“Command the people of Israel to bring you PURE OIL from BEATEN OLIVES for the lamp, that a light may be kept BURNING REGULARLY.” (Lev. 24:2)
I remember shortly after we moved to Tennessee we visited an are called “The Lost Sea” America’s largest underground lake and Registered National Landmark located in Sweetwater, Tennessee. We went into a large area and the guide had us turn off our flashlights, I had never experienced such extreme darkness. He light a match and it was amazing how much light came from it.
That is why God talked about MAKING PURE OLIVE OIL. Pure olive oil is does not produce smoke or soot, it burns cleanly. It doesn’t spread toxic hydro-carbons into the air. “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you PURE BEATEN OLIVE OIL FOR THE LIGHT, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.” (Exo. 27:20)
Olive oil was not just beaten. The word in the Hebrew is katith to “break into pieces”. The first oil to be extracted from the olive does not come from pressing the olives, but BREAKING, CUTTING or TEARING them into pieces. Why is this so important to us? “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and 1CONTRITE HEART…” (Psa. 51:17) 1dakah: to be crushed, or broken. This means we need to get “me” out and get “God” in! There is no room for me in a God centered life, I’ll just get in the way. This is a “CONTRITE HEART” a “SACRIFICE OF GOD” the less of me the BRIGHTER the light. We are to, “TRUST in the LORD with ALL your heart, And LEAN NOT on your own understanding; In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, And He SHALL direct your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6)
-Bill Stockham