[Lesson 43] Figurative Oil

The lesson covers the figurative meaning of olive oil, which represents the testimony or witness of those who have seen and heard the fulfillment of God’s prophecies. It explores how in the Old Testament, the two olive trees/anointed ones like John the Baptist and Jesus testified about fulfilled prophecy, while in Revelation, John and another witness are called to testify about end time prophecies. The wise virgins had enough oil (testimony) to recognize and be ready for Christ’s return, but the foolish virgins ran out and missed it. To be wise, believers need the Word (lamp) and revelatory testimony (oil) about how prophecies are being fulfilled in their time. The lesson emphasizes diligent Scripture study, receiving the full testimony, and discerning truth to have sufficient “oil” and be ready.

 

Study Guide SCJ Bible Study

Secrets of Heaven: Figurative Oil (Olive Oil)

Thank you so much for coming this evening and overcoming what I’m sure may have been many challenges. However, we know that God is always able to guide us through those challenges when we have a level of determination. And that determination is rooted in God, no matter what. I am here to hear this word. So let it help me overcome whatever situation is happening in my life.

My car may have broken down today. My job may have gotten on my nerves today. My child might have fallen sick. But whatever may have happened, by making the decision to be here, those things will resolve themselves.

So, what does the oil signify?

Our hope is to receive and have enough oil at the second coming to be a wise virgin. Having enough is the key.

Please keep that in mind.

Testing Spirits

The Apostle John tells us about the importance of testing the spirits because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This should actually begin to give you a key as to what it means to test the spirits.

Let’s diagram a little bit more about what this means, testing the spirits. How many types of spirits are there? Raise your hands. Count your fingers; there are two types of spirits. There are holy spirits or good spirits, and there are evil spirits or bad spirits.

And how do these spirits work? How do they operate? What do they do?

Spirits work through words. And words, of course, lead to thoughts and actions. John 6:63, when Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” So, though we cannot see spirits with our naked eyes in normal circumstances, we can hear them. So, how can one hear a spirit? It is by listening to the words of the one the spirit is using. That’s how we can discern between one spirit and another. So, two types of spirits work through people. We have one person here and another person there, and we can discern what they are saying. And that tells us the spirit that is currently using them.

A Holy Spirit, or God’s Spirit, or a good spirit will speak through one who speaks the truth, John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” But a spirit working through the opposite person will speak lies, like John 8:40-44. Satan speaks lies. It is his native language, or he is the liar and the father of lies.

So, one cannot truly know unless they are able to discern. One whom an evil spirit is using speaks lies, but one whom the God spirit is using speaks the truth.

So then, how do we discern who is speaking what? How do we discern? We listen first, but what is the next thing we need to do?

We need to check the scriptures. But how can you check the scriptures if you’re not familiar with them? This is why studying is so important. Because familiarity with the scriptures is the first line of defense when you’re hearing something. If you don’t have that first line of defense, everything you hear sounds good or sounds bad, and you can’t discern which is which.

That’s why familiarity is important, and that’s why we’re studying. This is why review is so important. If you’re not reviewing, you’re going to be in trouble later on because things get deeper, and it gets harder to discern.

So here’s how not to discern: we need to discern with the scripture. The word is the standard that will determine truth, Acts 17:11, like a Berean.

Here’s how not to discern:

ONE – Consider the words that God is speaking through the prophet Isaiah, “For my ways and my thoughts are higher than your ways and thoughts.” Oftentimes, God’s ways and thoughts are confusing. They do not make sense from the world’s standards or human standards. However, God does not initially speak a word for it to make sense to you. He is asking you to obey regardless of how much physical logic it makes. 

For instance, to walk around city walls blowing trumpets for those walls to collapse. If we were to go to a fortress today with a trumpet and blow it really hard, will the walls of that temple or fortress collapse? Or will they say, “Who is this guy? Get this guy out of here.” That’s man’s logic. But from God’s logic, it works. God’s logic is effective. God’s logic brings it down. His thoughts are not our thoughts. Glory to God. Joshua and the people said they’ll follow what God tells them to do, and guess what? The walls came down. That’s God’s logic. So our thoughts are not the way we should discern. 

