Precious Ointment

By Julie Hogan

The Song of Songs

As well noted in The Passion Translation of the Bible, “the love of God really shines forth from this poem of divine romance!” Much like the opening chapters of The Book of Revelation, “the Song of Songs opens by testifying to the Spirit’s kiss of the divine word of God breathing upon us the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It is this very revelation and testimony of Jesus that equips the saints with the whole armor of God, while at the same time intoxicating them with His love.

The Song of Songs tells a unique story of the journey every longing lover of Jesus will discover as his or her very own. This Shulamite Bride sees her Beloved as a shepherd, a care giver, and a protector. The beautiful bride is overflowing with her Lover’s Life, a Life that is to be poured out to others, even as Jesus was poured out to us by the Father. As the soul of the bride comes into union with the Spirit King, she becomes a feast for the nations and wine to cheer the multitudes!”

Now, to fully appreciate the love and passion that Christ has for His Bride, we must first go all the way back to the opening verses of the Bible, Genesis 1:1 & 2.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The first thing we notice is that “the earth” was WITHOUT FORM and VOID. The “earth” here is not only a picture of the physical earth but is also symbolic of the carnality of man’s mind and soul. The Hebrew words for “without form” and “void” are tohu (תֹּהוּ) [H8414] and bohu (וָבֹהוּ) [H922] meaning: FORMLESSNESS, CONFUSION, UNREALITY and UNDISTINGUISHABLE RUIN, VACUITY. Jeremiah 4:23 uses this word as a picture of the earth under the judgment of YAH, while Isaiah 34:11 uses it in the context of a “wasteness”, and “stones of emptiness”, i.e., PLUMMETS, employed not in their usual sense for building walls, but for the destruction of them. These “stones of emptiness” represent the dead works of carnally minded men which are contrasted with the “lively stones” that “are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

The next thing we notice is the Spirit of God “moving” upon the face of the waters, the “deep” here likened to the darkness of the soul. This is the way the Shulamite sees herself in the Song of Songs, though the King sees beyond her darkness and into the Light bearing Spirit-filled Bride she is becoming. And yet, there is an even deeper meaning hidden here!

Brian Simmons (the main translator of The Passion Translation) states that he set out to create a more accurate translation of the Bible because he found the existing ones to be a mere word for word translation of the Hebrew and Greek, without taking into consideration the "hidden" or intended meanings behind the words. I couldn’t agree more!

For example, the word "moved" in Genesis 1:2 is, in and of itself, a root word meaning: TO GROW SOFT, RELAX, TO HOVER. In reality, the Spirit of God was in a state of relaxation, or rest. . .a state of bringing COMFORT and PEACE to a confused and desolate earth. This has everything to do with the term “Shulamite” and the name “Solomon” sharing the same root word shalam (שָׁלַם) [H7999], meaning: TO BE IN A COVENANT OF PEACE, BE AT PEACE.

Only by reading the extended definitions found in the Brown-Driver-Briggs and Gesenius-Hebrew Chaldean Lexicons, can we draw out the following: the word “moved” has the sense of brooding. . .as in a mother hen “brooding” over her unhatched chicks!! It’s also described as the soothing of a child by its mother. The Spirit of God wasn't just "moving" across the water like a current of air, the Spirit was acting as a "mother hen" to the earth. . .swaddling it, incubating it, and nurturing it until the moment the earth would be quickened. . .that is, until the Commanded came for the LIFE to appear. . .to bud, and blossom, and produce fruit via the Spirit Breath of God!!!

Amazing, isn’t it. . .how these hidden meanings can change our understanding of the word of God?

John 6:63

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

“And God said. . .”

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

How delightful it is to find God confirming the hidden message of Genesis 1:2 here in Matthew 23:37! We are the children of God whom the Spirit watches over, instructs, and leads to the feet of Jesus. We are a type of the earth who was dead in trespasses and sins but are now made alive in Christ Jesus!!!

Malachi 4:2

But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

The Covenant of Grace

Psalm 133

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
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 garment
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: FOR THERE the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

One of my favorite quotes comes from J Preston Eby, "Men and women who have been born again don't die and go to heaven, they are BORN THERE!" There! there, upon the Heavenly Mount Zion, the 144,000 are found “standing” with Jesus while singing a New Song. . .a most wonderful Song. . .a Song high above All other Songs! This song is full of passionate love and beauty! A song of utter joy as the soul and spirit are brought into PERFECT COMMUNION with one another.

Aren’t you glad that we do not have to travel to literal Mount Zion in order to enjoy the blessing and life that God has now Commanded through the death and resurrection of His Only Begotten Son? Spiritual Mount Zion. . .the Heavenly Zion! THIS is our home! THIS is where we experience the blessing and the life, both now and forever!

2 Corinthians 10:16-17

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the COMMUNION of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the COMMUNION of the body of Christ?
For we being many are ONE BREAD, and ONE BODY: for we are partakers of that ONE BREAD.”

Malachi 2:10

Have we not all ONE Father? Hath not ONE God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the COVENANT of our fathers?

