Sons of Oil

(Zechariah 4:14 Amplified Bible) Then said he, These are the two sons of oil [Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the prince of Judah, the two anointed ones] who stand before the Lord of the whole earth [as His anointed instruments].

Theologians may differ somewhat on their interpretation of this scripture, but all of them seem to agree that it has to do with the anointing of the Lord. I personally believe that all born again believers are “sons of oil” possessing the anointing and gifting of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Mathew 5:14 in the Message Bible that “You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.”

Jesus also said in John 8:12 in the Message Bible, “I am the world's Light. No one who follows Me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”

I am not sure that there is a teaching or a theology for ‘generational anointing’, but I do believe there is something to it. There seems to be a spiritual depth in ministers of the third and fourth generation. By saying that, I do not mean to imply that a minister (first generation or fourth generation), is immune to the trials and testings’ of life. What I am saying is that I believe I recognize a spiritual depth when I am around a third or fourth generation minister.

I first began to notice this a few years ago when I was invited to speak in a church in Minnesota. I had never spoken in this church before so I was not familiar with its history. However, as soon as I walked into the front doors of the church I felt a spiritual depth that was overwhelming to me. I immediately began to inquire as to the history of the church and discovered that the pastor was a third generation pastor. Neither the pastor nor any of his people did anything unusual, but it was still ‘different’.

It has been several years since I was in that church…but I still feel the impact of it to this very day.

Over the years I have spoken in many great churches and have also been associated with many powerful men of God, but none had the ‘generational depth’ as this Minnesota church.

Because of my experience in Minnesota I began to pay closer attention to the ‘generational family anointing’. As a result, the Lord has used that to draw my attention to the whole “sons of oil” subject…for which I am eternally grateful.

It appears that most ministers today are first generation ministers. Therefore I am personally committed to working with them and raising up as many spiritual sons and daughters for the Lord as is possible. My motive of course is to hopefully pass on to them (who are the “sons of oil”), some ‘generational anointing’.

Father,
Thank You for calling all of those who are born again through Jesus Christ, “sons of oil”. Help each of us to be carriers of Your precious anointing oil to a needy dying world.
Amen