Archive for the ‘Song of Songs’ Category

This is my Beloved, This is my Friend

Posted: February 14, 2020 in Song of Songs
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Happy Valentine’s Day! As I was thinking about sharing on my FaceBook and YouTube High 5 today, Song of Solomon 5:10-16 came to my mind. This is the maiden sharing with the daughters of Jerusalem (immature believers) about her beloved. I want to break down those verses for you because they are so full of Jewish idioms and poetic phrases. As you meditate on these traits, representing our Bridegroom Jesus Christ, I pray that your love and appreciation for Him will be magnified this Valentine’s Day of 2020.

Vs 10, (The Shulamite) My beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand.

  • White in Hebrew is tsach, dazzling, glowing, bright (represents purity, separated from any sin)
  • Ruddy in Hebrew is adom, red, ruddy, full of life and power (from adam, Lexicon reads ‘whiteness and ruddiness belongs to the description of youthful beauty’)
  • Chief in Hebrew is dagal, banner, standard; to look, behold (Jesus is not only our banner, but our banner carrier)
  • Ten Thousand – rebabah, often used for a very large number, millions, multiple

Vs 11, His head is like the finest gold; his locks are wavy, and black as a raven.

  • Head speaks of his leadership
    • Like finest gold – life of God, superior to all others
    • Locks – hair, dedication to God (Nazarite) and committed to the Church
    • Wavy in Hebrew is taltal, bushy, flowing (used this 1 time in the Bible)
    • Black as a raven – describing the color
      • Grey would be diminished of power, strength
      • Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever – eternal power!

Vs 12, His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

  • Eyes speak of discernment, understanding, wisdom, knowledge
    • Here they also express emotions – tears of tenderness
    • Doves – singleness of vision

Vs 13, His cheeks are like a bed of spices, banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.

  • Cheeks speak of emotions, passions, pleasures
    • Spices describe the diversity of His affections for us
  • Lips – speech, words
    • Lilies – pure
    • Dripping with myrrh – selfless
  • Watchman Nee comments, The droppings of myrrh do not mean just grace; they are related to His death. This denotes the grace that issues forth from His death. His lips drop myrrh; every word of grace that comes out of His mouth is based on His death. Whether it is, “Your sins are forgiven…Go in peace” (7:48-50), “He who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47), or “Rise and take up your mat and walk” (Mark 2:9), all these words are based on His death

Vs 14, His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires.

  • Hands speak of activity
    • Rods of gold – divine character (following the perfect will of God)
    • KJV says gold ‘rings’ – galiyl, turning, folding rod, circuit (will not slip off)
    • Beryl – tarshiysh, amber colored stone
      • Bullinger comments, Adorned with the gems of Tarshish (alluding to the nails, of which great care was taken
      • Watchman Nee- Therefore, the rings are gold. “Beryl” is mentioned a few times in the Old Testament, including Ezekiel 1:16 and Daniel 10:6. In both places, the meaning is stability…. Hence, both the gold rings and the beryl speak of the stability of the Lord’s work
  • Body/Bowels – compassion (moved with compassion)
    • KJV – “his belly [is as] bright ivory overlaid [with] sapphires”
    • Carved Ivory – rare and expensive; an animal must die to get the ivory
    • Sapphires – “the body of heaven in his clearness” (Exo 24:10)
      • His feelings come directly from heaven

Vs 15,  His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

  • Legs – His walk, forward motion; administration of His purposes; upright posture
    • Pillars – strength, support
    • Marble – strong and permanent
    • Gold – divinity
      • She mentions gold 3 times: thoughts of His mind, works of His hands, stability of His feet – all controlled by God
  • Countenance – mar’eh, what is seen; sight, importation of glory
    • Lebanon – stately and honorable
    • Cedars – very tall tree; high and lifted up

Vs 16, His mouth is most sweet, Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved,
and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

  • Mouth – chek, taste, gums, palate (2:3; 7:9)
    • A taste tester would taste everything before giving it to the king; here our King has tasted everything before giving it to us.
  • After 10 descriptions of her Beloved, she sums it into “altogether lovely”

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 40 (10/10/19)

Posted: October 10, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Song 8:11, Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon; he leased the vineyard to keepers; everyone was to bring for its fruit a thousand silver coins.”

Watchman Nee, “Before the believers are raptured, the Holy Spirit wants them to pay attention to one thing—the reward of the work. Solomon has his vineyards; they are his fields, and he leases them out to the keepers. The Lord’s work is not ours; our position is ―forever that of a steward. We are merely keeping watch over His business. When He comes, what He entrusted to us will return to Him.”

