Anointing is a significant concept in the Bible, symbolizing God’s blessing, empowerment, and setting apart for a holy purpose. Throughout Scripture, anointing with oil is used to consecrate priests, kings, and prophets, marking them as chosen by God. Anointing also represents the Holy Spirit’s presence and the equipping of believers for service. Understanding the biblical meaning of anointing helps us appreciate its spiritual significance and the calling it represents in the life of a believer. Here are 30 Bible verses about anointing, each with a brief commentary.
1. Psalm 23:5
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
This verse speaks of God’s provision and blessing. It teaches that God’s anointing is a sign of His favor and protection, symbolizing abundance and the overflowing blessings He bestows upon those He loves.
2. Exodus 30:30
“Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.”
God instructs Moses to anoint Aaron and his sons. It teaches that anointing is used to consecrate individuals for specific roles in God’s service, setting them apart as holy and dedicated to His work.
3. 1 Samuel 16:13
“So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”
Samuel anoints David as king. It teaches that anointing signifies God’s choice and empowerment for leadership, marking the beginning of David’s divine calling and the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life.
4. James 5:14
“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.”
James instructs on healing through anointing. It teaches that anointing with oil, accompanied by prayer, is a practice for invoking God’s healing power, demonstrating faith in God’s ability to restore health.
5. Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
This verse prophesies the Messiah’s anointing. It teaches that anointing is associated with a divine mission, empowering Jesus (and by extension, believers) to bring healing, freedom, and the message of salvation to the world.
6. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Paul speaks of believers being anointed by God. It teaches that anointing signifies God’s ownership and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing our salvation and strengthening us to stand firm in faith.
7. Exodus 29:7
“Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.”
God instructs Moses on the anointing of priests. It teaches that anointing with oil is a symbolic act of setting someone apart for holy service, representing God’s sanctification and empowerment for their role.
8. Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”
Jesus reads from Isaiah, affirming His anointing. It teaches that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to fulfill His mission on earth, emphasizing the connection between anointing and divine purpose.
9. Psalm 45:7
“You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
This verse speaks of being anointed with joy. It teaches that God’s anointing brings not only authority but also joy, setting the anointed apart as blessed and favored by God.
10. Acts 10:38
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
Peter describes Jesus’ anointing. It teaches that anointing with the Holy Spirit and power enabled Jesus to perform miracles and defeat the works of the devil, demonstrating the power and presence of God in His ministry.
11. 1 John 2:20
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”
John speaks to believers about their anointing. It teaches that all believers have received an anointing from God, which grants them the knowledge of truth and the ability to discern spiritual matters.
12. 1 Kings 19:16
“Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.”
God commands Elijah to anoint kings and prophets. It teaches that anointing is a means of designating leaders and prophets, marking them as chosen by God to fulfill specific roles in His divine plan.
13. Mark 6:13
“They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.”
The disciples anoint the sick as part of their ministry. It teaches that anointing with oil was a common practice in the early church for healing and deliverance, demonstrating faith in God’s power to heal.
14. Leviticus 8:12
“He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.”
Moses anoints Aaron as high priest. It teaches that anointing is a consecration act, setting someone apart for a sacred purpose, particularly in priestly service, signifying God’s blessing and sanctification.
15. Matthew 26:12
“When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.”
Jesus speaks of His anointing before His crucifixion. It teaches that anointing can symbolize preparation for significant spiritual events, in this case, Jesus’ impending death and burial, marking a moment of deep significance.
16. 2 Samuel 2:4
“Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.”
David is anointed king of Judah. It teaches that anointing is an act of recognition and empowerment, affirming God’s choice of David as king and signifying the beginning of his rule under divine authority.
17. Exodus 40:9
“Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.”
God commands the anointing of the tabernacle. It teaches that anointing is used to consecrate not only people but also sacred spaces and objects, dedicating them to God’s service and making them holy.
18. Hebrews 1:9
“You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
This verse refers to Christ’s anointing. It teaches that Jesus’ anointing sets Him apart as supreme, filled with the joy of fulfilling God’s righteous purposes, and it reflects the divine favor and blessing upon Him.
19. Genesis 28:18
“Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.”
Jacob anoints a stone at Bethel. It teaches that anointing can be used to mark significant spiritual encounters, in this case, Jacob’s vision of God, symbolizing the consecration of the place as holy.
20. 2 Chronicles 28:15
“And the men who have been mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.”
Anointing is used to care for the captives. It teaches that anointing can be a compassionate act, used in ministering to those in need, symbolizing care, healing, and the restoration of dignity.
21. Psalm 133:2
“It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.”
This verse compares unity to anointing oil. It teaches that anointing oil, which flows from the head to the whole body, symbolizes the blessing of unity among God’s people, where God’s favor spreads throughout the community.
22. Leviticus 10:7
“Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil is on you.’ So they did as Moses said.”
God commands the priests to remain in the tent of meeting. It teaches that anointing brings a special responsibility and consecration, requiring the anointed to adhere to God’s commands and remain in His presence.
23. 1 Chronicles 16:22
“Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
God warns against harming His anointed. It teaches that those whom God has anointed are under His protection, and He will defend them against any who seek to harm them, emphasizing the sacredness of the anointing.
24. 2 Kings 9:6
“Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and declared, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel.'”
Jehu is anointed as king of Israel. It teaches that anointing is used to establish authority, signifying God’s choice and empowerment of Jehu to lead His people, with divine backing for his rule.
25. Ecclesiastes 9:8
“Let your garments always be white, and let not oil be lacking on your head.”
This verse advises continual anointing. It teaches that anointing oil symbolizes joy, purity, and the blessing of God, and it encourages believers to live in a state of continual blessing and readiness.
26. Mark 14:8
“She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.”
Jesus acknowledges the anointing by Mary. It teaches that acts of anointing can have deep prophetic significance, as Mary’s act of anointing Jesus was anointed by God to signify His impending death and burial.
27. Exodus 37:29
“They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.”
The sacred anointing oil is prepared. It teaches that anointing oil was specially made and set apart for holy use, symbolizing the purity and sacredness of the anointing process.
28. Numbers 6:15
“Together with their grain offering and drink offerings, and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast—thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.”
Oil is used in offerings. It teaches that oil, a symbol of anointing, is also used in offerings to God, representing the sanctification and dedication of the offering to Him.
29. Isaiah 10:27
“In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat.”
The anointing breaks the yoke. It teaches that the power of anointing is capable of breaking every burden and yoke of oppression, symbolizing the freedom and deliverance that comes from God’s anointing.
30. Hebrews 1:9
“You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
This verse, again referring to Christ, speaks of an anointing of joy. It teaches that Jesus is uniquely anointed by God, exalted above all others, with His anointing bringing joy, righteousness, and divine authority.
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