sin. It is not possible to do this unless they have blasphemed exactly as these Pharisees

did. This relates to one specific sin only, the one noted above. All other sin is forgivable,

as the Lord made clear.

So we see that our Saviour was consecrated by the Holy Spirit at the beginning of His

ministry to Israel. It is interesting and instructive to note how oil was used in the O.T. in

connection with the cleansing of the leper and his being received back into fellowship.

Leprosy was a type of sin and the leper represents all of us as we are in ourselves, for

"there is none righteous no, not one". "All have sinned and come short of the glory of

God" (Rom. 3: 10, 19, 23). Lev. 14: 10-42 should be read carefully. The priest had

to pour oil into his left hand and apply it to the leper's ear, the thumb of his right hand,

the great toe of his right foot, and then upon the blood of the trespass offering. What was

left was poured on the head.

Translated into spiritual terms we have the cleansing and sanctification of the entire

person by the Spirit's work which the oil typifies. The ear is no longer a vehicle for

receiving the things of the flesh and the world, but is now `swift to hear' the voice of

God, speaking through His Word. The hand is no longer to be used as an instrument of

wrong doing, but to be stretched forth in acts of righteousness and grace. The foot is no

longer to tread in the pathway of sin and folly, but to go in the way marked out by the

Lord and His will. Finally the whole man is to be dedicated to the Lord in the energy of

the Holy Spirit.

We should also note that the `oil' was put upon the `blood of the trespass offering'.

The work of the Holy Spirit rests upon the redemptive work wrought by the Saviour on

Calvary's cross and they go together. As sinners, we could know nothing of the truth

represented by the `oil' save on the ground of what is set forth by the `trespass offering'.

God's practical illustrations of truth are always accurate.

Not only did the `oil' symbolize consecration, but it served as the source of light in the

Tabernacle and Temple (cp. Exod. 25: 6) reminding us in a twofold way that the Holy

Spirit is the only source of spiritual light, for He alone can give the illumination and

understanding of the Word of God, enabling us in our turn to "shine as lights in the

world, holding forth the Word of life" (Phil. 2: 15, 16).

Further, one of the abiding gifts of the Spirit is joy.  In Psa. 45: 7 there is a

reference to the `oil of gladness' and Paul declares the `fruit of the Spirit is . . . . . joy'

(Gal. 5: 22). This is also one of the abiding and precious gifts of the Saviour which the

Spirit makes real to the believer who looks away from temporal things for lasting

satisfaction and rests upon the unchanging Word of God.

Such will be constantly full of the `oil of gladness' in spite of there being so much to

depress all around us.