  • Baal Hamon means “the lord of all”
  • Leased property – Jesus is “Lord of All”, we are His stewards and will have to give account
    • Matthew 25, parable of the talents; Luke 19, parable of the minas were both parables Jesus gave the week of His Crucifixion
    • Matthew 21:33, “Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.”
  • Thousand – a complete number, speaks of full measure
    • Isaiah 7:23, “In that day the lush vineyards, now worth 1,000 pieces of silver, will become patches of briers and thorns.”

Song 8:12, (Maiden) “My own vineyard is before me. You, O Solomon, may have a thousand, and those who tend its fruit two hundred.”

  • Abram spoke to Lot as recorded in Genesis 13:9, “Is not the whole land before you?” meaning it belonged to him, under his direction.
  • Even if she is not going to serve Him out of duty (law) she still serves with the same sense of duty to her Master, but out of love
  • She will not only serve Him, but those under her will be rewarded

Co-laborers will be rewarded with fruit

    • Lord of All will be rewarded in silver

Song 8:13, (The Beloved) “You who dwell in the gardens, the companions listen for your voice—Let me hear it!”

  • NLT- “[Young Man] O my darling, lingering in the gardens, your companions are fortunate to hear your voice. Let me hear it, too!”
  • Companions – fellow workers. They see realness in her faith walk and listen to what she says, knowing it is coming straight from the Lord (only doing what He says)

LET ME HEAR YOUR VOICE!!! 5780 began the “Decade of the Pey”, the number 80 in Hebrew is the Letter Pey and it symbolizes the ‘mouth’. The Bridegroom King is crying out to the Bride of Christ to hear our voice!!!

In Worship – love

  • In Intercession – unselfish prayers
  • In Teaching – not limited to the ministry gift, all of us should teach, mentor
  • In Evangelism – soul winning, witnessing for Him

Matthew Henry, “The song concludes with an interchanging of parting requests. Christ charges his spouse that she should often let him hear from her (v. 13), and she begs of him that he would hasten his return to her (v. 14).”

Song 8:14, (The Shulamite) “Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.”

  • In 2:17 she speaks of the mountains of Bethar (separation)
    • Now all that which separated the maiden and the king are gone
    • Come to her personally (make haste my beloved)
  • Mountain of Spices – the Church
  • Matthew Henry, “Though Jesus Christ be now retired, he will return. The heavens, those high mountains of sweet spices, must contain him till the times of refreshing shall come; and those times will come, when every eye shall see him, in all the pomp and power of the upper and better world, the mystery of God being finished and the mystical body completed.”
  • Make Haste
    • Rev 22:17, “And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come”
    • Rev 22:20, He which testifies these things says, ‘Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus”
      • Rev 2:5; 2:16; 3:11; 22:7
  • Come – “near us” in intimacy
  • Come – “to us“in revival
  • Come – “for us” in Rapture

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 39 (10/9/19)

Posted: October 9, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Today is the Day of Atonement on God’s prophetic calendar found in Leviticus 23, the Seven Feasts of the Lord (not of the Jews). God said these are MY FEASTS (moedim, fixed appointed times on God’s calendar) The Spring Feasts are regarding personal salvation, the Summer Feast of Pentecost is about the giving of the Law and Acts 2, the Church, body of Christ. These last 3 Feasts are about the Nations, salvation of the lost in the nations of the world. It is interesting that the News is very focused on the Church of the Kurds in Syria. This is a time to get out of our own self-interest, and be like the Shulamite who is only concerned about what is on Jesus’ heart – His Church in the World.

Song 8:8, “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister in the day when she is spoken for?”

The Passion Translation of 8-10 reads, “My brothers said to me when I was young, ‘Our sister is so immature. What will we do to guard her for her wedding day?‘”

Watchman Nee says this is the Shulamite maiden who speaks in verses 8-9.

  • Jesus – what are WE going to do about the little ones, that can’t even nurture themselves
  • The Maiden knows that her burden is His burden and brings it to Him.
  • She now offers 2 intercessory End Time prayers
    • 8:8, for the Church
    • 8:14, for the Bridegroom to hasten His Coming

Song 8:9, “If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; and if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.”

(Now you will see several different understandings on this verse)

NLT-“If she (little sister) is a virgin, like a wall, we will protect her with a silver tower. But if she is promiscuous, like a swinging door, we will block her door with a cedar bar.”

Mike Bickle’s interpretation of this verse: Her 3-fold confidence is as a wall (selfless motives), as a tower (her supernatural abilities to nurture) and as one peace (emotional hindrances removed).

