The Oil of His Name

Song of Songs 1:3
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes (good ointments);
your name is like perfume (ointment, aromatic oils, purified oil) poured out.
No wonder the maidens (virgins) love you!

Yesterday, my husband pointed something out to me that I had never considered before.  I have read the verse above from Song of Songs countless times, so I was a little surprised that I had never made the connection that he did, that this verse could be related to the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25.  Of course, I then became intrigued and had to look at this story through this new lens!

As you may know, this parable is pertaining to the End-Times, when the Bridegroom of heaven returns to the earth.  We can probably relate to these ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive, but who became drowsy and fell asleep when he was “a long time in coming”.  Yet, while all ten of the virgins became weary in the waiting, still, five of them were wise and five were foolish. 

Five were prepared when he finally arrived and five were not.  The five wise virgins had extra oil for their lamps, but the five foolish virgins ran out of oil.  Five were welcomed into the wedding banquet and five were turned away at the door.  Five were known and five were not.

If you consider Song of Songs 1:3, this oil could represent the sweet perfume and ointment of Jesus’ name.  When the virgins have a revelation and knowledge of the name(s) of Jesus, then they are filled with love for Him.  In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul writes, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  The foolish virgins in the story were not known when they came to the wedding (Matt. 25:12) and I believe there is a direct correlation between us being known by Jesus and our level of intimacy with Him and our knowledge of Him.  The oil we need is the revelation of His name – the knowledge of who He is and what He’s like, what He thinks and feels. 

The reason the virgins in Song of Songs loved the Bridegroom was because they were partaking of the sweet fragrance of His name.  At the end of the age, there will be those who have lived a pure and virtuous life, yet who will be found lacking in actual knowledge of the Bridegroom and consequently, also lacking in love for Him.  

Lately, the cry of my heart has been a desperate plea to know Jesus more.  I keep asking, like Paul writes in Ephesians 1:17, for the Spirit of revelation that I may know Him better.  I want the fragrant oil of His name to be poured upon my heart, that I would know Him and be known by Him.  I want an intimate knowledge of His heart, His personality, His character, His thoughts, His words, His emotions, and His actions.  In that day, when He returns, I want to be found ready, with oil in my lamp, and with passionate love burning in my heart.