AFTER our Lord had fully consecrated himself, surrendering his will for that of the Father’s, or as the Apostle quotes it from the Old Testament, “Lo, I come; in the volume of the Book it is written of me; I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psa 40:7,8; Heb 10:7) he immediately went down to the river Jordan and was baptized by John, however reluctantly, nevertheless our Lord insisted, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us (plural, i.e. including the Church, for which he is the head) to fulfill all righteousness (to fulfill all which is necessary, all that is written)” Matt 3:15

The significance here is that our Lord was baptized into death BEFORE he went into the water… he was already dead to his own will; otherwise he could not have gone to John at Jordan. Upon rising from the water, the Father manifested his acceptance of our Lord’s sacrifice by anointing him with the Holy Spirit (typified by passing beneath the First Vail and entering into the Holy of the Tabernacle), from this moment forth the Man Christ Jesus was no longer, he was now a new creature, the first born of the new creation. (Q36)

Even so it is with us, first we must consecrate ourselves to the LORD, surrender up our wills, (this takes place immediately outside the door to the tabernacle, pictured in our binding ourselves at the door of the tabernacle, and/or by the two goats which were presented there in the type, See Lev 16:7), and upon acceptance of our consecrations we too are baptized, but not so much as individuals, but as prospective members of the body of Christ, thus we are “baptized into his death” (made participators with him) Rom 6:3

“Jesus death (blood) constituted the blood which seals or makes effective the New Covenant, our taking of this cup (of joint sacrifice) and drinking of it (Matt 26:27) shows our participation. The consecrated lives (blood) accepted by our Lord are counted in as a part of his own sacrifice (the “sin-offering“) which seals the New Covenant.”

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism…” (Eph 4:4, 5)

Our baptism like that of our Lord’s was pictured by our passing beneath the first vail, from this moment on we were no longer recognized according to the flesh, the flesh, or “old man” was considered dead in the eyes of the LORD, henceforth we being begotten by the Holy Spirit are new creatures in Christ Jesus (Gal 6:15), even though the flesh is not actually dead but merely counted as such by the Father.

We have entered into a “covenant” a contract with the Father, A COVENANT OF DEATH BY OR THROUGH SACRIFICE (Psa 50:5), from this point on there is no turning back.

“As the passing of the first vail represented the death of the human will, so the passing of the second vail represented the death of the human body; and both are requisite to complete our `sacrifice.’ ” (T22)

And like as it was with our Lord following the acceptance of his consecration he rose and was anointed with the Holy Spirit so too do we receive this anointing as we rise from beneath the first vail into the “holy” of the tabernacle, BUT NOT as individuals, only as we be in Christ, only as we become members of the body by a joint participation in his sacrifice, “planted in the likeness of his death” (Rom 6:5).

This anointing which we receive was pictured in the type by the “Holy Anointing Oil” which was poured upon the head of the High Priest and ran down to the skirts of his garments (Lev 8:12) it was never poured upon anyone else, the under-priest receiving their share only as they were joined to the body.

“A careful examination of the type reveals that only Aaron received an outpouring of the “holy anointing oil” upon his head. By this, however, not only was Aaron anointed into the priesthood, but his whole family as well. He was made a high priest over his family of under-priests. Since the under priesthood was thus anointed in its head-chief, or high priest, there was no need for the individual anointing of each member. Yet it would seem needful to show that each of the sons was a partaker of the high priest’s anointing, and so we find that they each received of this “Holy Anointing oil” but only in a sprinkling, and then, not until the oil had been commingled with the blood of a sacrifice—the ram of consecration (Lev 8:30). How beautifully this shows forth the fact that we, the antitypical priesthood of God, are anointed in our Lord and Head; that we are partakers of his anointing, through the merit of his precious blood.” (“Notes on the Tabernacle”, Page 499)

“Under the law, the anointing was the ceremony by which the priests were installed in their service. They were anointed to their office with a peculiar ointment, called the `Holy Anointing Oil,’ used upon none but the priests, and unlawful for anyone else to have or to make (Exod 30:25–33,38) This oil typified the Holy Spirit of adoption whereby we, the real `royal priesthood,’ are sealed as sons of God. Only the consecrated ones, the priests, are ever to be thus anointed.” (T28)

“The anointing which you (the fully consecrated) have received (“Christ in you, the hope of glory”) from him (the Lord Jesus) abides in you (but only so long as you abide in him) …” (1 John 2:27)

“Thus the first vail represents clearly our death to the world. The flesh is left outside, voluntarily given over to death and destruction, while we as new creatures in Christ, go beyond this vail, and enjoy a newness of life. Thus, we fill two pictures: our earthly nature has been given up, deprived of life, and is being taken without the camp to be destroyed, while our new nature is at the same instant within the first vail, not as men, but as members of the High Priest’s body.

We are not only dead with Him, but also alive with Him. “We are buried with Him by baptism into death” (Rom 6:4), “wherein also ye are risen with Him.” (Col 2:12). The natural body is no longer we, for “we are not in the flesh, but in the spirit.” (Rom 8:9)

We claim then that our going through this first vail represents the death of the natural fleshly will or mind, and that our entering the inside of the Tabernacle (the first chamber, the “Holy”) represents our entrance to the condition of the spiritual or new nature.

We will continue with our next post.