The five hundred shekels of myrrh signify one unit of full responsibility. The number five in the Bible symbolizes responsibility. We may use the human hand as an illustration. On our hand we have four fingers and a thumb. Because of this, the hand can do many things and bear responsibility.
Five is composed of four plus one. Once again, the number four signifies the creature, and the number one signifies God. Therefore, the number five signifies God added to man to give us the ability to bear responsibility.
In the Bible there are clear illustrations of the fact that five is the number of responsibility. The Ten Commandments were written on two tablets, five on each tablet. Also, the ten virgins in Matthew 25 are divided into two groups, five in each. In the cases both of the commandments and of the virgins, the number five signifies responsibility. The five hundred shekels of myrrh is composed of one hundred times five, signifying one unit of full responsibility.
According to 30:23, the measurement of the cinnamon was “half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant calamus two hundred and fifty.” Two hundred fifty shekels signify a half unit of full responsibility. The two hundred fifty shekels of cinnamon and the two hundred fifty shekels of calamus together form one unit and signify that the Second of the divine Trinity was split through death. It is no accident that with the spices there are three complete units and that the middle unit is divided in half. This was written by God with the view of signifying how the Son of God would be cut on the cross.
Verse 24 says, “And of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin.” The five hundred shekels of cassia also signify one unit of full responsibility.
The three units of five hundred shekels each, in four spices, signify the Triune God in resurrection mingled with humanity to bear the full responsibility. I can testify that in the ministry of the Word the Triune God in resurrection mingles Himself with the speaker to bear the responsibility to minister the Word to His people.
The function of the holy anointing oil as a compound ointment is to sanctify the things of God and men of God, separating them from anything common and making them most holy for God’s service. According to 30:26-28, the anointing oil was used to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its base. Verse 30 says, “And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and you shall sanctify them to serve as priests to Me.” Whoever or whatever was anointed was sanctified, set apart. The ointment became a mark separating them from anything common.
Verse 29 says, “And you shall sanctify them, and they shall be most holy; whatever touches them shall be holy.” As soon as the anointing oil was applied to something, that thing became most holy. Furthermore, whoever touched it became holy.
Let us suppose that we paint a chair green with a paint that never dries. Anyone who touches this chair will get paint on him. We may say that we have been painted with a paint, a divine paint, that never dries. Anyone who touches us, therefore, should be affected by us. All Christians should be influential in this way; there should be something contagious about them. If you touch us, you should get painted. Sometimes others have said of me, “Don’t go to contact that man! If you have contact with him, you will be influenced by him.” It is my job as a minister of Christ to influence others. If I am not influential in this way, I am useless as a minister of the Word. A useful minister of the Word always has something contagious about him.