Oil of Gladness: Triplets of Royal Perfume

 

Photo by Raul654 On May 1, 2005.

As couples all over the world prepare to celebrate Valentine's Day, many will wear a special fragrance or perfume on that special occasion honoring love. Some may  exchange cards proclaiming their love, and  gifts such as candy, flowers, jewelry and perfume. But whether or not we follow these customs or even have a spouse or special someone, those who have trusted Christ have the best gift of all -- His love that is eternal, infinite, and self-sacrificing. Wishing my readers a Happy Valentine's Day -- may we be anointed with the oil of gladness, to impart Christ's sweet fragrance to others!

 

Fragrance is a gateway to worship, as the sweet scents evoke memories of God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23) and emotions of thankfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:18), love for God and one another (Luke 10:27), and joy in the Lord (Psalm.32:11; Isaiah 61:10; Matthew 25:21,23; Philippians 4:4).

Jesus, the Messiah, King of Israel is not only described in terms of beautiful flowers, valued spices and majestic plants, but He even has His own royal perfume made of three botanicals. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only righteous or holy One Who hates evil. God the Father therefore gave Him a special royal perfume, similar to the anointing oil used only for the King or High Priest (Exodus 30:23-24), but described as the oil of gladness (Psalm 45:7).

That perfume contains the triple fragrance of myrrh, aloes and cassia (Psalm 45:7-8), all rich in symbolism reflecting His divinity (John 17:5), His sacrifice, and His substitution (I John 2:2) to save us by wrapping Himself in human flesh, living a completely holy and sinless life, and suffering to pay our sin debt in full (Philippians 2:6-9)

Cassia refers to dried flowers or inner bark from a tree resembling the cinnamon tree, with a similar warm, sweet-spicy aroma, but more pungent. The Hebrew word for cassia is “ketzi'oth” or ”kiddah,” which means "split," just as His body was broken on the cross for us (1 Corinthians 11:24). It also means to contract or bend the body or neck in a position of submission and reverence, as we should bow our heads to Him and as the Lamb of God meekly submitted to His captors (Romans 14:11; Philippians. 2:10; Isaiah. 53:7). When confronted with His final ordeal, Jesus did not talk back (Isaiah. 53:7; Matthew 26:62-63), resist arrest or punishment, or call on angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26:53).

The strips of bark may also represent humility, as in being stripped of pride, just as the Son of God had the royal robe removed from Him, was stripped naked (Matthew 27:28,31), and whipped until His flesh became ragged, bleeding strips (John 19:1; Isaiah 53:5).

There are exactly three references to cassia in Scripture, including Psalm 45. It was one of three spices contained in the holy anointing oil, along with myrrh and calamus (and cinnamon, related to cassia; Exodus 30:23-24). It is also one of three valuable commodities used in trade, along with bright iron and calamus (Ezekiel 27:19).

Another ingredient in the oil of gladness is myrrh, which at first seems contradictory given its association with death. Myrrh is a gum extracted from a shrub, used in Bible times to anoint a dead body in preparation for burial (John 19:39), as well as being a component of the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23-24) and an oil of purification for women (Esther 2:12). Like cassia and other precious spices, myrrh was a valuable commodity, used in trade (Genesis 37:25), as a peace offering (Genesis 43:11), and even as an enticement by a woman of ill repute (Proverbs 7:17).

Myrrh was one of the three gifts the wise men gave Jesus (Matthew 2:11), along with gold and frankincense, with myrrh representing the fact that Jesus was born to die. Despite the physical agony, humiliation, and spiritual suffering of His death on the cross, Jesus endured it with joy (Hebrews 12:2), Only through the cross would He have victory over sin, conquering death, and salvation for all who placed their trust in His death, burial and resurrection as the only way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6). Therefore, the Bridegroom in Song of Solomon is fragrant with myrrh (1:13; 3:6; 4:6,13, 5:1,5,13) as well as with rose and lily (2:1), for the joy we have in Him is possible only through His sacrifice in death.

