Page 34 - The Messiah Beyond a Shadow of Doubt

Part 1: The Appointed Times

On a lighter note, anointing also seemed to be a normal part of general hygiene and
people’s daily routine, as they probably anointed themselves with oil to groom their hair or to
give a glow to their skin. Naomi advised Ruth to wash and anoint herself and put on her best
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clothes so she could attend a harvest celebration and meet the man of her dreams. Jesus told
the people to anoint their heads and wash their faces so they would look acceptable and no one
would suspect that they were fasting. 20
In a sense, all of these people and items were anointed ones, but there is an exceedingly
special individual whom we will refer to as the Anointed One or the Messiah. There is only one
person who can claim this title. Even the greatest kings of Israel, although they were anointed
ones, were not the Anointed One; they were not the Messiah.
The concept of the Messiah was introduced through a somewhat mysterious statement
near the outset of the Scriptures. As part of the curse on the serpent in Genesis 3:15, the Lord
said,

“I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (ESV)

The words of the curse are mysterious indeed, and their meaning runs much deeper
than the idea of women disliking snakes. In the book of Revelation, the serpent is identified
as the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. As Eve listened to the voice of the
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serpent, she was actually deliberating with Satan himself. But as we explore these words of
God, we must ask, “Who is the offspring of the woman who will strike the serpent—Satan—
with a deathblow, despite the serpent striking him with a temporal wound?” As history unfolds
throughout the Bible, it becomes evident that the offspring of the woman is the Messiah himself.

Progressive Revelation

God designed the Scriptures in a curious way. Key themes are sometimes introduced
in brief and somewhat cryptic statements. But as the Spirit of God developed the themes
through subsequent authors, He provided additional information and insights that increase

18 Ruth 3:3
19 Okay—I took a little liberty with Naomi’s description of Boaz—maybe she did not refer to him as the man of her dreams.
Nonetheless, it was truly a match made in heaven!
20 Matthew 6:17
21 Revelation 12:9 - “And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the
whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”
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