  • Wall – if she has set up a wall and won’t let him in
    • Mike Bickle – wall ministry is to protect others
  • Battlement – place at the top of a tower where the protected archers shot their arrows, speaks of safety
  • Silver – redemption, protect her with anything of redeeming power
  • Door– (door, gate …(fig) of an easily-accessible woman)
    • Doors of cedar in the Temple were panels of cedar that were expensive, reliable, strong and costly
  • Watchman Nee, ““We will enclose her with boards of cedar.” We will add Christ’s heavenly humanity to her. (Wood signifies humanity, whereas cedar is tall. Hence cedar wood signifies Christ’s heavenly humanity, His glorified humanity, and His heavenly human life.) She no longer does the things that she wants to do; she does them together with the Lord.”
  • Mike Bickle – door ministry is of an evangelist, intercessor, teacher, apostle
  • Matthew Henry, “This little sister, when once she is joined to the Lord, shall be made to grow into a holy temple, a habitation of God through the Spirit, (Eph 2:21,22), when this palace comes to be finished, and the doors of this wall set up, which was the last thing done (Neh 7:1), then we will enclose here with boards of cedar; we will carefully and effectually protect her, that she shall receive no damage. We will do it; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all concur in contriving, carrying on, and crowning, the blessed work when the time comes.”

Song 8:10, (The Shulamite) “I am a wall, and my breasts like towers; then I became in his eyes as one who found peace.”

The Bride has a 3-fold confidence (1) She is clothed in cedar (she has put on Christ) (2) She is able to nurture many (3) She ministers in rest

  • Breasts like towers – developed, full – able to nurture
  • Found (matza) peace (shalom) – she has now obtained favor, completeness, quiet

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 38 (10/8/19)

Posted: October 8, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Song 8:5, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; there she who bore you brought you forth.”

Who is speaking the first part? (NKJV says it is relatives) This reminds me of the story of the 10 Cow Bride, one of my favorite stories. It matters what our beloved things of us. We become what Jesus beholds. He sees us beautiful and accepted. https://russritchel.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/the-ten-cow-wife/

She is not coming in holy confidence, totally trusting

  • Under the Apple Tree is remembrance of where she came from (2:3)
  • “I awakened you” is spoken by the King; referring to when he found her, she was robed in guilt and shame
  • Apple Tree – under the refreshment of Jesus shade

Watchman Nee, “We must pay attention to what the wilderness refers to. The wilderness for us is not just a wandering life, but the world itself. Not only is there a wilderness in the spiritual realm; there is also a wilderness in the fleshly realm. We must not only be delivered spiritually from the wilderness of wandering, but we must be delivered from this earthly wilderness as well. When the Lord reigns within us through the Holy Spirit, we begin to leave behind a fluctuating life. When we hear the call for the rapture, we will be delivered from the worldly environment. The cross of Christ delivers us from the spiritual wilderness, and the coming of Christ delivers us from the earthly wilderness.”

  • The closer she gets to her beloved, the clearer her identity becomes
  • Leaning on our Beloved – we constantly leave the world behind and come up again and again until the Lord takes us away

Song 8:6, “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame.”

Jesus stands before the Church as the fully God and fully Man Bridegroom, urgently asking them to ask Him to put a seal of fire (God’s love) upon our heart that no waters of darkness can put out.

  • Jesus, as the Jealous God, wants all of us and wants to reveal Himself to us as the Jealous Bridegroom that will not share us with anyone else https://youtu.be/QFdeOT3lzqc?t=1
  • Progressive fire – begins when we are born again (Eph 1:13)
    • The maiden begins asking for the kisses of his mouth & ends with the seal upon her heart
    • Jesus’ prayer for us from John 17:26, “..that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them…” (spiritually imparted into us)
    • Romans 5:5, “…for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts..”
    • Luke 3:16, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
  • Seal upon my heart, arm
    • Heart is our inner life (intimacy, love)
    • Arm is our ministry (activity, strength)
    • In ancient times a king’s seal of wax was placed on important documents – only to be opened for the intended. This seal was the authority of the king and backed up by the entire kingdom

Watchman Nee, “Just as the priests bore the Israelites upon their breasts and their shoulders, remember me constantly in Your heart and sustain me with Your arm……My trust is not in my holding power, but in Your holding power…From this point on, everything depends on Your strength and Your love.”

