Post by jazzlover on Jul 9, 2006 1:56:34 GMT -5
The term anointing has become popularized in our time with the emergence
and growth of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. A few years ago a
well known evangelist wrote a book entitled simply, The Anointing. We
may be swinging from one extreme to the other because what was once
considered to be the privilege of the ecclesiastical hierarchy now
appears to be a commercialized product. If the anointing could be
bottled and sold on store shelves it would be peddled and sold with
little regard to the spiritual state of the man or woman seeking the
anointing.
The Bible, however, makes it clear that the anointing is not for sale
or merchandising. If you have the anointing, you won't need to
advertise it in neon, the validation will be evident in your words and
actions. If you do not have the anointing, advertising that you do will
quickly be recognized as a farce and fiction.
There is an anointing and the anointing is available for every
Christian who maintains their life as a vessel unto honor. But the
anointing is more than a mere wave of the hand and whisper of the word,
"anointing."
The Old Testament type, or symbol, of the anointing was seen in the act
of pouring oil over the head of the individual whom God had chosen for a
specific office. The first place we see someone anointed is in
Leviticus 8:10 where Moses fulfills the command of the Lord and anoints
Aaron.
The Psalmist referred to this very anointing in Psalm 133:2 when he
wrote, "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down
upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his
garments." In other places we read of prophets, priests and kings being
anointed.
That this anointing is a type of the anointing of the Holy Spirit is
most clearly seen in Christ. In fact, the word "Christ" is really a
title, corresponding to the Hebrew word "Messiah" which literally means,
"the Anointed One."
The first time we read of Christ referring to Himself as anointed is in
Luke 4:18. After His temptation in the wilderness He came back into
Galilee and entered the synagogue. He opened up the book of Isaiah and
read, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He hath anointing me .
. ."
It is interesting that prophet, priest and king are anointed in the Old
Testament, and in the New Testament Christ, the Anointed One, fulfills
these very offices.
In our text we read of the manufacture and use of the anointing oil.
The word used for anointing in verse 25 is translated in the Greek
version of the Old Testament as [charistarion], from the same root word
for charisma. In 1 John 2:20, John says Christians have received "an
unction (or charisma) from the Holy One."
Let's look at the anointing oil and see if we can glean from our text a
richer understanding of the anointing in the church.
I. EXACT STANDARDS
A. It began with a "hin", or about four quarts, of olive oil. To
produce olive oil the olive had to be crushed. The crushed olive is a
type of Christ. "He was bruised for our iniquities." He experienced
the crushing weight of our sins at Gethsemane. Gethsemane was the place
where olives were brought to be crushed for the production of oil.
Notice that four quarts of oil were used. When they anointed someone
the entire horn of oil was poured out upon the head. I believe that is
how God wants to anoint His Church in our day. Peter refers to the
prophet Joel when he explains the move of the Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost. He said, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out
of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall
prophesy."
God said He would "pour out of His Spirit." That's His desire for the
Church in these last days. Not just a mist of it, not just a dew drop,
not just a goose bump or a tickle of spiritual electricity. He said He
would pour it out! He wants a church which can testify, "thou anointest
my head with oil, my cup runneth over." He wants to anoint you and fill
you with His presence and His power.
B. Following the oil, is mention of the spices. They are called
principal, or choice spices. Some of them, especially cinnamon, was
hard to come by. It had to be imported from India. God wants our best
because He gave us His best.
Exact measurements were given according to the standard weights and
balances of the sanctuary. Five hundred shekels of myrrh, two hundred
fifty each of cinnamon and sweet cane, and five hundred more cassia.
These were to be precise according to the balances of the tabernacle
weights.
God still wants the Church to live in the balance of his standards, and
He does still have standards. Holiness has not been removed from the
Church of the living God. Love is still a standard. Together they
provide a balanced message from the Church to the world.
I don't want to go into a lot of detail on each of these but I do want
to notice that the myrrh was to be pure myrrh, or literally, "free"
myrrh. There were two ways to gather myrrh from the plant, one was to
make a cut into the bark and allow the sap to ooze out. The other was
to gather the liquid myrrh from natural ruptures in the plant's bark.
