Summary: The Bride in perfect union and communion with her Beloved, ministers to her younger, spiritually immature sister.

V.8:1 O that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me.

2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother - she who used to teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranate.

3 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!

4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor.

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, Jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.

7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.

Final Advice

Others

8 We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? 9 if she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver, but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

She

10 I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace.

11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

13 O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice;

let me hear it.

She

14 Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

OVERVIEW:

The Bride in perfect union and communion with her Beloved, ministers to her younger, spiritually immature sister. As the Bride and her Beloved come up out of the wilderness, she leans completely on Him for strength and guidance. One of the most sacred moments in the life of the Bride comes when the Beloved asks her to set Him as a seal upon her heart and her arm. The Beloved entrusts her with His vineyard, her personal one, as He leaves to minister in other vineyards. There is no hurt but just a longing for Him to return to her very quickly. The SONG ends with the Mountain of spices instead of the mountains of Bether (division). There is perfect harmony between the Beloved and His wonderful Bride.

V8:1a,b – “O that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you”

A. She is speaking this in the form of a prayer. She longs to show her loyalty and affection to Him in public boldly.

1. She wishes that the Beloved was like her brother. It was improper to express public affection to members of the opposite sex who were not in the immediate family. A young woman of that time in history could be more "familiar in public" with her brother than her fiancé. They could give no public display of affection unless it were with a family member

2. Even after being promised marriage, they still couldn't hold hands in public. However, she could hold hands in public with her brother.

B. She longs to be more intimate with the Beloved, even when out in the public place. She has the boldness of the Holy Spirit breaking into her life to show her full partnership with Jesus.

C. A brother who nursed at her mother's breasts spoke of a full brother instead of a half-brother. Children from the same mother are meant here as contrasted to children with one father but different mothers.

1. In ancient times, a man who had several wives usually had many children. These siblings with a different mother were often rivals in the same household instead of friendly.

2. She is referring to a full-blood brother. In other words, an intimate brother.

3. She is saying, “I wish you were like my full blood brother because then I would express anything I wanted to, but as it is, I have to hold myself back”.

4. She recognizes the necessity to be restrained in aspects of her romance with Jesus

D. In those days, it was the duty of the oldest girl in the family to look after her little baby brother. This was totally acceptable to others, and much affection could be freely displayed. Others despise her due to her relationship with the Beloved, and she cries out because of this.

E. As we fall deeply in love with the Beloved and start to express this love in the presence of others, we will find some 'religious' people offended. They will start to point the finger and try to quench this love. However, the quality of love displayed now is unquenchable as outcasts 'outside the camp', but this is God's leading, so we can be a powerful testimony outside the confines of the Church (a church without walls).

V8:1b - "None would despise me"

A. She knows that she will be despised if she is too bold in public. She would not be despised if all the people had an intimate understanding of the Beloved as she did. She could kiss a brother in public and not be despised. She feels the liberty to share fully with those who have a spiritual understanding so that it edifies them.

“Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” (1 Corinthians 14:23)

B. She is filled with boldness but she understands that it is not appropriate for her to express the fullness of everything that God has given her. She refuses to show forth the fullness of her intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

C. Some think if they find or experience God in a public place they should express it all regardless of the context. However, we are not to show forth all of our intimacy; rather, she restrains it until she is in a proper setting. She is bursting with love and finds it difficult to hold it back!”. But she does. The Word of God teaches us to do that. We don’t express everything God gives us in every setting. Some people do.

“Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” (1 Corinthian 8:1)

D. She is walking in boldness combined with humility and restraint

1. Her spiritual modesty is an expression of her spiritual maturity. She desires fully to express her faith. She possesses the boldness in public ministry to overcome anything. The boldness is already there. She’s bursting on the inside. She wishes there were no restrains of wisdom because her heart is fully alive. She wishes that she could share everything that she thinks and feels every time, everywhere!

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who…was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter…of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities…But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be...And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:1-7)

2. Paul, the apostle, made a number of statements about restraining our spiritual liberties for the sake of others. in other words, so that others would be enriched in love and understanding.

“to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews…to those who are without law, as without law…that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel's sake… (1 Corinthians 9:20-23)

E. She is praying for help in three distinct areas that concern how she relates to the Beloved in public.

1. She desires to overcome fear fully - she wants the boldness in her public ministry to overcome fear of rejection and persecution. She is praying the equivalent of one of the apostolic prayers for boldness (Acts 4:29; Ephesians 6:19). She knows that it takes boldness to display her intimate partnership with Beloved.

