Exo 27:20-21 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
Sometimes I wonder if I am completely insane, because of all the crazy stuff I see in Scripture. Do you see the parable of the talents in this passage? The gifts of the Spirit? Homeschooling? Mentoring and apprenticeship? I see all of those things, and I wonder if I’m hallucinating.
There are several different metaphors in those two verses. The beaten oil is deliberate refinement in the Holy Spirit. The location outside the veil in the Tent of Meeting implies a process that takes place within the family or community in the presense of God (behind the veil) and his Law (in the Ark) and under the light of his Spirit (the Menorah). Aaron and his sons represent family and community leaders, especially spiritual leaders. Finally, tending the oil is encouraging spiritual development through teaching and leading. All of that gives a picture of the role God intends for every person to take in relationship to the next generation and to those under their authority.
Yeshua told a story of a man with three servants. The servants who put their master’s resources to work for profit were rewarded. The servant who buried his master’s gold so that it wouldn’t be lost was stripped of what little he had and thrown out of the master’s house. God asked the Israelites for freewill offerings of precious metals, gemstones, and fabrics, but he commanded them to bring the oil, and commanded the priests to maintain the oil in the Menorah. He gave them only two options: produce the oil or be thrown out of the camp.
God has given everyone resources which they can employ in his service. We all have a gift, a calling, a special skill that can be made available to the Spirit. Paul listed some of those gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, but he did not intend for us to take that list as comprehensive. I firmly believe that teaching and prophecy should be included, as well as musical talent, mechanical aptitude, writing, and every kind of artistry and craftsmanship. With the right refinement, all of those things can be fuel for God’s Light in the world.
Like its organic counterpart, this fuel doesn’t come straight off the trees, ready to use. It must be harvested, pressed, and refined. Nor does it suffice to pour it into any lamp or onto just any fire. It must be channeled into the right reservoirs and tended by God’s appointed authorities. Parents, first of all, and then pastors, educators, priests, and people of all kinds of skill and talent are to instruct their successors in serving God and using their spiritual gifts to the profit of God’s kingdom. Men with special skill in the engineering of homes and office buildings must mentor apprentices into building to God’s glory.
Also like olive oil, it is counter-productive to isolate a single ingredient. Each person is a complex interaction of flaws and talents, and we need to seek a balance. While one of us might have a more beautiful voice than others, that isn’t a license to ignore character development in favor of breathing exercises. Olive oil is valued for its scent, flavor, color, and combustibility. It isn’t enough to achieve maximum caloric output. It must be an attractive, multi-dimensional output that allows God’s character to show through us.
As the keepers of God’s orchard–and we are all keepers and trees–he will hold us responsible for how we managed his oil. Are you a talented musician who can play any instrument he touches? Then use your talents to encourage other musicians to use their talents for God’s glory. Are you a leader who can take the full measure of a man in minutes? Then identify the potential leaders around you and mentor them into righteous, productive leadership of God’s people. You are the priests in the tabernacle of your family and community. You are the people supplying the oil for the Menorah. God has not asked for volunteers. He has commanded every single one of us to produce or be cut off.
Update 02/13/2008: One clarification. You are commanded to develop and use your spiritual gifts for the Kingdom. The Cohanim (priests) are commanded to coordinate and encourage your gifts. That you are responsible for teaching and fostering those gifts in others is an implication, but not necessarily a command.
Update 02/17/2008: So I’m not completely insane. The sermon at church yesterday was strikingly similar to what I posted here. It was based on Exodus 28:33-35 and John 21:15-17, and it emphasized teaching and living Torah, but the general idea was the same.
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