The Song of Solomon - The Greatest Love Story

[Book of Jeremiah]

Changing His simile, the Bridegroom continues:

Your cheeks are comely with ornaments,
your neck with strings of jewels,
We will make you ornaments of gold,
studded with silver.
Song of Solomon 1:10-11

The bride is not only beautiful and useful to her Lord but she is also adorned, and it is His delight to add to her adornments. Nor are His gifts perishable flowers or trinkets destitute of intrinsic value: The finest of gold, the purest of silver, and the most precious and lasting of jewels are the gifts of the royal Bridegroom to His bride, and these, braided into her hair, increase the pleasure of the One who has bestowed them.

In Verse 12, the bride responds,

While the king was on his coach,
my nard gave forth its fragrance.

It is in His presence and through His grace that whatever fragrance and beauty may be found in us comes forth. Of Him as its source, through Him as its instrument, and to Him as its end, is all that is gracious and divine. But He is better than all that His grace works in us.

My beloved is to me a bag of myrrh
that lies between my breasts,
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
in the vineyard of En-gedi.
Song of Solomon 1:13-14

All is well when our eyes are filled with His beauty and our hearts are occupied with Him. In the measure in which this is true of us we will recognize the correlative truth that His great heart is occupied with us. Note the response of the Bridegroom:

Ah, you are beautiful, my love;
ah, you are beautiful;
your eyes are doves.
Song of Solomon 1:15

How can the Bridegroom truthfully use such words of one who recognizes herself as "black........like the tents of Kedar? And still stronger are the Bridegroom's words in 4:7:

You are altogether beautiful, my love;
there is no flaw in you.

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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

We find the solution in 2 Corinthians 3:18.
__________
It is written:

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changing into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18
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Moses, in contemplation of the divine glory, became so transformed that the Israelites were not able to look on the glory of his countenance. "And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing [beholding] the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another [the brightness caught from His glory transforms us to glory] For this comes from the Lord, the Spirit."

Every mirror has two surfaces. The one is dull and unreflecting, spotted and blemished; but when the reflecting surface is turned fully toward us, we see no flaw; we see our own image.

So while the bride is delighting in the beauty of the Bridegroom, He beholds His own image in her. There is no flaw in that image; it is all fair. may we ever present this reflection to his gaze and to the world in which we live, for His glory.

Note again His words:

Your eyes are doves (1:15)
[or, you have dove's eyes.]

The hawk is a beautiful bird, and has beautiful eyes, quick and penetrating; but the Bridegroom does not desire a hawk's eyes in His bride. The tender eyes of the innocent dove are what He admires. It was a dove that the Holy Spirit came upon Him at His baptism, and dove-like character is what He seeks for each of His people.

The reason why David was not permitted to build the temple was a very significant one. His life was far from perfect (his mistakes and sins have been faithfully recorded by the Holy Spirit). And though his sins brought upon him God's chastening, it was not any of these that disqualified him from building the temple; rather, it was his warlike spirit. Though many of his battles, if not all, were for the establishment of God's kingdom and the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and jacob, Solomon alone, the prince of peace, could build the temple. If we would be soul - winners and build up the church, which is His temple, let us remember, not by discussion nor by argument but by lifting up Christ will draw men unto Him.

He has called her beautiful; wisely and well does she reply,

Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved,
truly lovely,
Our couch is green;
the beams of our house as cedar,
our rafters are pine,
I am the rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.
Song of Solomon 1: 16-17 and 2:1

The last words are often quoted as though they were the utterance of the Bridegroom, but I believe this to be in error. The bride says in effect, "you call me fair and pleasant, but the fairness and pleasantness are Yours; I am but a wild flower, a lowly, scentless rose of Sharon (i.e.,the autumn crocus) or lily of the valley."

To this the Bridegroom responds, "Be it so; but if a wild flower, yet......"

As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among maidens
Song of Solomon 2:2

Again the bride replies,

As an apple tree [the citron] among the trees of the wood,
so is my beloved among young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
Song of Solomon 2:3

The citron is a beautiful evergreen, affording delightful shade as well as refreshing fruit. A humble wild flower herself, she recognizes her Bridegroom as a noble tree, both ornamental and fruitful. Shade from the burning sun, refreshment and rest she finds in Him. What a contrast is her present position and feelings to those which we began this section! He knew full well the cause of all her fears. Her distrust sprang from her ignorance of Him, so He took her aside, and in the sweet intimacies of mutual love her fears and distrust vanished like the mists of the morning before the rising of the sun.