The second type was known as free myrrh, myrrh which flowed freely from
the plant without human interference.
With regard to the Holy Spirit we are seeing men and women who think
that they can manipulate the Holy Spirit, or induce or conjure up the
Spirit. But the Spirit of God is like the wind, it cannot be man
controlled, it bloweth where it listeth, and the Spirit of God cannot be
forced--only welcomed. The Spirit of God cannot be programmed, He can
only be honored and allowed to move and breath and blow as He desires.
He "distributes spiritual gifts severally to every man as He wills."
What we need is a free flow of the Spirit, a fresh anointing that
comes by a move of God on a church that can yield itself to the will and
work of God in our midst. Our problem is that we are afraid to let God
have total control of our talents our treasures and our tongues. We are
a control driven society. We feel the need to control others and to be
in control of our own lives. If we could simply release the reigns say,
"Here I am Lord, take me and make me to be the man you want me to be!"
Then we would see God's strength perfected in our weakness.
Don't quench or resist the soul stirring touch of God. Release
yourself in praise. Release yourself in worship and adoration. Release
your faith to God and let Him move like a mighty rushing wind in this
place.
C. When the spices were combined with the oil they produced a very
fragrant mixture. This wasn't a magic potion. This mixture didn't
produce any mysterious effects by itself, but this was the oil God had
designed for a sacred purpose. When a man was anointed with this oil he
was covered with the sweet aroma of charisma.
After being anointed with this oil Aaron, a slave out of Egypt, smelled
like a high priest. Elisha, an apprentice of Elijah, smelled like a
prophet. David, a shepherd from his father's flocks, smelled like a
king.
I believe that when the Holy Spirit is moving through a church and
anointing a congregation, the sweet aroma of love, the scent of the
fruit of the Spirit and the fragrance of worship will pervade the
sanctuary. I believe that when the Holy Spirit comes He brings with Him
the unction, the odor, of the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the
Valley. Jesus said, "When the Spirit of Truth is come He will testify
of Me." The sweet fragrance of the anointing on the life of the
believer is the evidence of a life saved by grace and filled with God's
love.
II WHAT WAS ANOINTED
A The tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of testimony were to be
anointed. These symbolize the Church, or the congregation of the Lord.
Collectively, God wants to anoint this church so that every time you
come together in worship and praise, His presence is here to perform His
perfect will in you.
I've heard of preachers anointing pews, altars, pulpits and the like
with oil and praying over them; and while I don't think there is
anything particularly wrong with this, the fact is, in this dispensation
God doesn't anoint things, He anoints people. And anointed people touch
the world with His power and His presence.
B. Second, all the various instruments and articles used in the
tabernacle were anointed. These symbolize the functions of the Church.
From piano playing to nursery work; from cleaning the sanctuary to
singing specials; all of our works as the Church should be anointed with
the oil of gladness and the Spirit of joy.
C. Finally, the priesthood was anointed. Peter tells us that every born
again believer is considered "royal priesthood." As such, we all have
ministry responsibilities and God said He wants ministry anointed and
consecrated unto Him. Every teacher, every preacher, every evangelist,
everyone who is a disciple of Christ needs to be touched with the
charisma of God until we can honestly declare, "The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me because He hath anointed me!"
III. WHAT WAS NOT TO BE DONE WITH THE ANOINTING
A. God stipulates that His anointing is a "holy anointing." It was not
common anointing to be used at the whim of man. It was to be used
according to the will of God.
An example of this fact is seen in Samuel's anointing of David. As he
went to anoint a king from among the sons of Jesse, the oldest son was
brought up first and Samuel said to himself, "Surely the Lord's anointed
is before Him." And Samuel, based on his own assessment, was about to
anoint Eliab until the Spirit checked Samuel and said, "The Lord hath
not chosen this." Then six more of Jesse's sons passed by and each time
Samuel thought, "This is the one." But God stopped him saying, "The
Lord hath not chosen this." Finally, Samuel turned to Jesse and said,
"Do you have any more sons?" Jesse said, "There is yet the youngest who
is watching the flock." And when David came before Samuel the Lord
said, "Arise anoint him: for this is he."
