V.7:1 How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels,
the work of a master hand.
2 Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies.
3 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim. Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon, which looks toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Carmel, and your flowing locks are like purple; a king is held captive in the tresses.
6 How beautiful and pleasant you are, O loved one, with all your delights!
7 Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters.
8 I say I will climb the palm tree and lay hold of its fruit. Oh may your breasts be like clusters of the vine, and the scent of your breath like apples,
9 and your mouth like the best wine.
She
It goes down smoothly for my beloved, gliding over lips and teeth.
10 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.
The Bride Gives Her Love
11 Come, my beloved, let us go out into the fields and lodge in the villages;
12 let us go out early to the vineyards and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.
13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and beside our doors are all choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.
Review - The Bride is now ready to serve. With the Beloved’s heart filled with joyful anticipation, He describes features of the Bride that have not been considered before. The Bride is completely convinced that His desire is for her good only, and she acts upon that revelation, suggesting they go out into the villages and country and minister to the people.
What the Beloved had so desired from her in chapter two ("come away"), she initiates! She has the mind of her Beloved and is ready to disciple others with Him. The symbolism of the feet and nose is very significant. Never before had He described them. All of this leads to her new walk of ministry, which is the Bride’s crowning moment while living in this dark wilderness scene. A path of service has opened to her and a spiritual intimacy seldom experienced by the average Christian.
As they walk hand in hand in His garden (V.6:11), the Beloved's heart continues to be filled with glorious joy. Thoughtfully, he pauses for a moment, admiring her feet, and then shares...
Now comes the description of the Bride, who is the Army of the Beloved. Throughout this description, we see that she is no longer living for her pleasure but for His pleasure alone.
V7:1a – "How beautiful”
A. Her success in winning people to the Beloved impacts the daughters. The first answer they give the sarcastic leaders is, “How beautiful.” In other words, the daughters like her. They stand their ground, “She is beautiful.” There is no political spirit. We think that what she is doing is wonderful. It is bearing great fruit in our lives.” God raised a people that would stand with this persecuted Bride.
1. Throughout the SONG, the Beloved begins His affirmation of the Bride with acclamations of her beauty. Therefore, the daughters of Jerusalem imitate His style of relating by first noting her beauty before they speak of her characteristics.
V7:1b - "Are your feet”
A. The Beloved starts at her head and goes down. The others start at the feet and go up because the Beloved is from the heavenlies looking down. The people touch salvation first; therefore, they first notice the feet because that is what first touched their lives. They look more from an Earthly point of view, and the Beloved looks from the heavenly.
B. The Apostle Paul allegorically describes our feet as shod by the preparation of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:15). Her feet bring the Good News to other places. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news" (Isaiah 52:7). The place our feet walk also speaks of our inheritance (Joshua 1:3).
V7:1c -. "In sandals"
A. Sandals speak of prosperity, honor, and preparation (Luke 15:22). Her feet do not lack shoes as a beggar's feet do, which was very common in the ancient world. The soldiers and the aristocrats did, but the common folks did not have shoes. Bare feet speak symbolically of shame, poverty, and humiliation. When the Lord honors the prodigal son, He puts shoes on His feet. It is the opposite of poverty and shame.
1. The Beloved revealed these affirmations to answer the Bride's persecution from V.6:13c,d. He always raises people to reveal His perspective because they see in the Bride the same affirmations that He gave in V.4:1-5. The Beloved is meeting a need in the Bride by essentially telling her, “I know what you’re going through. I know you’re being attacked, and I will be present to answer your accusers. I will raise help.”
V7:1d. “O noble daughter!”
A. The daughters call the Bride the "noble daughter," whereas the Beloved calls her directly "My love" or "My spouse" (V.4:9; V.5:1-2, etc.). In V.7:5, the Beloved is referred to as "a King" instead of speaking in the first person. Meanwhile, in V.7:8, the Beloved speaks in the first person, saying, "I will," indicating a change of speakers in V.7:6-9 from V.7:1-5.
B. The title "o noble daughter" emphasizes that her character was becoming like a King. This title is also used in Psalm 45:13: "The royal daughter is all glorious within..." which speaks of her inner life. Her attitude and actions depicted a person who knew she was of royal lineage.
1. She has character and inheritance befitting of royalty and lived as though it was true. Revelation 21:9 describes her as the Bride of the King.
2. This noble (Prince’s) daughter speaks of her royal bloodline by the new birth and is the daughter of royalty. She has a good spiritual genealogy leading right back to the King Himself by virtue of the new birth.
3. The title she received from others who esteem her implies her royalty through the spiritual family line (new birth) and her excellent character.
4. All Christians are on Jesus' royal bloodline. The church is a family that is a "royal priesthood."
“But you are a chosen generation, “a royal priesthood,” a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9)
"I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:18)
V.7:1c,d - "Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a master hand."
A. "Rounded Thighs" speaks of the leg's muscular definition, giving her strength in her walk. This athletic feature was developed through hard work and discipline, as well as the strength behind our walk. In V.5:15, the Beloved’s legs are like pillars of marble.
B. "Are like jewels" – Her muscular features are rare and costly, like jewels.
C. "The work of a master hand." She has been strengthened and prepared by the skillful workmanship of God in her life.
1. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship. The daughters are, in essence, speaking to her, “The workmanship of God in you is fantastic. It is rare and precious. It costs you so much to be in this place. The power behind your walk is like jewels. It costs you in the flesh, and it is valuable. God has led the testing’s in your life like a skilled workman, and you are the workmanship in omnipotent hands of full wisdom.”
2. God skillfully charts out a course of preparation for our lives. It was not haphazard or arbitrary in any sense but is the purposeful and skillful training by a sovereign God.