But now that she has learned to know Him, she has a further experience of His love. He is not ashamed to acknowledge her publicly.

He brought me to the banqueting house,
and his intention toward me was love.
Song of Solomon 2:4

The house of wine is now as appropriate as the King's chambers were. Fearlessly and without shame she can sit by His side. His acknowledged spouse, the bride of His choice, Overwhelmed with His love she exclaims,

Sustain me with raisins,
refresh me with apples,
for I am faint with love,
O that his left hand were under my head,
and that his right hand embraced me!
Song of Solomon 2:5-6

Now she finds the blessedness of belonging. No longer her own, heart-rest is her right and enjoyment; and so the Bridegroom would have it.
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Sunni Man]

Another thought: When we bring our questions to God, do we sometimes either go on to offer some other petition or leave the place of prayer without waiting for a reply?
Doesn't this show little expectation of an answer much less desire for one?
Would we like to be treated this way? Quiet waiting before God saves us from many mistakes and many sorrows.

Isn't that what you did Jeremiah when you claimed God was going to make the NFL Patriots lose the Super Bowl because you prayed for their defeat?? ......

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the wild does;
do not stir up or awaken love,
until [she] is ready!
Song of Solomon 2:7

It is never by His will that our rest in Him is disturbed. Thus the words of the Old hymn:

You may always be abiding,
if you will at Jesus' side,
In the secret of his presence
You may every moment hide.


There is no change in His love, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. To us He promises, "I will never leave you, never fail you nor forsake you," and His earnest exhortation and command is "Abide in me, and I in you.

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This concludes this section, and in the next..... is Communion Broken.......and Restored. Song of Solomon 2:8 - 3:5
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Before moving forward to the second section and our study of the Song of Solomon as given by Hudson Taylor - I wanted to present a picture to you. The other night I saw the bible story on film - Esther. How many of you have seen that film? Consider this when thinking about the story of Esther. She was raised to a very prominent position as Queen but she didn't start out that way - she was living a life of obscurity. God raised her up and as Mordecai put it into words - For such a time as this....... You and I are living in the end times. God is raising up a people who will obey Him and surrender their lives completely to His Will. God is raising up those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and is looking for one who will say, Here I am, LORD! Send me!

You see Esther caught the eye of the King. This is what led to her being chosen to be His instrument. THEN she caught the attention of an earthly king.

It is by your own heart, your own choice to desire the love of Christ, to know Christ intimately, to follow Christ and to be completely surrendered to His will, determined to do His will, forsaking all others for Him alone - that you will catch His Eye and He will then respond. God is waiting for you. You are not waiting for God. God is waiting for you, Beloved.

If you will purpose in your heart to forsake this world, the pleasures of this world, every earthly pleasure and choose to seek Jesus with all of your heart, mind, soul, strength, to do what pleases Him - you will obtain the attention of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord's. What could be greater than that?

Stay tuned for the next section. Coming up.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

As I looked up the scriptures JROC was speaking about - I found that the printer took the liberty of using NIV translation instead of the original King James which Hudson Taylor used when writing the book. So I am going to be posting the scriptures from my own King James Bible -rather than quoting them out of this edition / printing of Hudson Taylor's book. JROC is right in that NIV translation is not accurate - it has to be read in King James Version which is the original translation. Many thanks to JROC.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Beginning the second section - we read this scripture:

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. - Hebrews 2:1

At the close of the first section, we left the bride satisfied and at rest in the arms of her Beloved, who had charged the daughters of Jerusalem to not stir up or awaken His love until she is ready. We might well suppose that a union so complete, a satisfaction so full, would never be interrupted by failure on the part of the happy bride. But of course, the experience of most of us shows how easily communion with Christ can be broken and how necessary are the exhortations of our Lord to those who are indeed branches of the true Vine and cleansed by the Word that He has spoken, to abide in Him.

The failure is never on His part: "Hearken O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house, so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty; and worship thou him.
- Psalm 45:10,11

In this section, the bride has drifted back from her position of blessing into a state of worldliness. Perhaps she thought that so far as she was concerned there was no need for the exhortation,
"Little children, keep yourself from idols."

Maybe she imagined that the love of the world was so thoroughly removed from her that she could safely go back and, by a little compromise on her part, win her friends to follow the Lord too.

