Let’s now consider the “Holy anointing oil” spices in detail. We must note the quantity of each of the spices.

“Take thou also unto thee finest spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of fragrant calamus two hundred and fifty shekels” (Exodus 30:23)

Note carefully that the quantity of the first spice, myrrh, is five hundred (500) shekels. Now note the quantity of the second and third spices, cinnamon and calamus, is only two hundred and fifty (250) shekels each. Together, the cinnamon and the calamus would make one complete unit of five hundred shekels.

Like myrrh, the first spice, myrrh, the fourth spice, cassia, is in the quantity of five hundred shekels.

These three complete units of five hundred shekels signify the Triune God, and the One hin of olive oil signifies the unique One God who “is Spirit” (John 4:24). Hence, in this compound we see the three in one.

But, the second of the three complete units of five hundred shekels was split in two. This points to the fact that the Son, the second of the Godhead, was split on the cross. The splitting of the second unit of five hundred shekels thus implies; the death of Christ / and His resurrection.

The number “four” (four spices) indicates ‘Christ’s humanity.’ Jesus is God who is “3,” plus “1” for man. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh (man)” (John 1:1, 14). When “the Word became flesh,” the Triune God became involved with humanity. The Triune God was involved by the person of “the Son of Man,” Jesus. At a certain time, Christ, the second of the Trinity, was crucified, split, put to death as noted by the “half so much” of the cinnamon and the calamus in the Holy Ointment.

Myrrh signifies the sweetness of the death of Christ. Cinnamon, differently, signifies the savour or aroma of the effectiveness of His death. The death of Christ is both sweet and effective. In this compound ointment, we see not only divinity and humanity, but also the sweet death of Christ and the effectiveness of the death of Christ. This means that when we receive this ointment within, it there is the effectiveness of Christ’s death in putting off the “Old Man” of the flesh.

Calamus is a type of reed that rises high, even shoots high, into the air out of muddy ground. It surely indicates the power of Christ’s resurrection, for Christ resurrected from the mud of death into the heavenly air as the Spirit. Jesus Christ is the real calamus.

Cassia signifies the flavor of the power or effectiveness of the Lord in resurrection. According to some lexicons, in ancient times cassia was used not only as a spice, but also to repel insects and snakes. Satan, the chief snake (Serpent), is repelled by the crucified and resurrected Christ who has freed mankind from their sins and the Sin-nature and judgment... if they receive Him by faith.  “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on (trust in) his name (Jesus means Savior):” (John 1:12)

Today Christ’s Spirit is seen as the Holy Anointing Oil that every believer possesses within them.

“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” (1 John 2:20)
“But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth IN you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (1 John 2:27)

By these spices, we see the fragrant odor of Christ’s work that pleased… God the Father.

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour (odor) of his knowledge by us in every place. ¹⁵ For we are unto God a sweet savour (odor) of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: ¹⁶ To the one we are the savour (odor) of death unto death; and to the other the savour (odor) of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

All these are elements that typify the sufferings of our Lord throughout His lifetime on earth in order to save us and give us His eternal “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2a).

Let’s now compare the Old Testament anointing with ours today. To anoint means to separate unto the Lord. The anointing ointment in the O.T. was for separation as sanctification. The anointing is by the sanctifying Spirit. Israel’s first High Priest, Aaron, foreshadowed Jesus, our Great High Priest. 

“he (Moses) poured some of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him...” (Lev. 8:12)

Leviticus 8 speaks being Aaron being anointed, and then chapter nine it refers to his service in offering of sacrifices. Before becoming king, David was also anointed by Samuel, and then he began to serve God according to the ministry which God had bestowed upon him (1 Sam. 16:12-13). This shows us very clearly that ministry follows the anointing. A person who has a ministry of God must have first received an anointing before God. This was true even of the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry to Israel. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me [Jesus], because He has anointed Me to announce the gospel to the poor… (Luke 4:18-19)

We can see from the Word that whoever was to be used of God must have received the anointing. One who has not received the anointing before God cannot genuinely serve or work for Him. The anointing by oil signified that the person belonged to God. When I say that this book belongs to me, I may affix a label with my name on it; when God says that a person belongs to Him, He anoints him. This kind of absolute belonging to the Lord was what constituted the primary requisite for the ministry. Anyone who had a ministry before God was separated or sanctified unto Jehovah. Only those separated to Jehovah can have the ministry; only they can participate in the service of God. Whenever consecration ceased, their work or service ceased. Whenever there is a change in consecration, there was be a change in the ministry. The failures of the Aaronic Priesthood caused men and women of faith to look to God for a better High Priest, and a better priesthood. It instructed the saints of old not to put their trust in men, but in God.

Today, however, during this grace dispensation, every grace believer has been “sealed with the Spirit,” and thus anointed and empowered to serve the Lord. Today, we all have a ministry.

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)