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Day 18: The Emptied Out Name (SoS 1:3b)

 "Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you." Song of Songs 1:3

We stated in the previous lesson that a name is the shortest representation of a man's life: his identity, reputation, authority, and value. We examined why the name of Jesus is unlike any other name. This scripture tells us that  HIs name is not ointment sprayed but poured forth.

When you spray perfume and when you spill out a whole bottle of perfume, they produce the same fragrance but in different measures and strengths. The Hebrew word translated poured out in this scripture has another meaning which is to empty out. I think in this context, empty out is more appropriate and we'll see why.

First, our Beloved Jesus humbled Himself by becoming flesh. He walked the earth without sin and gave His life on the cross for our sins. When He walked the earth, He always made it known in His speech that He was still one with Father but on that cross, He cried out "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" On that cross, He lost everything including His identity. He was alienated from God as we were. He lost His life and all He had completely. It didn't end there, He went to hell and suffered the consequences for our sins and until all the human race was justified, He couldn't rise from the dead.

Isaiah 53:12 describes Christ's sacrificial act this way:

"..He poured out His soul unto death..."

The word poured out here also means to make bare or to empty.

With this in mind, Mary's act in John 12 makes more sense. Mary didn't anoint Him with some of the fragrance in preparation for His death, she emptied the bottle. Poured it out completely to indicate that He was going to spare nothing in His sacrifice.

Just like ointments are for healing and cosmetic purposes, He poured out His name; His life, and His all for those two reasons. First, according to Acts 4:12, that all who call on His name may be saved. Salvation here encompasses all of man's needs: healing, provision, deliverance... everything the human race may ever need. The second is so that we the heirs of salvation may wear His name. More accurately put, be immersed in His name because it was not spayed, it was poured out. When you study the Greek prepositions translated 'in' in the scriptures that talk about being baptized in the name of Jesus, you'll see that to be baptized in His name is to be superimposed in it or to be put under it. So like Paul said in Philippians 2:10, "at (not in) the name of Jesus every knee should bow". Meaning wherever we are seen, His name is seen, and wherever His name is seen, He is seen. 

Galatians 3:27 expresses this beautifully:

"For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
He poured out His name so that man can immerse in it and either be saved or become clothed with it at salvation.

If He poured out His name; His soul, and His life for us, should we spare anything of ours from Him?

PRAY WITH ME:
Thank you Jesus for pouring out your name, your life like sweet perfume, and clothing me with this name. Grant me a deeper understanding of this truth so that I may live in its reality.

REFLECT AND ACT:
Today:
  • Meditate on Acts 4:12:
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
  • And meditate again on Galatians 3:27, but this time in the New King James Translation:
"For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."





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