The holy anointing oil described in 30:23-30 is a compound ointment. In the Scriptures the Spirit of God is first typified by oil. This oil is one element, one entity, without any compounding, mingling, or blending. But in Exodus 30 the oil is compounded with four kinds of spices: myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, and cassia. These four spices, precious and fragrant, were blended, mingled, compounded, with the oil. As a result, the oil becomes a compound ointment.
According to the Bible, these spices have much to do with the Lord Jesus. Both at His birth and at His burial, myrrh was used by those who gave honor to Him. In the Song of Songs certain spices have a spiritual significance either with respect to the Lord Himself or to the one seeking Him.
The record concerning the compound ointment in Exodus 30 is extremely significant. The Lord’s charge to Moses to make the compound ointment is very important. This charge was given after both the tabernacle with all its furniture and utensils and the priesthood had been revealed. This means that before the description of the ointment we have two entities. The first is the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place; the second is the priesthood, God’s serving ones.
First Peter 2 speaks of both God’s dwelling place and the priesthood. According to this chapter, God desires two things. First, the Lord Jesus is the living stone. As those who come to Him, we also are living stones, being built up a spiritual house and into a holy priesthood. Here we have the spiritual house, God’s dwelling, and also the priesthood, a body of serving ones. Actually, these two entities, the spiritual house and the priesthood, are one entity in two aspects. On the one hand, we are God’s dwelling place; on the other hand, we are God’s priesthood. We are a house for God to dwell in, and we are the priesthood to serve God. God needs a dwelling place on earth for His expression. At the same time, He also needs a serving priesthood. God wants to express Himself, and He wants to be served. Therefore, He desires a spiritual house and a holy priesthood.
The revelation concerning the compound ointment was not given in chapter one of Exodus. It was not given even in chapter twenty-nine, but toward the end of chapter thirty, after God’s dwelling place and the priesthood had been revealed. This indicates that the compound ointment is solely for the purpose of anointing God’s dwelling place and His priesthood. According to 30:26-28, the ointment was used to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark, the table and its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and its utensils, and the laver and its base. Furthermore, verse 30 says, “And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and you shall sanctify them to serve as priests to Me.” These verses make it very clear that the compound ointment was strictly for the purpose of anointing the tabernacle and the priests.