Perhaps she scarcely thought at all: glad that she was saved and free; forgetting that the current (the course of this world) was against her, she insensibly glided, drifted back to that position out of which she was called, unaware all the time of backsliding.

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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

It is not necessary when the current is against us to turn the boat's head downstream in order to drift or for a runner in a race to turn back in order to miss the prize.

How often the enemy succeeds by one device or another in tempting the believer away from that position of entire consecration to Christ in which alone the fullness of His power and His love can be experienced. We say the fullness of His power and His love, for the believer may not have ceased to love His Lord.

In the passage before us, the bride still loves Him truly, though not wholly. There is still a power in His Word that is felt, though she no longer renders instant obedience to it. She does not realize that she is wronging her Lord or how real is the wall of separation between them. To her, worldliness seems but a small thing. She has not realized the solemn truth of many passages in the Word of God that speak in no uncertain terms of the folly, the danger, and the sin of friendship with the world.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 1 John 2:15
(note - and 1 John 2: 16 says: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. )

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Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
-James 4:4
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Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
-II Corinthians 6: 14,15
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Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
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We have to make our choice; we cannot enjoy both the world and Christ. The bride has not learned this; she would enjoy both with no thought of their incompatibility.
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

She observes with joy the approach of the Bridegroom:

The voice of my beloved I behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart; behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
King James Bible Solomon's Song 2: 8,9

The heart of the bride leaps upon hearing the voice of her Beloved as He comes in search of her. He has crossed the mountains. He draws near to her. He stands behind the wall. He even looks in at the windows. With tender and touching words He woos her to come to Him. He utters no reproach, and His loving entreaties sink deep into her consciousness.

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
- King James Bible Solomon's Song 2: 10,11, 12, 13

All nature is responsive to the return of summer; will you, my bride, be irresponsive to my love?
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Can such pleading be in vain? Yes, it can. And it was! In yet more touching words the Bridegroom continues:

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 2:14

What a wonderful thought that God should desire fellowship with us and that He whose love once made Him the Man of Sorrows may now be made the Man of joys by the loving devotion of human hearts!

But as strong as His love is and His desire for His bride, He can come no further. Where she is now He can never come. But surely she will go to him. Doesn't He have a claim on her? She feels and enjoys His love; will she let His desire count for nothing? Note that it is not the bride who is longing in vain for her Lord but the Bridegroom who is seeking her. Can it be that He seeks her in vain?
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Steven_R]

Another thought: When we bring our questions to God, do we sometimes either go on to offer some other petition or leave the place of prayer without waiting for a reply?
Doesn't this show little expectation of an answer much less desire for one?
Would we like to be treated this way? Quiet waiting before God saves us from many mistakes and many sorrows.

Isn't that what you did Jeremiah when you claimed God was going to make the NFL Patriots lose the Super Bowl because you prayed for their defeat?? ......

And yea did Jeremiah pray to the God of the Israelites for the smiting of Bill Belichick, but God is a merciful God and in His wisdom did He see that he has punished New England enough for its transgressions. For the people of New England have cried out for relief and God remembered his pledge to never crush all of New England, and that pledge did smell of molasses and the smell of molasses did remind the Lord. For the Lord did already smite New England's faithful with the 2014 Red Sox.

And so it was that Pete Carroll needed mere inches and his downs were four, four being the number of downs he had. And Pete Carroll had the greatest running back in the land, a giant who's name was Beast Mode. This giant had no equal and Pete Carroll had but few concerns for no defensive line could stop Beast Mode in the downs which were four. But God, hearing the supplication of the New England faithful, did harden Pete Carroll's brain, and so Pete Carroll did opt for a passing play which failed.

And New England did rejoice.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 2:15

He continues. The intruders may be small, but the mischief done is great. A little spray of blossom so tiny as to scarcely be perceived of a whole branch may be forever destroyed.

And how numerous the little foxes are!

A little compromise with the world; disobedience to the still, small voice in the little things, little indulgences of the flesh to the neglect of duty, small neglects, doing evil in little things that good may come; and the beauty and fruitfulness of the vine are sacrificed!

We have a sad illustration of the deceitfulness of sin in the response of the bride. Instead of bounding forth to meet Him, she first comforts her own heart by the remembrance of His faithfulness and of her union with Him:

My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
King James Bible -Solomon's Song 2:16

My position is one of security. I have no need to be concerned about it. He is mine and I am His, and nothing can alter that relationship. I can find Him at any time; He feeds His flock among the lilies. While the sun of prosperity shines upon me, I may safely enjoy myself here without Him. Should trial and darkness come, He will surely not fail me.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bethar.
King James Bible -Solomon's Song 2:17 Careless of His desire, she lightly dismisses Him with the thought, A little later I may enjoy His love, and the grieved Bridegroom departs.

