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God’s Anointed One

Davis Carman|December 7, 2022

You anoint my head with oil. (Psalm 23:5)

There are plenty of examples in Scripture of anointing. David was anointed by the prophet Saul as the future king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:12–13). Naomi instructed Ruth to anoint herself with oil before meeting Boaz (Ruth 3:3). The prophet Elijah anointed Elisha to be his successor (1 Kings 19:16). After Jacob dreamed of the stairway reaching from earth to heaven, he took the stone he had used as a pillow and poured oil on it, anointing the stone as God’s house (Genesis 28:10–22).

Anointing is the act of pouring or smearing of oil on a person or object. Although people and objects were anointed for a variety of reasons, the most common was to set apart the person or object to fulfill a special function in the worship or service of God.

Take for example Moses’ anointing of the tabernacle, then the anointing of Aaron and his sons to serve as priests (Exodus 40:9–16). This act established a permanent priesthood in Israel. The Israelites would continue this tradition by anointing each new priest to serve in this important office, function, and purpose.

Many biblical references to anointing a person involve royalty. The anointing of a king conferred upon the new leader the Spirit of the Lord, giving him the wisdom, strength, and authority to rule. Therefore, the king could be referred to as “the Lord’s anointed.” As one chosen and set apart, the anointed one represented the Lord in a special way.

To honor the king was to honor God; to disrespect the king was to disrespect the Lord. You may recall how David had several opportunities to kill Saul, the murderous king who spent years trying to end David’s life. But each time, David stayed his hand because Saul was God’s anointed. In other words, David recognized that Saul had been set apart for God’s purposes and therefore refused to kill him, even in self-defense.

Later, the prophet Isaiah foretold of God’s Anointed One, a Messiah, who would come and sit on David’s throne to rule with perfect justice and righteousness. That person, set apart for God’s holy purposes, was and is Jesus Christ.

Jesus truly is God’s Anointed One, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. He was set apart from before the beginning, willingly took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, and gave His life on Calvary as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Jesus. The Christ. God’s Anointed.

Dear Father in Heaven,

You have called me to be holy, to be set apart for Your glory. Yet I fail in so many ways. My spirit may be willing at times, but my flesh is so weak. Help me to persevere as You keep working to sanctify my nature. Thank You for Jesus, Your Anointed One and my Savior. I can’t express how happy I am that Jesus was set apart to save me, became obedient even unto death on a cross, and now sits at Your right hand in glory. I worship His name and look forward to His second coming.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Walking by faith and enjoying the homeschooling adventure of a lifetime!

Davis Carman

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© 2021 Davis Carman

Let’s Talk Homeschool Podcast
Apologia.com

Davis is the president of Apologia Educational Ministries, the #1 publisher of Creation-based science and Bible curriculum. He is the author of five illustrated children’s books designed to help parents instill a biblical worldview in the hearts and minds of their preschoolers. He believes that if there was ever a time to homeschool, it is now! You can hear more of what he has to say at the Let’s Talk Homeschool Podcast.