V.2:1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
He
2 As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women.
She
3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house, band his banner over me was love.
5 Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!
7 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away,
11 for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the Earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
15 Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.” 16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies.
17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on cleft mountains.
Overview - The Bride cannot understand why the Beloved considers her to be so special since she is a very common person. He continues to reveal lovely thoughts about her from His heart. He demonstrates to His bride that He has conquered all problems she would ever face. The Beloved Bridegroom now asks her to go with Him but she hesitates; she only wants to have Him all to herself in private fellowship. He pleads with her, but she will not go with Him. There is now a division between them. This severing of fellowship will cause her great spiritual pain.
Her first great confession was, “I’m dark, but lovely” (V.1:5). She saw the Beloved’s beauty and then saw how He gave His beauty to her. Then He gave her His chariot and His house. Now, she is prepared to grasp another dimension of her identity. She now makes her second great confession, “I am the rose of Sharon, I am the lily of the valley.” She sees herself as resting on their flourishing chariot in a beautiful house that is eternally permanent and made in strength.
We need to see ourselves through His eyes. Earlier, she had shown her self-consciousness and insecurity (V.1:5) - however, now she has received His praise and Love, she has a better image of herself - and not too proud a one!
V.2:1a - “I am a rose of Sharon.”
A. She discovers a deeper dimension of who she is in Jesus. She then proclaims her second confession, “I am the rose of Sharon.” She now sees herself as a Rose of Sharon (Isaiah 35:1 - also 'Crocus') - this was a common meadow flower! (Note: Jesus is NOT the Rose of Sharon).
1. This is her highest identity as the Bride of Christ. This revelation can only be discerned by first having a good foundation in understanding the redemptive riches in Christ (V. 1:12-17).
2. This confession is more than the fact that she is lovely and desired by God. It goes even higher. She is now the inheritance that the Father has promised His Son. It is one thing to enjoy someone deeply, but it is another thing when this person is your eternal inheritance. She comes to the understanding that she is THE only inheritance that the Father has promised His Son.
3. She knows that the Father has promised Jesus a great prize. She knows that this prize is a Bride pictured as a rose. She says, “I am the inheritance God’s promised His Son. There is only one rose that Jesus Christ longs for. She sees that she is the rose that intoxicates and captures the heart of Christ Jesus. She sees herself as more than loved by God.
4. The Father has cultivated this rose for His dear Son. This rose is a bride who desires to love Jesus Christ fully. This is the prize that He enjoys more than anything. This rose is the fullness of everything that Jesus desires outside of the Trinity.
5. The Bride understands that she is the great prize. She says, "I am THE rose, THE inheritance the Father has promised the Son." When it dawns on you that you are THE rose, even in your weakness, something powerful takes place on the inside. She finally connects with the idea that this is her identity. She is the rose. It is more than the fact that we are loved, the angels are loved. We are co-heirs sharing the seed of God is in us. We will sit on the throne with Christ Jesus ruling creation far different from the angels. This is a very essential revelation even at the beginning of the journey.
6. Her new identity as the only pure Bride in Jesus
7. The rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys are very common flowers. Thousands of these flowers bloomed in the valleys.
"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am...!" (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)
a. Many individual Christians see themselves as common nobodies with little worth. Because of this commonness, they think that the Beloved can't accomplish much in their lives. They see themselves as having little talent or gifts. All of His lovely roses and lilies have some gift; encouragement, mercy, helps, faith, and discernment to name a few. The enemy loves to focus us onto ourselves and miss the infinitely, costly value living in us - for it is not I but Christ who lives inside of me (Galatians 2:20)!
V.2:1b - "a lily of the valleys"
A. She sees herself as the Lily of The Valley (V.2:1-2,16;4:5;5:13;6:2-3;7:2) - a common flower. She sees herself as an ordinary and plain person (speaks of Humility). The Beloved agrees that she is a lily, but not any lily - she is unique - a lily among thorns (other women) - This is how Jesus sees us - the Church! - This is a Grace image.
1. The Hebrew word for 'lily' is also the same word used for 'trumpet,' which is symbolic of a prophetic voice. In Christ we are a prophetic people - declaring forth the good news of the Gospel. He gives each of us a distinctive message to sound forth loud and clear in our generation. It is vital that we have the correct image of our self so we can be effective in trumpeting out this message. It's the message we've heard in our intimate moments with Him as we have heard His voice.
2. Lily speaks of purity. She makes this next confession, "I am the only thing in the world that is pure in God's sight." There is only one lily in God's purpose.
B. She is the lily of the valley. The valleys speak of the low and dark places in this fallen world.
C. She has 7 chapters to go until full maturity. The point is to understand how essential it is in the beginning of our journey to be established in the knowledge that we are the rose that God desires.
1. Psalm 2:8, Jesus was promised an inheritance by the Father. Paul prayed that we would understand that we were the inheritance that the Father promised the Son (Ephesians 1:18).
D. We are loved by God, and we are lovers of God. This is who we are. It makes our lives very different when this connects with our hearts.
V.2:2a - " As a lily among brambles”
A. The Beloved affirms her confession in 2:1, declaring that she is the lily.
1. She is like a lily, which speaks of saints among the world of sin. She is seeking purity while living in a world of sin. Among all the religions of the Earth the Bride is the lily among those thorns.”
“God has crowned us with glory and honor.” (Hebrews 2:7).
2. The "brambles" represent the curse brought on by Adam and Eve through sin (Genesis 3:17-18; Matthew 13:7; Hebrews 6:8). The Earth has been cursed ever since. Sin has marred even creation itself.
