overcomer41

Feb 12, 202338 min read

Oil And The Trimming Of Lamps

Exodus 27:20-21 – See the note below. Notice the similarity between [3947] in verse 20, and [2983] below in Matthew 25:1-13 which refers to the wise and foolish virgins. It was a command/charge from God that the foolish virgins didn’t take seriously, much like Esau with his birthright (Hebrews 12:14-17). A lack of reverence for God will cause many in the church (all virgins) to be cast out into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (see the Bible study Outer Darkness). Presumption on the salvation of God (Psalm 19:13) while walking in apathy and unbelief, after turning to Him, results in a foolish virgin without oil (i.e. of the Holy Spirit) who will not be allowed entrance into the wedding feast of the Lamb.

20 "You shall charge [6680- “to command, to charge, to give orders”] the sons of Israel, that they bring [3947- “to take, to get, to seize, to lay hold of, to buy”] you clear [2134- “clean, pure”] oil of beaten [3795- “beaten out, pure, pounded fine, costly”] olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.

21 "In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order [6186]from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.

NASU

OT:6186 `arak (aw-rak')

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

a primitive root; to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications):

KJV - put (set) (the battleself,) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert [in war], furnish, handle, join [battle], ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value.

(Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)

1) to arrange, to set or to put or to lay in order, to set in array, to prepare, to order, to ordain, to handle, to furnish, to esteem, to equal, to direct, to compare

(Qal)

1) to arrange or to set or to lay in order, to arrange, to state in order, to set forth (a legal case), to set in

place

2) to compare, to be comparable

2) (Hiphil) to value, to tax

OT:6186

TO SET IN ORDER

`arak (aw-rak') [OT:6186] – “to arrange, set in order, compare.” While it occurs some 75 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, this root is also found in modern Hebrew, being connected with “editing” and “dictionary.” The word is first found in the Old Testament in Genesis 14:8: “...they joined battle [literally, “they arranged,” referring to opposing battle lines]....” It is used in this way many times in the record of the battles of Israel.

A common word in everyday life, `arak often refers to “arranging” a table (Isaiah 21:5; Ezekiel 23:41). The word is used several times in the Book of Job with reference to “arranging” or “setting” words “in order,” as in an argument or rebuttal (Job 32:14; 33:5; 37:19). In Job 13:18, Job declares: “Behold now, I have ordered my cause [literally, “I have set my judgment in order”]...." “To arrange in order” makes it possible “to compare” one thing with another. So, to show the superiority of God over the idols, the prophet asks: “To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?” (Isa. 40:18)

In this passage the Lord has been describing to Moses the requirements for the tabernacle in the wilderness (the same requirements are repeated in Leviticus 24:1-4). It was a portable sanctuary of the Lord where He would meet with His people on their journey to the Promised Land. In this portion He gives Moses specific instructions on what kind of oil the Israelites are to bring to him in order to keep the lamps burning continually, from evening to morning (see the Bible studies Alpha And Omega and Beginning And Ending With Passover). Not only what kind, but also whose responsibility it was to keep it, or “tend” to it (KJV/NKJV).

First of all we see that this wasn’t a negotiable option from the Lord. It was very specific. Pure oil, not impure or unclean oil, was to be obtained from “beaten olives.” Unclean oil will not burn cleanly. This is a picture of the source and type of oil that is necessary to keep the lamp of Christ within His children burning, continuously. As Jesus taught, He is the only source of “pure oil” that the wise virgins “purchased” ahead of time to keep their lamps lit. The foolish virgins had become lazy Christians that were co-dependent upon others for their oil.

Within the majority of the churches in America we have been enabling this type of Laodicean Christianity for years. The present system of “churchianity” that has become so prevalent within our nation, and that we have exported around the globe, supports the spoon feeding of the masses, keeping them in an immature state. As long as they continue to sit under the authority of tight-fisted taskmasters behind the pulpits who continue to control them, they will never grow up in Christ. It has now gotten to the point where you don’t even have to bring your Bible, it’s all on the big screen for you.

Beaten Olives

Per definition of the Hebrew, pure oil is costly oil. Purity can only be produced through joining the Lord in His sufferings. The gospel of suffering has, for the most part, disappeared from the American gospel. We now have a feel-good message that doesn’t want to offend anyone, and for sure that doesn’t want to mention what they think is a negative message for drawing the crowds. This is why the Lord is going to shut down the majority of churches. They have become the reason why so many have not entered in behind the veil with Jesus.

This costly oil (i.e. the Holy Spirit) can only be obtained, and maintained, through our intimacy with Jesus Christ. He took upon Himself the penalty for our sin. He paid the set price for our sin on the cross at Calvary. It was a “costly” price required by the Father to purchase the souls of mankind. Jesus was willingly bruised and beaten for us so that we could be declared “pure” in Him through repentance.

