Preamble

In the Old Testament there are many types and shadows of things to come in the New Testament. Jesus fulfilled everything in the Law, and gave us a New Covenant, which changed everything. Our focus here will be the changes in relation to anointing with oil. We’ll address the significance of olive oil, and some differences between Old and New Testament anointing.
     Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect (read chapters 7-10 for fuller context).

The Significance of Olive Oil

The olive tree is an evergreen (always green), and lives longer than most other fruit trees. There are some in Israel that may be more than 2,000 years old. Its fruit is an oval-shaped, oil-bearing drupe (stone fruit, one-seeded fruit like a cherry). The olive was a mainstay of the diet in the days of old as it does today in the Mediterranean area. It’s fruit or oil could be found at every meal. It was pervasive to biblical landscape, even clinging to rocky hillsides. This longstanding tree was revered by many.
     Olive oil symbolizes Holy Spirit. When used in lamps to give light, it symbolizes Him illuminating the heart of man. The oil, along with the olive tree are also symbols of God’s anointing, mercy and grace. As well as fruitfulness or fertility (Psalm 128:3), beauty (Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 16:6), divine blessing (Deuteronomy 7:13), peace and bountifulness (Genesis 8:11). Olive oil was costly, and also used for trade.
The “beaten” oil mentioned in Exodus 27:2 was extracted by pressure, without heat (“pure oil” RV; “clear oil” NASB). It was called “golden” in Zechariah 4:12. Today, it is known as virgin oil. What did the process look like?
   First, the olives were crushed by a large rolling wheel. The crushed olives were then placed in a press. Typically, a lever-press was used in biblical times. It consisted of a large porous basket that held the olives, which sat on a round bason stone. On top of it sat a flat rock, on which was a large wooden beam that served as a lever. A large stone was tied at the end of the lever, which pushed the lever down on the flat rock. It exerted a great amount of pressure on the basket of olives. The pressure separated the oil, which drained into the round grooves of the bason stone. In turn, it would pass through an outlet, which emptied into a collection vat.
     There is connection with the process of extracting olive oil with Jesus, especially on the night He was betrayed at Gethsemane, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives (see Matthew 26:36-50; Mark 14:32). The word, Gethsemane, means oil press. It is a place of pressure where the decision is made to receive or reject the will of the Father. We know what Jesus decided, but how will we decide when facing our own Gethsemanes?

What are Some Differences Between Old and New Testament?

1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.
     Under the New Covenant, our anointing comes from God, and dwells within us. The word, unction, in verse 20 is the same word as anointing in verse 27. Essentially, it means a smearing or endowment (ability, a gift) of the Holy Spirit. It enables the believer to possess the knowledge of truth. That does not eliminate teachers; otherwise, Jesus would not have given them to us (see Ephesians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 12:28).
Many believers hear, or are led by the unction. For example, “I sense the Lord telling me. . .”, “I feel led to. . .”, or whether or not things bear witness. It gives us the sense of “Yes, that’s right,” when we hear something taught for the first time, or “No, that just doesn’t seem right.” It works as a safeguard, and will protect us if we pay attention to it. “Something just doesn’t feel right.”
     The unction gives us discernment, through which we can distinguish the voice of the Lord from others. Moreover, He uses the anointing to speak to us through Scripture. Full disclosure, we have to have a willing heart in order to clearly hear what He has to say. Moreover, that anointing endows us with abilities beyond our natural capabilities. It’s all part of His grace.
   John 14:15-17 If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
     Prior to Pentecost, the Spirit of God would come upon people. At Pentecost, Holy Spirit began to live in the disciples of Jesus Christ (see Acts 2:1-47). With Holy Spirit comes the anointing. Was applying oil required to receive this anointing? No. Similarly, when people were placed in positions of authority, or sent out to minister the Gospel, do we read anywhere in the New Testament they were anointed with oil? The New Testament scriptures speak about the laying of hands, but we don’t read where oil was applied in the process. This not to say, don’t do it; rather, we see it’s not a prerequisite.
     Ephesians 4:11 And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers (read verses 7-14 for fuller context).
It is Jesus Who baptizes us with Holy Spirit, and places people in these specific offices. None of which required anointing oil. In the Old Testament, those placed in offices and positions of authority were anointed with oil.
     1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you (see also Ephesians 2:19-22)?
     1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ (see Revelation 1:6; 5:10).
     In the Old Testament, the temple and tabernacle were physical structures, which were anointed with oil and blood of animals. As well were the priests. In the New, we are the temple, the tabernacle of God. Moreover, we are kings and priests unto Him. None of which required physical oil. Is it necessary to anoint buildings such as churches and homes? No.  However, whatever Holy Spirit leads one to do, do. We never want to limit the Holy One!

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