“…Your name is oil poured out” Song of Songs 1:3
Previously I’ve shared regarding the extra virgin oil in Matthew 25, however, today I’ll like to continue on that theme from a prophetic perspective.
Oil, a truly remarkable substance not just in the natural but what it represents spiritually. By worldly standards, it is a highly valuable and sought-after commodity that is drawn from the depths of the abyss. It’s commonly named ‘Black Gold’, an apt description of the effect it has on all those who fervently pursue it. Nations fight to gain control over oil reserves because of the promise of its wealth and dominant position it offers in flexing political influence. Contra to this, those considered wealthy in God’s eye are those with the extra oil of His Spirit because it directly relates to the intimate knowledge of Jesus. That common phase of having the ‘wealth of knowledge’ is what the wise truly seek.
In the Bible, oil had a multitude of practical uses; it was used to keep the temple lamps burning continually (Exodus 27:20). It was used to anoint generations of Kings and Priests, plus consecration of the temple vessels to mark them for holy service. The wise virgins were those who had the extra oil for their lamps and thus representative of their readiness for the coming Bridegroom; it can also be attributed to intimate knowledge of Him too, for the unwise virgins who lacked the extra oil were rebuked by the Lord saying He never knew them (Matthew 25:12).
Symbolically, oil represents the Spirit of the Lord, because as one was anointed with oil the Spirit would come upon them. Jesus quotes Isaiah in Luke 4:18 and says “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me (1)to preach the gospel to the poor. (2)He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, (3)to preach deliverance to the captives and (4)recovery of sight to the blind, (5)to set at liberty those who are oppressed.“ Notice 5 things are listed (numbered above), it’s the number of grace and also fivefold ministries. The anointing of the Spirit is directly related to being empowered to do God’s will. Having been anointed with oil, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Meanwhile as the anointing left King Saul, so did the Spirit. Oil lamps were also used in times of warfare, look at Gideon who stood upon high ground trumpet in one hand burning lamp in the other! Truly it is not by might or power, but only by the Spirit of God.
Prophets were ordained stewards of the oil, themselves becoming vessels from which God uses to distribute it. Moses anointed the first priests into service, Samuel anointed Kings, Elisha and Elijah both provided a boundless supply of oil to two separate widows. The two olive trees in Zechariah 4 are representative of two witnesses, prophets, who stand by the Lord in His council to discharge a supply of fresh olive oil into a central bowl, this in turn feeds a lampstand with 7 lamps on it, the church. The word for these two witnesses directly translates as ‘sons of oil’.
Now that we know the use of oil, and how the prophets are used in its distribution, let’s see how that relates Song of Songs 1:3 as was begun with. “…Your name is oil poured out”. The Bride is speaking of her Beloved, and that His name is oil poured out. Revelation 19:10 says, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”. The prophetic office is inspired to speak forth all things pertaining to the testimony of Jesus, thus pouring forth the oil/anointing. In doing so, the revolutionary Word of God is used to anoint the church, therefore empowering her to carry out God’s will. It’s like a domino effect, a conduit of refreshing and timely golden oil that is poured forth according to the measure of Christs gifts.
Oil is what fuels the continuous burning of our hearts, which is represented by lamps. In dark of the night, only those who keep their lamps burning will be able to endure the times ahead and will be equipped to go out and meet the Bridegroom. Whilst individually we can press into the presence of God through an intimate relationship with Jesus, corporately as a lampstand with many lamps, there is a central bowl that needs filling to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to be built up and functioning together as though having one mind and one Spirit, one eternal central heart of oil burning.
The prophets are being called to stand in the courts of Heaven and release the fresh anointing of God’s word to the testimony of Jesus, for it is the testimony of His name that bears witness in the heavenly courts according to all that He has accomplished. Amen.
