Archive article 35

 

“. . . You anoint my head with oil . . .”

                                                                                                         Psalm 23 v 5b

David, the powerful king of Israel and writer of this Psalm, was very familiar with the use of oil in his day. There were those formal occasions when oil would be applied to the head as a visible sign of a vocation being given by God – either as a priest or a king like himself. Or it could have been used in the more daily way as a medicinal help soothing a wound. Although we don’t know, it’s probably the first usage which David has in mind here – when he himself was anointed to be king.

 

What a surprise that occasion was! He was out in the country roaming the fields with his flock of sheep, doing what the youngest son was expected to do picking-up the menial chores. He was a shepherd-boy taking care of the animals. Far away from the comforts of the house, during the day he would be leading the flock to the best pastures he could find. By night he’d settle the animals and light a fire to keep the wild animals away. Certainly, without all of the comforts of home-life he would have become very enterprising, but in his heart he probably would have been resigned to the fact that as the last of eight boys he would spend his life as a shepherd – a man destined to live alone and away from others.

 

Then one day a messenger came with instructions for him to leave the sheep and go into town where Samuel the great prophet has just arrived. Leaving the sheep with the messenger he hurried to town to get washed and ready to meet Samuel, his brothers, his father and the elders of the town all ready for the sacrifice to God. When he joined with everyone else he suddenly found himself on centre-stage because, of everyone present, Samuel called him and anointed him with oil. Although the description doesn’t give any details the words themselves tell us vividly what happened:

 

“Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.”

(Old Testament – 1 Samuel 16:13)

 

When David uses these 6 simple words “...you anoint my head with oil...” he must have been so aware that every blessing he had received had been divinely given of God. If God had not called him in that totally unexpected way, he would probably have still been a shepherd of sheep. Instead, here he was, a man greatly blessed and use of God to guide Israel as no other king

 

“. . . the man exalted by the most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob . . .”

(Old Testament - 2 Samuel 23:1)

 

It’s this same type of privilege which the crowd was told about when it had gathered at Jerusalem on the first Pentecost following the death of Christ. With the incredible backdrop of all the disciples speaking in languages they had never learned, Peter as he concludes his magnificent sermon of explanation makes this invitation:

 

“ Repent and be baptised, everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

(New Testament, Acts 2:38)

 

Dear reader, this same blessing of the Holy Spirit is also promised to us who are “far off”. Because this is true in time and space – in actuality we join with those who heard Peter, and as we choose to stop trusting ourselves and turn to Christ, we will receive that same blessing.

 

Christianity is not a “do-it-yourself” religion. At every point God asks us to trust Him and His Spirit. Nicodemus was told about a new birth – but that could only happen by the work of the Spirit. So is every transformation of God. Our own heads are anointed as by the Spirit we are transformed into brand new creatures.

 

Please get in touch with us if we can help!

 

Paul Finch, pastor