THE ANOINTED IN THE BIBLE

I have previously written that the word translated "the Messiah," should actually be "the Anointed One," and that the word "Christ," is English for the Greek kristos, meaning "the Anointed One." The Old Testament tells of a coming Savior known as "the Anointed One," and the New Testament presents our Lord Jesus as God's Anointed One (Ps. 45:7; 84:9; Isa. 61:1-2; Jn. 1:45; Acts 10:38; Heb. 1:8-9). Notice in Acts 10:38, the anointing was not with oil, but the Holy Spirit and power. There are many people and things in the Bible which are said to be anointed by God. The difference is, only Jesus is "the Anointed One."

In the Word of God, there are several kinds of anointing. Those who were ill were anointed with oil for medicinal purposes (Ps. 109:18; Isa. 1:6; Mk. 6:13; Lk. 10:33-34; Jam. 5:14). Jesus anointed a blind man's eyes with mud (Jn. 9:6). Guests were often anointed as a sign of respect and hospitality (Ps. 23:5; Lk. 7:46).

The Tabernacle and its contents were to be anointed with oil to make them holy (Ex. 40:1-9). Old Testament priests were to be anointed for service (Ex. 40:12-15). Even the priest's garments were to be anointed (Ex. 29:29). Those things that God wanted devoted to His service, including people, were sanctified, set apart, and made holy solely for His purposes. Also, other specific items were anointed: a pillar (Gen. 31:13); bread and cakes (Ex. 29:2); etc.

Those who were chosen by God to be kings of Israel were anointed for service: Saul (1 Sam. 2:10); David (1 Sam. 16:12-13; 2 Sam. 2:4; 12:17; 23:1); Solomon (1 Kgs. 1:39); Jehu (2 Kgs. 9:1-6); etc. When God chose a king, He called for him to be anointed, which served the same as crowning him (1 Sam. 16:13). Although it is quite likely that all of Israel's kings were anointed, many of them were anointed by men and not by God. Some examples are: Absalom (2 Sam. 19:10); Jehoahaz (2 Kgs. 23:30); Eliakim (2 Kgs. 23:34), etc.

Those anointed for service do not necessarily remain anointed. King Saul, had the Holy Spirit depart from him, only to be replaced by an evil spirit (1 Sam. 16:14). Judas Iscariot must have had the power of the Holy Spirit when he participated in working miracles, but he certainly lost whatever anointing he had when Satan entered into him (Lk. 9:1-6; Jn. 13:27). However, the greatest example of someone being anointed by God for service and then losing that unction was Lucifer. In Ezekiel 28:13-15, he is called the anointed cherub, and that he is the one who was in the Garden of Eden. Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Lk. 10:18).

But be of good cheer, born-again Christians have an anointing from God that is eternal, praise God (Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 1 Jn. 2:27)!