Poor, foolish bride! She will soon find that the things that once satisfied her can satisfy her no loner and that it is easier to turn a deaf ear to His tender call than to recall or find her absent Lord.

The day became cool and the shadows did flee away, but He did not return. Then in the solemn night she discovered her mistake. It was dark and she was alone. Retiring for rest, she still hoped for His return - the lesson that worldliness is an absolute bar to full communion still unlearned.

By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

King James Bible -Solomon's Song 3:2
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

King James Bible - Solomon's Song 2:15
He continues. The intruders may be small, but the mischief done is great. A little spray of blossom so tiny as to scarcely be perceived of a whole branch may be forever destroyed.

And how numerous the little foxes are!

A little compromise with the world; disobedience to the still, small voice in the little things, little indulgences of the flesh to the neglect of duty, small neglects, doing evil in little things that good may come; and the beauty and fruitfulness of the vine are sacrificed!

We have a sad illustration of the deceitfulness of sin in the response of the bride. Instead of bounding forth to meet Him, she first comforts her own heart by the remembrance of His faithfulness and of her union with Him:

My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
King James Bible -Solomon's Song 2:16

My position is one of security. I have no need to be concerned about it. He is mine and I am His, and nothing can alter that relationship. I can find Him at any time; He feeds His flock among the lilies. While the sun of prosperity shines upon me, I may safely enjoy myself here without Him. Should trial and darkness come, He will surely not fail me.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bethar.
King James Bible -Solomon's Song 2:17

Careless of His desire, she lightly dismisses Him with the thought, A little later I may enjoy His love, and the grieved Bridegroom departs.
Poor, foolish bride! She will soon find that the things that once satisfied her can satisfy her no longer and that it is easier to turn a deaf ear to His tender call than to recall or find her absent Lord.

The day became cool and the shadows did flee away, but He did not return. Then in the solemn night she discovered her mistake. It was dark and she was alone.

Retiring for rest, she still hoped for His return - the lesson that worldliness is an absolute bar to full communion still unlearned.


By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 3:1

She waits and becomes weary. His absence has become insupportable:

I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 3:2

How different her position from what it might have been!

Instead of seeking Him alone, desolate, and in the dark, she might have gone out with Him in the sunshine, leaning upon His arm.

She might have exchanged the partial view of her Beloved through the lattice, when she could no longer say "nothing between," for the joy of His embrace and His public confession of her as His chosen bride!
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

The watchmen that go about the city found: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth. King James Bible
- Solomon's Song 3: 3,4a)

She had already obeyed His command, "Arise....and come away." Fearless of reproach, she sought Him in the dark, and when she began to confess the Lord, she found Him and was restored to His favor:

I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

King James Bible - Solomon's Song 3:4b

The new Jerusalem above is our true home. There it is that full communion is enjoyed, not in worldly ways or self-willed indulgence.
Communion fully restored, the section closes as did the first, with the loving charge of the Bridegroom that none should disturb His bride:

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field, that ye not stir up, nor awake my love til he please.
King James Bible Solomon's Song 3:5

May we all while living down here - in the world but not of it - find our home in the heavenly places to which we have been raised and in which we are seated together with Christ.

Sent into the world to witness for our Master, may we ever be strangers here, ready to confess Him the true object of our soul's devotion. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Psalm 84: 1,2

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

Psalm 84: 4

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

This concludes the second section and the next is entitled, The Joy of Unbroken Communion and addresses Solomon's Song 3:6 - 5: 1.

Before the teaching - It begins with adoration and praise to Jesus Christ:

O Jesus, King most wonderful
Thou Conqueror renowned.
Thou sweetness most ineffable,
in whom all joys are found!
Thee, Jesus, may our voices bless;
Thee may we love alone,
and even in our lives express
the image of Thine own.

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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Before we begin reading from Section three entitled The Joy of Unbroken Communion, let us consider this: That every single person who has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is offered this very same relationship seen within this study. Every single born again Believer is being offered this same relationship. It is the only relationship the LORD will accept because we must be fully surrendered to Him in order to have communion with Him. While reading this why not tell the LORD you desire to have this same relationship and ask Him to show you what is preventing you from entering into it with Him? He desires to have an intimate relationship with you more than you desire it for yourself. That is the truth, Beloved.