The first mention of the word “covenant” is found in Genesis 6:18. Here, God is establishing a COVENANT OF GRACE with Noah that is extended to ALL FLESH upon the entering of the Ark, both clean and unclean.

Genesis 9:8-11

And God spake to Noah and his sons with him, saying,
And I, behold, I establish MY COVENANT with you;
And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth.
And I will establish MY COVENANT with you, neither shall ALL FLESH be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Precious Ointment

The words “precious ointment” appear together in five verses of the Bible:

2 Kings 20:13

And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his PRECIOUS THINGS, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the PRECIOUS OINTMENT, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

Here, Hezekiah is a type of Jesus who will not hold back any good thing from those who diligently seek Him!

The other verses are Psalm 133:2, Ecclesiastes 7:1 and Matthew 26:7.

Ecclesiastes 7:1

A GOOD NAME is better than PRECIOUS OINTMENT; and the day of DEATH than the day of one’s BIRTH.

We will also note Proverbs 27:9 and Phillippians 4:18 here:

OINTMENT and PERFUME rejoice the heart: so doth the SWEETNESS of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an ODOUR OF A SWEET SMELL, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

This brings us to a most beautiful story written within the four Gospels of a woman named Mary anointing the feet of Jesus with “very precious” or “very costly” ointment of spikenard; her HAIR and TEARS symbolizing her devotion and worship, the “spikenard” being derived from the roots of flowering honeysuckle plants.

Matthew 26:7

There came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of VERY PRECIOUS OINTMENT, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat.

Mark 14:3

. . .and there came a woman having an alabaster box of OINTMENT OF SPIKENARD, VERY COSTLY, and she brake the box, and poured it on His head.

Luke 7:37-38

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house, brought an alabaster box of OINTMENT,
And stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with her TEARS, and did wipe them with the HAIRS of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the OINTMENT.

John 12:3

Then took Mary a pound of OINTEMNT OF SPIKENARD, VERY COSTLY, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her HAIR: and the house was filled with THE ODOUR OF THE OINTMENT.

Song of Songs 1:2-3

Let Him smother me with kisses, His Spirit-kiss divine. So kind are your caresses, I drink them in like the sweetest wine!
Your presence releases a fragrance so pleasing, over and over poured out. For Your lovely name is “Flowering Oil”. No wonder the brides-to-be adore you.

Within the King James Version of the Bible, the word “spikenard” appears three times in the Song of Songs: 1:12, 4:13 & 14, yet notice The Passion Translation of these same verses below:

The Shulamite

As the King surrounded me at His table, the sweet fragrance of SPIKENARD awakened the night.

The Shepherd King

Your inward life is now sprouting, bringing forth fruit. What a beautiful paradise unfolds within you. When I’m near you, I smell aromas of the finest spice [SPIKENARD], for many clusters of My exquisite fruit now grow within your inner garden.
Here are the nine: pomegranates of passion, henna from heaven, SPIKENARD so sweet, saffron shining, fragrant calamus from the cross, sacred cinnamon, branches of scented woods, myrrh, like tears from a tree, and aloe as eagles ascending.

Calamus, as referenced in Exodus 30:23, was the key ingredient in the making of the anointing oil which was not to be copied nor used as personal perfumery. This oil was considered Holy because it was set aside for the purposes of God, much like Jesus was when He was hung on the Cross. . .His sacrifice coming to us as a most Holy and fragrant aroma. The spikenard that Mary anointed Jesus with (“unto My burial”, see Matthew 26:12) cost a year’s wages and was not a common thing for the average person to own but was reserved mainly for King’s. This ointment was most likely a family heirloom that was passed down to Mary as an inheritance. As Jesus was marred and then paraded down the narrow street on His was to Calvary, the scent of the Precious Ointment would have filled the nostrils of those who vehemently sought His death!

It is easy to see why Simon the Pharisee was filled with loathing and disgust because Jesus had allowed a “sinner” woman to touch Him, not to mention the wasting of the precious and costly ointment on a man of such lowly standing - both a carpenter and a Nazarene!

Luke 7:40-50

Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. . .
There was a creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will LOVE HIM MOST?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave the most. And He said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered thine house, thou gave me no water for My feet: but she hath washed My feet with her TEARS, and wiped them with the HAIRS of her head.
Thou gavest me no KISS: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to KISS My feet.
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman anointed my feet with OINTMENT.
Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, WHICH ARE MANY, are forgiven: FOR SHE LOVED MUCH, but to whim little is forgiven, the same LOVETH LITTLE.
And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
And He said to the woman, Thy faith saved thee, go in peace.”

It is worth noting here that the first negative thing Christ has “against” the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation, is the Church at Ephesus having lost the passionate love they possessed for Jesus at the onset of their conversion (see Revelation 2:4).

The word “love” here is agape (ἀγάπη) [G26], meaning: A LOVE-FEAST, FEAST OF CHARITY (LOVE). The Septuagint’s equivalent of ἀγάπη is ahava (אַהֲבָה). The first appearance of אַהֲבָה in the Old Testament is found in the Song of Songs, occurring no less than 10 times there: 2:4, 5 & 7; 3:5 & 10; 5:8; 7:6; 8:4, 6 & 7!