He is the only Way to obtain this precious and costly oil (John 14:6). His pure sacrifice is credited to all those who surrender their lives to him. The purchase for us is not with money, but rather the exchanged life. It is our life for His. The Holy Spirit, the holy oil, is granted to all who repent and make Jesus their Lord and Savior. As the foolish virgins learned, this is not a one-time event, but a daily discipline of intimacy with the Lord, so as to keep oil in our lamps.

Within the tabernacle design given to Moses by God were the holy place and the holy of holies or most holy place. The holy place represents the age we are in now. The priests had to refill the oil in the lamps that were in this place whenever necessary in order to keep the lamps. Their purpose was to bear light. The diligence of the priests in carrying out the command of the Lord is a picture for us today. We too have been given a charge from the Lord to “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.” (Luke 12:35/NASU) It’s a responsibility to work together with Him so as to not be walking in the darkness. Continued intimacy with the Lord is the only way to keep our light shining before men (Matthew 5:14-16). This continual need for the oil of the Holy Spirit in order to be “the light of the world” keeps us dependent upon Him, rather than ourselves or others.

In the holy of holies there was no natural light, nothing of the efforts of man. It was fully illumined by the glory of God (Rev. 22:5). This is our final destiny as Christians. All the wise virgins who stand firm to the end and do not fall away in apathy and unbelief (i.e. a foolish virgin) will be wholly illumined with no dark part in them (Luke 11:33-36; see the Bible study Wholly Illumined No Dark Part). This is the perfecting of the Body of Christ at the end of this age.

Tending The Lamps

Aaron and his sons (i.e. the priesthood of believers) were given the responsibility by the Lord to tend to the lamps (v.21), making sure there was oil in them so that they would not go out, but burn continuously. The Hebrew for “keep it in order” is `arak (aw-rak'). It’s defined as “to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order; to prepare, to furnish.” This is very similar to the definition of the Greek for “trimmed” in Matthew 25:7 below. It is our charge from the Lord, after hearing what the Spirit is saying to the church, to then do it, “for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.” (Romans 2:13/NASU; also see Matthew 7:21 and James 1:21-25)

Through all of this we can see that, like Aaron and his sons, it is our responsibility as “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6, 5:10), to keep the lamp of God within us lit continuously thru the daily discipline of remaining near the source of “pure oil,” Jesus Christ, thru obedience. Through this daily maintenance/co-dependence in Christ (i.e. Lordship), we continue to receive from Him the pure oil of the Holy Spirit to keep our lamps lit. The light of Christ is necessary so that we may not trip in the darkness, but instead see the Way in which we should go (Exodus 35:14, 39:37; “…and oil for the light”). Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12/NASU) David said to the Lord, “For You light my lamp; the Lord God illumines my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28/NASU) And again in Psalm 112:4, “Light arises in the darkness for the upright…”

We hide this light, allowing it to become darkness, when we drift away from devotion to Christ, thereby cutting off the source of oil necessary to keep His light burning within us for the world to see. (See the Bible study The Light Becoming Darkness for more on the dangers of our drifting from the Lord, thereby separating ourselves from the source of oil.)

Matthew 25:1-13 – See the note below.

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2 "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.

3 "For when the foolish took [2983] their lamps, they took [2983] no oil with them,

4 but the prudent took [2983- “to take, to seize, lay hold of; to procure (i.e. buy)”] oil in flasks along with their lamps.

5 "Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.

6 "But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out [1831- “to come out, or go out of, go forth, to escape from one’s power (John 10:39)”] to meet him.'

7 "Then all those virgins rose [1453- “to waken, to arouse from sleep, to raise up”] and trimmed [2885] their lamps.

8 "The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' [See 1 Samuel 3:1-3.]

9 "But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy [59- “to go to market, to purchase; specially, to redeem”] some for yourselves.'

10 "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

11 "Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.'

12 "But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.'

13 "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

NASU

NT:2885 kosmeo (kos-meh'-o)

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

from NT:2889; to put in proper order, i.e. decorate (literally or figuratively); specially, to snuff (a wick):

KJV - adorn, garnish, trim.

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

1. to put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare (Matthew 25:7)

2. to ornament, adorn

In this parable, Jesus describes the difference between a wise virgin and a foolish virgin in His kingdom. Which of the two define us depends upon whether or not we possess the oil necessary to keep our lamps burning. As we will see per the pattern of the tabernacle, the world doesn’t possess the lamp of God. It is within His sanctuary, His dwelling. Jesus said the ten virgins “took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” The world isn’t concerned with His coming again.

These ten virgins represent the various hearts of the followers of Christ. Some are more diligent in their walks with Him than others. Paul said to the Christians in Corinth; “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure [53- “clean; pure from defilement, not contaminated”] virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere [572- “singleness, simplicity, sincerity”] and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:2-3/NIV) A “pure virgin”is one whose devotion to Christ is “sincere and pure.” They are the wise virgins who, because of their devoted walks with Christ, continue to receive from Him the pure oil of the Spirit needed to keep their lamps burning cleanly (also see 1 Cor. 7:35). All virgins trimmed their lamps by the way. The difference appears to be that the foolish virgins was simply a religious duty minus sincere devotion to Christ.

