THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OIL
The significance of oil does not come across to the natural mind. Oil is a substance, a parable having spiritual importance. It was used in the Levitical priestly service established by Moses. Since that priesthood was a symbol representing the practices of the everlasting Heavenly Order of priestly service (Exodus 25:9), the meaning of the symbol must be illuminated if we are to learn what is its purpose. First let us dissect the word and observe the gold hidden in it. Phonetically "oil" sounds like O-WILL. Your attention is directed to 2 Esdras 5:42, The Oxford Annotated Apocrypha. (The books of the Apocrypha were part of the English Bible and the King James Bible, 1611. Later men deleted them, but most are still contained in the Catholic Bible.) This text states, "I will liken my JUDGMENT to a CIRCLE; just as for those who are least there is no slowness, so for those who are first there is no swiftness". The spirit in me bears witness that this is the WORD of God. We will use it to decode and reveal the light in "oil". Our gold is: "O" = JUDGMENT = CIRCLE. Henceforth the letter "O" will mean JUDGMENT and JUDGE. Now that we have the first syllable of "oil" revealed, let us go to the next one, "WILL". It is obvious that will refers to a determined unalterable desire. Putting the two segments together, "O" and "WILL", we see OIL's spiritual importance in the Heavenly Priesthood. OIL is JUDGMENT-DETERMINED, DESIRED, AND UNALTERABLE, or the JUDGE'S -WILL, or simply put, GOD'S WILL.
At this time we will take a look at a few scriptures where the code word "oil" appears and "open" up the messages in them that many eyes have not seen, but you are blessed now to see. Read Luke 24:25-26,32; Revelation 5:1-9. "Every jot and tittle of the law" even of the priesthood, has major importance . "Natural" symbolism is nothing, but the true spiritual "REAL THING" is being practiced. It is of force NOW and is the authority for those living in heaven and also for men on earth even if they are ignorant of it.
A. Numbers 11:7-9: Here "manna" is described as "tasting like fresh oil". Manna is angel's food, Psalm 78:25. It is the bread of heaven (man-I-feasted) manifested in the flesh as JESUS, John 1:1,14, who himself was a symbol representing the WORD of God, John 6:51,63. So manna still falls today, even for those pilgrims in the wilderness of this earth. It is not that small round thing seen by Moses and his people, but it is the "real thing", WORDS from heaven. "O taste and see that God is good"! Psalm 34:8. It tastes like fresh "oil", that is "O-WILL", God's determined will. Those who eat true manna cannot help but DO whatever God wants them to do. Read Philippians 2:13. God has His own table spread in the midst of our enemies. And only those MEN-I-FEAST (Song of Solomon 1:7, 2:4) with spiritual eyes, ears, and mouths can "taste and see".
B.Exodus 29:2: A part of the consecration rite of priests was "bread and cakes tempered with oil". They were to eat this and it became a part of their bodies. We know "bread" is the WORD of God. Let us deal with the "tempered with oil" part. One's temper is his emotional state of being. So when the WORD (bread) goes in the mouth, "GOD'S-WILL" and JUDGMENT become one's mental state of being. And God is withdrawing (redeeming) men from every nation and making them the priests of heaven as revealed in the prophecy of Christ to John, Revelation 5:8-10, 6:9-11.
C. Exodus 29:7: Anointing oil was poured over the head of each priest. The Greek root "christos", which translates as "christ" in English, means anointed. And all those priests of Revelation 5:10 are "christs" and members of His BODY. Their "heads are anointed with oil" means their minds are set (fixed) unalterably to do "GOD'S WILL", or the JUDGE'S DESIRES (O-WILL).
D. Psalm 23:5: Here is an old familiar passage: "Thou anointest my head with oil". David was anointed by a man to be king of Israel. There were earthly men who were priests in the Levitical Priesthood which held sway at that time. While Israel had her "man-made" priests, GOD MADE David a real priest of the Heavenly Order. Jesus revealed this when he mentioned that David ate shewbread "lawful only for priests" and was blameless! Matthew 12:3-6. So David was superior to the earthly priests of his day as a true priest made by God as and part of the Heavenly Order. I see our text saying, "Thou consecratest my mind or fixeth me to do thy (JUDGE'S) WILL" and "my cup (the vessel that I am, Romans 9:18-23) runneth over". Fill our cups, Lord, and let them overflow!
E. Zechariah 4:11-14: Men are called "trees of righteousness" in parabolic language, Isaiah 61:3. The candlestick in Moses "temple" symbolized the Seven Spirits of the heavens, or Seven lights, Proverbs 20:27. In Revelation this is further amplified as the seven churches under the seven Archangels, who are the lights of those seven churches, Revelation 10:1. That is why he "hung-out" in the Mount of Olives so much. On his left is the Holy Spirit, the other OIL tree seen by Zechariah. Together Jesus and the Holy Ghost fix men's minds, or O-WILL men, "to convince the world of judgment".
F. Isaiah 61:3: Here the OIL of joy is the JUDGE'S-WILL that we rejoice. When He says, "Enter into the joy of thy Lord", those oiled in this manner are gladdened as "good and faithful servants" and as "prodigals" shown grace, Matthew 25:21; Luke 15:20-24,32. Many "faithful" elder sons in the field of this earth may not like this part of the oiling! Matthew 5:44-45,48. It is for stark, blatant "sinners" who shall be saved by GRACE, Romans 5:18-19; 2 Corinthians 5:19. But we must learn to accept the Father for the KINDNESS that he is, because He has no respect of persons as biased men do, Romans 11:29-33. Now read 1 Timothy 2:3-6. The JUDGE-WILL make this O-WILL flow!
G. Psalm 133: Here is the anointing oil of unity. The Father was seen pleading with the elders far away on earth to accept their brethren who are sinners destined to be the recipients of the "free gift of righteousness" strictly by the GRACE that He is, Romans 5:6-11. Even for this cause Jesus prayed as he became the goat of "sacrifice" in the ATONEMENT on behalf of the wishes of the true Most High Priest. "And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they also may be one; as thou,Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given them: that they may be one as we are one: I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and HAST LOVED THEM AS THOU HAST LOVED ME", John 17:19-23. I say God loves "prodigals" as much as He loves Jesus! Let the elders say, "Amen"! "And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon those we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked (the prodigals): that there should be no schism in the body: But that the members should have the SAME CARE (as the Father) for one another", 1 Corinthians 12:23-25. This is the JUDGE'S -WILL (OIL) of unity.
Conclusion
This is the significance of "OIL". Every time you see the word, "oil", in any scripture, turn the key and see the hidden message God is speaking to His temples, 1 Corinthians 2:11-16. God has other code words which are "dark sayings of old" cloaked in parables. But the WORD is key to unlock the light in every WORD from God. Every wise servant will gather talents wherever and whenever God distributes them. "Good and faithful servants" do this at all times. "Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess" Him! "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness".