(027) – THE ANOINTING

 

In the New Testament, the anointing had a few purposes, and was accomplished in a visible act, by pouring oil over the head. There was the anointing to heal spiritual infirmities (James 5:14-16). There was, also, the anointing applied to heal physical infirmities (Mark 6:13). The great anointing of the New Testament was the pouring of the Holy Spirit, the great work of Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled this glorious promise. “And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, ‘Which,” He said, ‘you heard from Me’” (Acts 1:4).

Jesus explains the results of this anointing: “He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:38,39). This word: “RIVERS OF LIVING WATER” meant virtue, grace, wisdom, power to heal, etc. Jesus further said: “And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17,18). These are the rivers of living water. The Evangelist Luke describes how Jesus opened this wonderful path: “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with Power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). The Apostle Peter was the first to do the works of Jesus after receiving the anointing: Healing the sick — Acts 3:1-6; Saving the lost — Acts 11:13,14; Raising the dead — Acts 9:36-42; Delivering from evil spirits — Acts 5:16. All the Apostles, Deacons, and believers were able to do these signs — Acts 6:8; 8:5-7; 19:11,12; 14:13, etc.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit, granted by Jesus, teach and reveal all things. “…the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him” (1 John 2:27). This anointing was not in existence in the Old Testament, because all were blind and deaf, at that time, both the prophets and the people. “For the Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep, He has shut your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. And the entire vision shall be to you like the words of a sealed book, which when they give it to the one who is literate, saying, ‘Please, read this,’ he will say, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed’” (Is. 29:10,11). Jehovah said that the people were blind and deaf. “Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes” (Is. 43:8). And this blindness continued until the times of Jesus (John 12:37-41). And the Jews are still blind and deaf; therefore, the anointing of Christ has not come upon them, until today.

In the Old Testament, the anointing did not teach anything. Let us look at it: “Then he [Moses] poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him” (Lev. 8:12). And Aaron rebelled himself against Moses; this shows that he did not know things right; and Miriam became leprous (Num. 12:1-10). Aaron’s three sons were anointed for the priesthood, and two of them brought strange fire before the face of Jehovah, which killed them at once. The fact that they brought this strange fire shows that they knew nothing (Num. 3:3; Lev. 10:12).

Solomon was anointed and predestined by Jehovah. His anointing was so powerful, that Jehovah gave him wisdom superior to all men, since   past times, until the future. For the wise Solomon, loved of Jehovah, chosen by Jehovah, glorified by Jehovah, was the greatest idolater of all times, rejected by Jehovah; and he cause the division of the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 1:32-39; 1 Chr. 22.9). Solomon knew everything, but he did not know the essential. His corruption and fall are recorded in 1 Kings 11:1-11. These questions come to our minds: Jehovah made Solomon into a vessel of honor, or into a vessel of dishonor? Jehovah, being God, and having chosen Solomon before David’s adultery, did he not know what was going to happen? Was Jehovah deceived, or did he deceive David? David prayed to Jehovah asking for a perfect heart for Solomon, since he had been chosen and loved of Jehovah since birth; Jehovah, though, did not answer to his prayer (1 Chr. 29:19; 2 Sam. 12:24).

David, Solomon’s father, anointed by Jehovah (2 Sam. 12:7), had a heart as the heart of Jehovah (1 Sam. 13:14). And how could he be an adulterer and a murderer? Even having received the anointing of Jehovah? What good was the anointing? Did the anointing fail to teach David not to commit such terrible sins? Paul was anointed by the Holy Spirit and knew everything about these capital sins, to the point that he kept himself chaste to his death.

There were instances of evil anointing on the part of Jehovah. Saul was anointed to be a bad king. This is stated in 1 Sam. 8:7-18. This man cared for his parents (1 Sam. 9:5). He honored the prophet of God (1 Sam. 9:7). He was humble (1 Sam. 9:18-21). He was responsible (1 Sam. 9:10). After the anointing of Jehovah, Saul became a bad king, and was disobedient to the point of receiving, as a prize, an evil spirit (1 Sam. 16:14). There were other wicked instances of anointing: Jehovah ordered Elijah to anoint three people: “And Jehovah said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholat you shall anoint as prophet in your place. And it shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death” (1 Kings 19:15-17). It is difficult to believe, but those were murderous and wicked instances of anointing. The important thing did not seem to be the changing of people’s characters, but the killing of the bad ones by the hands of the good ones. Hasael was bad, and, even so, was anointed by Jehovah (2 Kings 13:22)!! There was not one single good anointing in the Old Testament, and Jehovah realized them all. The ones anointed of Jehovah were all substituted by other ones, which had a true anointing For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also” (Heb. 7:12). Peter also says: “…you are…a Chosen Priesthood” (1 Pe.2:9). “And as for you, the anointing which you received fro Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie” (1 John 2:27).

And the fruits of the anointing of Christ are: love, kindness, forgiveness, righteousness, humbleness, purity, holiness, goodness, etc., for by the fruit one can know the tree.

By Pastor Olavo  Silveira Pereira

Deixe um comentário

O seu endereço de e-mail não será publicado. Campos obrigatórios são marcados com *