D. Her ministry and relational skills enhanced the Bride's walk (thighs). She will have wisdom for both life and ministry. As the nations around him extolled Solomon's wisdom, so the wisdom and the ways of the Bride will be magnified and praised as the jewels of the skillful workman (Deuteronomy 4:6-8).
V.7.2a,b - " Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies."
A. The “navel” speaks of the inner life, which pertains to her formative years in the Beloved, just as the foundational nourishment of the child in the mother's womb.
B. "is a rounded bowl" - a healthy navel is the opposite of being malnourished in the early stages of life.
C. “that never lacks mixed wine” speaks of a full range of nourishment from a balanced diet that brings strength and maturity to the inner life.
4. She has been spiritually prepared in a healthy and balanced way. There is a fully balanced diet that she is going to be able to give to that which she births. Her inward life is balanced and wholesome so that she can impart it.
V.7:2c,d - " Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies."
A. The word ‘belly’ is the Hebrew word for “womb.” She is pictured as pregnant with a great harvest.
B. “heap of wheat” is a picture of the abundance of a harvest that is with her. She is about to give birth, not a little bit, but a heap of the abundant end-time harvest, so to speak, of the maturing church at the end of the age. Wheat is good grain and not like the tares.
C. “encircled with lilies” - There is full purity, trusting-faith, and innocence among those she will lead to the Beloved. When God's mercy is presented correctly, it imparts the desire to be like the lilies (purity and innocence). The great harvest is going to be an abundance of wheat that is set about with lilies.
1. There is a great harvest, and the daughters see it in her as they say, “You have all the signs of a massive harvest around the corner. Your waist is a heap of wheat.
2. In Revelation 14:12-14, the Son of God is pictured with a sickle in one hand and a crown in the other. The Angel says, “Thrust in your sickle and reap the whole Earth.” There is coming an hour at the very end, in the last generation, where He thrusts His sickle in and reaps the entire
Earth.
V.7.3 " Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. (same words found in V.4:5)
A. Breasts speak of the power to enlighten and nurture others and also to communicate life. Babes are nurtured through the milk of the breast. She is ready to give birth to a tremendous end-time harvest.
1. She is prepared for mature ministry and reproduction. The daughters of Jerusalem are well aware of the Bride's ability to nurture because she nurtured them. In V.6:13, they didn't want her to go on to other places to care for others but rather have her stay to nurture them.
2. The daughters see her about to give birth to the great harvest and rejoice because she can properly nurture the new babes in Jesus. After the heap of wheat comes the nurturing breast of the Bride.
B. "Are like two fawns" - fawns are youthful and still able to nurture with milk. The Bride’s inward life is energetically balanced and wholesome. She is healthy for a harvest.
C. "Twins of a gazelle" -speaks of a double portion of this ability to nurture, which is in contrast to the little sister (immature Christian) who is pictured as having no breasts (V.8:8) and not equipped to encourage others or to reproduce spiritually.
V.7:4a - "Your neck is like an ivory tower"
A. This is the same affirmation spoken in v.4:4. However, this verse speaks of her neck as an ivory tower, whereas v.4:4 focuses on her neck being like the tower of David.
B. "Your neck" - speaks of the free will. The neck can be stiff or submissive. The rebellious neck speaks of pride (Isaiah 3:16-17).
C. "like an ivory tower" - speaks of protection and strength. Ivory is rare and costly.
V.7:4b,c - "Your eyes are pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim"
A. "Your eyes" - speak of "seeing" and refer to faith and spiritual understanding (Ephesians 1:18). This represents her spiritual insight and focus. She has keen spiritual insight. Her eyes have been affirmed on several occasions throughout the book – V.1:15; 4:2,9; 6:5. In 4:1c, Jesus called them dove eyes, speaking of purity, innocence, and loyalty.
B. "are pools in Heshbon" - these pools were abundantly clear and clean. It was easy to see through those waters as opposed to muddy waters. The KJV says, "the fish pools of Heshbon," where there were abundant fish, which speaks of abundant grace. The city of Heshbon was once a royal city where the Amorite King Sihon lived (Numbers 21:25,26).
C. "by the gate of Bath Rabbim" - a resort area because of the clean water. It speaks of clear, trusting-faith and spiritual understanding that has been cleansed of the fleshly mixture.
V.7:4d,e - " Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon, which looks toward Damascus."
A. "Your nose" -speaks of her discernment in spiritual warfare in the knowledge of good and evil.
B. "Is like the tower of Lebanon" - a source of protection. The tower of Lebanon was significant for guarding the king's property and facing towards the main enemy in her life (2 Chronicles 8:5; 9:15- 16). Lebanon was on the north side of Judah, near to Syria.
1. The Bride has discernment about what is coming from Damascus, which was the number one fiercest enemy of Israel at this time.
C. "which looks toward Damascus" - Damascus was the capital of Syria and was Israel's greatest enemy. Damascus was the largest and most prominent city in Syria.
D. The daughters of Jerusalem were protected like a tower by the Bride's discernment of their spiritual enemies (like Damascus). The enemy always tries to destroy us in our most vulnerable place.
V.7:5a - "Your head crowns you like Carmel”
A. "Your head" - speaks of wisdom and purity in the thought life. Her thoughts are brought into obedience to the Beloved (2 Corinthians 10:5). The enemy seeks to distort our thoughts of the personality of God to challenge what God has said (2 Corinthians 4:4). Head also speaks of hope. The helmet is the hope of salvation (Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). The thought life is filled with the royal thoughts of Holy Spirit-inspired hope.
B. "Crowns you like Carmel" - the excellence of Carmel is described (Isaiah 35:2). Her wisdom and the purity of thought life are likened to a fruitful and beautiful mountain.
