The Gospel of Oil and Wine

“It is like the precious oil [anointing oil] upon the head that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron: running down on the edge of his garments.” (Psalm 133:2)

Oil is used in the Word of God as a type and shadow symbolizing the Holy Spirit in the new birth, and in Psalm 133:2 above, oil is used as a description of the unity of the new birth.

The unity we have as believers is made possible by the one Spirit who made us one body (1 Corinthians 12:13). This oil of the new birth began at the Head (Christ) on the day of Pentecost and ran down to the skirts of the garment (the body of Christ). This oil continues to flow today and anoints each person who receives Jesus as his Lord.

One day the last person will be added to the hem of the garment, and the oil will flow over him or her. Jesus will come back for a complete body to fashion into His Bride. All the rooms in the inn will be full, and the Good Samaritan will return for us!

Anointing with Oil is a Designation of Rank

In the Old Testament, those with the highest rank were always anointed with oil. Psalm 45 (also quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9) tells us of the day when Jesus was anointed as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Psalm 45:6-8

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia….

Jesus had just ascended into heaven from the pits of hell, where He had just conquered the devil, sin, and sickness. Although He still had the stench of corruption, God anointed Him with the oil of gladness above the level of angels. The smell of the anointing oil covered His head and garments. In the same way, once we receive the oil of the new birth, we lose the smell of the kingdom of darkness and receive the sweet-smelling savor of Jesus Himself. To God, the garments (Church) smell just like the Head ( Jesus).

When Samuel was told by the Lord to go to the house of Jesse and anoint the new king of Israel, the most logical choice was one of the six brothers that Jesse brought out to Samuel. They were all strong, tall, and good-looking. But God told Samuel that none of them was the right one. When Samuel inquired if Jesse had any more sons, Jesse brought in David from the fields where he had been watching over the sheep. David was the most illogical choice. He was dirty, smelled like the sheep, looked like the sheep, and was not as handsome as his other brothers. But God told Samuel that David was the one, so Samuel anointed him as the new king (1 Samuel 16).

The day that Jesus arose from hell and arrived in heaven, like David He was the most unlikely looking one to anoint as King of Kings. The angels such as Michael and Gabriel were a more obvious choice because of their dazzling beauty and strength. Jesus was a man with holes in His hands and feet, spear marks in His side, thorn holes in His brow, and stripes on His back. But God bypassed all the angels. He anointed Jesus and gave Him a name above every name. Thank God He did!

Since God anointed a man, we can be anointed. If God had anointed an angel instead, we could never be born again and anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit. When we are born again, we become a king with Jesus. We are given dominion here on earth, and along with Jesus, we’re given joint heirship of all things. We’re given the right to use His name, the name that causes even angels to bow—the name of Jesus!

Again, anointing with oil is a designation of rank. Every Christian becomes a king once he is born again and anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit. James 5 also describes using oil in the local church as a point of contact for the sick to release faith for healing.

James 5:14

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

The elders of the church are to lay hands on and anoint with oil “any sick among you.” This shows that divine healing is available to all who are born again. The person who is sick has forgotten who he is in Christ and needs to be reminded by being anointed with oil. By seeing and feeling the oil, he remembers that he is a king, but sickness is not part of his kingdom. His bill of rights (the Word of God) includes healing of every sickness and disease.

The New Birth is the Only Prerequisite for Eternal Life

Oil is also mentioned in Matthew 25 with the five wise virgins. The point of this parable is not that we must be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with tongues in order to enter heaven. The only element needed to enter the kingdom is oil or the new birth. The infilling of the Holy Spirit is never typified by oil but by wine. The oil in the lamp of the virgins was lit by fire and used to light their way.

On the day of Pentecost, oil was poured out as we saw in Joel 2:24. Wine was poured out in Acts 2:13-15, and the evidence was seen when the disciples spoke in tongues. But on that day, two other manifestations occurred: a sound from heaven as of rushing mighty wind and cloven tongues as of fire (Acts 2:2- 3). This was the manifestation of the oil filling the lamps (the bodies of the disciples) (see Hebrews 1:7).

 Acts 2:1-21

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.”

Notice that the fire occurred before the speaking with tongues. Many around the world had believed on Jesus before the day of Pentecost, including the 120 in the upper room. On this day, however, the new birth happened worldwide.

We often limit the Holy Spirit to the upper room in Jerusalem, but on the day of Pentecost one element of God flowed around the world—the oil of the New Birth. The disciples headed out from the upper room that day to preach the message of oil and wine. To those who did not know Jesus as their Lord, both messages were preached: the new birth and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. To those who had already believed on Jesus, the second work of the Spirit or the infilling of the Holy Spirit was taught. In other words, wine was brought to those who had already received the oil!