Last week, we learned about and experienced a bit of the glory of God. 

This morning, we turn to the anointing of God.  Whereas the glory of God is ambiguous and our experiences vary when encountering it, the anointing of God comes with an intentional purpose to accomplish.

The anointing of God as seen in both the Old and New Covenants equips and empowers people to accomplish the will of God and His purposes for their lives.  The anointing of God is also often be accompanied by the impartation of spiritual gifts. 

Our focus is on the anointing of God upon people, however, objects were also often anointed to be set apart for God’s purposes such as items in the tabernacle or temple.  It was the anointing that consecrated those objects and made them holy; set apart for God’s purposes.

Anointing is a common practice going back throughout history which literally just means to apply perfumed oil onto.  It was commonly either poured out over or smeared on.  There isn’t anything particularly special about physically anointing something or someone.

This was a practice going back in history in many cultures beyond God’s chosen people.  Often guests would be anointed to honor them when entering a home.  Anointing oil was used for several medicinal purposes and still is today.  Shepherds would anoint their sheep to help keep pesky and dangerous bugs away from them.  Some cultures would anoint bodies upon death as a way of controlling the smell of decomposition.  Although not a Jewish custom, Mary, Mary, and Salome were on their way to anoint the body of Jesus when they found that He had rose again.

In Exodus 30, God gave Moses a special blend to make a special, holy, anointing oil.  It was so special that if anyone other than a priest made any anointing oil like it, they were to be cut off from the rest of the community.  No matter how unique and special the oil might have been, there is still nothing “magical” about anointing oil in and of itself.

Oh, but as we learned last week, when the spiritual meets the natural, everything changes!  When that same fragrant oil is used to apply the anointing of God at His direction, there is something awesome about it!

God’s anointing can heal the sick.  We use anointing oil here when we pray for the sick because that’s what Jesus’ disciples did (Mark 6:13) and also because it’s what God’s word calls us to do in James 5 as we pray in faith.

God’s anointing can raise the dead.  Elijah was anointed as a prophet of God and was, well, having a bad day and in a bit of depression and having a pity party right after bringing about one of the most powerful displays of God’s power and glory recorded in the Bible; the showdown between Baal and his prophets and the Lord and Elijah.

1 Kings 19:13-18

13 …Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Jehu and Hazael both received a king’s anointing and Elisha received a prophetic anointing.  One of the purposes of both of these anointings was to carry out the wrath of God to deal with the unrepentant and stubborn sin of those who refused to follow the Lord and to instead turn to Baal and to lead others to do the same.  If you take a quick look of the aspects