GATHERING THE OLIVE OIL
Today I am thinking back to the days of Moses and the wilderness tabernacle when there was so much for the people of God to learn about becoming His Holy Nation. They would become the pattern for the whole-wide-world to come into God’s Kingdom. Nothing could be neglected in this preparation. The eternity of the world now depended on how Israel obeyed God and followed His careful instructions.
This month as we study the very nature of God, we can clearly see the example of God’s patience, kindness and love as He slowly gives out just enough instructions in small portions at a time to his people. His holy attributes are used so that the people can absorb, understand and do God’s will. He know just what they need in order to learn how to better live their new lives in freedom, safety and love.
We hear of how God asks Moses to command the people to bring Him clear oil from pressed olives for providing the light of the lamps of the tabernacle.
OLIVE OIL FOR GIVING LIGHT
When you hear God speak of olives; you can depend on the fact that there is some blessing tied to the end of the story.
We have all heard the amazing story of Jesus submitting his will to God before going to the cross. The experience happened right there on the Mount of Olives among the groves of olive trees.
If you study the processing of olives and how olive oil is made; you will discover that it is very similar to the process of becoming a more mature Christian. Olives are very special and they bring very special blessings; good blessings, some of which can last through eternity.
I have experienced a very special blessing in relation to olives in my own personal life. My only grand-daughter (although, I also have three amazing grand-sons too) is named Olivia. About eight years ago her parents went on a holiday to Italy. They hiked through miles of olive groves. I was delighted when they brought me back a special branch from one of the olive trees near where they stayed.
I have kept it.
Also; they brought me a painting done by one of the local artist. It is a beautiful rendering of men cultivating olive groves with lovely scenes of mountains and a sunset in the distance. Not long after they returned with these great gifts; they announced some exciting news. Our first granddaughter was on her way to earth! Her name would be Olivia. I love how her story began in an olive garden.
Olive oil is very special to God.
LIGHT FOR THE MENORAH
The main lamp of the Wilderness Tabernacle is a large, solid gold Menorah.
If you have not studied the significance of the Menorah; I highly recommend Dr. John Garr’s book called “God’s Lamp, Man’s Light; The Mystery of The Menorah.” It is a fascinating study full of amazing facts.
The Menorah of the Temple and the Wilderness Tabernacle has a very significant story to tell. All of that story is symbolic of the coming of Jesus Christ; Our Messiah and the fact that He is The Light Of The World.
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD – GOD’S GIFT TO MANKIND
These lights from the Menorah were formed from God’s own specific blueprint by carefully chosen and skilled craftsmen working under Moses who carefully and specifically designed the Menorah according to God’s detailed instructions.
These lights were to be kept burning continually.
God specifically mentions the lamps outside the curtain which shield the Ark of The Covenant that contain the Law inside the Tent of Meeting. This would be the Menorah which sits inside The Holy Place; giving light out toward the Sanctuary. At the same time it provides light for the priest who approach The Holy of Holies during certain ritual and important appointed times of the year.
Hence; The Menorah was a very important lamp. It could use only the purest, olive oil made from crushed olives which had been sanctified and blessed.
FROM SUNSET TO SUNSET
God instructs Moses that Aaron, the High Priest, was to tend to the lamps that shone before the LORD every day from evening till morning, continually. Another way to put this would be to say “from sunset till sunset” which constitutes a whole day for Hebraic thinking people. We often forget how this works when we look at the ancient people and their actions. The Hebraic days of God’s chosen calendar actually begin at sunset; so light is needful first thing each day.
The light continues to shine through the whole day until the next sunset comes around and that day is done.
We also know that Jesus Christ is now our High Priest. He is the One who tends to the light of the Heavens. He stands in The Holy Place closest to God and shows God who we are in Him. Without Him we would all live in darkness. With Him shining down on us; we can see how to come closer to God every day.
HE IS THE WAY
This process of bringing God’s light into our days is why many of us light the candles on the Sabbath; to remind us that Christ is the Light of The World.
We are to keep His light constantly shinning out from our hearts. The fire that resides in our hearts now comes from God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resides inside the hearts of the followers of Christ. We see this symbolized by the light of the Menorah that shines from The Holy Place of the Wilderness Tabernacle. It could also be seen from the Menorah of the Temple.
God’s people are now the spiritual Temple of God on this earth.
We all make up a spiritual temple which is built built on the lights and love of Christ.
The Menorah and the olive oil used to bring light to the Temple was like a promise from God announcing the fact that a holy fire was coming from Heaven. This Holy Fire would be a special gift from our Father. It was like a promise until the Church could physically be re-united with Christ again in the Second Coming.
