There is a difference between oil for light and oil for anointing, as clearly shown in the Bible. Let’s analyze scriptures.
The phrase “Oil for the Light” occurs five times in Scripture
“And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass… And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense…” (Exodus 35:4-5,8)
“And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses… The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense…” (Exodus 39:33a,37-38a)
First let’s be clear about what light is.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12a)
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5)
“I am come a light into the world,…” (John 12:46a)
Jesus is the source of our light.
“…he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12b)
“…that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” (John 12:46b)
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)
“The LORD is my light…the LORD is the strength of my life…” (Psalms 27:1a)
“For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalms 36:9)
From the above we can see that Christ in us, is our strength and our light.
Thus far we have seen how the Life of “Christ-in-us” provides the Biblical Grace, which is simply the strength, or power He gives us, to live His Resurrection Life within us. We have seen how His “Life-in-us” becomes our Light. But to get a more detailed picture of just what this Light is, we will home in on a few other passages.
“Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works…” (Matthew 5:14a, 16a)
“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” (1John 2:9)
“…we have received grace…for obedience to the faith…” (Romans 1:5)
“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” (Psalms 112:4)
The light propels us to live in obedience, to do God’s will.What then is Oil for the Lamp? How come it’s oil in the lamp that makes one wise. What does oil have to do with wisdom?
“There is… oil in the dwelling of the wise…” Prov 20:21
Just like the parable, Oil is present with the Wise.
“…that he may bring forth… oil to make his face to shine…” (Psalms 104:14a,15b)
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed. (Ecclesiastes 8:1)
Oil makes to shine, wisdom makes to shine!
The Oil here isn’t simply the Holy Spirit, it’s the action of wisdom that we manifest when Christ is truly in us. It’s the good works that men see because Christ is in us. The good works that shine out when we allow his light to shine through.
The wise virgins know the secret — that the Oil for the Light is simply the Wisdom that Jesus provides, as a result of obedience to Jesus and His Commandments! This Oil for the Light, the Wisdom that Jesus provides, allows one to truly know Jesus!
Parallel Matt 25:11 with Matt 7:23. Jesus told both I never knew you…. but in Matthew 7:23… he said why he said so… “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Operating life without law (Christ Wisdom manifested in obeying his commandments) is lawlessness. The oil is a practice… it’s measurable action.