The Oil Of Gladness

by F. McCormick | Category: The Glories And Excellencies Of Christ | Aug 1958

From whatever angle, and in whatever circumstances we may view our great Redeemer, we may see fresh beauties and radiations of His glory. There is nothing that He has done, or will yet do, that will not display something of the Divine glory which uniquely belongs to Himself, and in which also are manifestations of the Godhead. We have before briefly made reference to God's riches in glory in Christ Jesus and it is a soul-satisfying thought that God has found in Him that which satisfies the deep longings of His own heart for all eternity. There is no requirement of God's holy throne that has not found its perfect answer in the perfect life and Cross-work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there is no longing in God's heart of infinite love that has not found its full response and satisfaction in the Person of Christ. With joy we may exult and say

"Behold, 0 God our Shield,

And look upon the face of Thine Anointed" (Psaim 84.9).

"To Him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen." Indeed if this were not so, there could be no outpouring of blessing upon the children of men. It was only when God had received His portion from the sacrifices on Israel's altars that they could receive the blessings and benefits flowing therefrom.

God has found in the accomplished work of Calvary and the glorious triumph of resurrection, eternal delight. He can with joy look upon the Man of His right hand, upon the Son of Man whom He made strong for Himself, "The Man that is My Fellow." From the terrors, horrors and darkness of the cross and tomb, God has raised Him up. He has seated Him at His own right hand, and of Him it is prophetically written,

"Thou shalt make Me full of gladness 'with Thy countenance" (Acts 2.28).

He had known the bitter loneliness of being forsaken by God, the hiding of God's face, the unanswered cry in the experience of His deepest distress when it was fulfilled,

"Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin" (Isaiah 53.10).

"The head once full of bruises, So full of pain and scorn,

Midst other sore abuses

Mocked with a crown of thorn.

That head is now surrounded

With brightest majesty,

In death once bowed and wounded,

Accursed on the tree ."

Yes, the crucified One is now the enthroned One, the everlasting doors have been opened for the return of the triumphant Saviour. He has been "received up in glory," and of the Son God saith,

"Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever;

And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;

Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee

With the oil of gladness above Thy fellows."

(Hebrews 1. 9, 10).

Two things are said about making Christ glad. He was made glad with the Father's countenance, and He was anointed with the oil of gladness by the Father. It rejoices our hearts to think that the lonely Sufferer of Calvary has been made glad with the countenance of His Father, He has looked upon the battle-scarred returning Conqueror with infinite delight and approval. What joy filled the heart of the Father! What a wealth of meaning is conveyed by the countenance! It speaks volumes without words.

For the Son to look upon the countenance of His Father which conveyed such unspeakable pleasure, filled Him with the fulness of gladness. As Psalm 16.11 says,

"In Thy presence is fulness of joy;

In Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Thus we see the blessed or happy God rejoicing over the Son of His love in the knowledge that all had been completed, the basis had been laid whereby all God's future purposes of grace could righteously be accomplished. He had truly loved righteousness, even though it had involved Him in untold suffering and reproach. Nothing could or did cause Him to deviate from the paths of righteousness in the slightest degree, and in this He had found delight.

"I delight to do Thy will, 0 My God" was the language of His heart. He was that blessed or happy Man of Psalm 1 who delighted in the law of the LORD; and in His law did He meditate day and night. There was no happier Man on earth than He, He was possessed of an inward joy, and a calm unruffled peace within, which was known to no other. He was the perfect hearer, and fulfiller of God's law and will. He could say,

"I have glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do" (John 17.4).

Now the Father shows His approbation and makes Him glad with His countenance, " The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart" (Proverbs 15.80). Moreover, in association with His throne and sceptre He was anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. It is said in Proverbs 27.9 that "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart." After referring to this wondrous occasion, the Psalmist then says,

" All Thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia;

Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made Thee glad"

(Psalm 45.8).

And who more worthy than He to be made glad!

"And I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing"

(Revelation 5.12)

All heaven acclaims His worthiness, and of all in that holy, happy land, there is now none so radiant with joy as He, and all heaven rejoices in the honour bestowed upon their King and Redeemer.

Never again will He be called upon to go out alone into the darkness and storms of a cruel, God-hating world to suffer. With joy we can now sing,

"'Tis past, the dark and dreary night,

O God, we see Him now, Our morning Star,

without a cloud Of sadness on His brow."

Why should His people then be sad? Should we not catch the spirit of that anointing scene in heaven and rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory? Should we not be manifesting on earth something of the joyousness of Christ's triumphant gladness? Our Saviour is a rejoicing Christ upon the throne, and we through Him have received "The oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." It is ours with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation, and say with the psalmist, "We will triumph in Thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners" (Psalm 20.5).

Being a Christian is not a miserable, long faced, sanctimonious profession, it is a joyous life to be known and lived in like kind to Christ's. May we so live and act that others may see in us this joy, so that they, like the Queen of Sheba, may testify truly,

"Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy 'wisdom" (1 Kings 10. 8).

Have we not known the happiness of them "whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered"? and also the happiness of" the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee" ? Have we not been comforted in Zion, the place of God's choice? and have we not found it to be a place "like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody" (Isaiah 51. 3)? Therefore,

Rejoice in the Lord alway: again I 'will say, Rejoice"

(Philippians 4.4).

F. McCormick | Aug 1958
The Glories And Excellencies Of Christ