By Timothy W. Burnett
Jesus Christ's ministry began with a slightly different process in which he was baptized with water. It was at the time of his baptism of water that holy spirit first came on Jesus Christ. Before John baptized Jesus, he did not have holy spirit on him. John on the other hand had holy spirit from birth. It was God's will to raise a prophet who would prepare His people for their Messiah. This preparation included the necessary anointing or baptism of Jesus Christ.
In John 1:32 it says, "And John bare record, saying, 'I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the holy ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the son of God.'" This scripture helps us to clearly understand that this was the time that holy spirit descended upon Jesus Christ. The dove was simply a visible sign for John to know that holy spirit was descending upon the son of God. It is also interesting to noted that John did not know Jesus Christ before that time. It was only by God's revelation that John could know Jesus. And it was only by God's revelation that John could baptize him in the first place.
Jesus Christ was the last person to be anointed with holy spirit in the Old Testament tradition. After he ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of God, a few days later, holy spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost and it became available for anybody to be filled with holy spirit. The conditions completely changed. According to Romans 10:9-10, all who believe with their hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead become righteous. To be righteous simply means to be filled with holy spirit.
What about the spiritual anointing of kings and other government officials? To the best of my understanding, according to the scriptures, it passed away with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was the last person to be anointed for kingship by God. His kingdom on earth is held in abeyance until he returns to rule, as recorded in Revelation 19:11-21, 20:1-6. Jesus' kingdom on earth will be fulfilled at a set time in the future. In a vision to John the apostle, the Lord Jesus told him, "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book. For the time is at hand" (Revelation 22:10). God does not need to set up kings and judges any more. During this age of the grace of God, Jesus is the Lord and Savior. During the period of time recorded in Revelations he will be established as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he will judge righteously according to his Father's will (Revelation 19:16).
Home