can’t stand, find someone to hold up your arms so you keep standing. We need each other brethren!
- Sweet calamus – humility is asking for or accepting help or prayer from our brethren. Jesus was asked who was the greatest in the kingdom. At the last supper his example showed he was willing to serve the fishermen, his disciples, by washing their dirty feet. It was an ultimate act of humility by the hands that created the universe.
- Cassia – cleansing that cleans us inside like a refiner’s fire and fuller’s soap written about by Malachi (Malachi 3:2). Are we letting the daily washing of the word of God cleanse us so nothing comes to hinder the anointing?
- Olive oil – the Holy Spirit is the presence of God in your life. Today te Holy Spirit brings comfort, power, healing, and fills us to we never hunger or thirst again. We need fresh oil by having a close relationship with God through worship, prayer, and the Word every day, like David prayed. Psalm 92:10…I shall be anointed with fresh oil. The oil has to be fresh every day. God can’t use stale oil. We must be meek, upright, and humble to live in God’s fullness and power of His presence. We must ask God to search our hearts and cleanse us to keep impurities from our life that would hinder our anointing.
Now Leslie prays for God to anoint the COVE center, the building, tables, chairs, computers, the children, the volunteers, books, puzzles, balls, crayons, paper, food, “and me, oh Lord, don’t forget me.” When Aaron was anointed, oil dripped off his head, beard, clothes, and left puddles wherever he went. “Lord, help me be the best lunch lady I can be!”