THE TEMPLE BUILT BY CHRIST
This pure, precious olive oil brought many messages that had to do with the prophetic progression of God’s people. Eventually Christianity and God’s Church which would be founded by Christ.
It is noted that this light from God; whether physical or symbolic in nature, is something that will go on forever. Throughout all of the generations to come; the lamps on the pure gold lampstand called The Menorah which are placed before the LORD must be tended continuously. We can never let the light go out.
Our High Priest, Jesus, is continuously tending to this process of bringing the light every second of every day as we pray and offer our spiritual sacrifices up to heaven. He is constantly sending The Holy Spirit to comfort and keep us.
A MESSAGE FOR YOU AND ME AS WELL AS THE ANCIENT PEOPLE
“Continually and forever, through all generations;” that would include you and me.
Yes; we are a very important part of God’s plan!
We studied this particular subject about the olive oil back in our Exodus study. You can review a few of those lessons here if you like. :https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/oil/ https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/the-anointing-oil-come-as-a-child-lesson-174/ https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/salt-light-obedience/ https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/following-true-light/ https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/festivals-weeks-ingathering/ https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/holy-fire-burnt-altar/.
As you can see from all the referenced links above, almost everything we study relates back to the fact that Christ is The Light of The World.
A deep study of this fact is always fascinating and revealing. I highly recommend it!
EXODUS AND LEVITICUS MIRROR ONE ANOTHER
Often the scriptures in Leviticus and Exodus reflect one another.
We are studying the passage in Leviticus today; but the Exodus scripture reference is this one: “And thou shalt command the children of Israel that they bring thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.”
The many meanings related to the use of olive oil in God’s tabernacle could fill pages and pages of books. There will not be enough space or time to cover all of it here, even with our referenced links to previous lessons.
We do have one illustration that seems to cover it all though. I will tell you about that because it shows us a very clear picture of why God chose to use olive oil inside the tabernacle.
OUR BEST REFERENCE TO THE USE OF OLIVE OIL
To obtain olive oil one must crush the olives beneath the weight of a huge millstone. This is comparable to the way that Jesus was crucified and nailed to a cross and crushed beneath the heavy weight of our sins.
There are three stages to this crushing process.
Each stage produces three useful types of results.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
The first stage of the crushing produces extra virgin olive oil.
This is the oil that is used for lighting the Menorah in the tabernacle.
The extra virgin olive oil is the oil spoken of by God to Moses in the passage of scripture we are studying today. It is very symbolic of Christ being the Light of the World.
OLIVE OIL FOR HEALING AND MEDICATIONS
The second crushing of olives produces oil that is used for medicine and healing.
This too paints a portrait of Christ.
We all know and cherish that well-worn scripture that speaks the words “by His stripes we are healed.”
OLIVE OIL FOR CLEANSING
The third crushing of the olives brings oil that is used to make soap.
This speaks of Jesus too; as it is by His precious blood that we are cleansed of our sins.
OLIVE OIL THAT SPEAKS OF REDEMPTION
In using the olive oil for anointing, God was once again pointing us to the future; to Christ and our redemption.
It is the olive oil that produces the light to the Sanctuary.
The crushing of the fruitful life of Christ brought many to salvation and helped us to SEE God.
This is how the Menorah works.
It proves to us that Christ is the true light of the world.
THE PROCESS IN ELUL AND THE RESULTS AT HANUKKAH
If you love the season of Hanukkah (a post-Mosaic Holiday) as much as I do; you do come to understand that much of its teachings incorporate this healing, revealing, living light of Christ.
The main message hiding inside Hanukkah is the fact that Christ is The Light Of The World.
During Elul we are studying how to get ourselves into that refining process of the olive oil; so that we may be more like this light of the world which helps us and our brother’s to see more of God.
During Elul we are being processed.
By the time of Hanukah we begin to see the results of how God forms the events of life into a glorious and useful lighted path to help us to become more like Jesus.
When we think of the great miracle of Hanukah; we know the miracle began unseen many, many years before it happened. This is similar to the process our souls must endure in order to come closer and closer to God.
God instructed Moses to give the people something symbolic and physical to look at continuously which would teach them more about the Messiah to come.
Every time they entered the Sanctuary they would behold The Great Light of the Menorah and they rejoiced before God.
It was all made possible earlier in the season; by the crushing of many olives and the making of the pure olive oil.
As we come into The Fall Holy Days; may the Oil of God pour over us. May the precious Light of Christ purify our souls so that we may lift holy hands before Him in worship and adoration.