Giving Himself to her, the heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, says to His lovely bride whom He died for, with the utmost delight in His voice:
“I desire to show affection to you, my bride, over and over again to greater and greater degree’s because experiencing my love is your greatest delight. Your greatest happiness is of my utmost concern because you are the object of my affection.”
Her heart melts as she responds:
“Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth for your love is more delightful than any other experience.” Song 1:2
A greater revelation of Himself and His love to her is the biggest show of affection that Christ can give her. No greater kiss can be given. It is one of His greatest delights to reveal Himself to His bride therefore Christ responds to her request:
“I will do as you please and reveal myself and everlasting love to you. I will proclaim my Name to you. The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and will by no means clear the guilty. I am the Word of God, Power of God and Wisdom of God. I am the King of Kings, Mighty Counselor an Prince of Peace. Likened to the most majestic lion, I am radiant in glory, yet like a lamb I am the lowliest and most humble in heart. I am outstanding among ten thousand. My head is like gold, pure gold; My locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven. My holy eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, And reposed in their setting. My cheeks are like a bed of balsam, Banks of sweet-scented herbs; My lips are lilies dripping with liquid myrrh. My hands are like rods of gold Set with beryl; My abdomen is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires. My legs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; My appearance is like Lebanon Choice as the cedars. My mouth is full of sweetness, yet also sounds like rushing waters, I am wholly desirable. I am the First and the Last, the living One. I once was dead but now I am alive forevermore interceding for you my bride and friend.” Song 5:10, Ex. 34:5-8 and Rev. 1:12-18
Overwhelmed and happy as can be at the sight of His Glory and Name dwelling in her heart by faith she says to Him:
“Pleasing is the fragrance of Your perfume, your Name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the holy saints and angels love you.” Song of Songs 1:3
Christ:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I am drawing you with lovingkindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
Bride of Christ:
“Take me away with you let us hurry, for I have experienced Your covenantal love like the perfect Husband to His bride.” Song 1:4
Then all onlookers and those who participate in this fellowship including saints on earth and heaven, the bride and angels all promise:
“We will remember your love more than wine.” 1:4
(Narrative: After a greater revelation of Christ the bride now see’s herself more clearly and gives her testimony to other believers, mothered by Jerusalem and says)
The Bride tells her testimony to the Daughters of Jerusalem:
“Dark and unattractive am I with remaining sin, yet lovely with holiness written on my new heart consisting in love to and delight in Jesus Christ, oh daughters of Jerusalem. In the past, I didn’t guard my heart but served other God’s, they enslaved me and I became darker as my heart got harder. I was an enemy of the King but He kissed me thus pardoning my iniquity. And I kissed Him. Psalm 2:12 Oh, how I long to be near to Him but I do not know how.” Song 1:5-6
Fully aware of His brides burden of sin and desire to be delivered from evil Christ encourages her to ask for wisdom and instruction from him by saying:
“I delight in being your guide and helper. Like a good shepherd to His sheep.”
and then Christ makes a promise to her:
“Ask in faith and I will give you skill to be closer to me. I will give it liberally and without reproach.”
The brides responds with earnestness and faith:
“Tell me you whom I love, where can I find you and experience rest and satisfaction for my soul. I feel as though your treating me more like a prostitute continuing in sin than a wife, or more like an enemy than a friend. I am in misery from the noon day heat. I have no rest and satisfaction, it always alludes me. My burden is heavy and my labor is hard in the flesh. My delight is to have you as my guide. Where do you graze your flock and rest your heavy ladened and weary sheep.” Song 1:7
Christ gives Wisdom or Himself without reproach to His ignorant but believing bride. Sin and ignorance separates us from Christ. Feeling separated and not liking it the bride asks how to get closer, then Christ instructs her first by helping her recognize the fact that she is not all sinful, there is a moral loveliness about her that He has a complacency in. He has a complacency in her holiness, this is her moral beauty or loveliness. Or put another way the love of God written on her heart. Ez. 36:26-28 His answer to her inquiry is most fitting and proper to the context of her restoration. She needs to be aware that it is His image upon her heart that He delights in so He reminds her of it by saying:
“If you do not know most beautiful of women” Song 1:8
Narrative: Her beauty is Christ in her. Holiness of heart. And of course there is no other greater beauty and that holiness is part of her therefore she is the most morally lovely and beautiful of women. She recognized this about herself in Song 1:5 ‘Dark am I, yet lovely” but lost sight of it again as she recognized more sin in her life Song 1:6 So the last thought she had of herself in Song 1:6 was of her sin, guilt, defilement and uncleanliness seen in the words “mine own vineyard I have neglected” or not “guarded” as some translations say. So she needed to be reminded of her loveliness again in order to keep balanced thoughts and emotions as she communes with Him. If you are in Christ, thinking of yourself as only “Dark” is not true and will break your communion with God. But thinking “Dark am I, yet lovely” is a balanced truth that will keep you heart close to His. The bride needed a reminder of her loveliness and beauty and that He was still attracted to her and not angry with her so He says:
“If you do not know most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the sheep and rest your young goats by the tents of the shepherds.” Song 1:8
Put another way her Shepherd, Lover and Gracious King replies:
“Come to me and I will give you rest for my burden is light and My yoke is easy because your burdened with sin and your yoke to the law is hard labor. Put your faithful doves eyes one. Possess the swift, fearless obedient character of a mare in battle. And adorn yourself with what I think is most precious and valuable to me. Adorn your heart with love and faithfulness like a bride adorns herself with jewelry on her wedding day! This is what other sheep have done so follow them.” (Summary of Song 1:7)
Context: She did what other mature believer do and also witnessed to other’s giving them rest by teaching them truth and them believing and obeying it. Repenting of sin is also drawing near to God. You must listen to the Word of God or you will not find the One your heart loves. After receiving instruction from Christ, he observed her swift and fearless obedience to His instruction and encourages her by complimenting her character in metaphoric language:
Christ praises, compliments and encourages her with the words:
“I liken you my darling to a fearless, swift, obedient mare in battle. Also the love and faithfulness you have bound to your heart adorns you and is most precious and valuable to me like beholding you neck with rare garland and you cheeks with priceless strings of jewels.” Song 1:9-10
(Narrative: So Christ compliments her moral beauty. She is beautiful, then in Song 1:11 Solomon and all who are responsible to help sanctify his bride all promises to make her more holy, precious and valuable to Christ by giving her more adornments. Expressed in the words of 1:11. Notice the word “We”)
Christ, the church and angels promise to sanctify the bride:
“We will make you earrings of God studded with silver.” Song 1:11
Categories
Uncategorized