“Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cinnamon; from palaces of ivory, stringed instruments continually rejoice you. The daughters of kings are amongst your nobles; your queen stands at your right hand in gold from Ophir.”

(Psalm 45:9-10 {verses 8-9 in English})

Here we have the King, the Messiah — we have Jesus, being portrayed in all of his glory before the great and final wedding feast of the Lamb presented in his glory. The smells are both smells of royalty and peace as well as being reminders of priestly incense for indeed, not only is Christ the glorious King and Great Prophet, but he is the High Priest as well. Everything about him is meant to be something that causes us to anticipate the glory of his presence.

One of the points of a fragrant incense is that not only does it give off a distinct smell, but the smell remains in the air long after the incense is removed from the room. Here we have even another aspect of the glory of our Savior. His presence changes everything about a situation and about a life. And long after that change has taken place, the glory of God remains on the life of the one who has been so touched. So it is with the church…the queen who is being made ready.

The question that remains with us is does the fragrance of the glory of God reside upon our lives? Does that glory remind us of His presence when we go through trials and does our work in this world remind a world that is drowning in its own filth that there is one of glory working in us and through his Church. If not, it ought.