When the foolish virgins’ lamps began to go out (see Proverbs 13:9), they asked the wise for some of what they possessed. They replied, “No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves” (see Rev. 3:18). The purchase of oil spoken of here is not with money (Isaiah 55:1, Rev. 21:6), as Simon the sorcerer learned (Acts 8:4-24), but rather through a surrendered life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As we continue in Him through daily submission, the oil of the Holy Spirit continues to flow. The exchange is in lives, ours for His. It’s all based on our relationship with the Lord, after turning to Him. Again, this parable is not about the lost and a Christian. All ten are Christians. The difference is found in their walks afterward. One, the foolish virgin, was disqualified for not disciplining themselves after receiving Christ (1 Cor. 9:24-27, Hebrews 10:26-31, 2 Peter 2:20-22).

In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we read of a widow whose husband, a son of the prophets, had died. Fearing that a creditor was going to come and take her two children to be his slaves, she cried out to Elisha the prophet. He told her to go to her neighbors and ask them for all the empty vessels she could gather. She then went inside her home, shut the door (which is Christ, the “entrance”), and started pouring what little she possessed into all the vessels. When all the vessels were full the oil stopped flowing. The spiritual picture in this is that the oil of the Holy Spirit will continue to flow until all of the Lord’s empty vessels, those who have entered into Him, have been filled (i.e. the “fullness/completion” Paul referred to in Romans 11:25). Our “emptiness” of spirit results in room for His fullness (see the Bible study No Room).

Trimming Lamps

The Greek for “trimmed” is kosmeo (kos-meh'-o) which is defined as “to put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare, to ornament, adorn.” A poorly trimmed wick creates a flame which is dim and smoky. From this we can see that the picture in type within the trimming of lamps is to prepare ourselves for what is coming, namely the wedding supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9). John states that it’s the Bride who makes herself “ready” by her “righteous acts” (Rev. 19:7-9). But as we just saw it isn’t just the trimming of the lamp, which helps it to burn brightly, as all the virgins did, but in the gaining of oil for light that allows us entrance into the wedding hall. Spiritually speaking it/He gives us eyes to see the Way in, who is Christ (John 14:6).

Jesus taught this very thing in John, chapter three. He told Nicodemus that “unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Water represents the cleansing of God that occurs when we repent. It was seen in the baptism of John which was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is the “trimming”of lamps that prepares the way of the Lord for what is next. When the people were wondering if John the Baptist was the Christ, he said to them, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Luke 3:16-17/NIV) His threshing floor is for the separation of the wise from the foolish virgins.

The second requirement of Jesus to enter into the kingdom of God is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and of fire. Every Christian must stand firm in devotion to the Lord until the end, through the fiery trials we will purposefully go thru, so as to be made ready by “water and the Spirit” to enter in and not be assigned a place with the unbelievers in a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 12:45-48; see the Bible studies Outer Darkness and Tongues).

“I do not know you.”

Many would say that this statement in the parable proves that Jesus is not talking to one of His followers. There are a couple of Scriptures that we need to look at that would seem to possibly imply something else.

In an earlier portion of Matthew, right after describing how you can tell the difference between a good tree and a bad tree per their fruits, Jesus describes the characteristics of a wise man (i.e. wise virgin) and a foolish man (i.e. foolish virgin). He says,

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

(Matthew 7:21-27/NIV)

The wise man is comparable to the wise virgin. They are the Christians who hear/read the will of God, and then do it. The foolish man is the foolish virgin who hears the word of God but does not put them into practice, thereby receiving the oil necessary at the end of this age to be allowed entrance into the wedding feast of the Lamb. They will fall away from the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1-15) because they heard but did not do. They practiced lawlessness instead of obedience to God.

But again, He said, “I never knew you.” Ezekiel gives us some clarity, I believe, on this. In Ezekiel, chapter eighteen we read;

“Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.”

(Ezekiel 18:23-24/NIV)

To continue in sin, without repentance, after turning to Christ is to have our righteous deeds forgotten by God (also see Ezekiel 33:13). It’s as if he never knew us. Like our deeds, there is no remembrance of us or our deeds/works. This is why it is so crucial to “do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:24-25). In this passage that we regularly use for communion services, Paul says that we need to examine ourselves. This is a regular reminder for us that we are in covenant with the Lord and need to take that seriously. When we eat of the bread and drink of the cup of the Lord we are eating and drinking judgment to ourselves. It is a revealing of our hearts before the Lord. To partake of this bread and drink in an “unworthy manner” is to be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. The Greek for “unworthy manner” is anaxios (an-ax-ee'-oce) which is defined as “irreverently; treating it as a common meal, the bread and cup as common things, not apprehending their solemn symbolic import.” To me it refers to breaking covenant with Him, like an unfaithful wife.