V.2:2b - "So is my love among the young women"
A. In our basic design, God built us in a way that He desires us. He crowned the human race with glory and honor. We are the queen who has been crowned in the court of God with glory and honor.
B. You were built in a way that only we draw the fullest love of God and the deepest love of God into full manifestation. He wouldn’t die for Angels, He would only die for us.
V.2:3a - " As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men.”
A. Her introductory experience of spiritual rest, spiritual enjoyment, and spiritual pleasure in Jesus.
B. She has seen His unique value as the refreshing apple tree. In V.2:5, the apple tree speaks of those which refreshes. She sees the Lord Jesus as a refreshing apple.
C. Trees are often symbolic of humanity; like in the Temple, when they had a certain kind of wood covered with gold, it always meant the glory of God covered humanity. Wood is symbolic of humankind throughout the Old Testament, as well as in the picture of the Tabernacle.
D. Three aspects of the blessings of delighting in Him - we may relate these three points to our relationship with Jesus and also to our relationship with our spouse/spouse to be......
1. Protection (in his shade) and nourishment (fruit..sweet..to..taste) She felt protected by Him and rested in that protection. When we delight in Him, we will know His protection and nourishment.
2. They cultivated the kind of relationship that allowed them to know each other intimately. Taste = knowledge of someone through intimate personal experience – (Psalm 34:8).
3. She appreciated the fact that He let others see His love for her. Banner = a military standard - easily seen by all the troops (the power of love). Solomon's love for her was easily seen by anyone who observed their relationship.
V.2:3b - “With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste."
A. “With great delight I sat in.” She is resting completely and not standing on her legs and labors. We're sitting down because it's His shade and not hers. She's not laboring or striving. In V.1:16 she was resting on the bed (couch).
1. This is the beginning. She enjoys the Beloved because of her new identity and because of receiving such divine affection.
2. Enjoying Him is essential to consistent maturity.
3. There is no greater pleasure available to the human spirit than when we feel enjoyed by God and when we are empowered to enjoy God in return. God makes so many pleasures available to the human frame. There are mental, emotional, and physical pleasures, but spiritual pleasure is the most profound pleasure. He built us in such a way that the delight of being embraced by Him is the great delight of all the ages.
4. We can know this delight of enjoying God, but only when we sit in His shade tree. When we really believe this truth of His enjoyment over us, something connects on the inside, and we quit trying to drink from cisterns with holes in them; we try to drink from vessels that are broken (Jeremiah 2).
B. She surrendered to "his shadow" and willingly placed herself under it. She experienced His blessed abiding shelter protecting her (Psalms 91:1), being hidden in His hand (Isa 49:2), and His help leading her and causing her to rejoice and sing (Psalms 63:7).
1. His shadow is refreshing. She didn't produce the shade that she would rest in. She is resting in His shade. It is because of who He is and what He did.
a. You sit under His shadow as you read the Word in trusting faith, and love; pray, praise, and walk in love! When this bride sat under His shadow, it totally engulfed her. His shadow possessed her!
b. Some people want to relate to God on the basis of their victory and maturity.
V.2:3d - “His fruit was sweet to my taste”
A. His fruit is the result of relating to the Beloved and receiving His redemption. It is the result of partaking of what He did. That is what she is talking about.
B. The Beloved was manifesting Himself to her in great sweetness to her taste. “His fruit was sweet to my taste.” “Sweet to my taste” is almost like “great delight,” but a little bit different.
1. God made us to have mental pleasures so that the knowledge itself of certain subjects is pleasurable.
2. He has given us emotional pleasure so that loving a spouse, a child, a parent, or a friend can be an intense pleasure. Sometimes, our heart feels so full of love that we think it will break. God has also ordained certain physical pleasures. However, the pleasure of God revealing God to the human spirit is the greatest of all.
3. Enjoying God is important to consistent spiritual growth.
V.2:4a - "He brought me to the banqueting house."
A. This speaks of nourishment and provision that leads us to rest in joy.
1. The Beloved brings us to the “celebration of His love” in the wine house. This table reaches its fulfillment in Revelation 19:7. There is a table at the end of our journey, which is the fullness of the banqueting table.
2. In V.1:4, it is also the King Himself who brought or carried her into His chambers.
a. It is His work to carry us when we are off the path like a lost sheep. In Luke 15:3, He left the 99 and pursued the one who went astray. He picked up the lost sheep, put it on His shoulders, and carried it back to the path. God’s lost sheep often kick and resist for a season before they renew their repentance. She understands that HE brought her back to His table on His shoulders with a rejoicing heart. The Beloved is rejoicing all the way. The sheep typically kick and scream when they are being carried back to the path.
b. She sees that HE brought her to the celebration of His love.
B. This confession brings healing and refreshment to her.
V.2:4b - “His banner over me was love”
A. He proudly unfurls a heavenly banner over her, which declares, "This one is the true love of My heart."
1. This is the delightful banner that she sees over her life. This dialog is taking place after this awareness of her failure and her confession when she fails, not just the shame of failure but present temptations. This is her confession when she's under great pressure. The banner of God is going to bring you love in all difficult circumstances. His banner over you is love, not neglect.
B. “His banner” speaks of the flag that defines her life and experience in God. The ancient armies marched in battalions under a specific flag and color that described and defined who they were. When they returned victorious, they marched in the streets under their flag in the great procession under their particular flag. Each little fighting unit had its own flag. It defined her life. It defined her experience.