B. This anointing oil was not to be imitated and they were never to
accept a substitute for the real thing.
We live in a time when men and women want anointing without holiness,
they want power without righteousness, they want charismata, (or gifts)
from God, without sacrifice to God. And when man cannot command God
they attempt to imitate the real with the artificial.
But we must never confuse real anointing with empty substitutes.
Anointing is not determined by the sweat or the spit of the preacher.
Anointing is not determined by the volume of the sound system.
Anointing is not determined by emotionalism, ritualism, legalism or
denominationalism. Anointing is God's hand moving on us and in us.
C. Finally, they were instructed that this anointing oil was not to be
placed on just anybody. This anointing was reserved for use on the
person whom God had chosen. In the New Testament Paul told Timothy,
"Lay hands on no man suddenly." The leaders of the church were to be
men of sterling character. The anointing is not haphazardly doled out
to anyone who has a passing fascination for God. The anointing is for
men and women of commitment and faithfulness to Christ and His Church.
The anointing is not primarily for personal blessing, but for kingdom
service.
CONCLUSION
The paragraph concludes with the repetition of the warning that anyone
who imitates this anointing, or places it upon an individual outside of
those whom God has chosen would be cut off from His people. In the New
Testament candidates for anointing are the disciples of Christ.
There is not substitute for real anointing. You may be the most
educated person in the church, and education is fine in its place, but
it is no substitute for anointing. I agree with T. L. Lowery when he
said, "I'd rather hear a country preacher who butchers the king's
English from Dan to Bersheba, but had the anointing on his life, than to
hear the most eloquent and polished preacher in the world try to preach
without the anointing." Vance Havener said we have too many preachers
trying to "function without unction."
The anointing is real and the anointing is powerful, but the anointing
is not to make you rich, to give you a magnetic personality, or to
elevate you above your fellows. The anointing is a divine impartation
of power for service unto God.
The anointing is available to everyone who will make himself, or
herself, available for kingdom service. When you are ready to serve,
God is ready to anoint.
and growth of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. A few years ago a
well known evangelist wrote a book entitled simply, The Anointing. We
may be swinging from one extreme to the other because what was once
considered to be the privilege of the ecclesiastical hierarchy now
appears to be a commercialized product. If the anointing could be
bottled and sold on store shelves it would be peddled and sold with
little regard to the spiritual state of the man or woman seeking the
anointing.
The Bible, however, makes it clear that the anointing is not for sale
or merchandising. If you have the anointing, you won't need to
advertise it in neon, the validation will be evident in your words and
actions. If you do not have the anointing, advertising that you do will
quickly be recognized as a farce and fiction.
There is an anointing and the anointing is available for every
Christian who maintains their life as a vessel unto honor. But the
anointing is more than a mere wave of the hand and whisper of the word,
"anointing."
The Old Testament type, or symbol, of the anointing was seen in the act
of pouring oil over the head of the individual whom God had chosen for a
specific office. The first place we see someone anointed is in
Leviticus 8:10 where Moses fulfills the command of the Lord and anoints
Aaron.
The Psalmist referred to this very anointing in Psalm 133:2 when he
wrote, "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down
upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his
garments." In other places we read of prophets, priests and kings being
anointed.
That this anointing is a type of the anointing of the Holy Spirit is
most clearly seen in Christ. In fact, the word "Christ" is really a
title, corresponding to the Hebrew word "Messiah" which literally means,
"the Anointed One."
The first time we read of Christ referring to Himself as anointed is in
Luke 4:18. After His temptation in the wilderness He came back into
Galilee and entered the synagogue. He opened up the book of Isaiah and
read, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He hath anointing me .
. ."
It is interesting that prophet, priest and king are anointed in the Old
Testament, and in the New Testament Christ, the Anointed One, fulfills
these very offices.
In our text we read of the manufacture and use of the anointing oil.
The word used for anointing in verse 25 is translated in the Greek
version of the Old Testament as [charistarion], from the same root word
for charisma. In 1 John 2:20, John says Christians have received "an
unction (or charisma) from the Holy One."