 

TWO – What’s another way that we cannot discern?

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9-10

The second way we do not discern is through our hearts or feelings. “I feel like this. I feel like that. I feel like God is leading me here. I feel like God is leading me there.” Before we really knew the word well, that is often how we carried out our life of faith. 

However, when someone knows the word, it’s no longer “I feel,” but “I know.” It’s a very different feeling, “I know.” I know exactly what God is asking me to do. So I’m going to do it. No longer am I doing this: “Let me know how the wind is blowing? God, send me a sign. Let me, okay, I’m blowing over here. I’m blowing over there.” Now God is saying, “Go and do this.” When you look at the way God gives instructions in the Old and New Testament, God is very clear about what he wants people to do.

Joshua did not have to do this, pointing his finger up to feel the wind, “Okay, I feel like we might have to blow a trumpet,” and maybe seven times to bring it down. No, God said it. “Go and blow the trumpet seven times.”

Joshua doesn’t have to question what God wants him to do. He just goes and does it.

That’s actually how God gives commands. So our feelings may mislead us, especially because our hearts are so deceitful.

Right, remember the good old days when you were in high school, and you’re like, “Man, he’s so cute. I like him,” or “She’s so cute. I like her,” but she’s trouble. But you ignore all the trouble because they’re so cute.

However, your friends are like, “That person’s not a good fit for you,” but you ignore those things because your heart is feeling like in love, like that, right?

Thankfully, you listen to reason, right? But our hearts are not the standard. And if you listen to your heart, it will often mislead you.

Better to listen to the word. What does God say, right? And there’s a third way.

Let’s go to the book of Matthew that we should not discern.

THREE – Woe to you, Pharisees and teachers of the law. You are like whitewashed tombs; outwardly beautiful, wearing immaculate clothes and the finest jewelry. When they walk in, people exclaim, ‘Wow, Pharisees are here,’ right?

They command respect and show off, walking around with pride. So, if you didn’t truly know Jesus yet, when you saw a Pharisee, you would think, ‘Oh, this is a person of God. I should listen to their words because they fit the mold: tall, handsome, well-dressed, adorned with jewelry, and so forth.’ However, when Jesus came, He did not dress, speak, or operate in the same ways as the Pharisees. He did not say the things they did. Jesus appeared very different. Therefore, if someone’s standard of discernment was based solely on appearance, they would choose the Pharisee and miss life itself.

But if a person’s standard was, ‘What does the word say?’ They would hear the words of the Pharisees and then the words of Jesus and conclude, ‘What Jesus is saying aligns with Scripture. What Jesus is saying sounds better.’ And they would follow Jesus. Appearance would not matter to them because appearance does not matter to God either, right?

1 Samuel 16:7 states, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height because I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’

Even Jesus’s disciples, some of them initially were like, ‘Jesus, this guy. Want to see?

What did he say?

Nazareth, like Galilee and Samaria, were towns considered of low stature in Israel. It was a small town with no important people residing there. So, it had a negative connotation from the outset.

I love how God operates. He always chooses people He’s using from humble backgrounds. They fly completely under the radar, but then they open their mouths, and it stuns the whole world.

You’re left wondering, ‘How can this person from this insignificant place, who is uneducated, be able to speak such profound words?’ Because God chooses the lowly things to shame the wise. That’s how God prefers to work.

So, credentials and appearance are not the standard for discernment. It’s better to listen to the word and test or taste it against the scriptures.

Job 34:3-4 says, ‘For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.’ So, how do we discern? We listen, and we check with the scriptures.

I pray you’re still doing this for me. I pray you’re not becoming comfortable merely listening to Instructor Paul and taking everything I say as true. Are you going through the scriptures as well? Are you checking them too? Are you being diligent?