V.7:5b - "and your flowing locks are like purple"
A. The head speaks of the thought life where so much of spiritual life starts. Her hair speaks of commitment and dedication, like the Nazarite vow.
B. flowing locks” (hair of your head) - speaks of commitment and dedication. Her hair was also referred to in V.4:1; 6:5c. A Nazarite's hair spoke of their consecration (Numbers 6). Hair also speaks of covering and submission (1 Corinthians 11:5-6,10,15).
C. "are like purple" - Purple speaks of royalty. It speaks of her commitment and dedication as being like the resolution of a king. It is born of God and comes from the King Himself. Purple hair speaks of the power of her dedication being the work of God in her life.
1. Paul's "dedication looked purple" to the Angels as they marveled at it (1 Corinthians 4:9). The dedication of Paul's heart was the work of the Holy Spirit.
V.7:5c -"a king is held captive in the tresses.”
A. "A king" - The NAS says “THE King.” Jesus is being talked about here. He is the King. Jesus is not doing the speaking in V.7:1-5 but is being spoken about. He wouldn’t say a king. He would say, “I am.” If He were speaking, He would say, “I’m held captive.” But it is the daughters. They are saying that “a king is held captive.”
B. “is held captive” speaks of a holy compelling within His own heart that captivates His heart (2 Corinthians 5:14). It is God's glory to be captivated in love towards His people. It does not speak of any weakness on His part. To be “held,” we hold the heart of God and do not speak of any weakness on His part, but rather His unique strength to love. The fact that God could be held by a people of such a lesser degree than Him is not a statement of weakness, but it is of the unique strength of His love.
C. "in the tresses" - locks of her hair. The Beloved's love is so powerful that it is like cords that bind Him to such weak people that He can’t let us go.
1. Even non-Christians will be aware that God is held captive by the beauty of His Bride. He is as delighted with His people as He is with His Son. Jesus has the same personality and love that His Father has (John 15:9).
a. Isaiah 55:9 speaks of God’s patience with sinful people.
"For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
D. People who held God's heart captive.
1. It says in Ezekiel 14:14 that even if Daniel, Noah, and Job were present, the Lord says, “I would not turn back the wickedness of the nation.” In this passage, God refers to Noah, Job, and Daniel as obedient ones who held Him captive. The Beloved looked at them as men who had captured His heart. They were intercessors that had captured His heart in times of judgment. They prevailed often with the Beloved. But He said, “The situation is so bad even the ones that hold me captive couldn’t hold me on this one because I know the only way through is to judge Israel to bring them to repentance.”
2. Moses and Samuel also held His heart (Jeremiah 15:1).
a. God let Moses prevail over Him in intercession (Exodus 32:7-14). It was by divine design that God allowed Himself to be taken captive by the will of God. God wanted to destroy Israel, but Moses interceded and said, "No, Lord." God persisted and told Moses that He would make a great nation out of him. Moses refused God's offer as he held God's heart captive in intercession.
3. The same principle is also seen in the life of Jacob (Genesis 32). Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord and prevailed. God has pleasure in being wrestled and prevailed upon by His people. This is part of the partnership that the Gospel makes available to weak, sinful people.
4. Such ultimate love is sometimes seen in marriage when a husband is held captive by the beauty of his wife. Our heavenly Bridegroom is held captive by the beauty of His wife, which is not a statement of weakness but His dignity and strength. He possesses all authority but gives His heart without any reserve to His Bride, and is spoken in the strongest language of love, similar to 6:5. The Bride's dedication held God's heart captive.
V.7:6a,b - " How beautiful and pleasant you are"
A. God so enjoys the pleasant fruit of His Bride's love and obedience. His fruit was sweet and pleasant to her (1:16; 2:3). Now her fruit is sweet and pleasant to Him.
1. He calls her pleasant and beautiful (4:16-5:1). God delights in the response of His people. There is nothing more delightful to God than the love that flows from the heart of His Bride.
2. This is how the Lord feels about His Bride while she is still upon the Earth. When is the last time you felt the Holy Spirit communicate this revelation of Jesus’ emotion for you? We imagine God saying that He is weary of our failure and weakness. However, the Scripture tells us that we are pleasant to Him. Our voice is sweet, and our face is lovely to Him even in the midst of our struggle to overcome sin (V.2:14).
V.7:6b - "O loved one"
A. Expresses the depth and the passion in His heart for her. His love for her is boundless. God loves and enjoys us to the same measure that He loves and enjoys Jesus (John 15:9; 17:23). The fullness of God's love is beyond human comprehension (Ephesians 3:18). Our love is greater than wine to Him (V.4:10). God sees His people as the truly excellent ones in the Earth (Psalm 16:3). David knew that God delighted in him even when he was stumbling in the city of Ziklag in unbelief and fear (Psalm 18:19).
V.7:6b - "With all your delights"
A. Her responses of obedience delighted and ravished His heart (V.4:9). There is nothing more delightful to God than the love that flows from the heart of His Bride. He conquers all, but His supreme delight is in the heart of His people. The psalmist tells us how precious to God the death of His saints is (Psalm 116:15).
1. The Beloved affirms that her stature is one of great maturity.
V.7:7a - "Your stature is like a palm tree"
A. Her “stature” speaks of her spiritual maturity as being great, like a palm tree. A palm tree is a picture of maturity, especially in the dry seasons. The Beloved considered ten qualities of her life (7:1-5), then declared that her stature of maturity was great.
B. “A palm tree” was used as a sign of victory, triumph, and conquest. The palm tree goes exceptionally high and exceptionally straight because its roots go so deep. This is a picture of tremendous perseverance under pressure. The winds come, and the palm trees don’t break. Everything else breaks, but palm trees don’t. A palm tree can find the water sources way under the ground.
