Exodus 30 22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Take thou also unto thee princ.i.p.al spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24 And of ca.s.sia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest"s office.
31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto Me throughout your generations.
32 Upon man"s flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.
Once indeed the anointing with oil is mentioned in connection with sickness, but its place there was evidently as a religious ceremony and not as a remedy. In Mark 6:13 we read that the twelve "cast out many devils and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." Here the healing of the sick runs parallel with the casting out of devils: both the result of miraculous power. Such was the kind of mission which Jesus commanded His disciples when He sent them two and two: "He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Matthew 10:1). Thus it was the same power which permitted them either to cast out devils or to heal the sick.
But let us seek to discover what was symbolized by the anointing administered by the twelve.
In the Old Testament, oil was the symbol of the gift of the Holy Spirit: "The Spirit of the Lord G.o.d is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me" (Isaiah 61:1). It is said of the Lord Jesus in the New Testament: "G.o.d anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power" (Acts 10:38), and it is said of believers: "Ye have an unction [(anointing, ASV)] from the Holy One" (I John 2:20). Sometimes man feels the need of a visible sign, appealing to his senses, which may come to his aid to sustain his faith, and enable him to grasp the spiritual meaning. The anointing therefore should symbolize to the sick one the action of the Holy Spirit who gives the healing.
Do we then need the anointing as well as the prayer of faith? It is the Word of G.o.d which prescribes it, and it is in order to follow out its teachings that most of those who pray for healing receive the anointing; not that they regard it as indispensable, but to show that they are ready to submit to the Word of G.o.d in all things. In the last promise made by the Lord Jesus, He ordains the laying on of hands, not the anointing, to accompany the communication of healing virtue (Mark 16:18).
Mark 16 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
When Paul circ.u.mcised Timothy, and when he took upon himself a special vow, it was to prove that he had no objection to observing the inst.i.tutions of the Old Covenant so long as the liberty of the Gospel did not thereby suffer loss. In the same way, James, the head of the Church of Jerusalem, faithful in preserving as far as possible the inst.i.tutions of his fathers, continued the system of the Holy Spirit. And we also should regard it, not as a remedy, but as a pledge of the mighty virtue of the Holy Spirit, as a means of strengthening faith, a point of contact and of communion between the sick one and the members of the Church who are called to anoint him with oil.
"I am the Lord that healeth thee"
(Exodus 15:26).
CHAPTER x.x.xI.
FULL SALVATION OUR HIGH PRIVILEGE.
"Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine"
(Luke 15:31).
Please turn with me to the 15th chapter of Luke, and read the thirty-first verse: the father said, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."
Some time ago, when at Northfield, I was told by Mr. Moody that the best thing that he had heard at Keswick two years ago was this verse given by some parting minister as a closing or parting text and Mr. Moody said to himself, "Why did I not see that before?"
We may talk a great deal, and write a great deal, about the father"s love to the prodigal, but when we think of the way he treated the elder brother, it brings to our hearts a truer sense of the wonderful love of the father; therefore I want to speak on this verse.
I suppose there are not a few Christians here who have got "full salvation"; but perhaps more than half those present have not got it, and, if I were to ask you, "Have you got it?" you would probably say, "I don"t understand what you mean by it, what is it?" Well, the great object of our Convention is to bring you to see that full salvation is waiting for you now, that G.o.d wants you to experience it, and, if you feel you have not got it, we wish to show you how wrong it is to be without it, and then to show you how to come out of the wrong life into the right one here and now. Oh, may all who have not got the experience pray very humbly, "Oh, my Father, bring me into the full enjoyment of Thy full salvation."
First, then, the elder son, being ever with his father, had, if he liked, the privilege of two things: unceasing fellowship and unlimited partnership. But he was worse than the prodigal, for, although always at home, yet he had never known, nor enjoyed, nor understood the privileges that were his. All this fullness of fellowship had been waiting for and offered to him, but not received. While the prodigal was away from home in the far country, his elder brother was far from the enjoyment of home, while he was at home.
Unceasing Fellowship.
"Ever with me." An earthly father loves his child, and delights to make his child happy. "G.o.d is love" [1 John 4:8], and He delights to pour out His own nature to His people. So many people talk about G.o.d hiding His face; but there are only two things that ever caused G.o.d to do so, sin or unbelief. Nothing else can. It is the very nature of the sun to shine, and it cant help shining on and on. "G.o.d is love," and, speaking with all reverence, He cant help loving.
We see His goodness toward the unG.o.dly, and His compa.s.sion on the erring, but His fatherly love is manifested toward all His children.
"Ever with me"; but, you say, "Is it possible to be always happy and dwelling with G.o.d?"
Yes, certainly, and there are many Scripture promises as to this. Look at the Epistle to the Hebrews, where we read of boldness to enter within the veil; Hebrews 6 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; how often, too, does David speak of hiding "in the secret of His tabernacle," and dwelling "under the shadow of the Almighty."
Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.
91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
My message is that the Lord your G.o.d desires to have you living continually in the light of His countenance. Your business, your temper, your circ.u.mstances, of which you complain as hindering, are they stronger than G.o.d? If you come and ask G.o.d to shine in and upon you, you will see and prove that He can do it, and that you as a believer may walk all the day and every day in the light of His love. That is "full salvation."
"Ever" with Thee; I never knew it, Lord, and so I did not enjoy it, but I do now.
Unlimited Partnership.
"All I have is thine." The elder son complained of the father"s gracious reception of the prodigal, of all the feasting and rejoicing over his return, while to him had never been given a kid that he might make merry with his friends. The father, in the tenderness of his love, answers him, "Son, you were always in my house; you had only to ask and you would have got all you desired and required." And that is what our Father says to all His children. But you are saying, "I am so weak, I cannot conquer my sins, I cant manage to keep right, I cant do this and the other thing." No, but G.o.d can; and all the time He is saying to you: ""All that I have is thine;" for in Christ I have given it to you. All the Spirits power and wisdom, all the riches of Christ, all the love of the Father; there is nothing that I have but is thine; I as G.o.d am G.o.d, that I may love, keep, and bless thee." Thus G.o.d speaks, but it seems all a dream to some. Why are you so poor? G.o.d"s Word is sure, and does He not promise all this? See in John, chapters 14 to 16, how He tells us that we may have wonderful answers to prayer if we come in Jesus" Name and abide in Him. Do we really believe that it is possible for a Christian to live such a life?
John 14 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in G.o.d, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father"s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
7 If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.
8 Philip saith unto Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the Words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works" sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it.
15 If ye love Me, keep My Commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of Truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.
21 He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My Words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.
24 He that loveth Me not keepeth not My Sayings: and the Word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father"s which sent Me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pa.s.s, that, when it is come to pa.s.s, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me Commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
John 15 1 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman.
2 Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.
5 I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.
10 If ye keep My Commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father"s Commandments, and abide in His love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is My Commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the Word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My Saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for My Name"s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me.
22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
23 He that hateth Me hateth My Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father.
25 But this cometh to pa.s.s, that the Word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.
26 But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.
John 16 1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth G.o.d service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I go My way to Him that sent Me; and none of you asketh Me, Whither goest Thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.