In the earlier verse, a comparison was made between the love of the Bridegroom with wine. Now, the Shulamite continued with declaration of her lover – this time, by employing the metaphor of ointment. The senses of tasting and smelling are intimately entwined. Here, the “fragrance” speaks of the tangibility of the invisible. It is God’s Love that opens the way for us to experience God and then draw love from us unto Himself. Admittedly, we have to face with the reality that many Christians struggle with immersing in God’s Love from an experiential perspective. There are hindrances that cause this lack of capacity to discern that which emanates from our God. Spiritual lessons can be drawn from the qualities of a good wine glass as well as from wine tasting experience itself. When one truly experiences God’s love, he/she experiences the pleasantness, delightfulness and preciousness of Christ and His love which is pleasing and delightful to the spiritual senses. The sense of smell also triggers memory and emotions, which speaks of how God through His Holy Spirit works in bringing to our remembrance what Jesus said and how the Holy Spirit sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts by healing our emotions. When we experience God’s love, it will lead to deeper revelation of His character and attribute. We learn to engage God in a tangible manner through our sanctified imagination and emotions. May the Holy Spirit continue to stir and invoke the love of God in our hearts!
Song of Solomon 1:2-3