Holy Anointing Oil

Under the old covenant of worship there were many things that were anointed:

1. Aaron and his sons Ex. 28:41.

2. The tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, the table of shew bread and his vessels, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot Ex. 30:26 29.

Thus the tabernacle, furniture of the tabernacle, all of the vessels, as well as those who ministered in the tabernacle service were anointed. The purpose of the anointing is set forth for us in Exodus 40:9 15: "And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is therein, and shall hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons...And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring his sons...and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations." Thus the anointing was designed to sanctify or make holy that which was anointed. The priests had to be anointed before they could serve in the priest's office and the vessels had to be anointed before they could be used in the service of the tabernacle.

In addition to the tabernacle service and the priests who served therein, those who served in the office of king had to be anointed. Saul was anointed as the first king over Israel (1 Sam. 15:1), then David (1 Sam. 16:12), then Solomon (1 Kings 1:39), and so on. Thus to serve in the office of priest or in the office of king a person had to first be sanctified (made holy) by being anointed.

The oil used to anoint was to be a unique compound. It was to be used for anointing only: Ex. 30:32, "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you." In Ex. 30:25 it is called an holy anointing oil. Thus "common" use was strictly prohibited!

Now in this new testament age we have a better anointing that was present under the old covenant. The word, "Christ" comes from the  Greek, "Christos," meaning "the anointed one." Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedec (Heb. 6:20) and he is our King being "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16). Thus being both the High Priest over the house of God and the King sitting upon the throne of David in an everlasting kingdom it was necessary that Jesus be anointed so that he could serve in those offices.

The following three verses of scripture prove that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit:

1. Lk. 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

2. Acts 4:27 "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together."

3. Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

From the above we gather that the Holy Spirit did the anointing and was the anointing oil! Thus thru the anointing of God Jesus is both our holy High Priest and holy King.

In similar fashion we see the new testament priesthood are anointed of God as well. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and said, "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God."   ikewise, in 1 John 2:20 we read, "Now ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." Moreover, 1 John 2:27 reads, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." Again we may conclude that it is the Holy Spirit that anoints us so that we are made kings and priests unto God (Rev. 1:5).

The anointing by the Holy Spirit is the new or spiritual birth. In similitude to Jesus being conceived in the womb of the virgin by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, so we as the elect of God are born of the Holy seed by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit and thus become spiritual in the inner man. Having been born of the Spirit we are able to offer spiritual sacrifices as priests of God and to reign in the dominion God has given us as kings. In conclusion the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the miraculous work of the new birth has made us saints (hagios=holy), enabling us to minister in the offices of priest and king. May all praise and glory be given to God.