We can’t afford to become comfortable, everyone. This is not a time for complacency. We’re in battle. We’re fighting. Let’s remain diligent.

Activity

We’re going to enter a battle. So, if we can have the two audios prepared, we’re going to listen to two audios that describe what some say the figurative oil is.

And I want everyone to listen carefully and pick out the things that they’re saying. Then, we’ll go over the lesson.

Again, it is just the audio. We are not putting anyone down; we are emphasizing the importance of discernment. So, we have those two audios ready to play.

 

Audio 1:

The five virgins who have the extra oil represent the truly born again who are looking with eagerness to the coming of Christ. They have saving faith and have determined that, whatever occurs, be it a lengthy time or adverse circumstances, when Jesus returns, they will be looking with eagerness.

The five virgins without the oil represent false believers, who enjoy the benefits of the Christian community without true love for Christ. They are more concerned about the party than about longing to see the bridegroom. Their hope is that their association with true believers, “give us some of your oil,” a verse 8, will bring them into the kingdom at the end.

 

Audio 2:

So, this parable is talking about a pure woman or God’s pure church that believes in the truth of Scripture. Because they had their lamps. Psalms 119:105 says, “Thy word, the scripture, is a lamp unto my feet.”

And light unto my path. This Bible-believing group of people is expecting Christ’s second coming because they have their lamps and are going forth to meet the bridegroom, or Christ, when he comes again.

Now, if the parable would have stopped here, this would sound pretty good, right? We would think, wait, this is a good church; they have their Bibles; they’re pure.

They’re going forward to meet the bridegroom. They believe Jesus is coming soon, but Verse 2 says, 5 were wise and 5 were foolish.

Why were 5 of the virgins foolish? Notice how in Matthew 25:3 it says that the foolish virgins were missing oil from their lamps.

They had the lamp, the Word of God, but were missing the oil. Wait! Does that mean that you can still have the Bible and be a foolish virgin?

What is this oil that you got to have? The Bible uses oil many times to represent the Holy Spirit.

So, somehow among God’s Bible-believing people, His church,

end.

 

There were two different speakers with different explanations and meanings. Both stated that the oil represents the Holy Spirit.

Is that what the oil really symbolizes? Today, we’re going to go through this lesson step by step and examine the scripture. We will also look at how the scripture is discussed in the book of Revelation, so that we can discern and not merely listen to words that sound comfortable or appealing.

Okay, it may sound good, but we need to ask: What is the reference? Show me the citation.

Amen. Let’s be able to do that. So, let’s go through the lesson on the figurative meaning of oil.

Figurative Olive Oil

Main Reference

Do not damage the oil and the wine.

In our previous lesson, we explored the significance of wine. Now, we shall delve into the meaning of oil. Interestingly, these two elements are often mentioned together, suggesting a profound connection between them. Let us endeavor to comprehend their true essence. Both the oil and the wine are essential elements.

1. Physical Characteristics of Olive Oil

We look at the physical characteristics: where does all the oil come from? It follows a similar logic to wine. Olive trees produce olives, and olives, when pressed, produce olive oil. Keep this logic in mind; it’s very important.

Olive oil is a kind of magical substance. It has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years and is also quite a healthy product. When one cooks with olive oil, their food becomes healthier. It has really magical properties. I love olive oil. We were talking about what oil we like to cook with. This is the oil I like to cook with – olive oil. And, as I mentioned, it has been used in religious ceremonies for a long time, for a reason. So, let’s understand that a little bit more. One of the main uses of olive oil in biblical history was to light lamps.

When you have a lamp and it is combined with oil, it produces light. Lamp plus oil equals light. That oil must be clear oil. We’ll see that today as well. It must be clear oil so that when it burns, it burns cleanly.

Similar to having proper oil for your vehicle so that it runs correctly, right? If you put dirty oil in your vehicle, it will damage the vehicle over time, and it will no longer be able to run as it needs to run. Olive trees produce olives; olives, when pressed, produce olive oil.