Paul said, “But if we judged [1252- “to separate, to decide, make a distinction”] ourselves, we would not come under judgment [2919- “to determine, to pronounce judgment”]. When we are judged [2919] by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned [2632- “to judge against, pass sentence upon, to condemn”] with the world.”(1 Cor. 11:31-32/NIV) This is how serious all this is. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul is saying that it is possible for those who partake of Christ in an unworthy manner (i.e. foolish virgin) to be “condemned with the world”! I have never heard a preacher talk about this during a communion service. Maybe that’s why we are now inundated with foolish virgins in the church. Their blood will be on the preacher’s hands.

One of the main reasons for the lack of concern in a Christian’s walk is the so-called “eternal security/once saved, always saved” doctrine that is promoted by so many church leaders. Through a false sense of security while walking in rebellion to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, seeing no need to repent since I can never lose my right to the inheritance like Esau who sold his birth-right for a fleshly appetite (Hebrews 12:15-17), it removes all fear of God and His judgments/discipline on His own people (Hebrews 10:26-31).

(The following passage is from the Bible study Many Are Called.)

Luke 13:22-28 – Jesus describes the “few” that are being saved, and the “many” who will seek to enter, but not be able. See the note below for more.

22 And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem.

23 And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few [3641] who are being saved?" And He said to them,

24 "Strive [75] to enter by the narrow door [see Matthew 7:13-14]; for many, I tell you, will seek [“to seek in order to find] to enter and will not be able.

25 "Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' [This is the same thing He said to the foolish virgins in Matthew 25:10-12; also in Matthew 7:23.]

26 "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets';

27 and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers [see the Bible study Evildoers In The House Of God].'

28 "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out.

(NAS)

75 agonizomai (ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee)

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

from 73; to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something):

KJV-- fight, labor fervently, strive.

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

1) to enter a contest: to contend in the gymnastic games

2) to contend with adversaries, to fight

3) metaphorically, to contend, to struggle with difficulties and dangers

4) to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something

Jesus warns His disciples in this passage in regards to the “few” who are being saved, and the “many” who will not be able to enter in. In fact, they, like the man in Matthew 22 who was cast out of the wedding feast for not having the appropriate clothing on, will be cast out of the kingdom of God. This means they were obviously in in order to be thrown out which once again disproves the “once saved always saved” doctrine of demons. They partook of Christ, eating and drinking “in His presence.” An unbeliever cannot partake of Him in this manner.

The Greek for “enter” is erchomai. It is defined as “to come from one place to another, to appear.” Metaphorically speaking it’s described as “to come into being, to arise (see the Bible study Bent Double), to come forth, to be established, to become known.” In verse 25-27 the Lord says to the “many” that are trying to enter, “I do not know where you are from.” I’ve heard people explain this by saying “See, He never knew them. They were never Christians in the first place.” As I began to break this down word by word, I believe the Spirit revealed something quite contrary.

The Greek is literally aligned as “not, know, you, from where, you are.” Strange sounding, I know, but let’s dig deeper. The Greek for “know” is eido. It is defined as “to see, to perceive by any of the senses, to pay attention to, to have regard for.” “From where” is derived from the Greek word pothen. When used of a place, it refers to “from where, from what condition.” It’s also used of origin or source, from what author or giver. I believe it’s as if the Lord is saying “I am not associated in any way with the place, or condition you now abide within. It’s outside of Me. You used to abide in My presence but have now drifted away. I have no relation in, or respect for the place you have chosen to reside. It’s not in Me, therefore, you and I no longer have intimacy. I am in no way united with the place you have chosen to be joined together with. It is separate from Me.”

Like the definition describes, they are not acknowledged by Christ because of their lack of acknowledgment of Him as their Lord. They lack the intimacy He desires with them. Their lack of paying attention to His ways will, in the end, cause them to be cast out from their place in Him. Like the unreasonable, immoral mob in Sodom that was struck with blindness (Genesis 19:11), they will desperately try “to seek in order to find” the door who is Christ, but will be unable to (see the Bible study The Homosexual Spirit).

As I wrote in the Bible study The Womb Of The Dawn in regards to Luke 13:22-28;

“The wrestling of Jacob with God and mankind is every Christian’s struggle. When questioned if only a few would be saved, Jesus responded “strive to enter by the narrow door” (see the section The Straight Way in the Bible study Bent Double). The Greek for strive is agonizomai. It means “to struggle, to contend with adversaries, to fight.” We are being warned by Jesus not to become lackadaisical in our following of Him. It is a struggle that we must not back off from in order to enter heaven. This theology of Jesus is much different from those today who say because Jesus did it all we don’t have to do anything. They claim the war is over which tells me they have been taken captive to do Satan’s will. Adherence to that kind of careless thinking, with no urgency to guard your heart in the fear of the Lord, will put you in hell.”

