Posts Tagged ‘my sister my spouse’

Elul 5779 – Teshuvah Day 28 (9/28/19)

Posted: September 28, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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We use many idioms in our nation that others would never understand. Like, “fork in the road”. Now you are going to see the Beloved idioms from the farming community, that would speak real to her. Just as Jesus would speak to the fishermen about fishing and the farmers about planting seeds.

Song 4:13, “Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, fragrant henna with spikenard,”

  • An orchard is to feed others. This describes her fruitfulness
  • Pomegranates – seeds, abundance of fruit. This speaks of the fruit of the Spirit
  • Henna, kaphor, price of life, ransom, pitch or henna plant

Song 4:14, “Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices—”

  • Nard – a spike of a nard, a very expensive plant from India used for costly perfume
  • Saffron – orange-yellow flower used for flavoring in drinks and confections to promote perspiration for cooling the body
  • Calmus – reed grown by marshes that have a sweet smelling fragrance
  • Frankincense – incense used in prayers offered to God
  • Myrrh – Arabian gum from the bard of a tree, used for sacred oil and embalming
  • Aloes – fragrant Indian tree, used for perfumes
  • Chief spices – from the balsam tree, sweet smelling perfume

I think the Passion Translations lays out vs 13-14 beautifully: “Your inward life is now sprouting, bringing forth fruit. What a beautiful paradise unfolds within you.When I’m near you, I smell aromas of the finest spice, for many clusters of my exquisite fruit now grow within your inner garden. Here are the nine: pomegranates of passion, henna from heaven, spikenard so sweet, saffron shining, fragrant calamus from the cross, sacred cinnamon, branches of scented woods, myrrh, like tears from a tree, and aloe as eagles ascending.”

Song 4:15, “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.”

  • The Bride has 3 sources of water
    • Ps 1:3, blessed hearts are like a tree planted by the water
    • Is 1:30, hardened hearts are hard from being dry
  • Three ways the Holy Spirit ministers to us
    • Fountain – hidden source of water from below surface
      • Gardens, plural – enough for us and others
    • Well – stored water to draw as needed
    • Streams – outward flow of water, coming from the high places, refreshing

Now the Maiden replies to His words of love, respect and admiration:

Song 4:16, “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its pleasant fruits.”

  • THIS IS THE TURNING POINT OF THE WHOLE BOOK!!!
    • Where she shifts from only thinking of what Jesus can do for her, but now she wants to be part of His plan, she wants to be devoted to Him alone.
  • North Winds – tough times, times of challenge to bring us to a new place in Him
    • Challenge is to keep our face to Him in the North Wind
  • South Winds – winds of refreshing, winds that bring us blessings
    • The problem with the south winds is sleep and comfort
  • Blow upon my gardens – my heart and my ministry to be deeply affected
    • Deeply affected, pressed to bring out true fragrance

Now the Beloved sees she has allowed her heart to become His garden. She is no longer just concerned about her inheritance in Him, now it is His inheritance in her.

Song 5:1, I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. (To His Friends) Eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved ones!

  • 9 times He says “My” to depict His ownership in Song 5:1 and 6 times in verse 2.

Elul 5779 – Teshuvah Day 27 (9/27/19)

Posted: September 27, 2019 in Song of Songs, Teshuvah 40 Day Devotional
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Song 4:9, “You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace.”

WOW! This is how Jesus feels about us! Mike Bickle says this is a high point for Jesus in the Song of Songs.

  • Ravished– to be filled with emotions of joy or delight because of one who is unusually attractive (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary)
  • My sister, my spouse (4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 5:1, 2) This is equally yoked by blood and by law, like Abram and Sarai.
    • My sister – from Jesus as the Son of Man
    • My spouse – from Jesus as the Son of God
  • Look of the eyes – looking up in devotion, ‘lift up your eyes’ means ‘spiritually’
  • Necklace – the neck speaks of our will
    • Links speak of each time we willingly obey
    • Prov 1:8 (CJB) My son, heed the discipline of your father, and do not abandon the teaching of your mother; (9) they will be a garland to grace your head, a medal of honor for your neck.”

Song 4:10, “How fair is your love, my sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, and the scent of your perfumes than all spices!”

  • Wine speaks of what exhilarates the heart. Think about this, our love for Jesus exhilarate His heart!
  • Perfume is called ointment, invisible. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and the affect of the Spirit’s anointing on us excites Jesus!
  • The scent of perfume is our inner life. The scent is in the inside and comes out from crushing. (2 Cor 2:14-15)
    • Spices refer to what is bought with a great price
    • Spices came through merchants from other countries

Song 4:11, “Your lips, O my spouse, drip as the honeycomb; honey and milk are under your tongue; and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.”

  • Lips refer to our speech
    • No idle words, no course jesting
  • Honey is sweet and used for healing. Honey takes time to develop (gathering, preparing, storing).
  • Watchman Nee, “From the mouth of the maiden issue forth sweet and refreshing words, not gossip, jokes, or rash words. Her words are not outbursts of torrents, but drops of honey from the honeycomb. This is the slowest kind of dripping.”
  • Under the tongue is where food is stored, the top of the tongue is where it is eaten.
    • Honey is stored for the weak ones
    • Milk is stored for the new babes in Christ
  • Garments speak of her outward conduct, what is seen, like our attitude, behavior, manners.
    • Lebanon was known for the beautiful fragrance

Song 4:12, “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”

  • Enclosed Garden, not open to the public; expensive to maintain; locked from compromise” (“A” garden, singular)
    • Now the Beloved can find refreshing and pleasure in her garden, heart, ministry; only for His pleasure. Holiness – separated for Him alone!
  • Watchman Nee, “A garden is not ordinary ground; it is not for ordinary planting. Nor is it a field, which is fit for tilling. It is specially designed for beauty and enjoyment. It can contain trees, but for the purpose of the trees is not for the wood. It can have fruit, but its goal is not the fruit. Its attention is on the flowers; the flowers are for beauty and for pleasing the eyes.”
  • Spring shut up – undefiled, pure water, purity
  • Fountain sealed – not public fountain where people would bath, not available for animals to defile.