  • Strong as death – force, everything created to live is also destined to die (Ecc 3:2)
    • Watchman Nee, “Death holds its captives and keeps them firmly, unrelentingly, and unshakably in its hand. If You love me, I will not be shaken, because Your love cannot possibly be weaker than death. “If You love me, Your jealousy will follow..”
  • Grave – sheol, abode of the dead, place of no return, underworld, hell
    • Watchman Nee, “What can be crueler than Sheol? A person may be the most lovable one, the most adorable one, or the most precious one, but when Sheol comes to claim a sinner, it will not care if such a one is lovable or adorable. No tears, sorrow, or pleading can move its heart. It does not know mercy and compassion. It has no sympathy or feeling. It is cruel.”
  • The fire of love that Peter experienced in Acts 2 drove out all of his fears and weaknesses
    • James 4:5, “…The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?”
    • Hebrews 12:29, “For our God is a consuming fire”

Song 8:7, “Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised.”

  • Many waters – trials, sin, pressure that comes from the enemy to put out flame or passion for Jesus
  • Floods of water – totally keep the fire out; persecutions from the enemy
  • We cannot earn or buy the Love of Jesus. That would bring us back to the Law
    • We must receive His love and grace by faith
    • Faith cannot be drowned out by ‘many waters’

 

 

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 37 (10/7/19)

Posted: October 7, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Song 8:1, “Oh, that you were like my brother, who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I should find you outside, I would kiss you; I would not be despised.”

The Maiden continues to express her love for the Beloved. She is no longer self-seeking, it is all about Him. This is how people feel who are impassioned and consumed with love. When you really find Jesus, make Him first, everything changes and your are going to have a fire in your heart.

  • In the East, family members could be affectionate in public, but public affection between loves was forbidden.
    • Even in a land such as the US, people do not understand and will freely criticize those who are on fire for God.
    • I remember David Wilkerson when God first sent him to New York City to preach on the streets. Ridicule and angry threats availed much, but now we see the fruit of his passion!
  • Matthew Henry comments, ‘The spouse wishes for a constant intimacy and freedom with the Lord Jesus. She was already betrothed to him, but, the nuptials being yet not solemnized and published (the bride, the Lamb’s wife, will not be completely ready till his Second Coming), she was obliged to be shy and to keep at some distance; she therefore wishes she may be taken for his sister, he having called her so (ch. 5:1), and that she might have the same chaste and innocent familiarity with him that a sister has with a brother, an own brother, that sucked the breasts of the same mother with her, who would therefore be exceedingly tender of her, as Joseph was of his brother Benjamin.’

Song 8:2, “I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, she who used to instruct me. I would cause you to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.”

  • We must bring Jesus to places where He will be honored, those who have taught her
    • Often those who have taught us have grown cold and we desire for the fire of God to help them finish well
    • We cannot bless them and be critical of them at the same time
  • Spiced (this is the only time it is used in the Bible)
    • When there was an honored guest, their cup would have spices mixed into the wine – very expensive, costly
    • She promises to serve him, “I will cause”
  • Juice of the pomegranate – graces from her inner life
  • Watchman Nee, “She continues to say, “When that day comes, it will be as if I am leading You into the heavenly Jerusalem. I will forever be taught of grace. All my fruits today are for the making of the sweet wine of that day, which will serve as Your eternal joy. None of the spiritual fruits I have received from You will be for myself. On that day all the pomegranates will be turned into spiced wine for Your satisfaction. I will give everything I have to You, and everything I have will be for Your enjoyment.”

Song 8:3, “His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.” (4) “ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.”

  • Left hand – unseen work of God
  • Right hand – Covenant, the hand of blessing, manifested work of God
  • Matthew Henry, “She doubts not but to experience his tender care of her and affection to her), that she should be supported by his power and kept from fainting in the hardest services and sufferings (His left hand under my head) and that she should be comforted with his love—His right hand should embrace me. While we are following hard after Christ his right hand sustains us, (Ps 63:8)
  • Refer to SOS 3:5 notes, “until ‘she’ is ready” (I think this is the maiden’s voice)
    • Third time : 2:7; 3:5; 8:4)- the first 2 times “by the gazelles of the field” but this time it is omitted because she is mature and not easily distracted, double minded or ‘tossed to and fro’- no more foxes!!!
  • Watchman Nee, “She is now living in the hope of rapture; she is in His hand. Her feeling at the moment is proper. There is no need to arouse her. Do not interfere by the hand of flesh, until she wakes up in the countenance of His face.”

 

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 36 (10/6/19)

Posted: October 6, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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The Shulamite  continues to express her love and commitment for the Beloved. Strong’s Concordance lists Shulamite as “the perfect” or “the peaceful”.

Song 7:12, “Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine has budded, whether the grape blossoms are open, and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.”