Water And Spirit

I have one more thought on the necessity of the possession of oil in order to enter into the presence of the Lord. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus one night and said;

“Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” (See the Bible study Emmanuel; God With Us.)

(John 3:2/NASU)

Jesus answered him, saying;

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

(John 3:3-5/NASU)

We are told that when John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness, he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (John 3:1) He declared a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3, Acts 19:4), preparing the way of the Lord. He told the people who came to him;

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

(Matthew 3:11/NIV)

One, baptism in water, prepares us for the next, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and with fire. Both are necessary in order to enter into the kingdom of God.

There is much confusion in the church as to what exactly the baptism of the Spirit is. Through his “doctrines of demons” as Paul referred to them, the devil, I believe, has offered an alternate way to keep God’s followers from receiving the real baptism. If you think you have received what you need in order to be saved, you will not seek anything else. (See the Bible study Tongues.)

We see the “water and Spirit” order of God in the baptism of Jesus;

“Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized [water], and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove [Spirit], and a voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.’” [See the Bible study Well Pleased.]

(Luke 3:21-22/NASU)

One of the definitions in the Greek for “bodily form” is corporeal. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines it as “Having a body; consisting of a material body.” See Genesis 8:6-12 for more on the dove sent by the Lord after the flood of the earth (i.e. “water” for cleansing). I see in this a reference to the corporate body of Christ receiving the Holy Spirit in a manifested manner for others to behold, like a dove.

It’s interesting to note what occurred when the dove was sent out by Noah to determine if the water had decreased from the earth after the flood, cleansing it from all wickedness. The first time he sent it out it found no “resting place for the sole of her foot,” returning back into the ark. The second time, after seven days, Noah sent the dove out again. This time it returned, toward evening which is of great symbolic significance (i.e. the end of the “day”), with a “freshly picked olive leaf” in her beak. By this sign, Noah knew that the water had subsided from the earth’s surface (Genesis 8:6-12).

In Exodus, chapter thirty, God gave Moses specific instructions for making the anointing oil. One of the key ingredients was olive oil (i.e. representing the oil of the Holy Spirit). The first sign that everything had been cleansed and made ready for Noah and his family to exit the ark was the sign of the olive leaf.

One more reference to Jesus being the Head of His body, and the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit, is found in John, chapter one. When John saw Jesus coming toward him to be baptized he said;

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”

(John 1:29-34/NIV)

Exodus 29 – God’s ordination process for consecration of the priesthood, so that they/we may minister before Him.

It included:

Verse 4 – Bringing the priests to the doorway (i.e. Christ in John 10:1-9) and washing them in “water” (John 3:5; also, look at the notes for Luke 13:22-28 in the Bible study Many Are Called in regards to entering in by “the narrow door.”)
Verse 5-6 – Putting on specific holy garments (Romans 13:12-14; Eph. 4:17-32, 6:11, 14; Col. 3:5-14; 1 Thess. 5:8; in Rev. 16:15 Jesus warns us to “stay awake” in order to keep our clothes)
Verse 7 – Pouring the anointing oil on their head (John 1:29-34; Ex. 29:4-7; “the Spirit” in John 3:5). It was not to be poured on their body/flesh (Ex. 30:32), which represents the fleshly nature. Jesus is the head of His body. The anointing oil of the Spirit can only come down through Him, His Holy Spirit, onto His body of believers.

In man’s ordination process, their anointing/authority is placed directly on the fleshly nature that has not yet been prepared per the proper order of God. Man’s way, per his order/process, ordains through “fleshly” ways and methods, without the true anointing of God. The result is a priesthood minus the anointing of God, and therefore His power. They have the blessing of man, but not God.

They haven’t been prepared by the Spirit and anointed through Christ alone, but have entered in through a different way into the fold of the sheep (John 10:1). They are hirelings who will not lay down their lives for the sheep when the wolf comes to destroy them. These are the hired clergy that now dominate the church in America. They do not have the power and authority of God to shew away the demonic birds of prey when they come against the covenant children of God (Genesis 15:11, Deuteronomy 28:26, Jeremiah 7:33, Ezekiel 34:1-5).

(The following passage is from the Bible study Tongues.)

Genesis 5:21-24 – See the note below.

21 Enoch [2585] lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.

22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.

24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took [3947] him.

NASU

OT:2585 Chanowk (khan-oke')

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

from OT:2596; initiated; Chanok, an antediluvian patriarch:

KJV - Enoch.