C. The banner of His love defines her life in at least these 3 things:
1. This banner or flag of love over her means that she has confidence in God’s loving mercy in her weakness. the banner over her life is not rejection when she fails. It is love. And she can stand before the Beloved and say, “You love me. I am Beloved of God even when I fail.” She might have been ensnared in immorality (V.1:6 veiled woman) but confesses God’s love over her failures. When we stumble, the banner is love. Some people live under the banner of religion. That's the flag they fly, and they just live in shame all the time. In the end, it makes you disobey more.
2. This banner means that she sees that He overrules all the negative circumstances to work for her good (Romans 8:28). God promises that He will work together with you to either change the negative circumstance through prayer or change you in a significant way to work it out for your best. Either way, He has promised to make your life richer because of the circumstances. This revelation brings great healing to our lives.
3. The banner over us is the love of God instead of sin to give us temporary comfort.
4. We all have a unique design from the hand of God in our physical and personality design. Therefore, we have unique values in the way that God created us. David understood the design of God had a purpose to it and said, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me!
V.2:5 -"Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love”
A. “Sustain - She’s feeling His love, and she’s feeling love back. Our hearts become tenderized so as to feel love from God and back to God. It is enjoyable to feel love for God. The highest crowning work of redemption is when a broken, shriveled-up, little, weak human spirit gets washed and cleansed. It feels love from God and is empowered to feel love back to God. Then it overflows in love to other people, especially to our enemies. She is full-scale lovesick right now. She is praying, “Give me more of God! ”
B. The “raisins” speak of the Holy Spirit. Raisins are grapes used to make wine, which speaks of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
C. This revelation and refreshment of the banqueting table, the shade, the bed, the house, etc., awakens deep desire in her. The revelation of the table in V.2:3-4 awakens a cry for a deeper experience of intimacy.
1. In V.4 she prayed, “draw me.”
2. In V.5 she begins to seek the Beloved more fervently than ever before.
3. In V.5-2:7, the Beloved first answer to this prayer is to draw her to be an extravagant worshipper. The drawing power of the Holy Spirit is very powerful and unique.
4. In V. 2:8-4:16, the Beloved answers the second part of the prayer to run together in partnership with Him.
D. She is seeking to enjoy experiencing more of the depths of the Beloved because her capacity is still very, very shallow.
1. She wants to be refreshed even with just the cakes of raisins. She can’t take the full wine and the wine house. She just needs a little bit of God, but she wants more and more and more. In v.5 she begins to seek the Beloved more fervently than ever before. The revelation of God’s affection for her has produced an earnest seeking.
2. The Beloved is drawing her. He’s answering the “draw me” prayer by revelation. The drawing power of the Holy Spirit is powerful and unique. In 1:8-2:7, the whole focus is He’s drawing her to want more, and she is lovesick, overflowing with delight. This reveals the bridal paradigm of the Kingdom of God.
3. “Spiritual hunger pains” are a different yet valuable manifestation of the presence of God in us. These hunger pains are sometimes unpleasant and involve feeling desperate as God withholds the manifest release of feelings for God. Most of us have had times when the Word of God has touched us and left us with this groan of having to have more. This is the feeling of being loved and being a lover.
a. He awakens a hunger in you, but He doesn’t immediately satisfy it. You have a vision for it. You've been stirred for it, but the presence of God has not been released to answer this groan. We are miserable.
b. It is called “blessed are those that mourn for they will be comforted in due time.” Matthew 5:3-4 speaks of this work of God in us as we have poverty of spirit and mourning for more of God. When God lifts His hand, our hearts can be very cold. Then, we can understand the value of feeling hunger pains that lead us forward in deep pursuit of God.
c. When the Beloved puts His hand on us, part of its manifestation produces an awareness that we can have more, but we don’t get it immediately. When the Beloved gives you the vision, there is more He has for you, but he won’t give it to you; this creates a painful, desperate, agonizing yearning. You can’t be satisfied with anything in life, and that is part of lovesickness. This all works together, strategically pushing us deep into the love of God.
d. Both aspects of Divine romance are valuable, whether the feelings are released or the hunger pains are released. They are very different forms of lovesickness that both bring us to the same place.
V.2:6a - "His left hand is under my head."
A. This describes the 2-fold activity of God in her experience.
1. In V.2:5 she says “Sustain me.” She is crying out for more in verse 5 and in verse 6 she gets it. She cried out, “More!” He releases His embrace upon her now.
B. “His left hand is under my head”. He is still drawing her in. “His left hand is under my head, and His right-hand embraces me.” She has so much confidence in the love of God right now.
1. This is the invisible activity of God. The left hand of God is away from your view and out of your sight because it is behind your head; therefore, you can't see it. It speaks of the activity of God in your life that you cannot see. The invisible activity of God in your life is a very important expression of God’s love for you. God is withholding and releasing events that you can’t discern.
V.2:6b - “His right-hand embraces me.”
A. This speaks of the “sweet” manifest presence of God that can be seen, felt, and discerned.
1. It pictures the Beloved as standing in front of her in order to embrace her. Therefore, she can see and feel Him. These are the times when she feels “sweet” love for God. She feels her heart being tenderized.
2. The right hand of God is more than desperate hunger pains. She sees both the right hand and the left hand of God. The right hand of God is the part that embraces. You can feel it; it is discernable. It is the cherishing embrace (Ephesians 5:29).
3. There is a certain mystery to God’s embrace. He releases His embrace, and He withholds His embrace in very strategic ways.
V.2:7a - "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem."
A. The Beloved sees the necessity of her experiencing this short season of personal satisfaction where she has no thought of embracing the Cross in loving service for others.
