OIL OR WATER?
WHICH REPRESENTS
THE RECEIVING OF
GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT?
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Today, there is a deference of opinions about how and when one receive God’s Holy Spirit. Is it from
the anointing with oil or from water baptism and the laying on of hands?
Over the many years it has been taught that the 5 foolish virgins were to go buy the oil, representing the
Holy Spirit. But that cannot be! The Apostle Peter told Simon, that the Holy Spirit cannot be purchased with
money. See Acts 8: 13-21!
Each of us has read where the Apostles Peter and John went to Samaria, they encountered Simon Magus
who wanted to buy the gift of giving the Holy Spirit with money! Acts 8:13-21, “Then Simon himself believed
also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which
were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,
they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive
the Holy Spirit: (For as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus.Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through
laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this
power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said unto him, Thy money
perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast
neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.”
This is proof that the Holy Spirit cannot be bought with money! The ten virgins of Matthew 25, were not
to buy the Holy Spirit for their lamps, but to buy oil, they were to buy the truth as it says in Prov 23: 23, “Buy the
truth and sell it not also wisdom, and instruction and understanding!
In the Old Testament, God’s Holy Spirit was given to a very few persons! The Holy Anointing Oil was
a very precious mixture, used only to consecrate a person for God’s Work! We first read of the preparation of
the Holy Anointing Oil. Exod 30:25-38, “And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound
after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the
congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and
his vessels, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. And thou shalt
anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou
shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto Me throughout your
generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the
composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever
putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take
unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall
there be a like weight: And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered
together, pure and holy: And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the
tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. And as for the perfume
which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee
holy for the LORD. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his
people.”
What is the meaning of anointing: We will start with the anointing with oil: Strong’s # 4888 mishchah
(meesh-khaw'); or moshchah (mosh-khaw'); from 4886; unction (the act); by implication, a consecratory gift:
KJV-- (to be) anointed (-ing), ointment. Also see # 4886 mashach (maw-shakh'); a primitive root; to rub with
oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paint: KJV-- anoint, paint.
As we have read this Holy Anointing Oil is used only for a special reason. Lev 8:12, “And he poured of
the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him” . At that time Aaron and his sons did
not receive the Holy Spirit. They were given a special job to do. They were to minister in the tabernacle! And
later in the temple!
We can find that Anointing Oil was used to consecrate Kings of Israel! In 1 Sam 10:1, Saul was made
the first King of Israel. “Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said,
Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?” Later in chapter 10: 6, God
said, “And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophecy with them and shalt be turned
into another man.” Because Saul disobeyed God, God’s Holy Spirit was taken from him. “But the Spirit of the
LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him” (1 Samuel 16:14).
After King Saul was rejected by God for disobedience, David was anointed King of Israel by the Prophet
Samuel. I Sam 16:13-14, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and
the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But
the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him”.
After the death of King David, Solomon was anointed King of Israel. In I King 1:39, shows the anointing
of Solomon King. “And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And
they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.” So far in scripture we have not found
where King Solomon received the Holy Spirit at the anointing of Oil.
Solomon, when first made king obeyed the laws and teaching of God. God prospered him mighty and
he became the riches man at that time. But, he went the ways of pagans and God was angry with Solomon. I
King 11:9-13, “And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of
Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not
go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon,
Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and my statutes, which I have
commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in
thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will
not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's
sake which I have chosen.”
I King 11:43, “And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead” (KJV). Now for the rest of the kings of both Judah and Israel, when
one died the next king was said to “reign over.” Nowhere was it said that they were anointed king! Only Saul
and David was anointed with oil and received the Holy Spirit!
Later in the history of Israel, Elisha the prophet had another prophet anointed Jehu King of Israel. 2 Kings
9:1-3, “And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins,
and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead: And when thou comest thither, look out there
Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and
carry him to an inner chamber; Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD,
I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
1 Kings 19:16, “And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son
of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.” And in 2 Kings 9:6, “And he arose,
and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,
I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.”
Other places in the Old Testament anointed with oil was used when bathing or needed refreshing! Not
to receive the Holy Spirit of God!
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NOW WE WILL LOOK AT WATER BAPTISM AND THE LAYING ON OF HANDS.
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Because Jesus the Christ is our example of how to receive the Holy Spirit if God, we look to Him in the
scriptures to follow. The prophet Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 11:1-2, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the
stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the
spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
LORD.”
After Christ had grown to be about 30 years of age, He went to be baptized by John the Baptist! Matt
3:13-17, “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad Him,
saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer
it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then He suffered him. And Jesus, when He was
baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
And in Mark 1:9-11, a second witness: “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth
of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens
opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou
art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
And the third witness, John 1:32-34, “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 baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”
Jesus speaking to the woman at the well, John 4:10-14, “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou
knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and
He would have given thee living water.
The woman saith unto Him, Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast
Thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself,
and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst
again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give
him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
There are so many witnesses that the living water is God’s Holy Spirit. John 7:38, “He that believeth on
Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Acts 2:38-39, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and
to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added
unto them about three thousand souls.”
Another event is where the Lord instructed Philip to go to the eunuch and the eunuch asked to be baptized!
Acts 8:38-39, “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip
and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the eater, the Sprit of the Lord caught
away Philip and the eunuch saw him no more.”
Acts 10:36-38, The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: He
is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee,
after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed (consecrated) Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit
and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with
Him.”
In Acts 10:47-48, Peter said, “ Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have
received the Holy Spirit as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then
prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
Acts 11:16, Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but
ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 16:15, “And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged
me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.”
Rev 7:17, “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto
living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Rev 21:6, “And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give
unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
We are to look to God’s Word for the truth about receiving the Holy Spirit! It is a fact that the Holy Spirit
is given to those who God the Father calls and will obey His teachings! You must be called, chosen and faithful
to be in God’s Kingdom to come!
Cogit