  • Early – diligence in assignment, priority, not waiting until a more inconvenient time
  • Now she is serving for HIM, not for the people
    • Undistracted intimacy
  • Watchman Nee,“Laziness is not a characteristic of the Lord’s life. Only those who are spiritual can be diligent…..The difference between diligence and laziness lies in the use of time. This is why the apostle charged us to redeem the time” (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5).
    • I can attest to this. Unless I get up early and make prayer and devotion a FIRST priority, the distractions of the day take over. Once I have made this a priority, my day flows and everything gets done – ‘decently and in order’
  • Vines budded, grapes blossom, pomegranates in bloom all speak of different people and ministries that need maturing
    • Pomegranates have lots of seeds. It is fun teaching someone who will spread the Word and are hungry and productive.
    • Budded, blossoms open, in bloom all speak of different stages in our faith walk with Jesus in the midst of ministry. This is a place of selfless love.
      • There is a risk of faith, disappointments and mistreatment, but love for the Beloved causes strength and courage to go forth into ministry.
  • Apostle Paul knew Jesus in the suffering of ministry
    • Phil 3:10, “That I may know Him (intimacy with God) and the power of His resurrection (ministry) and the fellowship of his sufferings (hardship), being conformed to His death.”
    • I Cor 15:10, “I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
    • 2 Cor 11:23-28, “In labors more”
  • Watchman Nee, “In the past, work was something that was a distraction. Because of much serving, the maiden would lose the fellowship at His feet. To an immature believer, work does not improve his love to the Lord. On the contrary, it puts a barrier between him and the Lord. This is a sign of an imperfect union. But by this time, her experience has reached the stage of perfection, and she is able to relate the Lord’s work to the Lord Himself and able to relate even the world to the Lord. She is able to relate the Lord’s brother to the Lord Himself. Now she can express her loves to the Lord at the place of His work. She can make her work an expression of her love to Him. She has no condemnation after she works, and she is no longer afraid of losing something of the Lord through her work.”

Song 7:13, “The mandrakes give off a fragrance, and at our  gates are pleasant fruits, all manner, new and old, which I have laid up for you, my beloved.”

  • Mandrakes  symbolize intimacy with God
    • It is a fruit associated with love
    • Mandrakes are believed to have ability for fertility (Rachel & Leah, Gen 30:14)
    • Genesis 30 & Song 7:13 are the only time mandrakes are listed in the Bible
  • Gates – the fragrance of the beauty of pleasing Jesus in ministry goes before her
    • The ‘gates’ are places that God has assigned for us, and we will find fruit ‘there’ 
  • New & Old– proven truths from her past and new fresh ones
    • Matthew 13:52, “Every scribe instructed..brings out of his treasure things old and new”
    • Not just one kind of fruit, some new fruit and some older fruit- different people bearing different fruits.
    • Those who have walked with the Lord for years but have grown cold can only bring out the old, no new & fresh testimonies, no intimacy, no fruit
  • Jesus has laid up treasures in heaven for us, but we are laying up treasures of love and obedient service to Him and for Him
    • Rev 4:10, “The 24 elders fell down before Him…. and cast their crowns before the Throne.”

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 35 (10/5/19)

Posted: October 5, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Songs 7:6, “How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights! (7) This stature of yours is like a palm tree, and your breasts like its clusters.”

  • Palm tree was a symbol of victory and conquest (Rev 7:9) and of maturity (Jeremiah 10:5)
    • It thrives in drought because the roots are deep
    • It is strong, high and straight
    • Strong winds cannot break a palm tree
  • Her ability to nurture (breasts) as like many palm trees

Songs 7:8, I said, “I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of its branches.”
Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, (9a)  And the roof of your mouth like the best wine.”

  • Apples speak of refreshing
  • Jesus commissions the Bride in a 3-fold ministry
    • To nurture other (breasts)
    • To release the presence of the Spirit
    • Intimacy with Jesus
  • Roof of the mouth gets to enjoy the taste before the rest of the body receives it.
    • The best wine is yet to come: Matt 26:29, “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Songs 7:9b, (The Shulamite replies), “The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved, moving gently the lips of sleepers.”

  • Wine goes down smoothly refers to her living in instantaneous agreement with the Holy Spirit’s leadership. She will not choke on the assignment (cup)
    • Continually filled with the Spirit
    • Continually under the leadership of Holy Spirit
  • Moving gently the lips of sleepers- the Holy Spirit will move the sleepers to speak in purity and righteousness, to speak the Word in season and out
  • Matthew Henry, “Unconverted sinners are asleep; saints are often drowsy, and listless, and half asleep; but the word and Spirit of Christ will put life and vigour into the soul, and out of the abundance of the heart that is thus filled the mouth will speak. When the apostles were filled with the Spirit they spoke with tongues the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:10, 12) ); and those who in opposition to being drunk with wine, wherein is excess, are filled with the Spirit, speak to themselves in psalms and hymns.” (Eph 5:18, 19)

Songs 7:10, I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.”

