The Anointing

The Anointing

Praise and fruitfulness are the two which have the longest descriptions of Jacob’s prophecy. This is because these `are the two most noticeable distinctive aspects of the anointing of God in the world of men, and is also the most manifest part of the essential relationship with God which is the anointing of God. It is praise which is the way we enter the courts of the Lord (Ps100) and is the way the presence of God is seen (walls of praise Isa ) The anointing is the presence and power of God through the Spirit of God.

Let us look at what Jacob has to say about Praise. In this we are looking at anointing in our speech. Worship, preaching, evangelism, blessing, spiritual warfare proclamation, teaching, testimony are all within the orbit of this anointing. For simplicity I have summarised all this by the word Judah (which in English means praise)

(1) “Praise” and authority go together (8b, 10). It shows in the church (v8) as the church recognises `the importance of praise and other ministries and gifts will give place to “praise” as there will be the recognition that God is in it. This is no more clear than in the area of worship, because this is relating to the Lord who is indeed the source of everything. The Presence of God is never far from the Authority of God . Praise defeats the enemy v8b(see 2 Chronicles 20:22);

(2) Praise operates out of the finished work of Jesus. “you return from the prey” v9. Praise operates out of something settled , achieved , done, accomplished. \This is supremely the cross and resurrection of Jesus, but also out of something we have known, something we have experienced or something we have recognised. What has happened has a real place for “Praise””.

(3) Praise is towards the Lord but is also blessing to the nations. The Judah anointing ushers in the kingdom through proclamation (cf Mark 1:15-16 Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom). The obedience of the nations is when the kingdom of God brings God’s will on the nations thus fulfilling the general promise given to Abraham that his offspring would be a blessing to the nations. The Kingdom opposes and undoes the work of the enemy and has authority to do so. The righteousness that the obedience to God’s will of the nation brings then exalts that nation.


(4) “Praise” operates within and beyond a church context .It is tethered (v11) to the corporate context (the vine is often used as a phrase for the people of God Isa 5; John 15). Praise in church and proclamation from a church. There will always be some church corporate context for this. Praise is so closely linked with the church that God’s plan is to make the church the praise of all the earth (Isa 62:7). On his own at the cross Jesus was the lamb; but in the church, He is the Lion of Judah bringing about the rule of God in the world.

(5) The anointing is attracted to the “choicest branch”. Praise dwells in what is good, it manifests at the best of times, in the richest of fare. Blessing is the context of this anointing flow

(6) “his eyes will be darker than wine; his teeth whiter than milk” The blessing of God that is brought (e.g. wine or milk), the “praise” anointing makes the blessing more distinct and clearer to others