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

as a proper noun, masculine:

Enoch = "dedicated"

1) the oldest son of Cain

2) a son of Jared and father of Methuselah whom God took home to heaven without dying

as a proper noun, location:

3) the city which Cain built and named after himself; as a proper noun, masculine: Hanoch = "dedicated"

4) a son of Midian, the third child

5) the oldest son of Reuben

Enoch’s name means “initiated” or “dedicated.” The witness of God is that he walked with Him, which means his life was one of dedication toward God (see 2 Cor. 11:2-3). Because of his earnest seeking of Him, it is written that He pleased God and was taken by Him. He did not die but was translated from here into His presence. The Hebrew for “took” in verse 24 is laqach (law-kakh'), [3947]. It’s defined as;

“to take, receive, take away… Primarily this word means “to take, grasp, take hold of,” as when Noah reached out and “took hold of” the dove to bring it back into the ark (Genesis 8:9). A secondary meaning is “to take away, remove, take to oneself,”… Of special interest is the use of the verb in the absolute sense: God “took away” Enoch so that he was not found on earth (Genesis 5:24). This meaning of receiving one into heaven to Himself seems to be the force of Psalm 73:24 and perhaps of Psalm 49:15.”

The Brown, Driver and Briggs Hebrew Lexicon describes laqach in numerous ways; “to take, to get, to fetch, to lay hold of, to seize, to receive, to acquire, buy, to bring, to marry, to take a wife, to snatch, to take away.” Two of these definitions stood out to me. The first was “to snatch, to take away.” As I stated in regards to Hebrew 11:5-6 above, Enoch is a picture of those at the end of this age whose walk with God is pleasing to Him and will not die. They will be translated/transformed into the image of God in the first gathering of God’s people (again, see the Bible study Elul; The Season Of Preparation And The 40 Days Of Favor for much more on this subject; also see the study Spiritual Metamorphosis).

The second definition to grab my attention was “to marry, to take a wife.” The word is used in the story of the unnamed servant who was sent out by Abraham searching for a bride for his son, Isaac (Genesis 24). It’s an incredible picture of the Father sending out His trusted (i.e. dedicated) servants looking for a Bride for His Son, Jesus Christ. The story begins, saying;

“Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, ‘Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take [3947] a wife for my son Isaac.’”

(Genesis 24:2-4/NASU)

So again, Enoch is a type of the wise virgin who is prepared and dressed in readiness. [Her lamp is filled with the oil of gladness.] They are the devoted Bride of Christ who will not die but will be joyfully “snatched away” by Him when He returns. (See the Bible study Swept Away Or Snatched Away.)

To be dedicated to the Lord is to be consecrated, or set apart unto Him. It is to be wholly dedicated to Christ as a bride is to her husband. We are commanded to sanctify, or set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts (1 Peter 3:15). Those of His children who listen and obey will be rewarded in like manner as Enoch was. They will be translated into the very presence of the Lord God Almighty. (See the Bible studies Glorified and Consecrated.)

Exodus 27:20-21 – See the note below.

20 "You shall charge [6680- “to command, to order, to commission”] the sons of Israel, that they bring [3947] you clear [2134- “pure, i.e. unmixed, free from foreign substances; clean, righteous”] oil of beaten [3795- “beaten out, pure, pounded fine, costly”] olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.

NASU

OT:6186 `arak (aw-rak')

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

a primitive root; to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications):

(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)

1) to arrange, to set or to put or to lay in order, to set in array, to prepare, to order, to ordain, to handle, to

furnish, to esteem, to equal, to direct, to compare [see the note in red below from Vine’s]

(Qal)

1) to arrange or to set or to lay in order, to arrange, to state in order, to set forth (a legal case), to

set in place

2) to compare, to be comparable

2) (Hiphil) to value, to tax

OT:6186

TO SET IN ORDER

A common word in everyday life, `arak often refers to “arranging” a table (Isaiah 21:5; Ezekiel 23:41). The word is used several times in the Book of Job with reference to “arranging” or “setting” words “in order,” as in an argument or rebuttal (Job 32:14; 33:5; 37:19). In Job 13:18, Job declares: “Behold now, I have ordered my cause [literally, “I have set my judgment in order”]....” “To arrange in order” makes it possible “to compare” one thing with another. So, to show the superiority of God over the idols, the prophet asks: "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?" Isa 40:18.

This passage in Exodus describes the Lord’s charge/command to Moses concerning what type of oil the Israelites were to bring him in order to keep the lamp of God burning continually. By the way, the Hebrew for “bring” is the same Hebrew interpreted “took” in Genesis 5:24 above which refers to Enoch being taken up by God.

Notice first that it was to be “clear oil of beaten olives.” By definition of the Hebrew word, “clear” olive oil is “pure, i.e. unmixed, free from foreign substances.” It’s also defined as “clean, righteous.” All this speaks of a walk of purity, unmixed with the world, before the Lord.

In an article entitled “Can I Use Olive Oil In An Oil Lamp?” they make the following statement;

“Olive oil is definitely the best option for oil lamps, primarily because it does not produce smoke [or soot] while burning. Since it is a 99 percent pure renewable fuel, it will not produce smoke or odor. The same cannot be said of other vegetable oils such as canola or corn oil.”

