The seventh lesson of the experience of life is that of obeying the teaching of the anointing. There are various ways of describing this lesson, such as walking according to the Spirit, abiding in the Lord, living in fellowship with God, walking with God, and living in His presence. However, the most precise is obeying the teaching of the anointing. If we understand this expression, the others will also be clear.
Although obeying the teaching of the anointing is an experience in the second stage of our spiritual life, yet it is the crucial and central experience of all four stages. No matter what kind of dealing we experience on the negative side or how much building up there is on the positive side, we cannot depart from this lesson. This lesson causes the experience of life in the first and second stages to come forth spontaneously and to become deeper and more thorough. At the same time this lesson can bring us into the deeper experiences of the third and fourth stages. Therefore, our obedience to the anointing is the secret of our growth in life. If we desire to follow the Lord in the way of life, we should have a thorough knowledge and experience of this lesson.
First John 2:27 says, “And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you...and even as it taught you, ye abide in him.”
In the teaching of the anointing, there are two major parts: the anointing aspect and the knowing aspect. We shall examine these two aspects carefully. Let us first look at the anointing aspect.
What is the meaning of the anointing? We can understand this by the term itself and by its origin in the Bible.
Firstly, let us look at the meaning of the term itself. The anointing of 1 John 2:27 in the original Greek is not a noun, but a verb pertaining to a certain kind of motion. It is not an ointment in a quiescent state, inactive and motionless, but it is an ointment in a state of motion and activity, involving the movement of anointing.
Then what does the anointing refer to? Simply speaking, it is the movement of the Holy Spirit in us. Throughout the whole Bible, ointment symbolizes the Holy Spirit. When man receives the ointment from God, it signifies spiritually that man receives the Holy Spirit from God. When the Lord Jesus received the Holy Spirit at His baptism, He said clearly that “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me” (Luke 4:18). Thus, the ointment which we receive from the Lord undoubtedly points to the Holy Spirit which we have received of Him. This Holy Spirit is not motionless in us, but is always active and moving. This kind of movement gives us an inward feeling of being the recipient of a very delicate and soothing ointment.
Now let us look at the anointing according to its origin in the Bible. Although the term “anointing” is mentioned for the first time in 1 John, nevertheless, the matter of the anointing existed in the Old Testament when the Israelites erected the tabernacle. When they built the tabernacle in the wilderness, God commanded that they should apply the holy ointment to the tabernacle and all the articles within it. All the priests who served and the high priest also had to be anointed with ointment. Once the people and the articles were anointed, they became separated and sanctified unto God (Exo. 29:7, 21; 40:9-16; Lev. 8:10-12, 30). Later, kings and prophets were anointed by God for His service (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:12-13; 1 Kings 1:39; 19:16; 2 Kings 9:1-6; 11:12). Therefore, the anointing occurred very early in the Bible.
The purpose for which God anoints people and things is that the anointed ones may be sanctified. What does it mean to be sanctified? In the past we realized that to be sanctified means separation of the anointed one from what is common, thereby causing him to belong to God. However, this is a shallow understanding, for it refers merely to position. If we have a deeper comprehension, we will see that to be sanctified not only changes the position but also the nature of the anointed one. Since the ointment signifies the Holy Spirit, it signifies also the Triune God. Wherever this ointment is applied, there is God Himself. Whoever has the anointing of the ointment, in him shall the component of God be increased. When Moses anointed the tent, the altar, and the priests, the tent became the tent of God, the altar became the altar of God, and the priests became the priests of God. Due to the application of the ointment, God the Creator became mingled and united with men and things, the creatures. This is why, after the tent was erected and anointed with the ointment, God’s glory filled the tent (Exo. 40:2, 9, 34-35). Although there were many tents among the Israelites, only this tent had the glory and the presence of God. This is because only this tent had the ointment applied to it and had the components of God; thus it was sanctified.
In conclusion, the anointing means the Triune God, through the moving of the Holy Spirit within us, anointing Himself into us. The more this ointment anoints us, the more God will be increased in us, bringing a greater and deeper mingling and uniting of Himself with us. Thus, the purpose of the anointing is that we may be mingled and united with God.
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