The Bride’s 2-fold Identity [this reminds me of the movie Overcomer, when the man in the hospital bed asked the question was “who are you” to the Coach who was visiting. He started describing what he did, but forgot the most important thing, He was a child of God]

  1. 10a- She sees herself as one that Jesus desires. This gives us strength to live outside of the opinions of others
  2. 10b-She sees herself as belonging totally to Jesus as her Beloved (I John 4:19), Wanting to please Him, no self interest any more. He owns me, He is my Lord!

BECAUSE, His desire is towards me:

  • I am confident in His constant love
  • I will be ministering out of the overflow of that love

Songs 7:11, “Come, my beloved, let us go forth to the field; let us lodge in the villages.”

  • Her partnership with Jesus is expressed in her intercession to see more of His power released
    • She wants to see His presence released through her labors
    • No longer “I went down” (6:1), but now partnership with Him
    • Mark 16:20, “They went out and preached everywhere”
  • Fields – (plural) fields of service, area in which God places you to serve, family first
  • Villages – (plural) out of the way places of ministry, places where Jesus has not been

Watchman Nee, “Now she is no longer acting alone, and the Lord is no longer acting alone. There is a joint work of “us.” From this point on, we see the fellowship in the work. Since she is liberated from herself, she is also delivered from all narrowness and pettiness. Her focus is no longer on her meeting, her work, her church, or her group. Her attention is the field, the world. She has a world view, not just an “unworldly” view. She is interested in everything that happens in the world. She does not have a so-called work of her own, and she does not have a so-called region of her work. All of the Lord’s work is the sphere of her work. The whole focus is turned to the field.”

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 34 (10/4/19)

Posted: October 4, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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The last statement of Chapter 6 was a very sarcastic remark, ‘who does she think she is?
  • In 4:1-5, the King gives 8 praises from her head working down her body, representing her character as she rises in obedience
  • In 7:1-5,  Now the King gives 10 praises from her feet to her head, representing her ministry, publicly defending her. 

MY NOTE: These are very poetic phrases and I don’t think most women today would be blessed by these descriptions. When I read these I think of Kerry Kirkwood on the Sid Roth show telling how his mother would read him Song of Solomon as a bed time story every night when he was young. I actually sat next to him at lunch one day and asked him about it and he confirmed it personally to me. How in the world did she describe navel and twin breasts to a little boy?

Song 7:1,  “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skillful workman. (2) Your navel is a rounded goblet; it lacks no blended beverage. Your waist is a heap of wheat set about with lilies. (3) Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. (4)  Your neck is like an ivory tower, your eyes like the pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looks toward Damascus. (5)  Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple; a king is held captive by your tresses.”

Prince’s Daughter – character fitting royalty. Matthew Henry commented, “She has a princely disposition, something in her truly nobel and generous; she is daughter and heir to the prince of the kings of the earth.”‘

TEN AREAS

  • Feet – evangelism, taking land (Eph 6:15; Is 52:7; Josh 1:3; Luke 15:22)
    • In Sandals – bare feet speak of shame, poverty, humiliation
    • Shoes speak of prosperity and honor – servants and slaves were always barefoot
  • Thighs – strength in her walk in God
    • Jesus’ legs are like pillars of marble (5:15), strong to hold you up.
    • Curves – muscular definition giving her strength, developed by much discipline, costly diligence
    • Her strong walk is costly, as jewels worked on by a skilled workman
  • Navel – speaks of her inner life developed in the beginning
    • Rounded goblet is a healthy navel, opposite of malnourished that would protrude outward.
    • Proverbs 3:8, (the fear of the Lord) “is like health to the navel and marrow to the bones.”
    • Needing no blended beverage means it is fully nourished, lacking nothing.
  • Large Waist – pregnant with Harvest.
    • Harvest will be established in purity and holiness (lilies)
  • Two Breasts – double ability to nourish
    • Youthful fawns, not elderly running out of milk
    • Twins – double portion
    • In Song of Songs 8:8, little sister is not able to nurture anyone
  • Neck – describes her willingness to yield to Him.
    • A rebellious or stiff neck is one filled with pride
    • Ivory towers are rare and costly
      • Her choices cost her greatly! She was willing to do things that were costly to her and it will provide protection to her
  • Eyes – the ability to receive revelation, light, enlightenment
    • Pools of Heshbon were clear, clean water, easy to see through
    • She has keen insight (1:15; 4:2, 9; 6:5)
    • Fish-pools were artificial fish ponds which were very costly to maintain
  • Nose – speaks of discernment
    • Tower of Lebanon was a high tower of protection.
      • Her keen discernment was a protection to her
    • Damascus, Syria was Israel’s greatest enemy. Lebanon was on the north side of Judah facing Syria.
  • Head – speaks of her thought life, filled with royal thoughts. Head with the description speak of thinking of things above, not earthly things.
    • James 3:17 (TPT) “But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable.It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form 18 and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness!”
    • Vs 15, (Earthly wisdom and thoughts) “can best be described as the wisdom of this world, both selfish  and devilish.”
  • Hair & Tresses speak of dedication to God
    • In the Hebrew Bible, a nazirite or nazarite is one who voluntarily took a vow described in Numbers 6:1–21. “Nazarite” comes from the Hebrew word נזיר nazir meaning “consecrated” or “separated”. (Wikipedia)
    • Purple speaks of Royalty

