The Exodus. Day 113, The Bronze Basin And The Anointing Oil

As we move on through Chapter 30 we're looking at some additional objects housed at the sanctuary. Today we'll talk about the bronze basin where the priests are to wash their hands and feet and we'll study the recipe and the purpose of the anointing oil.

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it.'" (Exodus 30:17-19) Before these men minister in the presence of the Lord they are to wash their hands and feet for His service. They've walked the dusty desert floor to reach the tabernacle, which may symbolize walking through this world and the dirt of the world clinging to their feet. The dust and the deeds of this world are clinging to their hands. By washing they are acknowledging that they serve a holy God and must not go about their duties with the filth of the world upon them but must perform their duties with clean hearts and clean hands.

Some scholars believe the basin held water in two receptacles---one at waist level to wash the hands and one at foot level to wash the feet---so the priests didn't have to climb into it to wash their feet or so they wouldn't have to lift one foot up into the basin at a time, as this would have looked very undignified. An artist's concept of what this type of basin may have looked like is inserted below.

Not only do these men have to wash when they arrive at the tabernacle, but they will have to wash again before presenting certain types of offerings to the Lord. "Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come." (Exodus 30:20-21) The Bible doesn't say why these men would fall dead if they didn't undergo the ceremonial washing each time but I think it likely has to do with them needing to maintain a reverent attitude toward the Lord and toward the enormous responsibility of the office they hold. Just as we wouldn't walk into the Lord's house to help conduct a service while wearing the raggedy, sweaty and dirty clothes we just mowed the lawn in, we shouldn't walk and talk and do deeds in His name with dirty minds and dirty hearts. If we don't daily stay in communion with the Lord and allow Him to clean up whatever needs cleaning up in our lives, we are going to have trouble being very effective servants for Him. If we're trying to witness about Christ to others but they see glaring examples of unholy living in our lives, they're hardly going to want to listen to us.

Now the Lord provides the recipe for the anointing oil. "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant calamus, 500 shekels of cassia---all according to the sanctuary shekel---and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.'" (Exodus 30:22-29) The shekel, or at least the type accepted at the sanctuary, was believed to have weighed about 1/5 of an ounce.

"Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve Me as priests. Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be My sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. Do not pour it on anyone else's body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people." (Exodus 30:30-33) Other types of anointings are carried out in the Bible. For example, anointing oil was used on the head of a newly selected king---often long before his actual coronation, on the day when he is made the heir-apparent to the throne. For example, the prophet Samuel anointed David as the future king of Israel approximately fifteen years before David assumed the throne. Anointing oil is also used in the Bible when praying over the sick. In fact, my own church and many others still follow the practice of anointing the sick as outlined in James 5:14. From time to time a church member who is very ill or who is facing a major surgery will request to be anointed by the pastor. The pastor will take his small bottle of olive oil and anoint the forehead of the sick person, then the pastor and elders of the church will gather around the person in a circle, each with a hand on the person's shoulder or upper back, and they will pray to the Lord for healing. Usually a number of other church members form a larger circle around the inner circle to add their prayers. But the recipe given here in Exodus 30 is to be used for the priests alone. They are consecrated and set aside to perform special duties for the Lord and their anointing oil is to be different than the types used for other occasions. If someone cooks up and uses this recipe for a purpose other than anointing the priests, the Lord says that person is to be "cut off", meaning excommunicated from the assembly.

In the Bible we find oil symbolizing the Holy Spirit. By being anointed with oil the priests are vowing to be led by the Holy Spirit. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit, or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is likened to being anointed with oil because being anointed with oil signified blessing and approval. We cannot effectively minister to others or be a godly example to others if we are not being led by the Holy Spirit. Have you ever heard the terms "anointed preaching" or "anointed teaching" used when someone delivers a message that feeds our souls or fills us with gratitude or reveals to us a message from the Lord? What we're saying is, "The Holy Spirit was in that message! It spoke to me." What we're saying is, "The Holy Spirit revived my spirit and renewed my energy." Or, "The Holy Spirit revealed to me something I needed to repent of." Or, "The Lord answered my question about which path to take." When these priests undergo the anointing with this special oil, they are promising to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit. They are saying they will go about their duties at the tabernacle in the right spirit. They are making up their minds to minister to the people of Israel in the right spirit. Later, when the Scriptures begin to be written down, they are to study God's word in a listening, expectant attitude so the Holy Spirit.

We can follow these men's example by reverently and humbly inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to us anytime we pray or study God's word. That's how King David studied the word of God, for we find him praying this prayer: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law." (Psalm 119:18)