Despite the sweet fragrance of myrrh, it has a bitter taste, and in Hebrew, the word means “bitter.” The same Hebrew root word is in “Mara,” the name Naomi asked her friends to call her when she felt that God had dealt very bitterly with her by taking her two sons.(Ruth 1:20). Myrrh was a pain killer, offered dissolved in wine to Jesus on the cross, yet He refused it (Mark 15:23). In so doing, He would be fully aware of His suffering and its significance, not diminishing it one iota.

Aloe, the remaining component of the oil of gladness, is a succulent desert plant, like cactus, storing water in its fleshy leaves. It is referenced in Song of Solomon (4:14) as one of three valued plants, along with frankincense and myrrh. Like myrrh, it is used to anoint a body for burial (John 19:39), and the resin and oil are used as a base for perfume. Medicinal uses include laxative, relief of digestive discomfort, and healing of skin conditions.

I think of aloe as the balm in Gilead (Jeremiah.8:22), for I have used this cure-all many times to soothe burns, poison ivy, sunburn, and even joint pain! The healing properties of aloe remind us that Jesus is the Great Physician, healing us not only physically but spiritually (Matthew 4:23). Only Jesus can cure us of our worst disease – our spiritual condition of sin, which deserves eternal punishment in hell (Romans 6:23; John 3:18. He alone is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world ( John 1:29).

Aloe leaves are arranged in an endless spiral reflecting the perfect Fibonacci sequence and its relationship to the Golden Ratio, examples of God’s perfection in the nature He created. When viewed from above, the aloe plant appears as a rosette or starburst, reminding me of Christ as the Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1), as the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16), and as a many-faceted precious Jewel shining in rainbow brilliance from His throne, described as jasper, sardinius and emerald (Revelation 4:3).

If you have an aloe plant, you know that even if you have two black thumbs, you just can’t kill it! You can neglect it, hide it from the sun, let it dry up, and yet it flourishes with new life! So to me, it is fitting that the aloe is contained in the Saviour’s perfume, reminding me of His triumph over death, His resurrection, and the eternal life we have through faith in Him as the only Way to Heaven! (John 3:16; 14:6; 11:25).

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Watering

I recently dreamed that I was getting caught up on some much needed housework when I discovered a forgotten collection of house plants hidden behind a pile of clutter on a coffee table. I was amazed that they were still alive, and even seemed to be thriving, as I had completely neglected them and could not even remember where they came from!

Two plants in particular caught my eye. One was a bright green spearmint plant, and the other a desert succulent, its spiny leaves resembling Aloe vera, but with a beautiful, exotic, lavender bloom that resembled a lotus blossom in shape.

I checked the soil in all the pots and found that it was bone dry to my touch. Somewhat gingerly, as I realized the plants had done so well without my attention, I decided to water them. As the streams of water from my watering can hit the dirt, the soil fragmented into large clumps, exposing the roots, which appeared to be healthy despite the small plastic pots that contained them.

It was not until the evening after I had the dream that I even recalled it, my memory awakened by reaching for the Bible I like to read aloud to my husband as we travel in our car. Shortly after I began to read, I realized that my skirt was damp where the open Bible was resting on it, and that the cover must have gotten wet from an umbrella my husband had placed near it after last night’s storm.

That evening in church, I was surprised to see a young Muslim woman whom I first met about two years ago, when she had visited the Bible study class I teach. Although she then had many questions about Jesus, the Bible, and salvation, which members of my class and I attempted to answer thoroughly, we never saw her again until the evening after I had this dream. She has since returned several times, spoken with the pastor and missionaries, and appears to be soaking up God’s Word.

Several evenings after the dream, my husband and I attended a dance concert at a college where we had been blessed to perform one of our dance ministry pieces a few years ago. A young woman who looked familiar, although I could not immediately remember why, crossed the crowded reception area to greet me with a big hug.

“You don’t know me,” she said, “but I performed in the same concert with you and your husband a few years ago, and you guys are awesome!”