Let's look at the anointing oil and see if we can glean from our text a
richer understanding of the anointing in the church.
I. EXACT STANDARDS
A. It began with a "hin", or about four quarts, of olive oil. To
produce olive oil the olive had to be crushed. The crushed olive is a
type of Christ. "He was bruised for our iniquities." He experienced
the crushing weight of our sins at Gethsemane. Gethsemane was the place
where olives were brought to be crushed for the production of oil.
Notice that four quarts of oil were used. When they anointed someone
the entire horn of oil was poured out upon the head. I believe that is
how God wants to anoint His Church in our day. Peter refers to the
prophet Joel when he explains the move of the Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost. He said, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out
of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall
prophesy."
God said He would "pour out of His Spirit." That's His desire for the
Church in these last days. Not just a mist of it, not just a dew drop,
not just a goose bump or a tickle of spiritual electricity. He said He
would pour it out! He wants a church which can testify, "thou anointest
my head with oil, my cup runneth over." He wants to anoint you and fill
you with His presence and His power.
B. Following the oil, is mention of the spices. They are called
principal, or choice spices. Some of them, especially cinnamon, was
hard to come by. It had to be imported from India. God wants our best
because He gave us His best.
Exact measurements were given according to the standard weights and
balances of the sanctuary. Five hundred shekels of myrrh, two hundred
fifty each of cinnamon and sweet cane, and five hundred more cassia.
These were to be precise according to the balances of the tabernacle
weights.
God still wants the Church to live in the balance of his standards, and
He does still have standards. Holiness has not been removed from the
Church of the living God. Love is still a standard. Together they
provide a balanced message from the Church to the world.
I don't want to go into a lot of detail on each of these but I do want
to notice that the myrrh was to be pure myrrh, or literally, "free"
myrrh. There were two ways to gather myrrh from the plant, one was to
make a cut into the bark and allow the sap to ooze out. The other was
to gather the liquid myrrh from natural ruptures in the plant's bark.
The second type was known as free myrrh, myrrh which flowed freely from
the plant without human interference.
With regard to the Holy Spirit we are seeing men and women who think
that they can manipulate the Holy Spirit, or induce or conjure up the
Spirit. But the Spirit of God is like the wind, it cannot be man
controlled, it bloweth where it listeth, and the Spirit of God cannot be
forced--only welcomed. The Spirit of God cannot be programmed, He can
only be honored and allowed to move and breath and blow as He desires.
He "distributes spiritual gifts severally to every man as He wills."
What we need is a free flow of the Spirit, a fresh anointing that
comes by a move of God on a church that can yield itself to the will and
work of God in our midst. Our problem is that we are afraid to let God
have total control of our talents our treasures and our tongues. We are
a control driven society. We feel the need to control others and to be
in control of our own lives. If we could simply release the reigns say,
"Here I am Lord, take me and make me to be the man you want me to be!"
Then we would see God's strength perfected in our weakness.
Don't quench or resist the soul stirring touch of God. Release
yourself in praise. Release yourself in worship and adoration. Release
your faith to God and let Him move like a mighty rushing wind in this
place.
C. When the spices were combined with the oil they produced a very
fragrant mixture. This wasn't a magic potion. This mixture didn't
produce any mysterious effects by itself, but this was the oil God had
designed for a sacred purpose. When a man was anointed with this oil he
was covered with the sweet aroma of charisma.
After being anointed with this oil Aaron, a slave out of Egypt, smelled
like a high priest. Elisha, an apprentice of Elijah, smelled like a
prophet. David, a shepherd from his father's flocks, smelled like a
king.
I believe that when the Holy Spirit is moving through a church and
anointing a congregation, the sweet aroma of love, the scent of the
fruit of the Spirit and the fragrance of worship will pervade the
sanctuary. I believe that when the Holy Spirit comes He brings with Him
the unction, the odor, of the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the
Valley. Jesus said, "When the Spirit of Truth is come He will testify
of Me." The sweet fragrance of the anointing on the life of the
believer is the evidence of a life saved by grace and filled with God's
love.