From this you can understand why the Lord used olive oil as an example for us. It all goes back to a picture of purity before the Lord. Besides not allowing the light to burn as brightly as it could, smoke from either a poorly trimmed wick or an impure oil mixture will make it difficult to see.

An unmixed heart is one that is devoted to Christ, remaining near Him through obedient submission to His lordship over them. This person will keep receiving the oil of the Spirit that will keep His lamp burning within them no matter how dark or difficult it becomes. The light of God will not go out in them but will shine brightly to a world living in ever-increasing darkness. Jesus said that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). It is His light, though, not ours (John 8:12, 9:5). So if the world cannot see Jesus it is because of the disobedient hearts of His people that are hiding His light.

There was a time in Israel when the priesthood under Eli and his sons had become corrupt;

“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, ‘Here I am.’”

(1 Samuel 3:1-4/NASU)

Eli’s dim eyesight is a picture of a blind spiritual leader whose inner lamp is barely shining, if at all. As stated earlier, a poorly trimmed wick creates a flame which is dim and smoky, thereby making it hard to see. Having once been given eyes to see and ears to hear, rebellion in a Christian’s walk dulls both.

As dim as it was, the lamp of God had not yet gone out. God was in the process of raising up a new caretaker of His lamp. Samuel is a picture of the up and coming prophets of the Lord who are not in their “place,” like Eli, but in the temple of God, dwelling near to the light of God, Jesus Christ. It’s the place where the ark of His Presence is. Like Samuel the Lord will be with them and let none of their words fail, confirming them as His true prophet (1 Samuel 3:19-20). Their light will shine brightly, allowing all to see Jesus.

Luke 11:33-36 – See the note below.

33 "No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar [2926- “a hidden place, covered way, vault”] nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.

34 "The eye [3788- “sight, vision”] is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear [573- “simple, single”], your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

35 "Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. [See the Bible study The Light Becoming Darkness]

36 "If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part [see the note below for Rev. 2:1-5] in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." [See the Bible study Wholly Illumined No Dark Part]

NASU

The lampstand was a raised place to put your lamp on (see more in the section “The Lampstand” below). It represents a place where Christ is lifted up for all to see, an elevated place in Him. If after being placed on this high ground, the lamp isn’t shining out from us because of rebellion against His lordship over us, then it is in danger of being overcome by the darkness. Jesus said that we are the light of the world that is to shine for those who are living in darkness to see the Way of salvation in Him. It’s only as we remain near Him with a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:5), one without hypocrisy, that the oil of the Holy Spirit will continue to flow from above within us, lighting our lamp for all to see and give glory to God (Matthew 5:16).

Jesus said the eye is the lamp. I believe it has to do with what we are focusing on, on that which has our attention, our devotion. By definition of the Greek interpreted as “clear,” it has to do with singleness of mind, or heart (see Colossians 3:1-4 below). Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). To be wholly devoted to the Lord will result in our being wholly illumined in Him (see Revelation 22:1-5 below).

In the Old Testament we read that prophets at one time were called “seers.” They are the eyes of the Body of Christ. Many in the church say that prophets are not for today. That, then, would create a body that is blind and cannot see clearly.

The eye is for sight, or vision. If you remember, in 1 Samuel 3:1-4 above it says that “visions were infrequent.” That’s because the “eyes” of the Body had become dulled through spiritual neglect and rebellion. In 1 Samuel 4:15 we read that Eli’s “eyes were set so that he could not see.” The Hebrew for “set” is defined as “fixed.” unfortunately Eli, the spiritual leader, had become fixed on something other than the Lord, causing him to become dull in spirit. The author of Hebrews says “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” (Hebrews 12:2)

Paul said to the church in Corinth;

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

(2 Corinthians 4:16-18/NIV)

Eli’s blindness/dullness of heart is a picture of the majority of the church leadership today. The discipline of the Lord on His people will remove these “dark parts” within His body of believers in order for His glory to be fully revealed. The Body of Christ will be full of light, becoming “wholly illumined” by the glory of God (see Colossians 3:1-4 below). We must remain “focused” on the Lord in order to be prepared and alert for His return.

The Lampstand; An Elevated Place In Him

Colossians 2:9-12 – Paul refers to our being “raised up” with Christ through faith

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up [4891- “to rouse (from death) in company with, to raise together, to cause to rise together”] with Him through faith in the working [1753- “efficiency (energy), used of the power of God”] of God, who raised Him from the dead.

NASU

Colossians 3:1-4 – This is the singleness of heart I referred to above. It is to “keep seeking the things above, where Christ is.” We read earlier that Eli’s eyes had become “set so that he could not see” (1 Samuel 4:15). This is the New Testament answer to having eyes that can see, and continue to see. As we “keep seeking” things above, focused on the things of Christ, we will continue to see with clarity that which is of the Lord. Our body will then be filled with His light, revealing Him to the world through us, bringing glory to His name.