Then I remembered that she had told me at our first meeting that she was encouraged by how we used our dancing to glorify God, and that we had spoken briefly about how she could best discover and follow God’s plan for her life, in accordance with some Bible verses I gave her. As these memories were resurfacing in my mind, she excitedly introduced me to her fiancé and explained that she was now a first grade teacher, using her love of dance and of God to engage the children under her care.

The symbolism of the dream, the moist Bible, and these two meetings suddenly came together for me. We are to faithfully sow the seed of God’s Word (Matthew 13:140) and to foster its growth in others, even if we see no fruit from our efforts immediately or even further down the road. As the apostle Paul said, some plant the seed, some water the developing shoot, and some tend the mature plant, but it is God Who brings the increase (1 Corinthians 3:5-8).

The plants in my dream were thriving despite my lack of ongoing care for them, the absence of recent watering, and their being planted in cramped containers. Once we plant the seed of God’s Word in someone’s heart, His Spirit will facilitate its growth through His direct work (John 3:5-8; 16:13; Luke 11:13) and indirectly through the ministry and witness of others (Romans 10:14-17).

The watering of developing faith also occurs through His Word (Ephesians 5:26), as God reminded me with the rain-dampened Bible that moistened me as I read from it. It was as if the Living Water (John 4:10; 7:38) poured from Heaven to God’s Word, thereby cleansing me!

We may hand a stranger a tract, pray for them, or witness to them in a brief, passing conversation, never in this lifetime to see them again or to know what, if any, impact we had. But I believe God gave me an encouraging glimpse, through this dream and through second meetings with these two women, that our work for Him is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58), and that His Word will not return to Him void, but will accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 55:11).

The spearmint plant reminded me of the school teacher, as mint is a spreading herb with many offshoots, and this woman is now in a position to nurture many budding young minds. I had also recently read an article about the potential of spearmint to enhance memory and cognition, and I believe that God will use this teacher to grow her students in the knowledge, wisdom and love of God (Proverbs 9:10; Ephesians 1:17).

The succulent plant reminded me of the Muslim woman, and of Hagar calling out to God in the desert to save Ishmael, who would grow up to be the father of the Muslim nations (Genesis 17:20), from dying of thirst (Genesis 20:13-20) . At our first meeting, her manner and disruptions were somewhat abrasive, like the spines on an aloe plant, but over time, a precious flower appears to have blossomed, reflecting the opening of her heart to God’s truth that I had not perceived before.

The healing and soothing qualities of aloe (Psalm 45:8; Song of Solomon 4:14; John 19:39) may represent the peace (Philippians 4:7) and joy (Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10; Habakkuk 3:18) that I pray she may someday be able to share with her family and community through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Succulents and mint are both hearty plants, able to survive and propagate even in conditions of drought and poor soil. Similarly, I believe that God created us with the resilience to continue in our quest for Him even with little nurturing from our environment. That being said, as good gardeners, Christians should continue to feed, water and protect whatever souls God plants along our wayside.

On those rare occasions when we do have a second encounter with those whom God has previously brought across our path, we should not hesitate, as God opens the door, to check on their spiritual state and to continue to water their developing faith and provide the light of His Word (2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Peter 3:15). Their reaction to that Word may reflect what will grow in their heart, and whether the Word is falling on shallow, stony, choked or good soil (Matthew 13:1-23).

Praise God that He rewards our obedience, and not our “success.” It is the work of the Holy Spirit to lead a soul to be born again (John 3:3-8), and our work to share the good news of the Gospel (Matthew 28:19). Our message must be that Jesus, Son of God, came to earth in human form (John 1:14) to pay for our sins in full through His agonizing death on the cross; that He was buried; and that He rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), proving His divinity, so that all who trust Him will have everlasting life (John 3:16).  

Praise the Lord that He need not rely solely on any one of us to bring a soul to Him, but that He can work through many of us, all of whom will share in the soulwinner’s crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19) when we face Him at the judgment seat! May we therefore not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not faint at the task! (Galatians 6:9)

© 2018 Laurie Collett