V.2:7b - “By the gazelles or the does of the field”
A. The “gazelles and "does" are deer. Gazelles are known for their swiftness (1 Chronicles 12:8). Proverbs 5:19 speaks of a "loving hind."
B. A Doe is very easily distracted and can be easily startled and scared. It is ready to jump or move at any moment. Anything will frighten them off. She has had a beating the last time she was in the body. He appeals to a metaphor of gentleness because she is someone who can be very easily distracted.
V.2:7c. “that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases until it pleases”
A. The NAS translates the phrase as “Don't awaken love until she pleases” instead of “until it pleases.” The Beloved is talking to the daughters, but the Bride is not talking to the Beloved. He is not saying, “I charge you; don’t awaken her until it pleases Me.”
B. If the Hebrew word was translated “He” then it would refer to the Beloved being awakened or stirred to action by the daughters of Jerusalem. The Beloved does not need to be awakened by the daughters of Jerusalem or protected from harsh treatment by the gentleness as pictured by the gazelles or does of the field. Rather, the maiden needs to be protected from harsh treatment by gentleness, as pictured by the gazelles.
1. Three times, the Beloved speaks this phrase, “not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (V. 2:7; 3:5; 8:4)
a. We must recognize the underlying principle that there are various seasons in God’s dealings with us. Each season has a different emphasis. I think of the four seasons in the natural calendar. In the Beloved, there could be many, many more seasons, but this gives you a general idea. Don't disturb her until she is ready and she agrees with the grace of God.
C. The Beloved is teaching us that there must be a time of rest for His bride. We need time to be led by the Good Shepherd beside the still waters in order to have our souls renewed, refreshed, and restored! Don't feel guilty about taking a rest.
D. The Bride is now resting. The Beloved has revealed wondrous things about His love for her. He is preparing her for a deeper work of surrender. With all that her heart has now experienced, surely, she will respond with loving swiftness to anything He may request of her!
"Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest." (John 4:35)
V.2:8a - “The voice of my Beloved!
A. This is her third new revelation of Jesus. She sees Him as a gazelle or a young stag leaping and skipping on mountains. Jesus is pictured in His effortless victory over all His enemies and all their authority structures, whether on the Earth or in the heavens (Colossians 1:13). He is seated far above all power, thrones, dominions, and names (Ephesians 1:22). He has authority over all nations. Jesus is revealed as leaping over these enemies with ease in His victorious resurrected life.
B. The Beloved is now awakening her heart with His voice because He wants her full, undivided attention. She sees Him as the beautiful God that she loves.
V.2:8b – “Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills."
A. This vision is of paramount importance if she is to step out in faith with her Beloved. In just a few moments, He will ask her to move out of her comfort zone and go with Him. Great spiritual and emotional pain looms over the horizon if she does not stop and allow this vision to be forever riveted upon her will!
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV)
B. “Mountains” are symbolic of human or demonic obstacles in the context of natural and spiritual Governments as in powers and principalities. Since a mountain is very large and immovable, it provides a good picture of the obstacles in the world as nothing before Him.
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C. The Beloved will be with you on the hills of irritation, mental tiredness, physical weakness, and family difficulties! He will be your Healer in sickness (Psalm 103:3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:14-18). He has broken the power of sin, poverty, disease, and lack (Galatians 3:13,14,26,29). He has given you countless blessings (Ephesians 1:3), faith (Romans 12:3), strength (Psalm 27:1), wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2:3; James 1:5), and everything (Philippians 4:19). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have given their word and power and will bring you out victorious each time. He will always cause you to triumph in Him (2I Corinthians 2:14)! Just be patient and wait!
"Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest." (John 4:35)
"… whoever says to this mountain, `Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart…he will have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:23)
D. The Scripture also speaks of mountains in context to natural and spiritual governments. Since a mountain is very large and immovable, it provides a good picture of government. Why? Because a government is very large and unmovable. It is permanent. The obstacles in the world are as nothing before Him.
E. Mountains speak of spiritual governments as in powers and principalities. Jesus triumphed over all demonic powers and principalities.
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.” (Isaiah 2:2)
1. This speaks of the mountain of the house of the Beloved being greater than all the other mountains. This refers to the government of His kingdom as being greater than all other governments. Communism
was a mountain that He skipped over and brought down effortlessly.
2. The prophet Daniel uses the picture language of a mountain to prophesy that God’s kingdom will triumph over all the governments of the Earth.
"…the stone…became a great mountain and filled the whole Earth…the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. In as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands." (Daniel 2:35,44)
3. The prophet Zechariah instructed Zerubbabel to speak grace to the mountains of adversity.
“Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” (Zechariah 4:7)
E. “Hills” speak of personal difficulties, such as the ones in our personal lives. They are much smaller than the mountains of oppression in the nations. Mountains speak of the largest obstacles.
1. The prophet Zechariah instructed Zerubbabel to speak grace to the mountains of adversity.
“Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” (Zechariah 4:7)
2. “Hills” speak of personal difficulties, such as the ones in our personal lives. They are much smaller than the mountains of oppression in the nations. Mountains speak of the largest obstacles.
3. This is her third new revelation of Jesus. She sees Him as a gazelle or a young stag leaping and skipping on mountains. Jesus is pictured in His effortless victory over all His enemies and all their authority structures, whether on the Earth or in the heavens (Col. 1:13). He is seated far above all power, thrones, dominions, and names (Eph. 1:22). He has authority over all nations. Jesus is revealed as leaping
over these enemies with ease in His victorious resurrected life.