John 13:35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.

John 21:15-17

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, FEED MY LAMBS.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, FEED MY SHEEP.
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, FEED MY SHEEP.

As many of you may already know, there are two forms of “love” being used in the passgae above. The first (vesres 15 & 16) is agapao [G25], meaning: TO LOVE (in a social or moral sense). What you probably don’t know is that the Hebrew equivalent of agapao is agab (עָגַב), meaning: TO BREATHE AFTER [PANT], TO LOVE (SENSUALLY), DOTE, LOVE. The third usage is the word phileo [G5368], meaning: SPECIFICALLY, TO KISS (AS A MARK OF TENDERNESS); LOVE; TO HAVE AFFECTION FOR DENOTING A PERSONAL ATTACHEMENT, AS A MATTER OF SENTIMENT OR FEELING, WHILE G25 IS WIDER, EMBRACING (ESPECIALLY) THE JUDGMENT AND THE DELIBERATE ASSENT OF THE WILL AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, DUTY AND PROPRIETY: THE TWO THUS STAND RELATED VERY MUCH AS G2309 AND G1014, OR AS G2372 AND G3563 RESPECTIVELY; THE FORMER BEING CHIEFLY OF THE HEART AND THE LATTER OF THE HEAD.

Contrary to mainstream belief, the use of agapao and phileo here is not meant to draw the reader’s attention to a difference between the meaning of these two words, but to unite them as one. What Jesus is asking Peter is this, Do you love me with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind? Do you take the utmost delight in Me? Do you pant after Me? This is what Jesus wants from us! What He desires from us! He doesn’t want us to exhibit a “brotherly” type of love toward Him, but a passionate love! A love that is on fire! An unquenchable love equal to the one He has for us!

For the Pure and Shining One

Psalm 42:1-3

I long to drink of you, O God, to drink deeply from the streams of pleasure flowing from Your presence. My longings overwhelm me for more of You.
My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God. I want to come and see the face of God.
Day and night my TEARS keep falling and my heart keeps crying for Your help, while my enemies mock me over and over, saying, Where is this God of yours? Why doesn’t He help you?
So I speak over my heartbroken soul, Take courage. Remember when you used to be right out front leading the procession of praise when the great crowd of worshipers gathered to go into the presence of the Lord? You shouted with joy as the sound of the passionate celebration filled the air and the joyous multitude of lovers honored the feast of the Lord!

Let us take a moment to read over the following list of ways the King James Version of the Bible translates the root word shalam (שָׁלַם) [H7999].

Pay (19x)
Peace (11x)
Recompense (11x)
Reward (10x)
Render (9x)
Restore (8x)
Repay (7x)
Perform (7x)
Good (6x)
End (4x)
Requite (4x)
Restitution (4x)
Finished (3x)
Again (3x)
Amends (1x)
Full (1x)
Misc (8x)

It is interesting to note here that it is the word shalam which BINDS the Shulamite (us) to Solomon (Jesus) - namely, the price of our redemption! It is because of this redemptive bond that Christian men and women have love one to another.

“For he is our peace, who hath made both one,

and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. . .”

One of the most quoted verses in all the Bible is John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Passion Translation renders this verse as follows:

For here is the way God loved the world – He gave His only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life.

Verse 17 goes on to say. . .

God did not send His Son into the world to judge and condemn the word, but to be its Savior and rescue it!

Though we stumble through this realm of sin and death, we take comfort in knowing that, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). This "uttermost" salvation cannot be understood apart from our High Priest who has secured it and who now ministers it to us from that higher realm of incorruptibility where He is seated upon His Throne. You see, when the Son of Man walked the earth, He had “no place to lay His head” because His Body - the Church - had not yet been formed, let alone been perfected!

Revelation 21:1-3

And I saw a new heaven [mind of Christ] and a new earth [Body of Christ]: for the first heaven [mind of Adam] and the first earth [body of Adam] were passed away; and there was no more sea [separation from God]. And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Dear pilgrim, on this journey through the desolation of our human experience, aren’t you glad that He who sitteth upon the Throne of your heart ever LIVETHS to make intercession for you? Aren’t you glad that you don’t have to travel to the physical land of Israel, or to some far-off galaxy in outer space to receive God’s blessing or to be anointed with the Precious Ointment that is His Life?

I am reminded of the following hymn. . .

Breathe on me O Breath of God,

Fill me with life anew,

That I may love the way you love,

And do what You would do.

Breathe on me O Breath of God,

Until my heart is pure,

Until my will is one with Yours,

To do and to endure.

Breathe on me O Breath of God,

So shall I never die,

But live with You the Perfect Life,

For all Eternity.

May Our Mighty God come speedily with His coal of fire from off the Holy Altar of Eternal Truth and forever sanctify our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our speech!

Shine on O Eternal One! Shine on!

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