II WHAT WAS ANOINTED
A The tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of testimony were to be
anointed. These symbolize the Church, or the congregation of the Lord.
Collectively, God wants to anoint this church so that every time you
come together in worship and praise, His presence is here to perform His
perfect will in you.
I've heard of preachers anointing pews, altars, pulpits and the like
with oil and praying over them; and while I don't think there is
anything particularly wrong with this, the fact is, in this dispensation
God doesn't anoint things, He anoints people. And anointed people touch
the world with His power and His presence.
B. Second, all the various instruments and articles used in the
tabernacle were anointed. These symbolize the functions of the Church.
From piano playing to nursery work; from cleaning the sanctuary to
singing specials; all of our works as the Church should be anointed with
the oil of gladness and the Spirit of joy.
C. Finally, the priesthood was anointed. Peter tells us that every born
again believer is considered "royal priesthood." As such, we all have
ministry responsibilities and God said He wants ministry anointed and
consecrated unto Him. Every teacher, every preacher, every evangelist,
everyone who is a disciple of Christ needs to be touched with the
charisma of God until we can honestly declare, "The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me because He hath anointed me!"
III. WHAT WAS NOT TO BE DONE WITH THE ANOINTING
A. God stipulates that His anointing is a "holy anointing." It was not
common anointing to be used at the whim of man. It was to be used
according to the will of God.
An example of this fact is seen in Samuel's anointing of David. As he
went to anoint a king from among the sons of Jesse, the oldest son was
brought up first and Samuel said to himself, "Surely the Lord's anointed
is before Him." And Samuel, based on his own assessment, was about to
anoint Eliab until the Spirit checked Samuel and said, "The Lord hath
not chosen this." Then six more of Jesse's sons passed by and each time
Samuel thought, "This is the one." But God stopped him saying, "The
Lord hath not chosen this." Finally, Samuel turned to Jesse and said,
"Do you have any more sons?" Jesse said, "There is yet the youngest who
is watching the flock." And when David came before Samuel the Lord
said, "Arise anoint him: for this is he."
B. This anointing oil was not to be imitated and they were never to
accept a substitute for the real thing.
We live in a time when men and women want anointing without holiness,
they want power without righteousness, they want charismata, (or gifts)
from God, without sacrifice to God. And when man cannot command God
they attempt to imitate the real with the artificial.
But we must never confuse real anointing with empty substitutes.
Anointing is not determined by the sweat or the spit of the preacher.
Anointing is not determined by the volume of the sound system.
Anointing is not determined by emotionalism, ritualism, legalism or
denominationalism. Anointing is God's hand moving on us and in us.
C. Finally, they were instructed that this anointing oil was not to be
placed on just anybody. This anointing was reserved for use on the
person whom God had chosen. In the New Testament Paul told Timothy,
"Lay hands on no man suddenly." The leaders of the church were to be
men of sterling character. The anointing is not haphazardly doled out
to anyone who has a passing fascination for God. The anointing is for
men and women of commitment and faithfulness to Christ and His Church.
The anointing is not primarily for personal blessing, but for kingdom
service.
CONCLUSION
The paragraph concludes with the repetition of the warning that anyone
who imitates this anointing, or places it upon an individual outside of
those whom God has chosen would be cut off from His people. In the New
Testament candidates for anointing are the disciples of Christ.
There is not substitute for real anointing. You may be the most
educated person in the church, and education is fine in its place, but
it is no substitute for anointing. I agree with T. L. Lowery when he
said, "I'd rather hear a country preacher who butchers the king's
English from Dan to Bersheba, but had the anointing on his life, than to
hear the most eloquent and polished preacher in the world try to preach
without the anointing." Vance Havener said we have too many preachers
trying to "function without unction."
The anointing is real and the anointing is powerful, but the anointing
is not to make you rich, to give you a magnetic personality, or to
elevate you above your fellows. The anointing is a divine impartation
of power for service unto God.
The anointing is available to everyone who will make himself, or
herself, available for kingdom service. When you are ready to serve,
God is ready to anoint.