Oil and Incense

Rabbi Ken Alpren
Sermon Notes by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
February 19, 2001

Exodus 30:21-33, and make them into a holy anointing oil; blend it and perfume it as would an expert perfume-maker; it will be a holy anointing oil. 26 Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark for the testimony, 27 the table and all its utensils, the menorah and all its utensils, the incense altar, 28 the altar for burnt offerings and all its utensils, and the basin with its base. 29 You are to consecrate them - they will be especially holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30 Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons - you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen. 31 "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'This is to be a holy anointing oil for me through all your generations. 32 It is not to be used for anointing a person's body; and you are not to make any like it, with the same composition of ingredients - it is holy, and you are to treat it as holy. 33 Whoever makes any like it or uses it on any unauthorized person is to be cut off from his people.”

There was not to be anything else made like the Holy Anointing Oil. It was compounded with oil and spices. Holy means not only separation from sin and culture but separation to something; to G-d and a higher purpose. In verse 31 He said it was for Him and it was not to be poured on man’s flesh. Duplication or replication of the Holy Anointing Oil would necessitate being cut off from the people.

The only people to be anointed were the High Priest and the Kings of the House of David were anointed. By application, our High Priest and the King of the House of David; King Yeshua is the Anointed One!

What does it mean for us to live in G-d’s anointing?

Exodus 30:30, Then you are to anoint Aharon and his sons - you are to consecrate them to serve me in the office of cohen.

We have been anointed and called priests as well through Messiah.

1 John 2:20, But you have received the Messiah's anointing from HaKadosh, and you know all this.

1 John 2:27, As for you, the Messianic anointing you received from the Father remains in you, so that you have no need for anyone to teach you. On the contrary, as his Messianic anointing continues to teach you about all things, and is true, not a counterfeit, so, just as he taught you, remain united with him.

G-d in the New Covenant has confirmed us and given us discernment of error and deception as we abide in Him. We need appointed teachers to speak to us and through the Spirit via the Word of G-d. Only as we abide in Him do we have His anointing, we have G-d’s authority, love, joy, healing and empowerment working in and through us.
In addition to the Holy Anointing Oil, Scripture describes the Incense.

Exodus 30:35, and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy.

Incense is pictured like prayers and was offered twice daily. See Revelation 5:8 and 8:3. The Altar of Incense wasn’t very large; only about three feet high and eighteen inches square but the holiest item other than the Ark.

Exodus 30:35-38, and make incense, blended and perfumed as would an expert perfume-maker, salted, pure and holy. 36 You are to grind up some of it very finely and put it in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; you are to regard it as especially holy. 37 You are not to make for your own use any incense like it, with the same composition of ingredients - you are to treat it as holy, for ADONAI. 38 Whoever makes up any like it to use as perfume is to be cut off from his people."

The Incense was ground and beaten finely. Aspects of Incense can be applied to prayer as we are humbled in prayer. As we pray, Satan’s power is defeated. Prayer also purifies our thoughts.

G-d reiterated that neither the Holy Anointing Oil nor the Incense should have anything else made like it.

2 Corinthians 11:3,4,and I fear that somehow your minds may be seduced away from simple and pure devotion to the Messiah, just as Havah was deceived by the serpent and his craftiness. 4 For if someone comes and tells you about some other Yeshua than the one we told you about, or if you receive a spirit different from the one you received or accept some so-called "good news" different from the Good News you already accepted, you bear with him well enough!

Is there another gospel going around today? A fraudulent or counterfeit anointing?

2 Corinthians 11:14,15, There is nothing surprising in that, for the Adversary himself masquerades as an angel of light; 15 so it's no great thing if his workers masquerade as servants of righteousness. They will meet the end their deeds deserve.

There is a movement that illustrates this trend by church leaders to get people in and out of the church building in one hour, to make the services seeker friendly with no mention of sin, to be technically clever and over organized without being Spirit led or desire to spend time in G-d presence in prayer. They twist the Word of G-d to get what they want.

2 Peter 3:16, Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

Don’t make anything like it and don’t make if for yourself. It will be holy to you but it is for the L-rd! Accept no counterfeit.

Further Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2, 1 Samuel16:1-13, Matthew 7:21-23, 1 John 2: 15-17, 27-28, 2 Corinthians 1:21, Galatians 1:6,7, 1 John 3:16, Isaiah 45:11, 2 Timothy 4:8