Oil, Wine & Bread

"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart." (Psalm 104: 14, 15 KJV)

Bread, and wine, and oil are good for man, for his physical well being. These verses affirm at least this much. Using these things are not wrong, but abusing any one of them is wrong.

To eat too much bread (food) is the sin of gluttony, and to drink too much wine is the sin of drunkenness. In moderation, however, oil, and bread, and wine are productive of good for the body.

"He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich." (Proverbs 21: 17 NKJV)

These verses do not condemn the enjoying of all earthly pleasures, nor the drinking of any wine, nor using any oil (ointment), but it does condemn the inordinate use of any of them, their immoderate use, i.e., of their abuse.

Notice, from this verse, how bread, and wine and oil are associated together. This is frequent in scripture. Where there is wine, in the house, there is generally oil and bread there also. All are generally identified as necessary items for living and surviving life, but the finest and abundance of them are viewed as luxury items.

Let us consider the spiritual signficance of oil, how spiritual oil enters into a man, and thus makes a man's face to shine in a spiritual manner.

"oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense." (Exodus 25: 6 NKJV)

Here we see specific kinds of oils used in the Old Testament, in religious service. Notice also these verses.

“And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually." (Exodus 27: 20 NKJV)

In consecrating priests - "and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil..." (Exodus 29: 2 NKJV)

"And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil." (Exodus 30: 25 NKJV)

"When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it." (Leviticus 2: 1 NKJV)

There is no question but that this oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit who comes to reside within the mind of the believer. His presence in the life and heart of a person radically transforms it on a day by day basis. The presence of the Holy Spirit with the believer is all the same as the presence of Jesus himself. How fragrant is his spiritual presence! How healing and soothing!

With the coming of the Holy Spirit into one's heart, mind, and soul, comes also the "oil of gladness" (Psalm 45: 7 NKJV), and the "oil of joy for mourning." (Isaiah 61: 3 NKJV), yea, that "excellent oil." (Psalm 141: 15 NKJV); And, it may be then said of that person, that such oil has "entered his body like water, And like oil into his bones" (Psalm 109: 18 NKJV).

"There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it." (Proverbs 21: 20 NKJV)

The body is called, in scripture, the "house" or "dwelling" of the soul or spirit. (II Corinthians 5: 1 KJV)

The "wise soul," in scripture, is the one who has become "wise unto salvation" (II Timothy 3: 15 KJV); It is the fool who denies the existence of God (Psalm 14:1 & 53:1 KJV), and who deny the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of sinners by his death and sacrifice upon the cross for sin.

But, the believer has been enlightened by the Holy Spirit and by the gospel, and thus has been made wise, and has had the Holy Spirit poured into him.

"...she did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil..." (Hosea 2: 8 NKJV)

Notice again the coupling of bread, wine, and oil as in the Psalm. Oil and ointment, bread and wine, whether natural or spiritual, are gifts of God. People receive these things and do not even know, recognize, or acknowledge the hand of God in giving them. Spiritual ingrates are lost sinners.

"It shall come to pass in that day that I will answer,” says the LORD; “I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth. The earth shall answer with grain, with new wine, and with oil..." (Hosea 2: 21, 22 NKJV)

"The LORD will answer and say to His people, “ Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations...The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil." (Joel 2: 19, 24 NKJV)

Thus, the promise of bread, and wine, and oil are the truest signs of blessing from the Lord, especially in a spiritual sense.

Just as the oil is an emblem of the Holy Spirit, so is the bread a type of the word of God, both Christ, the eternal and living Word (John 1: 1 KJV), but also the bible, or written word of Lord God.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD." (Amos 8: 11 NKJV)

Notice how bread is connected with the word of God. To be without the word of God, the holy bible, is to be without spiritual bread, to be in a spiritual famine of soul, as opposed to the body. Think of the verse that says - "he gave them their reguest (for physical bread and material food for the body) but sent leanness into their souls" (Psalm 106: 15 KJV), that is, he gave them no spiritual bread or nourishment of mind and spirit.

"Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven." (Psalm 78: 24 NKJV)

"Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6: 32-35 NKJV)

Jesus is that "true bread"! All physical bread is but a miniature picture of Jesus, the "Bread of Life," and that whether men realize it or not. In fact, everything about bread reveals something about the career of Christ.

"Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, “ Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, “Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding." (Proverbs 9: 1-6 NKJV)

As oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and as bread is an emblem of Christ and the holy scriptures, so too is wine a symbol of the gospel message, or that part of the word of God that speaks of Christ, of his salvation, and of his great glory.

When men drink in this gospel message, receiving with faith and conviction its wonderful truths about redemption from sin and death, then it truly does "make glad the heart"!

The oil of the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit will make everything about a man's life to "shine," including his "face." The bread of Christ's body and blood, of his word, will truly "strengthen his (spiritual) heart" and mind. The wine of the good news message of salvation through Christ cheers and "makes glad the heart" of the drinker in of the saving gospel message.

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me." (Isaiah 55: 1-3 NKJV)

To heed these words is to find salvation and true health, both in soul and body. It is contrasted with others who refuse to heed them, and who rather "eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence" (Proverbs 4: 17 NKJV)