ANOINTING OIL (1)

1. What is anointing oil?

a) The anointing oil is a representation of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-4.

i) 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4 NIV)

b) The holy anointing oil described in Exodus 30:22-25 was created from fine spices:

i) 22Then the Lord said to Moses, 23"Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels (6 kg) of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels - 3 kg) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels (3 kg) of fragrant calamus, 24500 shekels (6 kg) of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin (4 - 7 litres) of olive oil. 25Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. (Exodus 30:22-25 NIV)

ii) The fine spices symbolizes the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.

iii) 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 NIV)

iv) 13Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, 14nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. (Song of Solomon 4:13, 14 NIV)

@1. Love - pomegranates (613 seeds - 613 laws)

@2. Joy - henna

@3. Peace - Nard (spikenard)

@4. Forbearance (long suffering / patience) - saffron

@5. Kindness - calamus (fragrant cane)

@6. Goodness -cinnamon (cassia)

@7. Faithfulness - frankincense

@8. Gentleness (meekness) - myrrh

@9. Self-control (temperance) - aloes

@10. Olive oil - symbolism for healing, strength and consecration, God setting a person apart for special work.

c) The oil was used to anoint the vessels of the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:26-29) and the High Priest (Exodus 30:30) and is traditionally regarded as the oil used by prophets to anoint Saul, David, and other kings of ancient Israel. The title Messiah means literally covered in oil, Anointed.

i) 26Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, 27the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30"Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. 31Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. 32Do not pour it on anyone else's body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. 33Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.'" (Exodus 30:26-33 NIV)

d) Olive oil is used for anointing in today's churches; it is usually poured out upon (put on) a person's head.

i) 5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5 NIV)

@1. Overflowing with what! Overflowing with goodness and mercy.

ii) 44Then he (Jesus) turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little." (Luke 7:44-47 NIV)

e) The word "anointing" means pouring oil upon (used for healing, consecration to sacred duty, figurative for divine appointment).

i) 9After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. 11And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. 12The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." 13Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him. 14Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel. (Genesis 35:9-15 NIV)

ii) The oil used to anoint the pillar was olive oil of the finest grade of purity. It was expensive, so using it showed the high value placed on the anointed object. Jacob was showing the greatest respect for the place where he met with God.

2. What does the anointing bring to us?

a) Joy & gladness

i) 7You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. 8All your robes are fragrant with myrrh (gentleness / meekness) and aloes (temperance / self-control) and cassia (goodness); from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad. (Psalm 45:7, 8 NIV)

ii) 1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV)

b) Healing

i) 13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15 NIV)

c) Teaching about all things

i) 20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth (and you know all things). (1 John 2:20 NIV)

ii) 27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:27 NIV)

d) Divine appointment

i) 1Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1 NIV)

ii) Samuel said to Saul, "I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the king of Israel!"

3. What does the anointing enable us?

a) To prophesy

i) 9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. 11When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, "What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" (1 Samuel 10:9-11 NIV)

b) To preach the good news

i) 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18, 19 NIV)

ii) Jesus read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and the passage taken was quoted from Isaiah 61:1-2.

4. Who will anoint us?

a) God himself

i) 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 NIV)

5. How is God going to anoint us?

a) Through his servants

i) 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him (David) in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13 NIV)

6. Nowadays, who is to anoint us?

a) The chosen people

i) 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

7. What advice does God give concerning his anointed?

a) Do not touch / harm his anointed ones

i) 22"Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm." (1 Chronicles 16:22 NIV)

b) Have faith in his prophets

i) 20Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." (2 Chronicles 20:20 NIV)

8. Prayer focus

a) Pray that the anointing we have received will bring joy, gladness, healing, teaching about all things and divine appointment.

b) Pray that the anointing we have received will enable us to prophesy and preach good news to the spiritually poor.

c) For every prayer, we seal it with the precious blood of the Lamb in the name of Jesus.