- Anointed with oil
Psalm 92:10b
I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
The imagery and symbolism of this promise is fraught with heavy meaning. The simplest understanding of the promise of anointing is that we shall be filled with the Holy Spirit. To use oil on a person, whether pouring it on or smearing it on, is to anoint him for a particular role: prophet, priest, or king. The oil may be olive oil or the specially concocted anointing oil mixed by Moses at the Lord’s instructions.
We know that Jesus of Nazareth was anointed with the Holy Spirit to fill all three roles as the last and best and only Prophet (in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son), Priest (we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens), and King (the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ). Humans will never have another Prophet, they will never need another Priest, and they cannot have another King. Jesus = the Anointed One = the Christ (Messiah means to rub or smear, like anointing oil).
Now those of us who are baptized and believe in Jesus Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit, or anointed (I John 2:20-27). The promise is fulfilled in me as a true believer who has eternal life: “I am anointed with fresh oil.” The oil is the Spirit and it is always fresh; He never gets old, stale, dry, dull or boring. This is the most common complaint about Christianity and organized religion, about churches and going to church: “It’s boring!” But this cannot be, for the promise is “fresh” oil. Either the promise is false (the anointing of the Spirit with which we are filled is not fresh) or we have not mixed the promise with reception by faith in the Gospel.
The promise must be true: it is fresh, for the Word of God and His Promise say so. And when we repent and believe the gospel we receive the promise mixed with faith. This is clear: it is an anointing, and it is fresh. The problem comes in our living by sight: we want to feel the fresh oil, we want to be excited and entertained, we want some kind of intoxication. Titillation will not usually be felt, but that doesn’t mean that freshness, excitement and titillation are not present. The freshness is present to the one walking by faith: he knows that his feelings do not judge the Word of God. If God says, “Your sins are forgiven,” they are forgiven whether you feel it or not. “Fresh” speaks to our spirit, not to our flesh. When the Gospel is preached and we have the opportunity to respond in prayer and praise, it is definitely, absolutely, positively, for sure fresh. Your emotions may not feel refreshed, but your spirit deep within receives a freshening by faith. Every time you hear the Gospel, read the Bible, say a prayer, remember your Baptism, partake of Holy Communion, sing a psalm or hymn, give a blessing or love the brethren you are being anointed with fresh oil. The anointing may or may not move your emotions or stir your soul, but the fresh oil will refresh, strengthen and lift up the spirit within. And that is not boring; it is a fresh and exciting promise of God.