Exodus 30:22-38 NKJV 22 Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Also take for yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, 24 five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. 25 And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; 27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. 30 And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.
31 “And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on man’s flesh; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.’ ”
34 And the Lord said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. 35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. 37 But as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition. It shall be to you holy for the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”
In today’s reading God gives Moses specific instructions about the anointing oil – where it was to be used and who was and was not to use it. This anointing oil was holy simply because God declared this kind of mixture and preparation holy and forbade for all time, on pain of death, not only the use of ointment so prepared for any ordinary anointings, but even an imitation of it. “It shall not be poured on man’s flesh.” It is not to be used for the ordinary practice of anointing the human body. This oil was to be poured upon the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony, all the utensils and appointments on and around the altar, and upon the priests, Aaron and his sons. This anointing serves to set aside for sacred use all the things and people upon which it is poured.
The specific incense was not to be used or burnt for any other purpose than for the priests; in this case, Aaron and his sons, the first of the Old Testament priests, in essence, the model and beginning of the Office of the Holy Ministry. Only those whom God chose were to serve as His priests and ministers. If only general Christianity today would adhere to this model and teaching.
Many “Christian” denominations today have no problem allowing a woman to play pastor. This, however, directly defies God’s clear Word, specifically given through St. Paul when he wrote by inspiration of the holy Spirit these words: “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man” (I Tim 2:12). There are many other specific biblical citations that speak to the Office of the Ministry as being only for some men. Just because someone – a woman – may be able to preach doesn’t mean it has been given to women to preach.
God’s Church today must honor and obey God in respect to the Holy Ministry, lest those who defy it come under eternal judgment and God’s people be led astray. Let us thank God and pray for His ministers, the men whom He has called and placed in His Church to preach the Gospel rightly and administer the Sacraments according to Christ’s institution.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, keep Your Church faithful to You and Your Word alone. Amen.