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ANOINTED ONES ARE "SONS OF THE OIL". At the time that the prophet Zechariah received the vision concerning Joshua the high priest and his "colleagues", they were described as "an omen of things to come". (3:8 NEB). Joshua served as an omen of a "coming one" who would wipe away the guilt of the land. Centuries later, this was fulfilled in The Christ, the first Spirit anointed one. Those "in attendance" to Joshua were used as an omen of a future 144,000 Spirit anointed "sons of the oil" in attendance to the First Christ and High Priest Michael. (3:7 NEB) (4:14 NWT footnote). Interestingly, the Moffatt Translation of Zechariah 3:9 reads: "Look at the jewel I have set before Joshua, a single stone with seven facets; on it I will engrave My servant's name, the Lord of hosts declares". This name we know is Michael, which means, 'Who is like God'. The new name of each of the 144,000 Spirit anointed "sons of the oil" are symbolically engraved on "stones" as described in Revelation 2:17. The "two sprays of olive" that were either side of the "golden pipes" are the "the two consecrated with oil who attend the Lord of all the earth." (4:14 NEB). They are The Christ Michael in heaven and his Spirit anointed brothers on earth. (See Rev 11:3,4). The "seven lamps" of Zechariah 4:2 are the seven congregations of Revelation 1:20. (See also Rev 3:22). What is written to the seven congregations is addressed to all 144,000 Spirit anointed brothers of The Christ for each generation, including those of this generation. "The angel who talked with me came back and roused me as a man is roused from sleep. He asked me what I saw, and I answered, 'A lampstand all of gold with a bowl on it; it holds seven lamps, and there are seven pipes for the lamps on top of it, with two olive-trees standing by it, one on the right of the bowl and another on the left.' I asked him, 'What are these two olive-trees, the one on the right and the other on the left of the lampstand?' I asked also another question, 'What are the two sprays of olive beside the golden pipes which discharge the golden oil from their bowls?' He said, 'Do you not know what these mean?' 'No, sir', I answered. 'These two', he said, 'are the two consecrated with oil who attend the Lord of all the earth.'" (Zech 4:1-3 & 11-14 NEB). 19/8/88. |
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