The Rich Biblical History Of Essential OilsPavyzdys

Anointing in the Bible 

The instruction in James 5:14 to pray and anoint with oils is not merely symbolic. Every single tree, flower, shrub, herb, and plant in the world has distinct qualities that our bodies can use to restore health to us. Once you open the door of your heart to the concept of anointing, you will be thrilled to learn that it is absolutely everywhere in Scripture.

One example I love is how God told Moses to anoint Aaron to set him apart and prepare him for priestly service to the Lord.

King David sang of this anointing thus: “It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments” (Psalm 133:2 kjv).

Can you imagine being anointed with so much oil that it just runs all over you and all over your clothes? Not only that, but this was a family affair. Aaron and his sons were all anointed and set apart for the service of the Lord, through the anointing of oil in a most dramatic way. I believe the fragrance created an atmosphere absolutely thick with joy on that day. 

All four gospels provide accounts of a woman anointing Jesus with an expensive perfume or ointment. Two gospels say a woman poured the perfume on the Lord’s head (see Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9), while the other two say a woman anointed Jesus’s feet (Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8).

John writes, “Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3).

Nard, also known as spikenard, is an aromatic, amber-colored essential oil derived from a flowering plant in the valerian family that grows in the Himalayas of Nepal, China, and India. The amount of spikenard oil that Mary poured on Jesus was worth about three hundred days’ wages.

According to Jewish tradition, it was an act of hospitality to wash and anoint the feet of a visitor who had traveled a long distance to come to your home. Today, we can use essential oil diffusers to create the same pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. As an added benefit, certain citrus oils—such as lemon, orange, tangerine, and grapefruit—are known to be emotionally uplifting.