Catch for us the foxes

Solomon’s Song of Songs 2:15

 

(To all you reading this, FYI.  This post is how I come about understanding the text.  This is my meditation in writing.  As I meditate I will write my thoughts and feelings down and the process by which I am thinking upon the text.  Not that I am right all along the way but this is my thought process)

 

I first come to the text hoping and pretty much expecting to experience God through the text.  What I mean by experience is that some truth in the text when thought about correctly adds knowledge of God to my understanding.  Truth, God’s knowledge of Himself in my mind.  Something is added.  Something not known before is now known.  This is what Job repents of in Job 42:5-6.  Job had a view of God then got a higher view of God.  When we are getting a higher view of God in Christ then more of His image is being communicated to our souls and we gain weight in glory.  We get more beautiful!  More lovely to our Beloved when we are transformed from one level of glory to another.  2 Cor. 3:18  This greater beauty draws Christ to come sup with us and we then enjoy His presence and holy communion with us.  Foxes destroy this process.  Catch the foxes and ask Christ to catch them for you because it is the deepest desire of both your hearts.

Though overall the vineyard is blooming but this is a time of destruction.  The foxes are destroying the vineyards and she needs to learn to trust fully in him to help.  She see’s the need to catch them and His sufficiency to help her and therefore she cries for her good and His glory for Him to “Catch for us the foxes..”  the sins that separate Him for her.

I want to behold the Beauty of Christ.  The Song of Songs illustrates the most beautiful attribute of Christ, His Love or His holiness consisting in Love to God is the most beautiful attribute of them all.  It is His Eternal Delight.  God’s Eternal delight is in His holiness.  The holiness of Jesus Christ the Son of God beautifies all the other attributes of Him.   His holiness makes them attractive, beautiful and morally lovely.

Catching the foxes will help me become more beautiful sooner than later!!

Knowing something in the text will help me catch the foxes!  At least I am assuming this before I even come to the text, when I should let the text speak for itself first.  I want it to help me catch the foxes.  I want to exegete the text and not read anything into it.

So first I ask myself as I pray, Lord am I reading anything into the text?  What should information should I include to help paint a clear picture in my mind of what it is that God wants me to know from His Word.

He is the Author and wants to help me understand His Word.  I must come to the text fully repentant of all known sin or my study is in vain.  (Took two minutes to confess, and now Im feeling I don’t deserve to know anything of God because I am so sinful,  Lord I need to see my sin on Christ,  everything I am feeling guilty for, may I believe it to be upon Christ and not me that I may have joy and no fear of punishment)  Dark am I, yet morally lovely in Christ.

Catch for us the foxes, the foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

What ideas are being conveyed here?    Desire for a vineyard in constant bloom is being expressed!  How does she get this constant bloom.  Isn’t it just beautiful to watch a flower bloom or a vineyard produce fruit.

The vineyards are shared by the two.  They both have a stake in their vineyards blooming.  Catch for us.  US.  Us is plural.  The catching of the foxes is for the benefit of both of them. He gets what he wants which is a closer relationship with her.  And she gets what she wants which is a closer more intimate relationship with him/Him in his/His chambers.

 

“Catch the foxes” is an activity and both of their desires.  Either way, wether it is her asking him to catch the foxes or him commanding her as king or the authority leader in the relationship, catching the foxes is a mutual concern.   It is of utmost importance that the foxes get caught or else there is no fruit for him.

Obviously, whatever the foxes are they are ruining the vineyards, their vineyards.  They are engaged but due to her lack of sincerity and low view of Solomon, the engagement was delayed until the foxes were caught.

 

There are different relationship going on here.  There is her relationship to him as king and she is still a slave girl about to be engaged but has some foxes that need to be caught and they agree together to catch them.  In this mutual agreement Solomon becomes hers and she becomes Solomon’s.  He is King over her and she delights in his ability/wisdom to catch the foxes with her and for the good of both of them.  Woman is the glory of man and the more beautiful she is the greater Solomon’s glory! His name becomes more delightful and pleasing like the most pleasant perfume sweetly draws us closer.

(Now I’m losing the text and meditations, probably pride raised its head, I must think much more on my sin and undeserved blessings but purchased by Christ, dark am I, yet lovely.  Its seems this balanced thought of Dark am I, yet lovely will tend to balance my thoughts and feelings if spiritual pride sneeks in.  I was much enjoying this meditation and thoughts of Christ, this tended to lift my spirits quite a bit, but oh that sneaky crafty liar comes and tells me,  “see it was you humbling yourself that got you this blessing”,  Satan tells me this and I believe it then my joy is gone due to my self righteousness.  It’s not because of me of myself humbling myself, but Christ in me who humbles the proud and gives grace to the humble.  I can’t of myself do what God commands me to do.  United to Christ I can do all things He commands.  My mind went a wondering for about 5 minutes on just this or that)

Okay so now Im thinking, What would be a main fox?  Could I kill a main fox?  HHmmm, Need to kill all the foxes!  Listen to my conscience, listen to His voice, like a shepherd through His word he will lead me to peace from temptation and sin.  Killing Pride, laziness, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, unbelief, selfishness, bitterness, anger, discontent etc.  And may I put on Christ as I behold His Wondrous Beauty.

Can what I do benefit Christ?  If I caught pride and stayed humble for a time and a time then how would Christ benefit.  I caught pride for Him.

All things done for Christ are not done by me alone, but Christ in me.  The Holy Spirit.  Love.   All things He does in me are for me and my spiritual good and His Glory.  How is it for His Glory!  He did it, He gets the glory!  The church is the Glory of Christ as the woman is the glory of man.

There also seems to be a mutual love for one another.  He delights in what is good for her.  The foxes need catching, but she must also want it and see His sufficiency to help her.  Is he capable of destroying sin in her life in her heart?

Well, I hope God has blessed you by my meditation.  May we all help each other catch whatever it is that is ruining our relationship with Christ!  God Bless you all!