One of the most abused and misquoted texts in the Bible is Isaiah 10:27 People say that the anointing destroys the yoke, BUT the text says: `.. the yoke shall be destroyed BECAUSE of the anointing'. It is a cause and effect statement.

The context relates to Israel and their bondage, not to special individuals - c/f v 24. God promised that `the remnant of Israel' (vs 20 & 21) would be saved out of the Assyrian captivity (BC 700 to approx 640) and that God would break that yoke on account of (because of) the anointing upon His people.

So this is a general anointing relating to the purpose of God and it doesn't destroy anything. As Jeremiah was equally anointed in the pit and the pulpit (c/f Jer 37 & 38) so the people of Is 10:27 were as anointed under bondage as they were when God delivered them.

Another point of confusion, about the anointing, is linked to those leaders who lord it over God's heritage (1 Pt 5:1-4) by misapplying 1 Chron 16:20-25 or Ps 105:14-17. The expression `touch not the Lord's anointed' is not a club to beat people into submission. The above contexts show that the Lord's anointed was Israel. It is quite wrong for leaders to apply the command to themselves or ministry.

Similarly the example of David, who refused to kill King Saul (1 Sam 24:4-7), is no warrant for leaders to claim immunity from examination or open criticism. On the contrary, David did criticise Saul publicly and to his face (1 Sam 24:8-15 & 26:13-25). The expressions about not touching the Lord's anointed, used by David in 1 Sam 24: 6; 26: 9 & 11 and 2 Sam 1: 14 & 16, relate to killing a king not to criticising or opposing leaders or pretenders.

Old Testament Anointing

This matter of the general anointing of all of God's people is fundamental to understanding our topic. It rested upon God's ancient people, due to their covenant relationship with Him and, as a result, they operated under its benefits, not because of personal or general merit, but by the grace bestowed through the covenantswhich God (YHWH) had established with the fathers - c/f Rom 11:28. If a generation failed to meet God's requirements, His judgement could and would fall, but the covenant (notably with Abraham) always ensured the salvation of the remnant because of the anointing.

Under this general anointing the OT lists specific anointings of relationship and for ministry. First there were objects and places (eg Gen 31:13 and Ex 29:36), which took on enormous significance after they had been anointed. Then there were different classes of people who were anointed: the cleansed leper (Lev 14:14-17), the ministering priest (Ex 28:41), the ruling King (1 Sam 9:16) and sometimes, though not always, the preaching prophet (1 Kings 19: 15 &16).

All of this has great significance, which space will not allow us to develop. *1 The overriding fact to remember is that those anointings had effect and significance under the general anointing relating to the covenants made with `the fathers'.

The OT lists two prohibitions re the symbolic act of anointing. Ex 30: 32 commands that the anointing oil must not touch the flesh nor be imitated. Verse 33 warns that those making it for personal benefit were to be excommunicated.

So strictly were these rules applied that both the cleansed leper and the High Priest must have something between the oil and his flesh. In the case of the priest it was his hair and clothing (c/f Ps 133:2). In that of the leper it was the blood of a lamb and his hair (Lev 14:14 c/f vs 17 & 18).

The significance of this symbolism is awesome in the light of the hyped up claims about prophetic anointing, much of which are just glorying in the flesh. It also says a lot about the humanistic psychology which has replaced the Gospel and the true manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

New Testament Anointing

Apart from references to anointing for healing (eg James 5:14) and other physical acts practiced in those days (eg Matt 6:17; Mark 14:8) the NT uses the term anointing only of the Lord Jesus Christ and all His people. There is no reference to any NT Church leader being more anointed than anyone else. The following are the references - Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; 2 Cor 1:21; Heb 1:9; 1 Jn 2:20, 27.

In these days, when the terms `anointed leader, preacher' and `special anointing' or similar expressions are so misused, it is important to realise that the only ONE who is especially anointed in the Church is our Lord Jesus Christ and all of us function ONLY under HIS ANOINTING.

Those claiming prophetic anointing should be held accountable to the standard set by Scripture in such passages as 1 Cor 14:29, Deut 18: 20-22 & Jer 23 particularly verse 28.

IN CONCLUSION

OF THE things that we have written this is the sum:

Prophetic anointing has more to do with God and His plans than with man and his ideas of success. In His sovereignty God will destroy all yokes and bondages on the basis of His recognition of `them that are His' (c/f 2 Tim 2:19) ie the anointed of His Spirit (c/f 1 Jn 2:20 and 27).

Leaders have no right to claim immunity from examination and/or criticism on the basis of a special anointing, as the idea is foreign to the whole Bible - both Testaments.

We call for accountability. Those who prophesy false things should be marked as false prophets. Those who persist in heresy should not be heeded or followed. Anointing has nothing to do with performing sens-ational acts or producing unusual results. Antichrist will do these things and so deceive many.

*1 Those interested in more information, please contact CWM

Appeared in Volume 1.2 January / February 1995