1 Therefore if you have been raised up [4891] with Christ, keep seeking [2212] the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

NASU

NT:2212 zeteo (dzay-teh'-o)

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

of uncertain affinity; to seek (literally or figuratively); specially, (by Hebraism) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life):

KJV - be (go) about, desire, endeavor, enquire (for), require, (X will) seek (after, for, means). Compare NT:4441

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

to seek,

1. to seek in order to find

a. universally and absolutely (Matthew 7:7)

b. to seek (i. e. in order to find out) by thinking, meditating, reasoning; to inquire into (John 16:19)

c. to seek after, seek for, aim at, strive after (Matthew 26:16; Luke 22:6)

2. to seek i. e. require, demand (Mark 8:12)

Ephesians 2:1-7 – Paul again emphasizes our being raised up with Christ.

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6 and raised us up [4891] with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

NASU

Revelation 2:1-5 – See the note below.

1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

4 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

5 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen [4098- “used of descent from a higher place to a lower”], and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place [5117] — unless you repent.

NT:5117 topos (top'-os)

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

apparently a primary word; a spot (general in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas NT:5561 is a large but participle locality), i.e. location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); figuratively, condition, opportunity; specifically, a scabbard:

KJV - coast, license, place, plain, quarter, rock, room, where.

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

place

1. properly, any portion of space marked off, as it were, from surrounding, space

a. an inhabited place, as a city, village, district (Luke 4:37)

b. a place (passage) in a book (Luke 4:17)

2. metaphorically,

a. the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly (1 Cor. 14:16)

b. opportunity, power, occasion for acting (Acts 25:16)

In the Lord’s message to the church in Ephesus, He gives them a very strong warning regarding their “lampstand.” He said that if they did not remember from where they had fallen, and repent and do the deeds they did at first, that He would come to them and “remove your lampstand out of its place.” Jesus had already told John that the seven lampstands he saw in the beginning of his revelation were the seven churches (Rev. 1:20). By definition of the original language, He is saying that if they do not repent they will be cast down “from a higher place to a lower place.” Currently, this is the “place” of the majority of the churches in America which is why the darkness has, for the moment, overtaken us. We are in the great falling away from the Lord that Paul wrote about in his letter to the church in Thessalonica (2 Thess. 2:1-12). The Lord has been crying out for years to the churches in our nation to repent. We have not done so and have therefore had many of our lampstands removed from their “place” in Him. Without the Lord’s light shining through them, they have no influence, no guidance or impact on a world living in darkness.

After partaking of His last Passover meal on earth with His disciples, Jesus poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciple’s feet. When He came to Peter he said to Him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus responded, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (John 13:7-8). The Greek for “part” is meros (mer'-os) which means “a division or share, part, portion, lot or destiny.” This same word was in Luke 11:36 above; “If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part [meros] in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.” It is the washing through repentance that will keep our lampstand in place at His coming. (Regarding the washing of water for purification from uncleanness on the “third and seventh day,” see the Bible study Touching The Unclean which is taken from the Bible study The Fall Feasts.)

This same Greek word is seen in the last four verses of the Bible;

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part [meros] from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:18-21/NASU)

May we all heed this final warning from the Lord regarding adding to and taking away from His words, the “living and active” word that is used to cleanse His Body from all filthiness (Ephesians 6:24). David declared;

“How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

(Psalm 119:103-105/NASU)

The word of the Lord has not been taken as seriously as it should have within most in the church because most ministers do not believe, per their doctrines, that they could lose their “part” in Christ. Our destiny in Christ, after turning to Him(Hebrews 10:26-31), will be kept in place, or removed, per our response to these final words. As the return of Christ draws near, may the fear of the Lord keep us near Him with an obedient heart so as to be a people made ready with eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church, one last time. (See my book 911; God’s Last Offer To The Church.)

Wholly Illumined By God

Revelation 22:1-5 – This is the final destiny of the Body of Christ, when we will have fully gained the glory of God and are wholly illumined in His glorious light with no darkness in our midst. This is the final resting place when the Lord will inhabit us forever! (See the Bible study Wholly Illumined No Dark Part.)

1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; [see the Bible study The Place Of God’s Throne And Of The Soles Of His Feet]

4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine [5461] them; and they will reign forever and ever.

NASU

NT:5461 photizo (fo-tid'-zo)

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

from NT:5457; to shed rays, i.e. to shine or (transitively) to brighten up (literally or figuratively):

KJV - enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see.

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

1. intransitive, to give light, to shine (Rev. 22:5)

2. transitive,

a. properly, to enlighten, light up, illumine: tina (Luke 11:36)

b. to bring to light, render evident (1 Cor. 4:5)

c. by a use only Biblical and ecclesiastical, to enlighten spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge: tina

(John 1:9)

Oil And The Trimming Of Lamps

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