Do you know what the word anoint means? The Hebrew word is mashach and it means “to smear”. Interesting definition, isn’t it? Unfortunately the meaning of the word anoint has been abused and distorted by so many false teachers nowadays that it is almost impossible to use the word without its original intent being lost. Let me say up front—there is no supernatural anointing that “hangs around in the air and adheres itself to things of this earth”. Rather, the anointing unambiguously means that something is clearly seen as marked for whatever it is. As in, there are ten piles of papers and you put a sticky note on the pile you want someone to take—the sticky note anoints the correct pile. Almost too simple, isn’t it? Man always wants to improve on God’s purity—and always ends in corruption.
The Hebrew word (Old Testament) for anointed, mashach, is changed to mashiach when it refers to the Lord’s anointed—the one whom the Lord smears, marks out, or anoints. The Greek word (New Testament) for the Lord’s anointed is chrio, from which we derive the word Christ.
As you read the Gospels be aware that everything Jesus said and did is part and parcel of the anointing God put on Him—God marked out Jesus as the One He had promised to send way back in Genesis 3:15. The world could not miss this anointing—Jesus was clearly marked for all to see—His preaching, teaching, miracles, healing and prayer life all marked Him out as the Messiah of God! Why did Jesus do the things He did? Because those things showed Him as the Lord’s anointed.
Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
What showed Jesus as the “smeared One” of God? His preaching of His Gospel message, His teaching, His miracles, His healings, His prayer life—His ministry! Isaiah 61:1-2a “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD”
How did He accomplish His ministry? Through the Spirit of the Lord God! Jesus of Nazareth was “smeared” with the Holy Spirit of God! Of course, He would be recognized! Acts 10:38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
One year WORD Center Ministries needed to take down a group of trees which were surrounding our ministry building. However, mixed in with the trees to be taken down were trees which we wanted to leave in place. What did we do? We anointed the ones that were to be left alone—we marked them with paint for identification purposes.
Next came a man on a bulldozer who could see each and every tree, and according to whether it was anointed or not, knew if the tree was to be taken down or left alone. Sadly, that man on the bulldozer was not a righteous man and he bulldozed right through the trees leaving much havoc and destruction in his path. He took down many trees that were not to be destroyed. It was heart-breaking looking at those beautiful trees lying splintered on the ground with a big red "x" on them. They were sacrificed for that man's refusal to submit to authority.
I couldn't help but think of Jesus, everything He did... everything He said... everything about Him... His preaching, His teaching, His miracles, His healings, His prayer life—all were like huge red marks declaring, "This is the One. He is My Son! I have sent Him! Listen to Him! Hear Him!" And yet the people paid no attention to His anointing and they cut Him down…
Even after His death, even today, the bloody red smear still shouts, "This is the Coming One! This is the Promised One! This is the Anointed One! This is the Messiah!" If people would only open their eyes to see Him, they would see His anointing and know He is Mashiach, the Christ!
Adapted from "HIStory—From Event To Event The Bible Is One Story"
