These instructions concern the clear olive oil that the priests were to prepare for and use in the tabernacle lamps. They form a transition from an emphasis on the tabernacle furnishings to the priests' ministry that follows.
The priests had to trim and refill the lamps on the lampstand in the holy place every evening. There was light in the holy place all night (cf. Lev. 24:3; 1 Sam. 3:3).
"Oil . . . is clearly a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Scripture."470
"It was a favourite saying of [Robert Murray] M'Cheyne when discussing the method of pulpit preparation, that only beaten oil might be used in the sanctuary, intimating that careful preparation was required for all material presented for the consideration of our hearers. It is not a light thing to speak to men for God, and none of us should essay the holy task apart from very careful preparation; but when we have done our utmost in this, we must depend on the kindling of the Divine fire. Ours is the beaten oil at the best, but what is that, unless the High Priest Himself shall cause the lamp to burn?"471
The Spirit would, on the one hand, be a perpetual source of light for them. On the other hand, He would also empower God's people to be a perpetual light to the nations.
