Flowing Oil

Oil is very symbolic in the Bible.  Oil was olive oil and was created by a stone mill that crushed the olives and pressed out the oil.  It was used for healing, the inauguration of priests Ex 29:7 prophets and kings, in cooking and as a light source as it was burned in oil lamps for light.  Oil could also be scented of myrrh and other fragrances and to be used in perfumes and embalming and could be very costly.

There are several lessons from oil from which we can glean spiritual meaning.  In 1 Kings 17, the widow woman was saved by pouring out the oil into the vessels.  As she poured out, the oil continued to flow and did not cease until the last of the vessels had been filled.  With the money from the oil, she was able to make a livelihood and her life and her son's and the prophet was spared from starvation.  In the same way, the Holy Spirit can bring multiplication of the meager.   As we pour out and give, He always brings more and there is always enough so that every need is met and sometimes there is even left over, as in the case of the loaves and the fishes.

The key is to obey the voice of God in every situation and give even if it seems foolish or when there seems like there is nothing left to give or not enough to give.  This is when God shows up and take what is little, small, and insignificant and makes it much.  As it says in 1 Cor 1:27, God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise; (and the weak the mighty, and the insignificant the important.)  Even in the hardest places in life, God can lead us and bring "honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock (Duet 32:13)." God does not need anything to make something but God will use our nothing (if we let him) and make of it something.

Also, the oil was used for marking for the majors.  In 1 Samuel 16, the prophet filled his horn with oil to anoint the next king.    Samuel had each of Jesse's sons pass by but God said he had not chosen them.  God told Samuel not to make the selection based on the man's physical appearance or height because the Lord doesn't look at outward appearance but the heart (7).  When David was finally called out from the sheep pen, the Lord clearly told Samuel that this was to be the next king, so "Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward (13)."

When man chooses a person for a job, he does it based on a resume, experience, interview, their connections etc.. and that person may or may not be a good match.  When God chooses a person, he does it based on their heart.  God specifically chose David because he had a heart that went after him.  The Holy Spirit oil marked the one that God was going to raise up and this became evident in the mighty feats and exploits that came forth from the hands of David once that mark had been placed upon him.  So God marks the life of the person sold out with a heart that goes fully after him to show forth his power and wonders through.

Oil was also symbolic in the story of the 10 virgins in Matt 25.  Five of the virgins were wise and brought oil with them to trim their lamps in waiting for the bridegroom through the night.  The five foolish virgins did not have enough oil for the bridegroom delayed and at midnight when he came, their lamps had gone out and they were not ready.  While they went to the store to buy more oil, all went in to the marriage and the door was shut.  When they came back from shopping, they could not enter for the Lord did not know them.  In this case, the oil was used for the virgins for meeting their mate.  Jesus the King Bridegroom is preparing a ready bride.

The church must be fueled by the Holy Spirit oil to burn for Him, to be a ready, intimate lover that knows their Lord.  This speaks of preparation and soaking in His presence.  This is the picture of Esther in Esther 2:12 who had to spend six months dipping in the ointments and perfumes to be ready for her presentation and ultimate selection as Queen for her King.  The oil of the Spirit prepares us to be a fragrant, burning, in-love Bride for our Husband Jesus.  There is so much that goes into the natural preparation of the bride including bathing, grooming, the selection of the dress, the arrangement of the hair and flowers.  What if the church took this much care in preparing themselves for their King Jesus by soaking in the perfumes and oils of His Spirit and lighting the candle of their hearts with His burning Spirit flame so that He might recognize them at His appearing?

In the Bible, oil was also used for Mending the mangled.  In Luke 10:30-34, Jesus tells of the story of a man who was robbed, stripped of his clothes, beaten and left to die.  A preacher and lawyer ignored his state and actually avoided him because they did not want to get dirty or messy in dealing with that person.  However, there was a compassionate foreigner who "went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him."  This is God's work and what He did for us when we were in our lost condition, in sin, without God or hope in this world, for it was when we were without strength the Christ died for us (Romans 5:6).  The Lord takes us when we are wounded and He pours the soothing, protecting, healing oil of His Spirit over us and all of our brokenness is made whole.  He, when He was an outcast himself, found us and did not let us die but brought us back to life.  His name alone is like ointment poured forth (Song of Songs 1:3).  He can change everything in us and as He does it in us,

Just as Jesus healed us, He sends us forth to bless others with that same Healing Holy Ghost oil as it says in Isaiah 61 1"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;^a
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;^b 2to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
3to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified." So His mission becomes ours as He commissions us with His oil to be carriers of that oil to pour into those who have not yet come to Him.  And where that oil goes, there is multiplying, marking, mending for the ultimate meeting with Our Mate, Jesus in the Clouds of Glory and our forever Heavenly Home.