Now, let’s look at the lamp and oil in history because one of the people that spoke in those audios mentioned Psalm 119:105. Did you notice that? That’s a pretty common verse. It would be silly not to know that verse if one was speaking. So, let’s turn there.

2. Old Testament History

“The Bible is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105) The word, the Bible, is a scripture that comes from God. It guides us, our way. Every believer has a Bible. It is the tool with which believers are able to operate.

So, it makes a lot of sense that both the wise and foolish virgins have lamps, but the oil is the difference between them. (Matthew 25:1-13)

Now, let’s understand what that oil represents. Let’s explore where else it is mentioned in Old Testament history.

God issued a command. What did God instruct in this command? He told Aaron to obtain a specific type of oil for the lamp. What kind of oil did He say to acquire? And what was its required condition? Clear olive oil. And why must it be clear? If the oil is impure, will it be able to fulfill its purpose of lighting the lamp effectively? No, God does not deal with unclean things. It had to be clear oil so that the lamp would be able to burn brightly.

Recall the tabernacle? There was the Holy Place, and then the Most Holy Place or the Holies of Holies. The lampstand was situated in the Holy Place, and it had to be fueled by olive oil. This was the significance of oil in Old Testament history. Now, let us explore how it was used in prophecy and delve into its deeper symbolic meaning.

3. Spiritual (True) Meaning of Olive Oil

The prophet Zechariah was seeing a vision. He was shown two olive trees. Zechariah wondered, “What are these things that I am seeing? What is the meaning that you want me to take away from seeing these trees?” This is often the question that prophets ask, right?

“God, okay, you’re showing me this. What does it mean? What am I supposed to do with it?” But what was the job that the prophets had whenever they were shown something from God? What was their job? Can we act it out? What was the job the prophets had? Was it to understand fully? No, right.

Their job was to write down the words so that those words could exist in the future for those for whom the words would be fulfilled. However, Zechariah received additional explanation as to what the olive trees represented.

Old Testament Prophecy

The two olive trees represent two anointed ones, individuals who are selected or appointed to serve the Lord. Anointing is another way of expressing selection, choosing, or assigning a duty or role. In the Old Testament, when someone was appointed to a duty, they would often be anointed with oil, as this was a typical process at that time. Therefore, these olive trees symbolize two specific people.

Interestingly, this is an Old Testament prophecy. Generally, Old Testament prophecies point to what time period? The first coming, the first coming of Jesus. While there are some Old Testament prophecies related to the second coming, the majority predominantly refer to the first coming.

So, these two anointed ones, selected to serve the Lord, what will they be providing?

To understand this, we need to refer to the Book of Revelation. There, we’ll find another example of two anointed ones, which provides a clearer distinction between them or offers more insight into the symbolism of two olive trees representing two anointed individuals.

What does that sound just like, everyone? Hmm, it sounds just like Zechariah 4. Is that an accident? No, of course not. There are no accidents in the Bible, no coincidences. God has a particular language that He speaks often. But this is a language we were not super familiar with. So we would miss these connections. We would read Revelation 1 one time and then, 2 years later, we would read Zechariah 4, and we would never make that connection. Though we might have read the same content before, we didn’t make the connection, “Oh wait, hold on a second,” right?

But when the word is opened, these connections become quite clear. And Revelation 11 calls these olive trees something new. What does it call them? What term is used to describe the olive trees? They were also called lampstands. It’s a really important term.

What does it say in verse 3? “I will give power to my two witnesses.” This is a key phrase, “witnesses.” What is a witness? Someone who has seen and heard something. And so, what does someone who is a witness, who has seen and heard, do? What are they able to give or produce? Or speak? A testimony. They are able to give a testimony.

And they were called olive trees. Olive trees produce olive oil. So what is the olive oil? A testimony. The word of testimony. To be specific, the word of testimony about what they have seen and heard. 

So the meaning of olive oil represents the word of testimony from the witness or the one who has seen. And they are able to speak about what they had seen and heard, particularly in relation to what has been fulfilled.

