In the account of Jacob, oil is first mentioned when he poured it on a stone, an act later described by God as anointing the pillar. Anointing signifies to daub or to smear, precisely what Jacob did with the oil on the stone. This act of pouring oil on a rock, used as a pillow after an awe-inspiring dream, underscores the significant symbolism of oil in these events.

The Hebrew word for oil, shemen, literally means fat or grease, but figuratively, it conveys richness and fruitfulness. Oil symbolizes wealth, abundance, health, energy, and a vital ingredient for a good life. In ancient times, its primary use was for food, providing more energy than carbohydrates with fewer byproducts when metabolized. Beyond nourishment, oil served as fuel for lamps, as medicine, and as a protective and nourishing agent for skin and scalp in dry, desert regions. It was also used in the consecration of sacred people and things, as commanded by God, and as an ingredient in offerings. For the people of that era, olive oil was akin to liquid gold, sometimes functioning as a form of currency due to its lasting value when properly stored. Biblically, abundant oil signifies prosperity, while a lack of it indicates famine and hardship. Excessive use of oil represents wastefulness, whereas saving it characterizes wisdom. The multifaceted uses and value of oil highlight why it symbolizes richness, fruitfulness, abundance, and vitality, often paralleling the spiritual abundance poured out by God. In the context of Jacob's experience at Bethel, God's visitation transformed him, initiating a relationship that brought true abundance, akin to pouring fine oil on a common rock to set it apart. Similarly, God invites His people to partake in His richness and fruitfulness without cost, urging them to focus on Him rather than on fleeting matters. By seeking God and calling upon Him, lives are enriched in ways material wealth cannot match, as if God is pouring precious oil upon them. This abundance is nurtured through a covenant with Him, a protective and fruitful relationship grounded in seeking to be like Him and fellowshipping with Him.

Physical oil symbolizes wealth, abundance, health, energy, and a vital ingredient for a good life. It also represents spiritual abundance, which is only possible through what God provides. This oil is acquired through listening to God, delighting in what He gives, and seeking to be like Him. The abundance that comes from knowing God and His way accrues gradually over a lifetime of faithful seeking, with no shortcuts available. The oil that matters accumulates through consistent pursuit of God and His spiritual richness. The foolish virgins lacked enough oil because they did not pursue God and His spiritual abundance throughout their lives. They were not prepared, having failed to earnestly and consistently seek the Source of the oil as their conscious mode of life. In contrast, the wise virgins ordered their lives to know God, spiritually enriching over time. The oil symbolizes not only spiritual abundance and fruitfulness from God but also the richness that comes from seeking Him and being faithful to the covenant. This abundance arises from fellowshipping with Him and taking on His image. Buying this oil costs time and attention, requiring lives wholeheartedly devoted to God and fellow man rather than to self or worldly things. God's oil comes neither cheaply nor quickly, but having it symbolizes being spiritually ready to inherit His Kingdom. Becoming ready for the Kingdom means being in His image, leading to lives of spiritual abundance, energy, richness, and fruitfulness, as symbolized by oil.