1. The palm tree can endure the dry seasons. It has a long life with deep roots that can outlast a drought. Joel 1:12 says the palm tree shall flourish even in times of drought. The Bride flourishes even in the drought of 5:6. When the storms come, and the winds blow, a palm tree stands strong.
2. Palm branches were used in the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 3:40). Jericho was called the City of Palm Trees (Deuteronomy 34:3). 70 palm trees were found in Elam (Numbers 33:9).
C. In Revelation 7:4, the victorious saints have palm branches in their hands. The palm branch was used as a sign of victory and conquest. The palm tree also expresses triumph, as when they laid palm branches before the Lord as He came into Jerusalem. A palm tree is tall and straight yet flourishing with good fruit (dates). Jeremiah 10:5 speaks of the uprightness of the palm tree.
D. Her stature of maturity is great, like a palm tree, including all her attributes flowing together in balance. The Beloved speaks about her abundant capacity to edify and nurture others. The maturity of the church will reach the measure of the stature that belongs to Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
V.7:b - "and your breasts are like its clusters"
A. "Breasts" - speaks of nurture. His first commission: “Let your breasts be like clusters of the vine. Let your ability to nurture be inundated with the wine of the Holy Spirit.” When the Beloved lays hold of His church, He commands her, “Go nurture others now. Let your breasts have the wine of the Holy Spirit working through it.” Of which she does in V.8:10, she says, “My breasts are like towers,” which is her statement of saying that this verse here, V.7:8, is completely fulfilled.
B. "Clusters" - let the wine of the Holy Spirit flow through you to others. He says let your nurturing be in the abundance of the wine of the Spirit.
1. He commissions her to an inner life that is wholesome and mature, clean and delightful, that is filled with the refreshing of the Holy Spirit.
C. She is skilled in her ability to nurture other people. The Beloved promises to release a full manifestation of His power and Presence in His church by taking hold and dwelling in manifest power in her midst.
V.7:8a – “I say I will climb”
A. "I will climb" - The Beloved will manifest His presence through the Bride. God is promising to release His power and Presence on His church.
1. When Jesus takes hold of the mature church at the end of the age, it speaks of dwelling in manifest power in their midst. Jesus prophesied in John 14:12, “Greater works than these.” This will begin to take place as He takes hold of the church.
2.. He promises to "climb" to anoint the palm tree. This is the same activity as described by the imagery prayed for in Isaiah 64:1-4, "Rend the heavens and come down." In one sense, Jesus is always with us, and He never leaves us. However, the Scripture speaks of God "arising to come up" to us or "descending to come down" on us. Both talk of His manifest Presence.
V.7:8b - "the palm tree"
A. The Beloved will manifest His Presence when He sees the maturity of the palm tree.
V.7:8c - "and lay hold of its fruit"
A. The Beloved will release power through the branches (ministry to others) that truly glorify God. That is a powerful promise to throw back to the Beloved.
1. In Acts 2:1-4, 42-46, Jesus "took hold" of His palm tree as the power of God was released in the church in Jerusalem. Jesus "taking hold" of His church speaks of revival beyond any time in history. He dwelt in it is midst in power.
2. In the context of her personal life, this speaks of the seasons of personal revival. In the context of history, this finds its ultimate fulfillment in the end-time revival.
3. That is what Jesus is saying here to the persecuted Bride. He says, “I will come up to her in her maturity and I will release more than the introductory works of the Kingdom.
V.7:8d - “Oh may your breasts be like clusters of the vine”
A. "Your breasts" - speaks of the power to edify and nurture others. A mother nourishes her babies with milk from her breasts. This is also mentioned in V.4:5a.
B. "Be like clusters of the vine" - clusters of the palm give abundant nourishment to others, making them joyful. She overcomes every obstacle that the devil throws to keep her from nurturing other people. This speaks of a double portion of the ability to nurture as breasts like "twins of a gazelle" in V.4:5b. This is in contrast to V.8:8, where the immature Christian, with no breasts, is pictured as not being equipped to nurture and edify others.
V.7:8e - "and the scent of your breath like apples"
A. "scent of your breath" - speaks of her inner life. His Second commission: “Let the fragrance of your breath be like apples.” Apples speak of refreshing from Chapter 2. Let the very breath, let the breath speak of the wind of God. Let the anointing of the Spirit be released through you. (Acts 8:18; John 20:22)
B. "breath like apples" - refreshing and pleasant. Her inner life was a delight to Jesus. (This was imparted from the V.2:3 experiences). All the defilement of the flesh has been removed. There is no decay or impurity.
C. Out of her experience in V.7:1-9, she committed to disciple the nations. In other words, she embraces the great commission. She desires deep partnership with Jesus as He disciples the nations (Matthew 28:19). Her soul was made like a chariot that swiftly moved forward in the will of God. She drank the cup of God's will without any hindrance. The Father gave Jesus the promise of possessing the nations. The people of the nations are His inheritance. Jesus wants His Bride to participate with Him in winning them to be His Bride. This involves far more than just a job we ought to do for Him. One aspect of His inheritance is to have a people who would labor with Him for His complete inheritance.
D. This Chapter describes four aspects of our Bridal partnership with Jesus.
1. Bridal partnership expressed in mature obedience to Jesus (V.7:9b–10)
2. Bridal partnership expressed in Her intercession for more power (V.7:11-13)
3. Bridal partnership expressed in Her boldness in public ministry (V.8:1-2)
4. Bridal partnership expressed in their full union and communion with the Beloved. (V.8:3-4)
V.7:9a - “And your mouth like the best wine.”
A. "Mouth" - the mouth throughout the SONG speaks of the kisses of the mouth. She prayed, "let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth" (V.1:2). c. "Roof of your mouth" - The roof of her mouth speaks of intimacy with Him as in V.1:2;4:3; 5:16a. This talks about the palate of the mouth or the taste of her mouth. The Hebrew word is roof, palate, or taste. That which comes from your mouth is the point.
