Wednesday, August 24, 2005
HAIL TO THE LORD'S ANOINTED
As a result of King Saul's disobedience, God sent the prophet Samuel on a mission to anoint a new king -- to the home of Jesse in Bethlehem. Jesse had eight sons. The first seven were all paraded before Samuel, but none of them was God's choice. Finally the youngest, David, was brought in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!' Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward (1 Sam 16).
But now let us jump ahead 1,000 years to David's Lord and Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ, of whom David was but a picture. David was anointed with Samuel's anointing oil. We are told that from that time on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David. With what was David's Son, Jesus, anointed? The Apostle Peter said: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power." Jesus was the Christ from His birth, the Anointed One of God, and the Holy Spirit rested on Him. John's Gospel says: "God does not give the Spirit by measure" to Jesus. God gave a certain portion of the Holy Spirit to David when he was anointed. To David's Son, Jesus, God did not measure out a portion of the Holy Spirit, but rather the Spirit with all His gifts was on Jesus throughout His life on earth. God allowed this to become visible and audible at Jesus' baptism when the Father spoke from above: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" and the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus in the form of a dove.
David was God's anointed one, God's king. But Jesus, David's Son, was God's Anointed One in an even greater sense, for He was the Messiah to end all types and pictures. He was the real thing, the final thing, the King over God's people to rule not just for forty years like King David, but to rule forever. JESUS IS RULING NOW. As Peter says in his first letter: "Jesus Christ
is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
So who has more power, the terrorists that attacked America or our Lord Jesus Christ? Who has more power, the United States of America, the world's superpower, or our Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus is the One who has all power in heaven and on earth. What is more, He has promised to use His vast power for the good of His people. In Him we can place all our trust.
