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Never before in the history of mankind has such an abundant amount of resources been so readily available not only to read but carefully study the gospel. Give thanks to our LORD for He alone is good and His love and kindness everlasting upon His people.
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One of the most beautiful stories we read in the Bible is about the anointing of Jesus by a Woman named Mary shortly before His crucifixion. When looking at this story in notes and study as opposed to just a casual reading, one will realize how very intense it is.
John's account tells us that this was a pound of spikenard or pure nard. For those who are firmiliar with anointing oils, just one drop of pure nard is so potent it usually should be mixed with a base oil such as olive oil; just one drop from a 1/4 ounce vial (which is alot) is enough to pretty much smell up a medium size room. A pound of this was used on Jesus, could you imagine the intensity of the smell? We are told that it could have been sold for 300 pence. This is equivelent to about 11 months wage for the average worker at that time. If we were to price it today, figure 11 months income for an average worker here in the United States would be somewhere around $30,000.00.
That's alot of oil, so you see this story really is very remarkable. Ointment is a spiritual portrait of our anointing by the Holy Spirit in salvation.
"Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment." (Ecclesiastes 9:8).
"Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee." (Song of Solomon 1:3).
Note in verse 9 that Jesus says:
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her - Mark 14:9.
The fact that what this woman did by grace would not be forgotten is a spiritual picture pointing to the fact that Christ will not leave, forsake or forget his anointed Children whom He saved from the foundation of the world. Christ promised this and He is altogether true and faithful.
"And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." (Revelation 17:7,8).
Now if you feel that Christ has saved you are you acting like this woman? Note the the womans actions as she "brake" the box and poured it over Jesus. The Greek word for "brake" is more intense than you may realize. It is: "suntrivbw" or transliterated "Suntribo". This is how Strong's defines the word: break, to break in pieces, shiver, to tread down, to put Satan under foot and (as a conqueror) trample on him, to break down, crush, to tear one's body and shatter one's strength. Note how it is used as "bruise" in Romans
"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." (Romans 16:20).
In Revelation we see it translated "broken to shivers":
"And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father." (Revelation 2:27).
Now note how it is used in Luke as both brokenhearted and bruised:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised - Luke 4:18.
Herein lies another spiritual lesson. Are we broken, shattered, crushed, brokenhearted and broken to shivers when we come before our LORD? Do we humbly approach Him with fear and trembling? This is the fragrance of our anointing.
Remember in Matthew 7 where we read of many who though they were saved but were not?
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." - Matthew 7:21-23.
These verses are often taking out of the context before and after them. Some think this teaches that these people did good works and were relying on them for salvation. The fact of the matter is when we read the whole chapter and the verses that these 3 are sandwiched in between we see that Jesus is telling them they did NOT do good; they said they did good but really they didn't; they couldn't. No one can truly do anything truly good spiritually unless the are saved. The evidence of Christ working in someone as was the case with Mary His anointer in Bethany, is shown in their doing good and their genuine love which covers many sins. Now note the context of Matthew 7 and they key or action words "doeth" as contrasted with "doeth them not":
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27).
Dear Friends: is your election sure? Is your anointing being evidenced in your life this day? Will it be this week?
"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Corinthians 1:20-22).
Take a few moments to meditate on what it means to be anointed in Christ. The anointing of Jesus was an act of grace that showed love, holiness, kindness, it served as an exhortation to others and likewise these characteristics should be seen every day in our lives and the lives of all Christians who go into all the world as lights of the world for our LORD. Just as we read of Mary's anointing today, so too will Jesus not forget each and every one of His children no matter how small we may be in the whole scheme of mankind and the universe. How wonderful is God's salvation, let us forever give thanks for His anointing.
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:5-8).
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