OLIVE OIL USES in scripture
Anointing Oil and Biblical uses for Consecration, Prayer, Healing and Worship
Anointed
To be �anointed� meant to be made sacred or consecrated. When you were anointed, you were set apart and dedicated to serve God. It also gave a spiritual enabling of certain gifts and grace. And finally, it meant to be divinely designated or chosen for a particular purpose. Yahuah considers this subject to be of utmost importance, as if you do a search in scripture - you will find various renderings of the word almost 200 times throughout the pages of the Scripture.
The Anointed One
What exactly does 'the Anointed One' in scripture actually mean? Wel, it is very interesting that the the ancient Hebrew form of Messiah and the ancient Greek form of Christ literally mean �anointed�. So when we say �Jesus Christ� we are actually saying �Jesus the Anointed�. Think of all the scriptures that refer to Yeshua (Jesus) and 'anoint', such as Luke 4:18 which quotes Isaiah 61:1: �The Spirit of Adonai ELOHIM is upon me, because ADONAI has anointed me�� And now we know the reason why the followers of Yeshua refer to him as the �Anointed One�.
Fragrant Oil
Fragrant Oil is mentioned over and over throughout scripture. There are sweet-smelling fragrances and perfumes, oil mixed with spices, anointing oils, perfume, and more scattered throughout almost each chapter from Genesis to Revelation! Various forms referring to fragrant oil are mentioned over 100 times. There are also many exotic biblical concoctions of oil mixed with fragrances, some of which contain frankincense, myrrh, spikenard, cinnamon, cassia, calamus, camphor, statacte, aloes, onycha, cedar, honey, hyssop, henna, mandrakes ,pomegranates, lilies, roses, and saffron. Each one mentioned has not only a phyical meaning, but a spiritual meaning as well! Studying the spirtual meaning that goes along with these fragrant oils can only serve to deepen and enrich our journey.
First Scriptural Reference
The first reference we have in scripture is our great Hebrew patriarch, Jacob, the son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham. In Genesis 28:16-22 and in 31:13; 35:14 we see that Jacob, renamed Israel, made a sared vow to Yahuah (God) as he anointed a stone pillar by pouring olive oil on top of it. This place was then renamed "Bethel" which means "house of God".
ANOINTING OIL
Now we come to the Anointing Oil . If you look in Exodus chapter 30, you will see how the LORD tells Moses to make a very special and �holy anointing oil� of �the finest of spices�, including �flowing (liquid) myrrh�, �sweet-smelling cinnamon�, �fragrant cane�, �cassia�, and �olive oil�.
Wow! What a HIGHLY perfumed and sweet smelling oil that results from this type of combination of spices! This recipe of Olive Oil and Spices was used to consecrate (set apart) the articles used in Temple worship, including the ark of the testimony, the holy tabernacle, and all its furnishings. By doing so, it set them apart or made them �Holy� (Kadosh in Hebrew).
Let there be Light!
Of course we know that light in Biblical times was provided by oil lamps. These lamps were often made of clay, brass, silver of gold depending on what the lamp was intended for and the prosperity of the owner. These lamps used olive oil to burn the wicks slowly making the light last a very long time. Many of the scriptures will now 'come to light' as you read them - such as Exodus 27:20 where it orders the people of Israel to bring pure oil of pounded olives and talks about keeping the lamp burning continually. Then think about the menorah... in Exodus 35:14 we read �the menorah for the light, � and the oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense�and in Exodus 35:28 �oil for the light, and for the anointing oil� Knowing how important that Olive Oil is with reference to 'light' will shed 'light' on many verses that otherwise we simply skip over. .
Anointing of Priests, Kings, and Queens
Priests: There are many instances in scripture where the anointing of priests, kings and queens is mentioned. Scripture tells us that anointing oi is an acceptable offering unto the LORD (Ex 25:6), it says that Aaron and his sons are to be anointed (set apart) as holy priest to minister unto the LORD (Ex 28:41). In Ex 29 it tells about how Aaron is anointed as Israel's High Priest and describes how the oil is poured on his head and on his garments.
Kings: The prophet Samuel is the first mention of a kingly anointing as he pours oil on the top of the head of King Saul (1 Samuel 10:1). David, who was a 'man after God's own heart', is anointed with oil three times, and in Psalm 23:5 David says to YHVH, "You anoint my head with oil'. Now read Psalms 89:20-21 where Yahweh declares that he has found David and anointed him with "HIS" holy oil! There are many other instances where oil is mentioned in the scriptures with concern to kings.
And what about the most intriguing scene in the Brit Hadasha - the New Testament - when the gospels retell the story of how Myriam of Bethany broke an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume (pure spikenard oil!) and poured the precious oil over Yeshua's (Jesus) head and feet? The entire house was filled with the fragrance and Yeshua says, "She has done a beautiful thing for me...She poured this perfume on me to preapre my body for burial...I tell you that throughout the world what she has done will be told in her memory."
Queens: Who can forget Queen Esther and her miraculous story of rise to power? She had to undergo a whole year of preparations before she was crowned queen. Six months of the treatments had to do with oil of myrrh and six moths with perfumes and other aloes. In one translation, it states that that the treatments that had to do with oil of myrrh was actually olive oil and myrrh. We also know that in ancient times, perfume was simply oil mixed with fragrant oils. Take time to read this intriguing story in the book of Esther, you will come away with a new respect for the ancient ways and how we can benefit from them today.
anointing oil associated with the messiah
When the "Magi from the east" paid homage to the Christ Child, the Messiah, Redeemer of the world, they brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then later, we are told that Yeshua was offered myrrh mixed with wine when he hung on the stake and that his body was later treated with a 'mixture of myrrh and aloes' after he was removed.
The Messiah is our eternal fragrance - when we follow in His footsteps - the ancient footsteps, we will begin to recognize the sweet smelling fragrance that surrounds Him. In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 we see that Paul gives thanks to YHVH and claims that we are the aroma of the Messiah and the sweet smell of life leading to more life!
Now turn to Revelation and one can see that the community in Laodicea was advised by Yeshua himself to buy gold from HIM and to anoint their eyes with eye salve. Remember the admonition of King Solomon - "Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. We should always be sure to have our 'white' garments ready, and our heads should be anointed with the finest of oil to symbolize our readiness for our bridegroom. This is the anointing of our seal as He gives us His Spirit.
As believers, we are appointed to be priests (1 Peter 2:5,9) and thus the anointing of oil is part of our heritage in these divine ancient footsteps. Ancient Israelites anointed themselves with oil in their daily walk - consider the scriptures of Ruth, Chronicles, Daniel and Amos, and then read the B'rit Hadasha in Matthew and James where it directs believers to anoint with oil
Biblical Anointing Today
So now, how do we or do we, use biblical anointing oil today? Well, let's put it this way - if it was good enough for our forefathers and our very own Messiah than we need to understand the role of anointing oil as it pertain to the believers walk today.
Anointing with oil sets one apart - it consecrates and dedicates the believer for a special purpose as he walks with His Messiah. As you begin your day, which is in and of itself a special purpose, anoint yourself with oil, pray the SHEMA and know that you will walk in the shadow of the Messiah throughout the day! Consider anointing each other at the beginning of Shabbat to consecrate and set apart this special time set apart by the Father Himself. There are many other reasons in this day and age to anoint oneself with the gladness of oil - such as when fasting, during praise and worship, when you are sic, or fearful or under oppression from the enemy - I'm sure you can think of many more!