V.2:9a "My beloved is like a gazelle or a young or stag..."
A. The Bride knows He is like a "gazelle" and "young stag.” She makes all of these wonderful comments about Him. “She knows the intensity of His love for her. Knowing these very special thoughts is one thing, but acting on them is a whole different matter. Will she respond to Him?
B. The Beloved stands just outside the place where they always had sweet fellowship together, anxiously awaiting her response. Instead of opening up to her beloved, she just stands there. She hesitates. There is a partition (lattice) between them. She does not realize that a little hill has just appeared, which will become a mountain of separation later.
1. A gazelle is an animal that is fast in its sudden energetic movements and can run easily in high places. The Gazelle is the picture of effortless ascending the mountain.
2. This is a new revelation of her Beloved as a triumphant leaping Gazelle with boundless energy and agility to overcome. It is no challenge for Him to jump over all mountains (enemies, obstacles, demonic dominions).
3. The Gazelle is associated with the fearless young stag conquering all opposition. Great agility and fearlessness is the point of the metaphor, combining the gazelle and the young stag.
C. She is weak and about to compromise, yet continues to relate to her Beloved.
1. Each time the Beloved speaks to the young Bride, He uses one of 2 words. He either calls her “My love” or “My Beloved” 22 times, each referencing His affection and also calls her “fair one,” referencing the beauty found in redemption.
A. The Beloved is now awakening her heart with His voice. She sees Him as the beautiful God that she loves. He wants her full, undivided attention
D. The young Bride has an entirely new revelation of the Beloved as the sovereign King. She sees Him as the “Lord of all” who effortlessly conquers all opposing mountains. Up until this time, she only understood Him to be the counseling shepherd and the affectionate Father sitting at the table feeding her grapes and apples with love. But now He is skipping and leaping on mountains. He is revealed as leaping on mountains. Until now, she thought He had just rested under shaded trees. She'd never seen Him in this light.
E. The Beloved is seen as the Beloved of the nations and the harvest. As King, He overcomes human and demonic obstacles. Mountains speaks of obstacles that hinder her full faith and obedience.
V.2:9b - " Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice.’
A. He is standing and pictured as ready for action. The Beloved is normally pictured sitting in the Scripture. He is especially pictured as sitting in Heaven, as sitting in a place of rest and dominion, but here He's standing. He is pictured as sitting calm and in victory with His enemies under His feet.
1. She is sitting in security behind a wall. It is a wall of self-protection that shuts out the world with its problems and the needs of others. It is a wall that keeps her from the risks of walking in faith.
2. She thinks the Beloved is behind a confining wall, but actually, He is out in the vast open world. She is the one sitting inside behind a confining wall. He is standing on the outside for the first time since she was awakened to fervency.
3. She sees it as a wall of their making. It is not her wall; it is their wall.
4. She has been properly led to the table and to the shade tree, which brought her so much enjoyment in 1:12-2:7. It is a wall of their mutual building together. Initially, He put her in isolation. He built windows in the wall.
a. It is a new season of maturity with a new revelation of the Beloved.
b. She prayed, “Draw me, and I will run with You.” He is now reintroducing the “Let us run” phase of her life.
B. The Beloved was looking and gazing at her, intending to draw her forth from her private world of self-concern. It was the gaze enticing her to come forth. The Beloved gazes upon her with eyes of fiery love (Revelation 1:14).
C. The Beloved is seen as standing behind a wall. She thinks that He is behind a confining wall, but He is out in the vast open world, conquering mountains and hills as a fearless stag. She is the one who is behind a confining wall.
D. After the initial outpouring of love and blessing by the Beloved, He now distances Himself in order to draw her out of her comfort zones.
1. There is seen to be a 'barrier' separating them (her selfishness), but He diligently comes to speak prophetically to her that the time of Spring, the time of Joy and harvest is here. It's time for her to rise up into His purposes! She does arise to find Him because of her fear of losing Him, but on finding Him she doesn't follow Him but pulls Him into her comfort zone!
"Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest." (John 4:35)
2. There is a time, during our fervent time of loving Him, that we will hear His call! If we don't respond we will feel distanced from Him. All of us are called but not all are chosen by Him due to our lack of responding to His love.
V.2:9c-d - He is “gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice.”
A. Wall, Window, and Lattice = Barriers to Intimacy.
1. The wall represents barriers to moving into God's will due to our background and upbringing. They may be fears that have been passed down through the generations.
2. The windows represent the glimpses of His glory God gives us as He draws us out into His purposes. The lattice represents the sin that so easily entangles us (See Hebrews 12:1-2).
B. She is sitting in security behind a wall. It is a wall of self-protection that shuts out the world with its problems and the needs of others. It is a wall that keeps her from the risks of walking in faith.
C. She thinks He is behind a confining wall, but actually, He is out in the vast open world. She is the one sitting on the inside behind a confining wall. He is standing on the outside for the first time since she was awakened to fervency.
1. She sees it as a wall of their making. It is not her wall; it is their wall.
2. She has been properly led to the table, to the shade tree, that brought her so much enjoyment in 1:12-2:7. The Beloved really did commission her to stay there until He awakened her. It is a wall of their mutual building together. Initially, He put her in isolation. He built windows in the wall. He put her behind that wall.
3. It is a new season of maturity with a new revelation of Jesus.
4. She prayed, “Draw me, and I will run with You.” He is now reintroducing the “Let us run” phase of her life.
5. The Beloved put her in that little room, feeding her grapes at the table, revealing Himself to her in love and spiritual pleasure.
