We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Andrea Johnson.
Bible Reading:
Prophecies:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions..”Psalm 45:6-7
“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…”
Daniel 2:44
Fulfillment:
“…and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:33
“But of the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’And,
‘You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.'”Hebrews 1:8-12
Word:
It creates a feeling of contentment when we see that the God we serve has and always will be present and in control. Nothing that we see or experience is new to Him. He was and is, and always will be!
This month as we take this time to dig through the Word of God to experience the revelation of prophecy from centuries ago, we can see Jesus in every scene. For example, in Psalms 45, the sons of Korah sing about the joy of companionship, and prophetically woven are the words spoken of our Messiah.
This tapestry reminds me of the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd.”
Follow the drinking gourd.
Follow the drinking gourd.
For the old man is a–waiting for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.
When the sun comes back and the first quail calls,
Follow the drinking gourd.
For the old man is a–waiting for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.
The riverbank makes a very good road,
The dead trees will show you the way.
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on,
Follow the drinking gourd.
The river ends between two hills,
Follow the drinking gourd.
There’s another river on the other side,
Follow the drinking gourd.
When the great big river meets the little river,
Follow the drinking gourd.
For the old man is a–waiting for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.
The words may have mystified many until they received a revelation or clear understanding. The lyrics of the song represented a physical path to freedom to slaves. If they could decipher the meaning, they would be led to freedom.
It’s similar in our verses we’re looking at today. The writer of Hebrews understood that inside these few lines found in Psalms 45 was a wealth of wisdom. The anointing of the oil of joy, reserved for particular persons for unique service, was not only a present-day anointing but also a foreshadowing of our Messiah.
When the writer of Hebrews picks it up, he is letting us know that this Messiah, this ruler of righteousness, has and will continue to sit on the throne that will endure forever! Such good news!
The oil of joy poured with abundance on our Messiah is the same oil mentioned in Isaiah 61:3 that was lavishly poured on to provide joy in place of tears! Therefore, no matter where you find yourself this season. Whether in a position of bliss or a place of mourning. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, has been anointed and now sits at the Father’s right hand, making intercession for you, and the oil of joy still flows.
Jesus has the power to change every situation in our lives to make them into something beautiful.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for interceding on my behalf; I thank you for your joy that is my strength in times of weakness. I thank you that I can trust you based on the authority of your Word, even when I can not always trace your presence. Today I choose your oil of joy, instead of my tears; and your garment of praise, in place of my heaviness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Skillwork:
Be encouraged today. God is in every detail of your life. You may be experiencing a season of firsts—first holidays without your loved one. Lean on our all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present God. He will pour out the oil of joy in your life.
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