1. The mouth is not the same as the lips. It is not words. The mouth is the kisses of the mouth. He says, “Your mouth, let it be the best wine to me. I want intimacy with you in a way that it is the best the Holy Spirit will give.” In other words, “Don’t lose your intimacy with Me. Don’t lose your bridal intimacy. Impart it, don’t neglect it in your own life, and don’t neglect imparting it.”
V.7:9b - "Like the best wine"
A. The best wine is the one that is most refreshing and delightful.
1. The best thing that Jesus has in His entire created order is intimacy with His church. This speaks of the excellence of the Holy Spirit wine as contrasted to the spirit of the world (bad wine).
2. The best wine to God is the mouth of His Bride, the wine of our intimacy. It is the most pleasurable thing to God outside of the Godhead.
3. The best wine is when the Holy Spirit brings us to a place of mature love before Jesus. Jesus declares that the best wine of all the works of His Kingdom or the best work of the Holy Spirit is when the church walks in mature love (John 17:26).
F. In V. 2:8-10, the Beloved called her to the mountains. She choked on that wine or that mandate of the Holy Spirit. She choked on that word from the Holy Spirit. At that time, she said no to Him. But here she is not choking on God's Word. It goes down very smoothly, with no resistance whatsoever. This is just a poetic way of talking about full unity with the Holy Spirit with no resistance.
1. The meat of the Word and the best Wine of the Word is used in the same way (Hebrews 5:12-14).
V.7:9c – “It goes down smoothly for my beloved, gliding over lips and teeth.”
A. In the poetic language of love, when she says the wine goes down smoothly, she is referring to her full agreement with the Holy Spirit. She is speaking to the Holy Spirit “I fully receive everything that you give me with no resistance.
1. Jesus told the disciples, “Can you drink the cup that I'm about to drink?” He was drinking the cup of the Spirit’s wine. In other words, the Father’s will is announced and anointed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus drank it without any hindrance. He fully received it the wine.
B. The wine of His judgments does not offend her.
“And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Revelation 14:8
"he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. (Revelation 14:10)
“Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. (Revelation 16:19)
"with whom the kings of the Earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the Earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:2
"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the Earth have committed fornication with her” Revelation 18:3
C. He gave her three prophetic commissions to nurture others in the power of the Spirit as pictured by the vine (V.7:8c,d, 9a):
1. “Nurture people.”
2. “Release the Holy Spirit on them.”
3. “Maintain your intimacy with me in the work because it is the best wine the Holy Spirit gives is the wine from your mouth, and I want you to impart this intimacy to other people.”
D. This is an example of the impact of the release of the wine upon her that was promised in V. 7:8-9. She is not content with only operating in His power with a great ministry. She wants to be in unity with Him by the Holy Spirit.
E. Some want more of the Holy Spirit’s power in order to release people from pain and bondage. However, they do not say yes to the Holy Spirit in the personal areas of their lives. Some people want more Holy Spirit power, yet without a deeper fellowship with the Holy Spirit in areas of inward purity, etc.
F. She approaches the Divine promise to release a great measure of power. Jesus promised to release “greater works than these.” She applies the promise of God's power to walking in the First Commandment and not restricting it to areas of healing and power evangelism. There is no hypocrisy in her life.
V7:10a - “I am my Beloved's”
A. The Bride's obedience is rooted in her twofold spiritual identity. She sees herself as a lover of God and one that Jesus deeply desires.
B. She knows the Holy Spirit only leads us in a way that glorifies Him (John 16:14). In her experience, the cup of God's will go down smoothly because it is for her Beloved.
C. This passage is a wonderful confession of faith in times when the Beloved challenges us in a way that seems difficult. We speak within our hearts to the Lord, “The wine goes down smoothly because You are my Beloved. Because I love You, I will say ‘Yes!’ to the Holy Spirit in this difficult area.” This passage provides us with a wonderful devotional statement of obedience. This is just another way of saying, “Yes, I will obey you.” It is a spiritually romantic and poetic way to declare our commitment to obey.
D. The reason she accepts the Holy Spirit’s leadership so wholeheartedly is because of her love for Jesus. She knows the Holy Spirit comes to help her give her heart more fully to Jesus.
E. The effective ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Bride to others who are spiritually sleeping.
F. She commits herself to instant and full obedience to the Holy Spirit.
V.7:10b - "and His desire is for me."
A. She acknowledges that Jesus longs to feed her from the deep things of purity.
B. The affirmation of V.7:1-9 leads her to this confession of faith. She speaks in adoration out of the revelation of her spiritual identity.
1. In other words, “I belong totally to Jesus; I'm totally His.” She wants the wine to go down smoothly because she knows that she belongs to Him and His desire is for her.
2. Her spiritual identity is established in her being a lover of God. “I am a lover of Christ Jesus. I belong to Him.” This confession of her identity is vital to her ability to love God with all her heart.
3. I will fully yield to the Holy Spirit because I totally belong to Jesus.
4. In the mind of God, you are a lover of God before you're anything. More significant than our sin. God looks at us through the blood of Jesus, and He sees the finished product. He knows our destiny is inevitable.
5. In His economy, we are primarily “lovers of God”. Secondarily, we are defined by our actions or occupations. Many people define their life by their failure. Others define their life by their occupation.
6. We are most defined by the fact that we are lovers of God and His desire is towards you. "I am my Beloved's." This is one of the clearest definitions of our humanity in Christ. This is one of the great statements in Scripture. In other words, "He owns me. I care most about Him. I love Him." She wants to be totally pleasing to Him as a lover of God.
