We have already spoken of leprosy as a type of inbred sin, and of the
requirement of blood-shedding in the cleansing of the leper. But before
that cleansing was complete, the anointing oil, also, was to be applied
to the leper, who was healed of his malady. As the priest had already
touched his ear, his thumb and his toe with the blood of the sacrifice,
so now he touched the same parts also with the oil. First, the blood;
afterwards, the oil. And thus it is in the wondrous plan of salvation
through the Lord Jesus Christ. First, atonement for guilt and to secure
pardon; afterwards, the Holy Ghost baptism for complete cleansing.
First, justification through the blood; then entire sanctification
through the Spirit.
The anointing oil was also to be applied to the ear, the thumb and the
toe of Aaron and his sons in their consecration to the priesthood and,
finally, poured upon their mitred heads that it might reach the beard
and the skirts of the garments, but by no means touch the flesh. And
so, beloved, we must be touched with blood and oil as to our spiritual
ears, that we may take heed how we hear and what we hear; and as to our
hands that they may do the work of God in all righteousness, and
goodness and truth; and as to our feet, that they may run swiftly and
beautifully upon the errands of redeeming love; and, at last, upon our
heads and running down overall the person to purify and energize the
whole man, that we may be "ever, only, all for Him." Praise the Lord.
And this can never happen while the flesh, the carnal mind, is still
alive.
Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God and the Son of Man, He who was
holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, was,
nevertheless, anointed with the Holy Ghost as a needful qualification
for His mediatorial work.
In the synagogue at Nazareth, He read part of the sixty-first chapter
of Isaiah. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord
hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He had sent Me
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord"--and here He ceased His quotation
abruptly, without saying a word about "the day of vengeance of our
God." It was now a day of grace, not a day of vengeance. But to those
who will not accept this grace, that terrible day of vengeance will
surely come. Jesus was anointed, and He was holy. His anointed
followers must also be holy. They must seek and find the baptism with
the Holy Ghost and fire, they must be sanctified wholly. To be
baptized, and filled and anointed with the Holy Ghost is the privilege
and duty of all God's children. If we would belong to the royal
priesthood, we must be cleansed from the defilement of sin.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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