If you are not born again and desire to know Christ and become His please read Romans 10:8,9,10. Repent of your sins and ask His forgiveness, confessing that you believe in your heart and are confessing with your mouth that you believe he died on the cross for your sins and God did raise him from the dead on the third day. Tell Him that you believe He is the LORD and are calling upon Him to save you. Let Him know that you desire to be born again and have your name written in the Lamb's book of Life. That you desire to have unbroken Communion with Him and to know the joys of an intimate relationship with Your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Section three begins here:

In sections 1 and 2, we were mainly occupied with the words and experiences of the bride. In this section, our attention is first called to the Bridegroom; from Him we hear of the bride as the object of His love and the delight of His heart. The daughters of Jerusalem are the first speakers.


Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 3:6

Then they themselves give the reply:

Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 3:7

In these verses, the bride is not mentioned; she is eclipsed by the grandeur and the state of her royal Bridegroom; nevertheless, she is both enjoying and sharing it.

The very air is perfumed by the smoke of the incense that ascends pillarlike clouds, and all that safeguards the position of the Bridegroom himself and shows forth His dignity safeguards also the accompanying bride, the sharer of his glory.

The carriage in which they sit is built of fragrant cedar from Lebanon, and the finest gold and silver have been lavished in its construction. The fragrant wood typifies the beauty of sanctified humanity, while the gold reminds us of the divine glory of our Lord and the silver of the purity and preciousness of His redeemed and peerless church.

The imperial purple with which it is lined tells us of the Gentiles - the daughter of Tyre has been there with her gift - while the love-gifts of the daughters of Jerusalem accord with the prophecy "Even the rich among the people shall entreat your favor."

These are things that attract the attention of the daughters of Jerusalem, but the bride is occupied with the King himself, and she exclaims,

Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 3:11

The crowned King is everything to her, and she would have Him be everything to the daughters of Zion.

She dwells with delight on the gladness of His heart on the day of His wedding, for now she is not occupied with Him for her own sake but rejoices in His joy at finding in her His satisfaction.

Do we sufficiently cultivate this unselfish desire to be all for Jesus and to do all for His pleasure?

Or are we conscious that we principally go to Him for our own sake or at best for the sake of our friends or family?

How much of prayer begins and ends with the creature, forgetful of the privilege of giving joy to the Creator!

Yet is only when He sees in our unselfish love and devotion to Him the reflection of His own that His heart can feel full satisfaction and pour itself forth in precious utterance of love such as those we find in the following words:

Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold thou art fair, thou hast doves eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.
Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of pomegranate within thy locks.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 4;1,2,3
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

We have already found the explanation of the fairness of the bride in her reflecting like a mirror the beauty of the Bridegroom. Well may He with satisfaction describe her beauty while she is thus occupied with Him! The lips that speak only of Him are like a crimson thread; the mouth or speech that has no word of self or for self is lovely in His sight.

How sweet His words of appreciation and commendation were to the bride we can well imagine, but her joy was too deep for expression. She was silent in her love. She would not now think of sending Him away until the day was cool and the shadows were gone.

Still less does the Bridegroom think of finding His joy apart from His bride. He says,

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 4:6

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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Separation never comes because of any withdrawing on His part. He is always ready for communion with a prepared heart, and in this happy communion the bride becomes ever fairer and more like her Lord.

She is being progressively changed into His image from one degree of glory to another through the wondrous working of the Holy Spirit, until the Bridegroom can declare:

Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 4:7

And now she is fit for service, and to it the Bridegroom woos her. She will not now misrepresent Him.

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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

"Come with me." It is always so. When our Savior says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." He proceeds it with "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" and follows it with "Remember, I am with you always" (Matthew 28:18-19).

Or when He calls His bride to come as He does here, it is still "with me," and it is in connection with this loving invitation that for the first time He changes the word my "love" for the still more endearing term, my "bride."

What are lion's dens when the Lion of the tribe of Judah is with us, or mountains of leopards when He is at our side!

"I will fear no evil, for thou art with me."

On the other hand, it is while His own is facing dangers and toiling with Him in service that He says,

Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse! Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
King James Bible - Solomon's Song 4:9
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From Hudson Taylor's book - Union and Communion - a devotional study on How the Song of Solomon Reveals a Believers Union with Jesus Christ.