Oil, Beaten for the Light: A Message
The Price
To all the brethren who dwell in "The Light";
As I lay in bed today recovering from surgery, (the sixth in 3 years), the Lord greatly encouraged me. I was reading in Scripture about light.
Jesus is, of course, the light of the world. We are the lesser lights, and our wonderful Father is, "the Father of lights". If we walk in him we walk in the shadow of his light. We dwell in that place of mercy. It is from there that he speaks to us, in the shelter of the overshadowing wings.
I want to pass on these thoughts in the hope that others are comforted with the same comfort that comforts me.
Amazing Grace sung by the late Al Green
Love
In the Holy Scriptures, the fist time the word, "love", is used, is when God commanded Abraham to offer up Issac. "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Genesis 22:2. What an unimaginable sacrifice
It is only in hindsight that we see the wonderful image of the Messiah that should come. The image of the firstborn, the only begotten Son of God, that was to be offered for our sins. This testimony of faith will stand throughout eternity.
Seeing this example, and the examples of the other men and women of God whose testimonies have been recorded in eternity; should we really be surprised with trial or tribulation? If our pray has been to be used of God; Do not we bear his image? Is it not proof of His own DNA in us? There is none that is loved above the Son, yet it "pleased the Lord to bruise him". Remember, we walk in the shadow of the most high. Part of that shadow is the shadow of the cross. The darkness is where the lesser lights shine brightest.
Olive Oil Press
The Old Rugged Cross - A favorite hymn - sung by Jane Murray
The Oil
"Oil beaten for the light" This phrase is often repeated throughout the five books of Moses.
The Lord could have told Moses to just take olive oil and use it to light the lamps, but He did not. He reiterated over and over, that the oil was to be "beaten for the light". This detail is expressed repeatedly, regarding the oil to be used for Gods candlestick.
The whole process of extracting oil from the olive is arduous. They are put into porous sacks and beaten in order to extract the oil, sometimes ground and then put in bags with heavy stones placed on top of them. Perhaps you can relate to that feeling.
The process yields the the wonderful oil that when lit, with the fire of God, reveals the Word, to us and to the world. It is from this seed that Christ is born in the hearts of men. That is the goal, is it not? To bear him much fruit.
The Answer
I don't know what your burdens are. I do know this - Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Father; He is
your answer. If you have been on a walk through a dry and parched land,
and you have reached a spring and found it too bitter to drink, Jesus
is the answer. The cross at Calvary is the tree that can make the
bitter waters sweet. It is his Spirit that will give us strength as we
hoist the Ark upon our shoulders and bear with honor the burden of the priesthood; even his image upon this earth.
Yours in Christ, Brother Tom A
Moses with tree that makes the bitter waters sweet
Psalm 103: 1-5
"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Comments
Wonderful.
- AUTHOR
Thank you so much AEvans, I truly appreciate the uplifting words. I have not written much in quite a while. Hopefully, I will be writing again soon.
Tom
Here after months I have fallen upon a beautiful hub that was well written and now was the time for me to read it. God was working his words through you, I hope that continue to write words of encouragement as this World darkens we need uplifting words and you write them. :)
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Paper Wolf! That is very enlightening, (no pun intended).
An interesting note: The Rabbi sages recognized that there are many grades of olive oil. The highest grade is called alpha lashemen. This olive oil produced by crushing the olives (according to the sages, when the olives are still on the tree) was then to be used for lighting the menorah in the Temple. The Hebrew term they used actually means a luminary—a source of light—like the sun and the moon, which were described as luminaries in the account of creation. What this implies is that the highest grade of olive oil is actually a source of light in itself. This is higher than if the oil would only have been used in order to produce light. The idea being that the olives crushed this way were not crushed for the oil, but for the light they contained. One can arrive at many parables of Christian life based on this I believe. Enjoyed your hub!
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Putz.
Great hub and spiritual truths
Very encouraging.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Eddie.
I treasure your prayers.
Tom
Tom,
Thank you so much for a beautiful hub.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
I will keep you in prayer. ~ eddie
- AUTHOR
His daughter and einron,
Thank you for your comments. Truly what we go through is nothing compared to the price Christ paid. Nevertheless, it is comforting to remember when we are in the valley that our Savior was here first.
talford
Thank you for writing the hub about the oil press. Every Christian must undergo fiery trials just as Christ paid for His death on the cross. His price was exceptionally high and the price we pay cannot be compared to His price. May God strengthen us so we can come through still believing in Him. God bless.
I like what you said about the oil. To get the oil, it has to go through a press (great pressure). Jesus Himself went through that press in Gethsemane. The word Gethsemane means "oil press." He pressed through and won His battle there. What an example for each of us.
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