Exodus 30:22-25; 37:29 Moreover the Lord spoke unto Moses, sayng,
23 Take thou also unto thee principal 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 cassia 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.
37:29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure
incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.
Each ingredient of the holy anointing oil represents a determining factor of the anointing of God upon our lives. At this time, though, we are only interested in one of the ingredients: the pure myrrh. It is interesting to note that myrrh is also related to death in the Scriptures. For example, Nicodemas brought myrrh for the body of Jesus before He was laid in the sepulchre (John 19:39-42).
There is a definite relationship between anointing and death. The more we die out to self the greater the anointing upon our lives. John the Baptist said it this way: He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30.
The only route to the partaking of His life is the death process to our self-life. For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him. II Timothy 2:11. The work of the cross in our lives gives the life of Jesus entrance into our being. It also enables His life to flow through us to others. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. II Corinthians 4:8-12.
There is another interesting truth revealed by the “pure myrrh” of the holy anointing oil. The term “pure myrrh” is literally “freely flowing myrrh” or “myrrh of freedom.” The shrub that produces myrrh is Balsamodendron Myrrha. It produces two kinds, and one is considered better than the other. Myrrh flows from the inferior one when incisions are made in its bark. But the one considered best exudes myrrh spontaneously.
We can relate to the dealings and disciplines of the Lord in two ways. We can allow the myrrh to flow freely and spontaneously, or we can have our bark cut. Jesus told us the correct way to approach the death process of the self-life. If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. Matthew 16:24-25.
We need to understand what the disciplines of the Lord produce in our lives. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18. When you really have a revelation of the glory that is being worked in you, your attitude toward the work of the cross changes significantly. Then we can respond in the way Jesus did. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2. The right hand of God is the place of authoritative ministry. It is the place of greatest anointing.
We can have a part in the Christ-ministry. We, too, can be set at the right hand of the throne of God, but that place of anointing is only for those who exude myrrh willingly and spontaneously. The free flowing myrrh is the principal ingredient for producing the holy anointing oil upon our lives.
Copyright © 2003 by Henry DuBose