Date:      18th January 2009                                                                  (Sunday AM)                                                                       Ref: A0420

Place:     Kambah P.S.

Title: The Anointing

Text:        & Exodus 30:22-32

Illust:     Walk through almost any shopping centre & you will find a candle shop or some other form of ‘well being’ / New Age’ store selling essential oils, fragrances like lavender, sandalwood, rose, Jasmine & just about every other flower / seed that you can distil an oil out of. All of them supposedly with certain properties. Go to an outdoor market & dozens of new agers stands selling oils. The use of various oils / scents for perfumes is in fact an ancient practice. God Himself mixes some essential oils with a base oil to create a perfumed oil for a specific purpose – want to look at that this AM.

I.                   The Anointing

A.               What is Anointing

i.                 In our text God gives Moses detailed instructions for the ingredients that are to make up the Holy Anointing Oil – Very specific directions for this oil. It is to be special

           Not only that it is to be unique - & vs 32b

ii.               The holy Anointing Oil. – What does it mean to anoint?

      4886 מָשַׁח  v. A primitive root; 69 occurrences; AV translates as “anoint” 68 times, and “painted” once. 1 to smear, anoint, spread a liquid. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to smear. 1a2 to anoint (as consecration). 1a3 to anoint, consecrate.

      From this root word we get the Hb word for Ointment.

      4888 מִשְׁחָה, n f. From 4886; 26 occurrences; AV translates as “anointing” 24 times, “anointed” once, and “ointment” once. 1 consecrated portion, anointing oil, portion, ointment, anointing portion. 1a ointment (used to consecrate by anointing). 1b anointing portion.

iii.             From the whole counsel of the Word of God, we can gain an understanding that the Anointing Oil is a symbol for the Holy Spirit

        Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, (NKJV)

        1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you,  (NKJV)

B.               Purpose of Anointing

i.                 We can also see this symbolism realised when we look at the purpose of anointing in the Old Testament.

ii.               One of the first purposes is given to us in our text. ~ & vs 25-30 - For the purpose of consecration.  ~ An item or person was consecrated, that means set apart, dedicated, devoted, in this case it is to God & His purposes.

        Exodus 40:13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. (NKJV)

        Leviticus 8:12 And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. (NKJV)

           We see that this is also a ministry, a function of the Holy Spirit. – To sanctify [Str 37 ἁγιάζω, hagiazo ] – Carries same meaning as consecrate:   ~    to separate from profane things and dedicate to God.[1]

        Romans 15:16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)

iii.             Another purpose for anointing was to empower, to confer authority – Kings & Priests were anointed, symbolic of them being consecrated to the calling of God for their lives & the transfer of authority & power given to them.

        1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. (NKJV)

        2 Samuel 5:3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. (NKJV)

           This is clearly a ministry of the Holy Spirit, the empowerment of believers to fulfil the call of God for your life.

        Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (NKJV)

II.                 Two Natures

i.                 So we have looked briefly at the purpose of anointing & the symbolic nature that points us to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

ii.               Now we want to look closer to home at us, our natures. – Bible makes it very clear that we have 2 natures – & Gal 5:16-17 ~ A fleshly nature & a spiritual nature

A.               Flesh

i.                 What is the Flesh? – The fleshly you is the carnal you, the pleasure seeking you, the sinning you – Paul gives us a good overview of the works of the carnal man, the flesh – & Gal 5:19-21

           Important to remember Jesus words about adultery / murder – What is in your heart

ii.               Not only is it sin, ultimately following the desires of the flesh is simply not good for you

        Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (NKJV)

        John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (NKJV)

        Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die;. (NKJV)

iii.             Paul nails it: - No wiggle room

        Romans 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (NKJV)

B.               Spirit

i.                 So what is the Spiritual nature? – That part of you that hungers & thirsts for righteousness, for the things of God, it plays out in your life through the fruit of the Spirit. & Gal 5:22-23

ii.               Now if we are honest this last list doesn’t come easy to us. – Need to have something more. – Need an anointing, the infilling of the Holy Spirit. – Remember the words of Jesus:

        John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (NKJV)

iii.             Life, the essence of a Christian life is to live according to the Spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit & to be led by Him.

        Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (NKJV)

        Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (NKJV)

           Not a nice to have, essential

           It is the anointing that empowers you to live the life God requires, that empowers you for His service (Acts 1:8)

III.              Be Anointed

A.               Our Desperate Need

i.                 The focus, the goal of our lives – to be His disciples – more like Him – Have the impact in this lost world that He wants you to have

ii.               Desperate need then for the sanctifying, the empowering, in short the anointing

iii.             Simply a must have for all of us – Not just the song service, the preacher; all of us in our day to day lives.

B.               Not Upon Flesh

i.                 But!!!! – let your mind / heart /soul focus in on the 1st part of & vs 32a.  ~ “It shall not be poured on man’s flesh”

ii.               The Holy anointing oil is not to be poured on Man’s flesh – remember the anointing oil is a symbol for the Holy Spirit anointing – Will not be poured out on your flesh, your carnality

iii.             You can’t walk daily according to the flesh, pursuing carnal pleasures, living a carnal life throughout the week & then walk into church on Sunday & pray God anoint me for service – “It shall not be poured on man’s flesh”   

           Interesting that at least 2 of the principle ingredients in the Anointing oil are actually toxic to the skin. Cinnamon is a Mucous membrane irritant and strong skin sensitizer and it is recommended that Cassia is completely avoided in skin care products

      The ingredients in the anointing oil are incompatible with man’s flesh

      The Holy Spirit is incompatible with man’s base / unrighteous flesh

        Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (NKJV)

           Danger is that if we are not anointed by the Holy Spirit, filled with His presence & power then we will tend to carnality & carnality leads to more carnality ~ leads to death.

      16th Century Reformation Theologian John Calvin - 19. The body follows the depraved appetites of the soul, is liable to many infirmities, and at length to death. [2]

C.               Crucify the Flesh

i.                 Vital therefore that you deal with the flesh – What do I mean? Well first & foremost you can’t pander to it, you must be ruthless – The flesh is not to be hidden, controlled or locked away. – Must be done away with

        Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (NKJV)

ii.               How do you like that crucified ~ executed – terminated with extreme prejudice – not sent to Guantanamo bay to later be released – Executed!!!

iii.             You have to take stock, What do you look at, what do you read, what do you watch, what do you listen to, what do you let your mind run loose thinking about. – The things of God, the Spirit, OR the lusts of this world, it sensuality, it’s carnal pleasures. ~ Stop!! – Repent.

           Crucify the flesh; don’t pander to it any longer. – Then cry out to God, I want to walk in your Holy Spirit. – I want to be filled with your Spirit; I need to be filled with your Holy Spirit.

           But continually remind yourself – “It shall not be poured on man’s flesh”  Daily crucify your flesh – Importance of Morning Prayer; a time when you can repent of fleshly thoughts & action & consciously commit to walking in the Spirit by the Spirit.

IV.             Altar Call

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[1]Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G37). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.

[2]Calvin, J., & Beveridge, H. (1997). Institutes of the Christian religion. Translation of: Institutio Christianae religionis..