7. This statement speaks of His total ownership over her life - she is totally His. Her labors and sacrifices flow out of her affection for Jesus. What a contrast to her former days of fear and anxiety.
8. As we go about life, we confess our spiritual identity, “I'm a lover of God. That is who I am. I'm an extravagant worshipper of God.”
C. Her spiritual identity is one that Jesus desires
1. She has profound insight into the Beloved’s affection, longing, and enjoyment of her. This is her greatest revelation in the SONG. His enjoyment of her is the great power of her life. One of the great themes of the SONG is the affection of Jesus for weak people. This life-changing truth removes compromise from our lives. This verse gives us insight into what motivates her.
2. The prominent theme throughout the book of Song of Solomon is the revelation of God’s desire for people. That is constantly the thing that has motivated her straight through the book. That’s her motivating power through it.
3. She sees God's deep desire for her. Enoch had this same confession of faith that he was pleased and enjoyed by God.
“By faith Enoch…did not see death…for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Hebrews 11:5)
D. The Bride was overwhelmed by the expression of the Beloved’s desire for her in V.6:4-5 and V.7:6-9. Her first response was to commit herself to Him deeply. Understanding the love of God awakens a deep abandonment in her heart back to Him. This is an excellent outworking of the principle that "we love God because He first loves us (1 John 4:19).
E. To say with revelation, "His desire is for me," empowers our lives significantly. She refuses all of the enemy’s accusations against Him and all his condemnations against herself. Because of this revelation, criticism and slandered by others can no longer cast her into depression. She
refuses to live by the opinions of anyone. "No! I refuse their words. His desire is for me! Yes! My life is about Him desiring me.” She stands secure. Since His desire is for you, no one can prevail over you. They may steal your money. They may lie and steal the position you want in the workplace. People can prevail in the circumstances, but they can never conquer your heart. All the armies of Saul cannot defeat David’s heart when David knows God's desire is for him. Even David’s weaknesses can't destroy him because God's heart is ravished over him. One of the hallmarks of King David’s life is that in the midst of pressure, because God really liked him, he could have victory in his spirit even without a victory in his circumstances. “His desire is towards me.” is the truth that determines how she realigns her heart. This is a significant source of her emotional security. We speak the Word of God back to the enemy. It is written: “His desire is towards me. I know that others reject me, but His desire is towards me, and I am a lover of God. That's who I am. John the Baptist said that he lived by the voice of the Beloved (John 3:29).
“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God… (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
F. The victory that God promises is not always in the circumstances. Sometimes, the circumstances get worse. The promise is that our hearts will grow in love if we come to the Beloved in negative circumstances. Sometimes, the circumstances will change, but if they don't change, we can increase the knowledge of the love of God. In this way, the enemy can’t prevail over us in anything. The enemy can't steal the victory in our spirit. God has not promised us that all Earthly circumstances will end up easy. However, He promises us that the negative circumstances will always work together for good, which means that our lives will grow in voluntary love.
G. At the Last Supper (John 13-17), Jesus was preparing His disciples to fervently love God under the pressures of immanent disappointment, persecution, temptation, and service. On this occasion, He repeatedly spoke of God's loving desire for them. However, He also told them that they would all deny Him that very night (Mt.26:31). In other words, these affirmations of His love were spoken to weak yet sincere Christians, not just to mature Christians. God's love for us is a powerful, all-consuming passion that includes deep desire, enjoyment, pleasure longing, etc. It is not a sterile religious idea devoid of deep passion. At the Last Supper, Jesus emphasized that the measure of God's loving desire for them was no less than the measure of love that the Father has for the Son:
1. The "measure of the Father's loving affection and enjoyment" of Jesus is the standard of the Son's affection for us - Jesus declared, "as the Father loved Me, I also have love you" (John 15:9a).
2. Also, the "measure of the Father's loving affection and enjoyment" of Jesus is equal to the Father's affection for us - Jesus prayed, "that the world might know that You (the Father) have loved them (the church) as You have loved Me" (John 17:23d).
3. Also, the "measure of the Father's loving affection and enjoyment" of Jesus will be the quality of our affection for Jesus. In other words, it will be supernaturally imparted to the church - Jesus prayed that "that the love with which You loved Me may be in them" (John 17:26).
4. Note the progression as seen in the four inheritance statements that describe her relationship to God in her own words. Notice the transition from a "self-centered" to a "God-centered" focus (V1:14; 2:16; 6:3; 7:10).
V.7:11a- “Come, my beloved,”
A. She embraced the challenge to leave the comfort zone instead of staying at home in her own bed.
B. They are in the garden together enjoying spiritual intimacy. In V.6:2, the Beloved was in His garden and then in V.6:11, she went down to join Him in the garden. They are equally yoked as co-laborers. The two of them are now working together in a mature partnership in the garden. The daughters sought to persuade her to turn back to them in V.6:13.
C. She refuses to go unless they go together. This is the same prayer that Moses prayed, refusing to go without the Lord’s Presence.
D. She will lodge in a place that is not her normal dwelling. In other words, she says ‘yes’ to the will of God. I will settle down in my spirit and stay until God releases her to go, whether it is a week, month, year, or a lifetime. She commits to remain until His business is finished.
E. However, notice that she emphasizes the "us" in her request. In other words, she will only stay if the Beloved stays. In V.6:11, she committed herself to the Great Commission. She went down to the garden to be united with the Presence of God, so now she turns her burden into prayer and says, "Let us go together to the gardens. Let us go to the fields and villages.