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 33 (10/3/19)

Posted: October 3, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
Tags: , , , ,
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The Beloved continues to praise the Maiden.

Songs 6:8, “There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins without number.” (9) “My dove, my perfect one, is the only one, the only one of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The daughters saw her and called her blessed, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.”

Three female positions of honor were in Solomon’s court

  1. Queens (wives)
  2. Concubines that he slept with
    1. Both queens & concubines bore his children and had an inheritance with him
  3. Virgins attended the queens & concubines, no intimacy, no reproduction

At the time of this writing Solomon had 60 wives. Eventually he would have 700 wives and 300 concubines (I Kings 11:3)

Watchman Nee, “Corporately speaking, the Lamb has only one wife. (the Church) But individually speaking, He has many lovers. Some are like Queens, some like concubines, while others like virgins…. .But whatever they are, they all have a love relationship with the King. Yet none of them matches the maiden in her pursuit.”

  • Dove – singleness, loyalty
  • Perfect One – matured spiritually, a work of grace
    • A person who receives more grace is one who allows God to work on him more, while a person who receives less grace is one who allows God to work on him less
  • Only one of her mother – Church (Gal 4:26), Jerusalem above is the mother of us all) Produced 1 Body of Christ, or 1 Bride
    • Her blessing is seen by the immature and those closest to him
    • Prophetically speaking, she will not longer be treated badly in the House of God, but will now be honored.

Songs 6:10, “Who is she who looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?”

Mike Bickle teaches the one who says ‘who is this or who is she’ is the Holy Spirit (3:6; 6:10; 8:5)

Watchman Nee, “Here the Holy Spirit speaks through the mouth of a third party again and brings out the maiden’s glory through exclamatory questions….The Holy Spirit likes to stimulate the thoughts of the believers with questions; He arouses their attention once again to consider God’s work and understand what is pleasing to God. Every time the Holy Spirit poses a question, it comes after a renewed perfecting on the part of the maiden….Here we see the same pattern. Every time the believer reaches a higher level of experience, the Holy Spirit uses questions to reveal the history or reason behind the experience.”

  • Shines forth as the morning- hope comes before the full light (light of the world). Shadows are gone now that she is walking by faith.
  • Moon – reflection of the Sun, has no light in itself
  • Sun – fullness of glory (New Jerusalem will have no Sun for light because Jesus will be the Light)
    • The Bride will be in full glory (Rev 21:11; Luke 11:36; Daniel 12:3)
  • Army With Banners – The Bride will rule the administration of Jesus’ Kingdom forever
    • Daniel 7:27, “Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him”
    • 6:4 was for the victory over her own weaknesses
    • 6:10 is for victory over all powers before the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

The Bride’s 4-fold glory seen progressively:

  1. Dawning of God’s Light
  2. Moon is warfare and evangelism
  3. Sun in age to come – full glory
  4. Ruling as God’s weapon in His government forever (banners)

Song 6:11, (The Shulamite) “I went down to the garden of nuts to see the verdure of the valley, to see whether the vine had budded and the pomegranates had bloomed.”

Three times garden is her garden, six times it is His garden. This is His garden. She now goes down to help Jesus in the garden of the ‘little ones’ that are just budding.

  • Garden of Nuts – walnut grove, orchard. Walnut groves were thick & provided relief in the heat. Walnut oil was used for making soap for cleansing. Walnut leaves were used for healing and the life of a walnut was on the inside.
  • Vendure -Hebrew ‘eb’, meaning freshness, fresh green, green shoots, or greenery
  • Vine and Vineyard are God’s people and His work (Isaiah 5; John 5)
  • Blossoming pomegranates – individual believers

Song 6:12, Before I was even aware, my soul had made me as the chariots of my noble people”

She was surprised at the love, compassion and zeal she felt for ministering to others!

