There are three groups of people in the Old Testament that were “anointed”; the priests were anointed, the kings were anointed, and Israel was called God’s anointed. The word anointed means they had oil poured upon them and were set apart for an assignment. The assignment of Israel was to be the people of God as a display of Yahweh to the other nations. They were to be a people whose God was their king. Kings were anointed to set them apart for a specific service as king of a nation. And priests were anointed to be set apart for use in the tabernacle or temple for service to God.

All three groups of people that were anointed were set apart to be used by God alone. The anointing distinguished them as ones who belonged to God alone. We know Israel worshipped other gods, so they did not honor the anointing of being set apart for God alone. Many of the kings “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”, therefore they did not remain set apart for God’s use only either. And the priests from the golden calf to worshipping idols in the temple, did not remain set apart for God’s use only. What a tragedy, more so than most people even understand.

When God anoints you, it is first for Himself, He is setting you apart for His use only. If you don’t want to be set apart for His use only, there is no need to be anointed. Number two, the anointing is for an assignment and that assignment is other people. If you want to be anointed to be all about you, you are not anointed, you are proud. Finally, the anointing empowers you to serve those to whom you have been assigned, not to sit in a specific chair in church.

We are not to worship the anointing or the anointed, we are to worship the Lord. When those who once were anointed are made known to have done some things that reveals they did not value the anointing or the assignment, don’t cast a stone, let it be a reminder to you to honor the anointing on you, for Christ, the anointed one lives in you, so you to are anointed and set apart for God’s use only. It is long past time we honor the anointing we have been given for it is for an assignment to be set apart for His use only.