F. She expresses her eagerness to embrace inconvenience and diligence in her labor.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" (Revelation 22:17)
V.7:11b - “let us go out into the fields”
A. The Bride's commitment to the Great Commission.
B. The field speaks of the worldwide harvest.
“Behold…look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! (John 4:35)
"He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. "The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom… (Mathew 13:37-38)
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field… (Matthew 13:44)
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field… (1 Corinthians 3:9)
C. The harvest field of service begins in our neighborhood, our job, and especially in our family. However, some will move to another part of the Earth in the long term. Some will go short-term. The field is where God has sovereignty placed you. The harvest field is every place on the Earth where human beings live. The harvest field is right in our neighborhood.
D. She uses the word "us" four times in V.7:11-12 indicating that they are together enjoying spiritual intimacy. “Let us go.” “Let us lodge.” “Let us get up early.” “Let us see.” There is a mature partnership between the Bride and Jesus.
V.7:11c – “and lodge in the villages”
A. The “villages” speak of the many small unpopulated areas on the Earth that He wants to build His church. The villages are in the plural, whereas the field is singular. These little villages speak of the small rural areas outside the larger cities. The villages are the small parts of the harvest. She was accustomed to being in the big cities, but now she goes to the out-of-the-way villages.
B. She sees value in the whole church, not just her areas of responsibility and not in just the prominent places. She cares about the little unheard-of down-and-out places. She has said “yes” to sacrificial servanthood in the villages.
C. The first time that she arose to serve the church, she went to the city (V. 3:1). Now she is even willing to go to the villages, which are unknown and lack the economic abilities of the cities. In other words, she values the little villages that some of the others won’t go to, not just the big cities. God cares for the unknown people and places. They are still on the Beloved’s agenda. Some people who don’t live in the big city think they’ve missed out on God's purpose.
D. She has a desire for other ministries outside her own. These fields of service are in contrast to caring only for "her sphere of ministry." She wants to help other places blossom in God's purpose. She sees their importance to God. Great is the day when a leadership team views other ministries in the same city as very important. The Beloved's heart is ravished over all the churches in His field.
E. In the midst of a revival, she stays focused on the First Commandment
“Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, `Bring up this people.'…He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. "…So the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name." (Exodus 33:12-17)
1. She only wanted to go to the fields and the villages if they went together as she originally prayed in V. 1:4, "Let us run together." Paul taught the church to labor with the grace of God.
I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. (Mark 16:20)
For we are God's fellow workers…(1 Corinthians 3:9)
2. The Bride's obedience to Jesus' initial call for her to arise and come. Come, my Beloved, let us GO FORTH to the field…the villages. (V.7:11)
3. In her early days, when she was behind the wall, on the bed, at the banqueting table, Jesus asked her to "arise and come" (V. 2:10,13). However, she refused to leave her comfort zone (V. 2:17). Now she asks Him to "Come...let us go forth." In other words, at the end of her journey she fearlessly and eagerly asks Jesus to come to leap on mountains with her. She has matured significantly in her faith and obedience. Now she is praying, “arise and come God.” The very words He used in SONG 2 that she turned down, she is now speaking to Him. It is in her heart now. His heart and her heart are one.
4. She is willing to stay for a season in remote places.
3. The pomegranates represent individual Christians (4:13). Paul wanted to see each person cared for individually (Colossians 1:28). There are many levels of growth among different individuals. She paid specific attention to each individual. She wanted to cultivate the purpose of God in individual people.
L. She goes to discern the needs of others
N. How four main causes can diminish our first love:
"I know your works, your labor, your patience…and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent. (Revelation. 2:2-5)
1. By getting our identity from our ministry function. This causes us to be unable to receive correction without defensiveness. Do not yield to discouragement that comes with criticism. All leaders experience criticism, which sometimes distracts them from intimacy.
2. We must avoid pride traps in serving with a Messiah complex. In other words, if we don't do it, nobody will, and then we imagine that the purpose of God will fall apart. Therefore, we overwork. We must be free to release responsibility to others. Do not be a workaholic with a "Martha complex" (Luke 10:38-42). We must know others can do God’s work.
3. We must overcome fear and jealousy as we promote the labor of others. Team ministry is essential. Let others do it. Some overwork themselves because they do not want anybody else to have the affection of their people. They lose their intimacy by overworking, related to fear and jealousy. They don't want anybody else in their position.
4. We must avoid the perils of the perfectionist, letting the work be done without the anxiety of making mistakes
V.7:12a – “let us go out early to the vineyards”
A. The Bride is going to visit the Beloved’s vineyard and other places to help the workers. She invests herself outside of her little sphere of influence. These are labors in ministry that are not necessarily under her sphere of authority.
B. She is no longer self-absorbed. She cares very much about the condition of the other vineyards, not just her own life.
C. An expression of spiritual maturity is to have a genuine interest in the spheres of others. It is one thing to serve that which helps our specific sphere of ministry. But the Lord wants us to invest in other parts of the Kingdom that have no direct bearing upon us.
V.7:12b - “and see if the vines have budded”
A. To “see” the budding vine of the immature part of the church is to recognize the value and needs associated with it.
B. She takes time to get acquainted with the needs of others. She wants to see if God's purposes are maturing in other places.
C. The budding vines, the grape blossoms, and the blooming pomegranates speak of the different types of people and ministries, both mature and immature, in the Lord's work (V.4:12,13; 6:11).
1. In V.2:11-13, The Beloved promised that the Lord's field was about to come forth in fruitfulness. Now, she sees that He was true to His promises.
V.7:12c – “whether the grape blossoms have opened”
1. The Beloved used the prophetic exhortation of the budding vine to motivate her to leave her comfort zone. She believes God to see the vine bud as the Beloved prophetically promised her in order to motivate her to get off her bed (V.2:11-13).
V.7:12d – “and the pomegranates are in bloom”
A. The Beloved is quietly watching His beautiful Bride, checking to see if the vine flourished, and touching the pomegranates to see if there were buds.
