🌿 Oils of The Bible:God’s Ancient Gifts for Our Modern Lives

Hey, it’s Ronai!

You know my heart lights up anytime we get to talk about the way God wove wellness

right into creation. Before there were supplements, syringes, or store aisles full of

“solutions,” God placed us in a garden

Not a pharmacy.

Not a factory.

A garden.

Genesis makes that crystal clear. And I don’t know about you, but something about that

makes my heart breathe a little deeper. Before we ever had wellness trends or

supplement shelves, God had already created every leaf, resin, bark, and plant we

would ever need.

And here’s the part that still amazes me: Essential oils and aromatic plants are

mentioned over 500 times in Scripture. They show up in 36 of the 39 books of the

Old Testament and 10 of the 27 books of the New Testament.

These weren’t side notes. They were part of daily life, worship, healing, and preparation.

So today, I want to walk you through some of these oils—what the Bible says about

them, how people used them, and how we can honor God by using them in simple,

intentional ways today. Grab your diffuser, a warm drink, and your Bible… because this

is going to be good.

ALOES / SANDALWOOD

Scriptures: Numbers 24:6; Psalm 45:8; Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 4:14; John

19:39

When the Bible talks about “aloes,” it’s actually referring to sandalwood not aloe vera

like the green bottle in your bathroom. Sandalwood takes 40–60 years to mature. That

alone feels like a sermon, doesn’t it? Sometimes the most powerful things God creates

take time.

In Scripture, aloes were used in beauty rituals, in anointing, and in burial (John 19:39).

When you use Sandalwood today, for sleep, prayer, or skin support, you’re using

something that’s been cherished for thousands of years.

A few historical uses:

• Deep sleep

• Dry or aging skin

• Wounds and sores

• Soothing the mind and heart

Every time I use sandalwood, I think about how patient God is with us… and how some

blessings arrive only after years of quiet growth.

CASSIA

Scriptures: Exodus 30:24; Ezekiel 27:19; Psalm 45:8

Cassia was part of the holy anointing oil God instructed Moses to make in Exodus

30:24. That alone tells me this oil isn’t just aromatic — it’s symbolic. Holy. Set apart.

Cassia is warm, spicy, and bold. It smells a bit like cinnamon, but it carries a deeper,

thicker richness.

Historical uses:

• Perfuming the hair

• Mouthwash

• Cooking

• Fungal and skin issues

When I smell Cassia, it feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket. It’s bold. It’s

cleansing. And it reminds me that God doesn’t shy away from strength—He uses it.

CEDARWOOD

Scriptures: Leviticus 14:4, 6, 49, 52; Numbers 19:6

Cedarwood is always connected to strength and stability in Scripture. Think of the

famous cedars of Lebanon — tall, majestic, rooted.

In Leviticus and Numbers, cedarwood appears in purification rituals, symbolizing

cleansing and renewal.

Historical uses:

• Sleep support

• Meditation and prayer

• Repelling insects

• Preventing hair loss

• Wounds; infections

To me, cedarwood smells like rest. When my world feels busy or loud, I put Cedarwood

in the diffuser and it’s like my whole nervous system exhales.

CYPRESS

Scriptures: Genesis 6:14; Isaiah 41:19; 44:14; 1 Kings 9:11; Song of Solomon 1:17

Cypress was used for purification, incense, building, and even the construction of

Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6:14). This is where it gets beautiful…

In Hebrew, the word for “pitch” (the substance coating the ark) carries meanings like

atonement, covering, cleansing, forgiveness, redemption, and ransom.

Is your heart melting yet?

Because mine is.

Cypress is often called “the blood oil” because it supports circulation and flow —

physically and spiritually.

Historical uses:

• Scars

• Cramps

• Infections

• Nosebleeds

• Arthritis

• Immune support

The Latin name for Mediterranean Cypress is Cupressus sempervirens, meaning “live

forever.” Tell me God doesn’t have a sense of poetry.

FRANKINCENSE

Scriptures: Exodus 30:34; Leviticus 2:1, 5:11, 6:15, 24:7; Numbers 5:15;

1 Chronicles 9:29; Nehemiah 13:5, 9; Song of Solomon 3:6, 4:6, 14;

Isaiah 43:23; 60:6; 66:3; Jeremiah 6:20; 17:26; 41:5;

Matthew 2:11; Revelation 18:13

Frankincense shows up from Exodus to Revelation. It was a priestly oil, part of worship,

and one of the gifts brought to Jesus. Egyptian tradition said it was good “from gout to a

broken head.” In other words… from head to toe!

Historical uses:

• Prayer and meditation

• Infection

• Inflammation

• Concentration

Frankincense is my personal favorite. It brings me right into a space of prayer and calm.

It’s like the oil that whispers, “Be still… God is here.”

MYRRH

Scriptures: Genesis 37:25; 43:11; Exodus 30:23, 34; Esther 2:12;

Psalm 45:8; Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 1:13; 3:6; 4:6, 14; 5:1, 5, 13;

Matthew 2:11; Mark 15:23; John 19:39; Revelation 18:13

Myrrh is deeply emotional. It appears from Genesis all the way to Revelation, and it was

used for everything from beauty rituals to childbirth to embalming.

Esther prepared for six months in oil of myrrh before meeting the king (Esther 2:12).

That always ministers to me. Myrrh softens what is hard — both in the skin and in the

heart.

Historical uses:

• Religious rituals

• Softening skin

• During childbirth

• Postpartum support

• Emotional comfort

• Umbilical cord cleansing

When I use Myrrh, it feels like sitting at the feet of the Lord and letting Him steady my

emotions.

SPIKENARD (NARD)

Scriptures: Song of Solomon 1:12; 4:13–14; Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; John 12:3

This is the oil Mary poured on Jesus’ feet.

The Bible says the house was filled with the fragrance (John 12:3). What a moment.

Some historians believe that the “nard” mentioned in the New Testament may actually

have been lavender, because the Greek word nardos was used for both plants. Either

way, Mary’s act was extravagant love.

Historical uses:

• Skin tonic

• Embalming

• Multiplying the effects of other oils

Her anointing prepared Jesus for His suffering—seven days later He would be crucified.

Seven, the number of completion.

She worshiped Him before the world knew what was coming.

LAVENDER (Possibly the Nard in Scripture)

Scriptures connected through Nard: John 12:3; Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9

(Lavender itself is not named directly in Scripture but is strongly tied to “nard.”)

Lavender would have been calming, soothing, and blood-pressure lowering — which

makes sense, considering Jesus was about to face deep anguish (Luke 22:44).

Historical uses:

• Wound care

• Cleansing and washing (from the Latin lavare)

• Burns and skin irritations

• Headaches and sore throats

• Digestive support

• Roman baths and perfumes

• Embalming

When I use lavender, I can’t help but think… Mary was ministering peace to Jesus

before the storm.

A FINAL THOUGHT

God has always used the natural world to reveal His supernatural love.

From the aloes wrapped around Jesus’ body (John 19:39), to the myrrh Esther bathed

in (Esther 2:12), to the frankincense offered in worship (Matthew 2:11), these oils

weren’t accidents — they were intentional gifts.

Gifts that:

Heal

Comfort

Cleanse

Prepare

Anoint

Restore

Every drop reminds us that God is near. That He provides. That He heals body, soul,

and spirit. And today, we get to use the same oils that were woven into Scripture

thousands of years ago — not as magic, but as reminders of the One who made them.

May every aroma draw you closer to Him. May every drop remind you that He is still the

God who heals. And may these ancient gifts bring fresh peace to your home.