We’re going to dive into this concept a little bit more about olive trees that have already appeared. Olive trees, and there are two, produce witness or are witnesses. And when witnesses speak, of course, they give a testimony to what they have seen and what they have heard, so that they can testify, “This is what God has done according to prophecy. This is what I was told to do. What I was told to say or speak.”

Now, let’s learn a little bit more about these two witnesses in Revelation quickly. Whose perspective is the book of Revelation recorded in? The Apostle John’s. And in every chapter in the book of Revelation, we see evidence of what John saw and heard. So if you look at the beginning of every chapter of Revelation, you will see, “And then I saw,” “and then I heard,” “And then it was shown to me,” “And then I was taken to this place,” and “then I was taken to that place.” Every chapter, all 22 chapters, have evidence of witnessing, seeing. And then, of course, the Apostle John had the job to record, to write it down 2,000 years ago. But why did he have to write it down?

So if we look at Revelation 11:1, it says, “I was given a reed like a measuring rod.” So one of the two witnesses is actually John. Well, we know that the Apostle John is long dead, right? It has been 2,000 years. He has passed away. So someone else must be able to see and hear the things John saw and heard but in reality. And so who was the second witness?

The reed that was given. And we talked about the figurative rod already, right, everyone? Do you remember that lesson? What is a figurative rod? What does a figurative rod represent? It has two meanings.

How do spirits work? Through words, right? And a person can inherit the title of the spirit using them, right? Like Jesus calling the Pharisees a brood of vipers because the serpent was using them.

So a rod can be the word, and a person with the words. So the rod can mean the word, and a person who has that word also becomes like a rod, right? Because what should that person do? Speak. Discipline. Like a rod, speak the truth to correct like that.

But a rod is a sturdy thing. You can depend on it and rely on it. A reed is a rod-like thing, but it is not nearly as strong. A reed is similar to a wheat plant. It was quite common in the Middle East. It’s still grown in the Middle East. Reeds are notoriously weak things.

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Now, let’s gain a clear understanding. Remember, Zechariah 4 is an Old Testament prophecy, pointing to the time of the first coming. So, who were the two anointed ones that appeared at the first coming? 

We read about them, right? John the Baptist and Jesus. 

And what did they both possess? What did both John and Jesus have that we just learned about?

John the Baptist was able to even speak a little bit in parables if you read the first chapters of John and Matthew. You’ll see that he used words like, “I can only baptize you in water, but one is coming who will be able to baptize you with fire,” or “He will come to clear the chaff from his threshing floor.” And John the Baptist was able to say, “I saw the anointed one of my time when I baptized him. I saw the Spirit of God descend on him like a dove. He is the one that we are waiting for.” That’s what John was able to do; that is a testimony of what has been fulfilled.

Well, what did Jesus say in verse 36? “I have a testimony that is weightier than that of John, heavier, greater.” Because Jesus was able to explain the rest of the scripture. He was able to explain the entire Old Testament like that. “My testimony is greater.”

Let’s see what John says about Jesus’s testimony.

According to the book of Zechariah, the two olive trees that appeared during the time of the first coming were John the Baptist and Jesus, who were able to give testimony. However, let us learn a little bit about the two witnesses that will appear at the time of the second coming.

Specifically, we will focus on the one who appears throughout the entire book, as the other witness is mentioned only in Chapter 11. By understanding this witness, we can gain insight into what John should be able to do today.

I, John, am the one who witnessed and heard these things firsthand. Therefore, it is my responsibility as John to bear testimony to what I have seen and experienced. And who must receive this testimony?

I have sent my angel or messenger, who will deliver this message to the churches. They are the ones who need to hear this. That is what John is supposed to be able to do.

So, before we look at the parable of the ten virgins to really close this chapter and bring the parable full circle, let’s truly understand what we’ve covered so far. I want to ensure we’re not confused. Let’s make sure we have this clearly understood in both Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy.