6. He was looking and gazing at her, intending to draw her forth from her private world of self-concern. It was the gaze enticing her to come forth. Jesus gazes upon her with eyes of fiery love (Rev. 1:14). He wants her to catch His vision for the nations.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone…opens the door, I will come in to him.” (Revelation 3:20)
A. He built the wall with strategic openings so He could deeply touch her. 1. The “windows and lattice” speak of openings in the strategic wall that God builds around each of us. In other words, the wall is His strategic personalized plan to train us in bridal partnership. His Divine plan is centered on the best way to reach her heart in the deepest way. In other words, the wall speaks of the ways where she, in a holy way, is vulnerable to Jesus touching her. The Beloved created windows in His plan to transform our heart. He is wooing her in love. Those are the ways that He knows how to really touch her in a way that will bring her out.
B. But He is gazing at her right now. Those are the openings that He has created, Himself, when He built that wall.
C. He built the wall with strategic openings so He could deeply touch her.
V.2:10a - "My beloved speaks and says to me”
A. The Beloved speaks to her tenderly in love. He calls her His fair (beautiful) one and regularly calls her “My love and My beautiful one.” At every step of her journey, He calls her either “beloved” or “beautiful.” He uses endearing language to motivate her; “You are so dear to me and mean so much to me.” She is still beautiful to Him, as she was back in v1:8 when her vineyard was unkempt. She knows that He enjoys her while she is growing, not just after she is fully mature. It is while she is still on the bed, under the tree, and behind the wall that He says, “You are fair” (beautiful).
B. The Beloved knew what was in her heart. He saw that she wanted to obey Him. Given time, He knows that her immature love will bud into maturity. He sees the fervent love in immaturity and calls her beautiful while she is in the process of growing in attainment. The responsive heart is what the Beloved enjoys, not the particular stage of maturity that we are at. We must arise and come away, out of our Comfort Zones, through the barriers (walls/windows/lattices) that hinder us from following Him into His purposes (See Hebrews 12:1-2).
V2:10b - “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away”
A. The Beloved speaks to her in love. He regularly calls her “My love and My beautiful one.” He uses endearing language to motivate her. He communicates, “You are so dear to me. You mean so much to me. I want to rule and reign with you at my side.”
B. He speaks tenderly to her. She is still beautiful to Him, as she was back in V.1:8 when her vineyard was unkempt. She knows that He enjoys her while she is growing, not just after she is fully mature. It is while she is still on the bed, under the tree, and behind the wall that He says, “You are fair” (beautiful).
C. The Beloved knew what was in her heart. He saw that she wanted to obey Him. Given time, He knows that her immature love will bud into maturity. He sees the fervent love in immaturity and calls her beautiful while she is in the process of growing in attainment. The responsive heart is what the Beloved enjoys, not the particular stage of maturity that we are at. He knows that maturity is inevitable to all His children for all eternity. He calls us “My fair one” or “My beautiful one” at each stage of growth.
1. It is easy to seek to do tasks without being established in the love of God as a worshipper. Bridal partnership is so different from the work of slavery. A bride is refreshed as she labors. As we adore the Beloved in our work and obedience, we can be free from striving.
2. The Beloved calls her to arise and go with Him to the mountains. In this, He challenges her comfort zone.
3. The Beloved challenges the comfort zone in our lives in many different ways. He challenges us in new relationships, new ministry endeavors, new jobs, new moves, new issues in church life, etc.
4. The Father promised Him a Bride that would be equally yoked with Him as a mature partner.
5. There are three difficult aspects of leaving the comfort zone:
a. She doesn’t like the risks of walking by faith. She does not want to go to the high places. She is afraid of the mountains. Trusting-Faith is the way of the Kingdom. God, in His infinite wisdom, has ordained to have a Kingdom that operates by confidence in invisible things (2 Corinthians 5:7; 4:18). The Kingdom operates on confidence in God and His integrity because we can't feel anything. It reflects devotion and commitment much more than seeing and feeling do.
b. She does not like the struggles of spiritual warfare. She does not want to fight the lions and the leopards that are on the mountains (4:7-8). This partnership involves spiritual warfare. It is an involuntary war. The devil roars at us as he seeks to devour us.
“Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
c. The young Bride did not yet want to be a warrior. She wanted to sit under the shade tree the rest of her life and enjoy loving and worshiping Jesus. She did not want to war against darkness. God wants us to be worshippers and warriors. He wants a worshipping warring Bride. He wants us to both love and fight, because He is a warrior. He is the captain of the host, which is the Father’s army.
D. Jesus' actions are necessary to bring her to mature partnership (2:8 – 10). He does 7 distinct things to awaken her to get ready for the great harvest. These 7 verbs intensify. This is a new season in which He lovingly establishes her as an active partner.
1. He comes
2. He leaps
3. He skips
4. He looks
5. He stands
6. He gazes
7. He speaks
V.2:11 - “for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.”
A. A new season has come in their relationship and in the world!
1. WINTER = Cold outside / Stay inside the comfort of house (hidden), protected by loved ones. (here refers to the cloudy season of March/April) - Dark period spiritually
2. SPRING = Time to go out. Harvest time (for grapes particularly)
V.2:12 - “The flowers appear on the Earth”
A. The flower appears on the vine just before the fruit comes. These flowers are prophetic signs of a soon-coming harvest in fullness.
B. The joyful celebration associated with the harvest.
V.2:12b - “The time of singing has come”
A. The singing is beginning, and the winter is over. There is singing as the celebration of the harvest begins.
B. This is the time for God's shepherds to develop a deep history in God. It is a very short season, whether it is 3 or 20 years. From a historical perspective, it is very brief before we see the full-scale revival.
