| Anointed of God Author Dawn Wilson www.dawnwilsonministries We have heard and been taught over and over and over again that we are not to touch the “anointed of the Lord.” This teaching has been carried to some very great extremes in the body of Christ. One extreme of this teaching we are going to deal with today in this message is “we can not correct any one in leadership in the church because they are the anointed of God.” Who and What are the anointed of the Lord in the Old Testament 1) The kings of Israel were anointed into their positions as king. Saul and David were anointed king by Samuel. Elijah was commanded by God to anoint Jehu as king of Israel but he did not do as he was commanded. Elisha, his predecessor sent a prophet from his house of the prophets to anoint Jehu as king of Israel. When David spoke that he would not touch God’s anointed he spoke of Saul who was anointed as king over all Israel. 1 Samuel 24: 4-7 And the men of David said to him, "Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.'" Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly. 5 And it came about afterward that David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe. 6 So he said to his men, "Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD'S anointed." 7 And David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way. 1 Samuel 26: 9-11 But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?" 10 David also said, "As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 "The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go." David is both of these incidents did not stretch out his hand to kill Saul and take his place as anointed king over Israel. David waited for God to remove Saul from being king and place him, David, king over Israel. 2) Priests were anointed when they received their position as priests in the priesthood of the Lord. Leviticus 8:12 Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him. Leviticus 8: 30 So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him. Numbers 3: 2-3 These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. Numbers 3:10 "So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death." 3) The tabernacle and all the furniture of the worship of the Lord in the tabernacle were anointed. Leviticus 8:10-11 Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. 11 And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. Numbers 1: 51 "So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levities shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levities shall set it up. But the layman who comes near shall be put to death. Numbers 3:10 "So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death." Numbers 3:38 Now those who were to camp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but the layman coming near was to be put to death. Laymen were not allowed to come near the anointed holy objects of the tabernacle. Numbers 4:15 "And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, so that they may not touch the holy objects and die. These are the things in the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry. God made provision for the sons of Levi the Kohathites to carry the holy objects by having the priests cover them so that they could not be touched by them and they die. Numbers 4:19-20 "But do this to them that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load; 20 but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, lest they die." Aaron and his sons were to go in and cover the holy objects and bring them out of the tabernacle for the Kohathites to carry. The Kohathites were not allowed to go into the tabernacle and bring they holy objects out. The were not allowed to even go in for a moment and see the holy objects. 1 Samuel 6:19 And He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. 2 Samuel 6: 6-7 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. 7 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. 2 Samuel 6:7 (KJV) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. The word for error in the Hebrew is “shal” and means a fault, error. We see in the Old Testament a principal set forth of not touching the anointed of God. David would not touch the anointed king of Israel, King Saul, by taking his life when it would have been easy and justified to do so. We see in the Old Testament a command to not touch the anointed and holy objects that were in the tabernacle. Uzzah and the men of Beth-Shemesh were struck dead for touching the anointed ark of God. These are the Old Testament principles and commands that are used to form and verify the teaching that we as Christians are to not touch the leadership in our churches. This teaching says that we are not to speak any form of correction to anyone in church leadership. One extreme of this teaching is that we are “cursed” if we speak against anyone in church leadership because they are the anointed of God. Another extreme of this teaching is that those in leadership are “the anointed” and the congregation is not or is less anointed of God. Another extreme of this teaching is a priesthood hierarchy set up in the New Testament Church. The pastor the anointed one of God and his anointing trickle down from him to those in the congregation. Does this teaching line up with New Testament Scripture? Who and What is the anointed of the Lord in the New Testament Isaiah 61:6 But you will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast. Isaiah prophesied that one day ALL would be called priest of the Lord and ministers of God. Romans 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Paul says here that he ministered as a priest the gospel of God to the gentiles. 1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Just as Isaiah prophesied we have become the anointed priesthood of the Lord. We minister to our God by offering up spiritual sacrifices of praise and worship, of presenting our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; We are now a royal priesthood unto our God. Revelation 1: 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Just as Isaiah prophesied would take place has now taken place through the cross and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have become the anointed priests of our God. Revelation 5: 9-10 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 "And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." In the New Testament we ALL as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are the anointed of the Lord. We are the anointed priesthood of our God. This is not an outward anointing with oil as it was in the Old Testament. It is an inward anointing with oil in the New Testament. Oil = Holy Spirit 1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 1 John 2:27 And as for you, 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. All born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are now the anointed of the Lord. The anointing we have received abides in us and is the Holy Spirit. So, whom are we not to touch? We are not to touch each other!! Jesus’ new commandment given to the New Testament church was to love one another. John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Galatians 5: 13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Jesus commanded us to love one another and to serve one another through love. We have learned that we all are the anointed priesthood of our God in the New Testament. That there is no longer a priesthood hierarchy where one is more anointed of God than another. In the New Testament we all are the anointed of the Lord. John 3: 34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was not given unto all men but to just a few. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was given as an outward anointing and not the inward anointing it is given as in the New Testament. Because it was an outward anointing it could be removed from them. We see this removal of the anointing of the Lord in King Saul’s life. King Saul had disobeyed the command of God and the kingdom was removed from him and given to David. 1 Samuel 16: 14 says, Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. To help relieve Saul from the terrorizing of the unclean spirit it was suggested to Saul that he bring David to him and David sing and play for him. 1 Samuel 16: 23 tells us that, So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him. I believe David having seen the terrorizing of King Saul when the Holy Spirit was removed from him is the reason David cried out to God, “Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.” In the New Testament the inward anointing of the Holy Spirit can not be removed from us. Romans 11: 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11: 29 (KJV) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. The Greek word for without repentance is “ametameletos” and means irrevocable, without repentance, not to be repented of. The Webster’s Dictionary defines irrevocable as “not to be revoked or recalled; unable to be replaced or annulled.” We have received an inward anointing that can not be revoked or annulled. We are the anointed of the Lord. We have been taught that people in ministry can “loose” their anointing. We have established that the inward anointing can not be revoked or annulled. I believe what we term as “loosing the anointing” really is the removal of the mantle or the commissioning of God from them to accomplish His work. A mantle or a commissioning would be an outward anointing and it is removable. The inward anointing of the oil of the Holy Spirit is not removable from us. Can we speak correction to those in leadership in the church---of course we can!! We must do so as the Scripture commands --in love and with a spirit of meekness. |