Two olive trees are promised to appear. These two olive trees will represent anointed ones of God who have the job to be witnesses, to see and hear, and then testify to what they have seen and heard so that people can know that what God has promised is now being fulfilled in their time. But oftentimes, the two witnesses are not received well.

They were not perceived well at the first coming, and they will not be received well at the second coming. 

Why? Because many people have their own maddening wine that they quite like. 

They have their own oil that they are quite familiar with. But it is not clear oil. 

So, when they receive clear oil, they might say, “I don’t know. I like the way I’ve always done things. It doesn’t taste like I’m used to things tasting. I don’t know this person didn’t go to this school or that school. Hmm, I don’t know this person’s church is very small.”

They’ll say things like that and dismiss the testimony that the one who is giving that testimony is providing them. You know, it happened at the first coming, and it will happen again in our time today. So, let’s not be those who reject the testimony without fully understanding what it is.

Okay, so now let’s look at the parable of the ten virgins. Let’s bring everything back to the beginning.

This parable should have new meaning to us now. We should be seeing it with brand new eyes and understanding. The word is profound and endlessly deep. Jesus spoke many secrets that he understood would be unveiled at the time of his return.

Let’s comprehend this parable more deeply. We see two groups here, both of which are waiting for the master.

The key fact is that both groups are believers. Another key fact: The foolish virgins know what the oil represents and where to obtain more.

What was their problem? What distinguished the foolish from the wise?

Recall our hope from the beginning of the lesson. The problem with the foolish virgins was that they didn’t have enough oil. Why did they have to go get more oil? They ran out, which means they had a little bit of the oil already, but not enough.

This is very important. This is the reason why it’s crucial to finish and hear the entire testimony because if you stop now, having heard only half of the parables, and say, “I’ll be okay,” you will qualify as one who is foolish, having heard only a little bit of the testimony but not all of it. When the time comes, your lamp will go out. Let’s not be like that. Let’s have a sufficient amount of oil.

So then, what is the oil they need to have? If you look closely at the passage, in verse 9, what do the wise virgins tell them when they ask? Verse 9 says, “No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.”

When we listened to those two leaders speak at the beginning of the class, they said that the oil was the Holy Spirit. However, you cannot buy the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not for sale. The oil they needed to receive was the testimony.

When the master is about to return, things are being fulfilled. And they did not have enough of the testimony.

Let me say this clearly so we understand. If we didn’t know what the oil represented before, let’s be humble. We weren’t even qualified to be foolish. We weren’t even in the parable at all.

Now that you know, you can qualify to be wise. Let’s not be foolish.

Instead, let’s be the wise ones who have our Bibles, the Lamp, and the testimony. Remember what we talked about before? The Word and the testimony always go together when the truth is present.

Isaiah 8:20 says: “Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.”

To have the Word and the testimony: If they do not have both of these things, they have no light! Oh, of course! A lamp plus oil equals light. That’s not an accident.

There are no accidents in the Bible. The same logic applies from Genesis to Revelation, throughout the whole book. When you have the proper understanding, every verse clicks into place. You’re like, “Oh, of course, that’s what that means.”

And it’s a joyous experience reading this book that is now alive again. Are we understanding? Let that be the case for all of us.

So the wise virgins were the ones who had the Word and the testimony as to how the Word was fulfilled. And they had it in sufficient measure. So when their master returned, they were able to welcome him.

Let me give you a concrete example of what that means. They’re both waiting for the master. But the master gave specific instructions on how, when, and where he will return. The one who has sufficient testimony will be in the right place at the right time, waiting for the master. This is why they will be able to enter. But the one who doesn’t have a sufficient amount of testimony will not know where, when, or how.

That’s why they’re left outside. And so when they finally find out, they run and say, “Let me in; now I’m here.” And Jesus says, “Too late.” Terrifying, no? Not me like that. Not me, Lord. Let me be wise.

So let’s not be those who are like, “I’ve always been wise my whole life,” but didn’t know what the oil was. Let’s be humble and thankful to God for revealing these things deeply.

Memorization

Let’s Us Discern