V.2:12c-d - “Voice of the turtledove is heard in our land”
A. The voice of the turtledove was heard in the land of Israel at harvest time. Any person in Israel knew that this signified the soon-coming harvest.
V.2:13a -" The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away."
A. Figs grow even in the wintertime. The fig puts forth the green figs just before the mature figs.
V.2:13b-c - “and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance”
A. The fragrance of tender grapes is starting to come forth. They are still tender. In other words, they are still immature grapes.
V.2:13d-e - “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away!”
A. The Beloved reveals His passion for the young Bride in the same way He reveals that He is effective in guarding her passion for Him as she discovers her weakness.
B. She's beautiful even in her immaturity. The Beloved reveals what He thinks about her while she struggles. For a second time, He calls her “My love” coupled with “My beautiful one” (V.2:10,13). He consistently motions her by love and affection. He is wooing her with the bridal paradigm and promises of fruitfulness.
1. Trusting-faith is the ultimate act of love for Him. Without it, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). When you take the first step of trusting-faith, He will take over from there. It is your willingness to step into a love-faith relationship that pleases Him. Love intertwined with trusting faith creates the most exquisite spiritual fruit and fragrance possible. That is done by walking daily with Jesus, and the power of God will flow through you to effect progressive changes in your habits and attitude.
C. The Beloved reveals His tender heart of affection as He declares her beauty in her struggle of fear. He calls her to confidence in a time of weakness. He knows in V.2:14 that He will be refused in V.2:17. Like Peter, the Lord could say to her, “I know that you will deny Me three times due to your fear. I know that your flesh is weak, but I also know that you have a willing spirit” (Matthew 26:41). This passage reveals the tenderness of God's heart.
V.2:14a - “O My dove”
A. A dove is a bird that speaks of purity, innocence, and loyalty. It never mates after its partner dies. They are unique in loyalty.
B. The Beloved called her His dove. He is endeared with her sincerity and embraces her in her fear with tender affection.
C. A dove is a guileless bird that speaks of purity and innocence. They never mate after their partner dies, which makes them unique in loyalty.
1. The Holy Spirit is also pictured as a pure and innocent dove.
D. Doves hide in rock crevices, reluctant to leave. The Beloved likens His Lover to such a Dove, hesitant to join Him in the mountains. He urges her to leave her home and join Him so He can enjoy her sweet-sounding voice and lovely face.
1. The Beloved knows that she is going to compromise in V.2:17; however, first, He calls her, “My dove.” He could say, “I know you are struggling, but you are still My dove.”
E. He sees her through the finished work of the Cross.
V.2:14b-d - “in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”
A. The Beloved wants her to run to Him in confidence instead of from Him in condemnation. In other words, she is to present herself to God in confidence in His death and resurrection. He wants to see us trusting His work on the Cross by coming out of the condemnation of religion.
B. The “cleft of the rock” speaks of being hidden in the Beloved - but even in this position, we can make fearful excuses about why we should not venture from that position into the hurting world! Jesus calls us from that place of being hidden in Him to venture out with Him into His harvest fields.
1. Jesus is the rock of God, the chief cornerstone. A rock is immovable. It is a foundational material that is strong and durable.
2. Jesus is the spiritual Rock that followed the nation of Israel in Moses’ day.
“They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).
3. The “cleft of the rock” is the place where God hid Moses when His glory passed by him. When the Beloved revealed His glory to Moses, there was still one problem. If God showed His unveiled glory to Moses, then there was a need for a protective buffer to save Moses from it. The glory of God kills sinful human flesh because it is so pure.
"So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.” (Exodus 33:22)
4. Moses would have died if he had seen God face to face. Therefore, the Lord caused there to be a cleft in the rock or an open space in the mountain. He hid Moses in this cleft. Then God put His hand over Moses, in the cleft of the rock, to protect him as the Beloved passed by. This was a foreshadowing of redemption. Moses could not see God's face. Therefore, God hid him in the cleft of the rock.
5. Moses hiding in the cleft of the rock was a type of salvation through the Cross. He was being hidden figuratively in the redemption Jesus provided.
6. The cleft of the rock speaks of the wounds of the crucifixion on the side of Christ Jesus, the rock of God. Jesus’ death on the Cross resulted in wounds on His side or a “cleft in the Rock.”
D. God wants us to hide in the cleft of the Rock who is Jesus. Hide in Him. He sees His dove in the cleft of the rock.
E. The Beloved calls her to God with confidence in her weakness. The Father sees you through the beauty of the cross and resurrection. She was to find her safety in God's grace in 2 places: the cleft and the cliff.
V.2:14e-f - “for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.”
A. Her voice in prayer is sweet to the Beloved.,
B. Her face in worship is “lovely” even though she is immature. The Beloved wants to hear her adoring worship and her sweet prayer for help in the crisis of her temptation and spiritual failure.
“Then He…said to Peter…"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41)
1. We think that when we are struggling with sin our voice is repulsive to God and that our face is ugly to Him. Therefore, we run from Him, not to Him.
2. This is one of the most powerful passages in the Scripture. He says, “I want to hear your cry for help. I know you are trembling right now. Ask Me to help you. Invoke My partnership to help you to become faithful.” He is saying, “Don’t try to do this alone with only your might.”
V.2:15 - “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”
A. She prays for deliverance as she cries out for help with the little foxes. You can see her sincerity of heart in this desperate cry. She is not rebellious. She is immature. He just said, “let Me see your face, let Me hear your voice.” That is exactly what she does here. She prays, “Beloved, please catch us the foxes.”