  • Noble people – royal family

Song 6:13, (Daughters of Jerusalem) “Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon you!”  “What would you see in the Shulamite— As it were, the dance of the two camps?”

Watchman Nee, “This passage opens with a call by some of the daughters of Jerusalem; “Return…that we may look upon thee!” To this others made reply in effect; “Why do you wish to look upon this Shulamite? What do you see in her?” The answer is given in the following verses (7:1-5) in the form of a victory dance.

Two Camps – mahanaim, encampment, army camp, body of people, company. (Genesis 32- Esau and Jacob at Mahanaim)

We see two different responses to the maiden’s love for the king.

  1. 13a – support, respect, admiration of the daughters
  2. 13b- sarcasm from the jealous other daughters (not all Christians are going to support you in your walk of faith) ‘Who does she think she is!” Not a question, but words of scarcasm.
Tomorrow in Chapter 7 we will see Jesus vindicate the maiden There is a time when He will fight for us and we will hold our peace.

 

 

 

Tishri 5780 – Teshuvah Day 32 (10/2/19)

Posted: October 2, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Day 3 of the 10 Days of Awe

Songs 6:1, (The Daughters of Jerusalem) “Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with you?”

  • After hearing of how beautiful and wonderful her Beloved is, the love of the maiden has drawn the immature to seek Him with all their heart. They realize their void, not experiencing the same intimacy.

Songs 6:2, (the maiden replies) “My beloved has gone to his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.”

  • Now she is teaching the immature how to seek intimacy.
  • Garden (Church, Body of Christ)
    • Gardens (plural) speak of individual believers and their place of intimacy with Jesus
  • His Garden – His secret place
  • Spices – sweet smelling (grace ministry whether it is) private or public
  • Beds – garden terrace or bed (within the garden)

Songs 6:3, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. He feeds his flock among the lilies.”

There is a progression in her love and commitment for the Beloved:

  • 1:4, My Beloved is to ME
  • 2:15, My Beloved is MINE and I am His
    • the first 2 it is all about herself, then Him
  • 6:3, I am my Beloved’s and my beloved is mine
    • She is coming higher, putting the flesh in its place
  • 7:10, I am my Beloved’s and His desire is towards me
    • Now she is totally sold out

In Chapter One she asked where He feeds His flock – now she is teaching others how Jesus wants to feed them individually.

  • Among the Lilies – purity, separated (Mt 5:8, pure in heart will see God)

Songs 6:4, (The Beloved) “O my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners!”

  • Tizrah – the most beautiful city of the Canaanite and became the Capital city of the divided kingdom of Israel (Josh 12:24; I Ki 14:17; 15:33; 16:8, 23; 2 Ki 15:14)
    • Tizra means ‘pleasant’ or ‘my delight’
    • Natural Beauty – beautiful to unbelievers, soul-winner
  • Jerusalem – Spiritual Capital of Israel blessed with the presence of God. She is prized with her ‘spiritual beauty’. David found the city, but Solomon made the city beautiful with the Temple.
  • Army with Banners – victorious, defeated her greatest enemy – her flesh and her thought life! (The defeated enemy lost all their banners)

What is the most beautiful was that she was doing this to move the King’s heart, and not for anyone else – not trying to please or move people, no self promoting!

Songs 6:5, “Turn your eyes away from me, for they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats going down from Gilead.”

This is poetic language – Jesus does not want us to stop looking at Him.

  • Matthew Henry comments, “When we are calling to God to turn the eye of His favor towards us, He is calling us to turn our eye of obedience towards Him.”

How he is going to use 3 natural features to describe her: hair, teeth and cheeks

  • Hair -commitment, dedication
  • Majestic as a flock of male goats
    • Proverbs 30:29, “There are three things which are majestic in pace..walk; (31) a greyhound, a male goat, king whose troops are with him”

What we saw in 4:1-3 were prophetic – he now speaks from what he sees naturally.

Songs 6:6, “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep which have come up from the washing; every one bears twins, and none is barren among them.”

  • Teeth – her ability to chew strong meat, which is to rightly divide the Word of God. If there is a right way to understand and teach the Word of God, there is also a wrong way.
  • Shorn – Songs 4:2 adds ‘shorn’ to describe the sheep, clipped and balanced

Songs 6:7, “Like a piece of pomegranate are your temples behind your veil.”

  • Temples – Cheeks, emotions
  • Pomegranate – red, blushing
  • Veiled – modesty

Jesus sees us as committed, dedicated, balanced in the Word and innocent to Him as we draw closer to Him and farther away from the world. SELAH

 

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