1. Pomegranates (when broken) are red yet very sweet. In other words, her ministry is sweet to God.
B. The Beloved sees how important they are to her heart.
1. We are to seek God for which areas He is giving to us as an inheritance and wait for His time to launch forth to do the above activities.
V.7:12e – “there I will give you my love”
A. She is saying, “There I will give you my love,” not just in isolation, in the fields of selfless labor for others where the risks of persecution, mistreatment, and conflicts.
B. The mature Bride will not diminish her passionate love for the Beloved. She gave Him her love at the banqueting table under the shade tree. She loved to sing worship songs. He wanted her love as she went to the mountains with Him. At first, she refused to give Him her love in the mountains. She would only give Him her love under the shade tree, at the table, on the bed, behind the wall. He wanted her love in active partnership in the fields and villages of the nations.
1. The Beloved wants her to bring together intimacy and servanthood without losing one or the other, even when there are disappointments.
2. She has fully embraced running and drawing. The Lord’s goal is to draw us into intimacy and to run in ministry. In other words, to love Him while we're ministering.
a. Some of God's servants lose their intimacy because of the burden of the labor in ministry. There are many ways that we can lose our intimacy in the midst of labor.
b. She is still a lover of God in the midst of the pressures of the immature Body of Christ. She will give Him her love not just in isolation but also in the midst of labor, warfare, sacrifice, persecution, and conflicts. The Father commissioned Him to rule the nations with a Bride that loves Him. This speaks of undistracted love. In the eternal city, we will labor in ministry and experience full intimacy with God without any hindrance. God is raising a church that will maintain spiritual intimacy in the place of difficulty, persecution, and disappointment.
3. The Lord plans to have a Bride who works with Him as she extravagantly loves Him.
4. It is one thing to give the Beloved our love in a private with no distractions. It is a different thing to give Him our love in the battle when we are being mistreated and abused. There are many emotions in the battle that get stirred up. It is tough in the battle, but that is where He wants our love.
V.7:13a - "The mandrakes give forth fragrance”
A. The “mandrakes” (= 'Love-Plant' (Round, reddish-purple, apple-like love fruit with a beautiful fragrance - used as an aphrodisiac) appeared in the fields at the time of wheat harvest. This speaks of the deeper love they now have, which will lead to many lives being 'born' into His purposes. It was a time of rejoicing and celebration, a time of first fruits offered to the Lord, a time of praising God for His blessings. There is a celebration by the angels as the Lord proudly invites them to see what His redemptive love has created - the heaven-sent, sweet fragrance of the mandrakes; when His heart is locked in holy unity with His submissive bride.
1. In the Old Testament, the mandrake fruit was first known as a love fruit in the story of barren Rachel and her sister Leah. The only other time outside of the SONG that the mandrake fruit is mentioned in Scripture is this reference to Rachel and Leah. The Scripture best interprets the Scripture. Therefore, even to this day, the mandrake fruit is a part of some Jewish traditions as a love fruit.
“Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!" (Genesis 30:1)
“Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." But she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night.” (Genesis 30:14-16)
2. Throughout history, people have believed that the mandrake fruit produces a higher chance of fertility. Therefore, it was called a love fruit. Barren women in ancient times used to use the mandrake fruit to enhance their chances of bearing children.
3. The mandrakes speak of their love together. Their romance gives off a fragrance. This speaks of their deep love giving off fragrance as they labor together in the coming harvest. This harvest is maturing as Jesus promised (V.2:12-13). The grace of God has blossomed as a fragrance in her life as she has combined intimacy with Jesus and a heart to serve others.
4. This is another fulfillment of Jesus' promise that the flowers would appear on the Earth (V. 2:12).
“I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…” (John 15:16)
V.7:13b - “and beside our doors”
A. 'Doors/Gates' speak of channels of blessing in our life for a flow of blessing to come from inside us, flowing out to bless many (gates are doorways - entrances and exit to places). The 'pleasant fruit' talks of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, which will be a powerful witness to others ('feeding' them).
B. Their doors speak of that which is under her authority. It also speaks of that which is within her proximity or her spiritual experience. In other words, that which is right next to her or right at the door.
C. Doors also represent the many and varied opportunities to serve. She is so overjoyed to share with her Beloved all the blessings going through the gates of opportunity have brought to her heart. His gates are her gates (“our”). He chooses each gate in which they will enter and minister together.
"...I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands." (Psalm 143:5).
"I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works." (Psalm 145:5).
V.7:13c “are all choice fruit’s new as well as old'
A. There’s tremendous diversity, both old and new.” In Matthew 13:52, Jesus said that the Scribes take out of their treasure that which is old and that which is new. This is the combination of her ministry flowing out of seasoned truths, seasoned victories, and seasoned experiences in her life.
B. “New” - speaks of drawing from new insights and in God. Fresh experiences are always coming because the treasury of God is deep and full. The new speaks of the fresh, the new experiences, the new insights that are coming alongside the proven truths of her history.
C. “Old” - speaks of drawing from seasoned truths in our past experiences with God.
1. There’s a tremendous diversity. There are new things that are happening, surprising things that are happening in her ministry, as well as the old established proven things that God has shown her in days gone by. The point is that when the Spirit of God begins to break out, we can expect some of the prominent things that are from historic revivals. But we can expect new things, all manner of new dimensions in God’s breakthrough when His power lays hold of the
palm tree in a full way.
2. Within us is a treasure (old and new) – The Beloved has laid up for us a treasure and also new pleasant things (laid up for us before time (Isaiah 64:4). What we have learned before (old) must remain and be the foundation upon which the new experiences God takes us through can be built upon. Then, we will have an abundance, a wealth of 'fruit' to pour out into others.