1. Foxes are cunning little animals that destroy the vineyards in Israel under cover of the night.
2. The foxes are not bold, strong lions that attack during the day. They are quick, subtle, and crafty animals that are hard to catch. They come to destroy during the night season. The fox is crafty and subtle. Therefore, carnal Christians often miss catching the “little foxes” in their lives. They catch the bear, but not the fox. She says, “I’m not in immorality anymore. I’m not the shamed woman. My problem is now some of the more subtle issues. It is not sins of commission. They are sins of omission.”
3. These speak of the little areas in her life that are hard to catch. These sly little foxes’ things that make my speech impure. This speaks of all the fears that hold her in bondage.
4. “Catch...the foxes”. In other words, “I can't do it alone.” She cries, “Beloved, we are in this together.”
5. We must continually pray for the Beloved’s help in these areas because the Beloved is so willing to help us. She acknowledged the presence of the little foxes (her compromise). She says, “Beloved, I see the foxes in my vineyard. My heart is grieved. I beseech You to help me.” There is no defiance or rebellion. She is taking seriously the command in 2:10 “to arise”. But she has not yet found the strength to obey.
V.2:16 - “My Beloved is mine, and I am His. He grazes among the lilies.”
A. She has not listened at all to Him. She sees no danger. Her lips speak forth very self-centered words. He's mine, and I'll decide where and when we can meet and have fellowship.
B. She is saying the same words. However, she changes the order. She says, “I belong to Him, and I continue to acknowledge that He is still mine. He belongs to me. My beloved is mine.”
C. He feeds the lilies. This is where she will be fed also. He also is fed in His spirit.
1. The same two truths, but the order changes. She says, “It’s His agenda first and my agenda second.” She reverses the priority of her concern. His inheritance in her is now first in her heart. Her inheritance in Him is vital, yet secondary.
2. The lilies speak of pure white innocence (also V.2:1-2; 5:3,13; 6:2-3). Lilies also speak of the glory of God.
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:28-29)
a. Solomon, in all of his glory, is compared to a lily by Jesus.
b. She saw herself as the lily of purity before God (V.2:1). The lily is in singular as she discovers her personal identity in the Beloved. However, the lilies are in the plural, which speaks of the corporate people of God, outside the wall of isolation, who are also seeking a life of extravagant love for Jesus.
2. Earlier, she asked the Beloved, “Where do you feed your flock (V.1:7)? Where do you make it lie down?” He gives her the initial answer in V.1:8, which consists of one general affirmation and three specific answers.
3. She discovers the answer and says, “I know where You will feed me. You will feed me among the lilies as I seek for deep purity of love and obedience.” They are described as the lilies in the plural.
D. When we realize our selfish and possessive nature, we must cry out to Jesus to separate us from Him. The Son of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings! He will take you through 'dark' times when you are so aware of your selfishness. During these times, press on in crying out to Him to be separated.
1. Eventually, you will see the Sun rise in your life and your relationship with Him. Also, in our marital relationships, we need to recognize selfishness and cry out to be separated from each other.
2. She cries out for His presence in this time of separation - she cries literally for an 'awakening' where He would comes as a 'gazelle' or 'hart' on the mountains she finds herself in - look up the definitions of these words and see what Characteristics of Jesus she is asking for.
V.2:17 – “Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on cleft mountains (of Bether).”
A. The word ‘’Bether in Hebrew literally means “the separation.” This means literally “the mountains of separation. The mountains are the obstacles that bring separation. She knows there will be a separation. The mountains have caused great emotional pain to sweep over her soul. She has lost what she desired most; continued, loving fellowship with her Beloved. She now responds with words that will disappoint her Beloved...
B. She's conscious of a 'new day dawning' and that she needs a change of direction (move away from self). She's in a time of darkness (just before the break of day). She is also conscious of 'shadows' in her life (grey areas).
1. With sadness, she acknowledges that the Beloved must go and be like the Gazelle of V.2:8 and acknowledges that there will be a separation. He cannot ever change His personality, nor His mandate from the Father to leap over mountains (V.2:8-9). He is on these very mountains at the end of the SONG.
a. In V.3:1, He leaves her. He separates from her until she cries out in obedience in v. 2. She says, “I arose.”
b. She meets Him, and she says, “I will never do this again. I will never let go of Him again.”
C. She knows that her weakness does not mean that her love for the Beloved is false. She continues to call Him “my Beloved.”
1. It is dark in the shadows until the day breaks to bring new light. The time when the day breaks is the time when full light (maturity) becomes present.
2. She prays that the Beloved would cause them to flee away. She acknowledges the dark areas in the shadows still exist in the form of unbelief, fear, and selfishness (foxes - not overt disobedience).
a. She refuses to obey Him because of fear, which is due to her spiritual immaturity, not rebellion.
b. Her compromise is seen in that she tells Him to turn and go away to the mountains without her.
4. The Beloved honors her voluntary decision to draw back. Our relationship with Jesus is based on voluntary love.
Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices. (SONG 8:14)
a. She tells Him to be like the young stag who conquers all, as He runs freely on the mountains without her and understands the coming and inevitable separation. She refuses even to acknowledge Him in any way. She's upset that He did not pay attention to her and did what she had asked. Pride keeps her from responding. This decision to not go with Him unreservedly will cost her dearly. There will be much emotional pain before she is restored to Him. Remember what she had stated to the virgins after the banquet? She just knew nothing could ever come in and spoil all of that perfect joy. It has happened!
