The Aroma of Brokenness

For now, let us examine the three fragrances mentioned in this passage. Spikenard was an exotic and costly perfume, which may have been part of the Tabernacle incense recipe. This fragrance was greatly valued in ancient Israel. It is also called 'Nard'. This aromatic oil is extracted from the roots of a perennial herb that grows in India. It is found growing 'in the cleft of the rock crevices' of the Himalayan Mountains. 

Nard was one of the most expensive perfumes in the time of Yeshua, and a pound was said to cost a year's wages. This fragrance comes from the roots, which speaks of the deepest place of our heart, thus, it was associated with acts of love and devotion. The aroma from the roots linger long after other scents had faded. 

Here, the bride begins to speak of her own fragrance, which is released into the atmosphere by the love she expresses for her Beloved. The aroma of her spikenard fills the banqueting hall and all the guests recognize her privileged position at the table and the intensity and costliness of her love for Him. Heaven can recognize a true bride of Yeshua on the earth, by the spiritual fragrance we emit. Most of the ingredients found in both the sacred anointing oil and the incense are some form of plant resin, gum, sap or distilled product which exudes or 'drips' from the heartwood of trees or shrubs. Others are extracted or ground from reeds, bark, flowers or roots. 

The idea is that the Lord is looking for a particular fragrance which is released from our deepest 'heartwood' when we have been pierced to the heart, or gashed open, like the plant which contains these aromatic gums. In other cases, it is the 'stripped' bark of an aromatic spice tree or shrub, again signifying the stripping of our 'self' which produces a sweet fragrance and acceptable offering to the Lord. 

Once when I was in Alabama, attending a conference where I didn't know anyone. I felt a bit shy, so I kept to myself the whole time. There was a man attending who asked if he could have a word with me during one of the breaks. He was hesitant to share what he had seen, since he didn't know me and felt it might be presumptuous of him to say such a thing. But he felt the Lord wanted him to share with me. So I gave him permission to speak freely. He said that as he watched me walking across the lobby, he had a vision of my physical heart looking badly wounded, scarred and it was painful to behold these injuries. But then, he saw that shafts of light were coming out from all the gashed and torn areas. Each broken place of my heart was sending out light to others, like a lighthouse, and that others were drawn to this light and were comforted by it. This is my closest memory of what he shared. 

In those days, I knew little of Song of Solomon and I had never heard of the piercing and gashing of the 'heartwood' of trees to extract the most precious and aromatic oils and perfumes. I now realize that some of the most costly fragrances that our lives emit come from the painful tearing of the heart, which we have experienced.  We didn't ask for these wounds and we would have avoided them if it were possible. But the fact is that the Lord allowed them, though it caused Him terrible pain to see our hearts torn and shattered like this. But He knew that He would be the Master Perfumer, and would bring forth a sweet aroma that only suffering can produce, and that it would bring comfort, love and acceptance to so many broken ones. 

I have seen this principle in operation, over and over. The very areas where I've been hurt the deepest have been the areas where the Lord has given me strong and comforting authority to bring others out of similar wounds or offenses. 

So many hearts are broken by verbal, physical or sexual abuse in their youth. The damage to their young lives and souls is incalculable, and the Father's heart is broken with them, as these cruel and evil deeds are done. But His heart is redemption, healing and overcoming victory. To those who will run to Him in their brokenness, He is a faithful Father, and He will bring good, even out of these evil and horrific acts, which He never dreamed or intended for our lives. 

The Lord God is not the author of these grievous evil acts, but He will bring us out of it with His goodness, if we will open up our pain to Him. Thus, our precious and costly aroma of suffering will be a balm to others who are suffering. Our love and compassion will heal many, if we will bring these torn hearts to the Healer. He is faithful. 

- Jill Shannon- Unveiling the Song of Songs