2. She desires to walk in love fully - she wishes that she never had to show restraint of her liberty or the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. However, she knows that on some occasions, in the wisdom of God, it is necessary to have some restraint because of love for those who do not understand. Paul taught this principle of restraining some of our liberty for the sake of others (Romans 14:14-15:2). Paul also taught this principle of restraining the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in some settings for the benefit of others (1 Corinthians 14:20,23-33;6-19).

3. She desires to walk in humility fully - she wishes that she never had to show restraint in speaking about the precious revelations that the Beloved gave her. Beloved Himself taught us that it was inappropriate to cast our pearls before swine (Matt 7:6). She does not want to conceal Him in any way. However, because of the hardness of man's heart, it is necessary to be wise as a serpent by not revealing all that God has given us (Matt 10:16).

F. She brings to the most difficult places

V.8:2a – “I would lead you”

A. She longs to be big-sister to him ('lead you into the house of my mother') so they can be freer in their affection for each other - to experience more joy (wine) and love (pomegranates) together. In short, she longs to be MORE INTIMATE with Him no matter what others are saying!

B. She wants to bring Him, not to establish herself. The object of her boldness is to magnify the Beloved. When we try to establish ourselves, we fall into the fear of man. As we can live before an audience of One, and as we feel His approval, then we can sense a note of victory in our spirit even when we are rejected by people.

V.8:2b - "and bring you into the house of my mother"

1. "into the house" – she wants to bring a deep revelation of Beloved to the church so as to stir them to passionate obedience and risk-taking faith. She began to do this in 3:4. She is praying for grace to bring the new things that God gave her to those with whom she had long-term relationships. There is sometimes great difficulty in obeying God in the place of familiar relationships.

2. She commits to resisting all compromise, especially in the midst of familiar relationships.

V.8:2c – “she who used to teach me.”

A. She will stand for her deeper understanding of the Beloved in the midst of her long-term relationships.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. (2 Corinthians 5:16)

B. She is willing to minister the deep truths of the Beloved even in the context of the people who know her after the flesh. The part of the church that is most familiar and thus is least respectful.

C. The Beloved allows the Bride to lead and bring Him into places that honor Him

V.8:2d – “I would give you spiced wine to drink ”

A. "I would give you spiced wine to drink" – she commits to Him and promises faithful service to His every desire, attending to Him as the hostess of a party diligently serves her honored guest.

B. Wine mixed with spices is more expensive and enjoyable. Such wine is far more expensive, yet it is far more enjoyable to the guests. For a host to give their guest spiced wine was to give them your very highest and your very best. Her deepest prayer and desire are to be able to give her highest and best wines to the Beloved as He has given to her.

C. She stands up for what the Beloved stands up for. Even in the most familiar relationships, she wants to give Him the best wines. She does not want to be intimidated by anything. She wants no barriers in her heart in the harvest. She is living a lifestyle of no compromise, in which she does not water down any issue but gives Him the very best that she can serve Him.

V.8:2e - "the juice of my pomegranate"

A. There is a very different lesson the Beloved is trying to teach here than in the other two verses where “pomegranate” is mentioned.

1. In V.4:3 and V.6:7, the Beloved speaks of a “slice of pomegranate,” which He used as a description of her. It was not actually in her possession. Here, it is her pomegranate.

a. In 4:3 and 6:7, she had some but not all of the characteristics of a pomegranate in her life, which was the worship of her Beloved. Now, she gives Him the juice of the fruit.

b. To extract juice, the pomegranate must be crushed. The Beloved was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities, and it pleased the Lord to bruise (crush) Him (Isaiah 53:5,10).

c. What has been crushed in her life is her will. There is no greater act of worship you could give your Beloved than the crucified life (Romans 6:6-14). There is no greater offering than to present your body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1).

V.8.3a "His left hand is under my head”

A. A physical embrace is easy to discern; thus, it speaks of the manifest activity of God, who supports her head. The Beloved allows Himself to be found by her (8:1) as He manifests His embrace to her. The embrace of God tenderizes her heart.

B. Her head speaks of the Beloved touching her, giving wisdom and perspective. This enlightens her understanding.

C. God's left hand touching her UNDER her head speaks of the activity of God that she can't see because it is under her head.

1. "His left hand" speaks of God's indiscernible activity. It is the hand 00we can't see.

2. We will never know how many interventions of God have taken place in our lives. We have missed so many collisions emotionally, relationally, financially, and physically because God intervened to stop them before they ever occurred. We can't begin to be aware of the schemes of the enemy that the Lord cut off.

3. The manifestation of God's discernable love and intervention.

V.8:3b - “His right hand embraces me”

A. "His right hand embraces me" refers to the manifest activity of God. This speaks of the obvious visible blessings of God.

1. She acknowledges the embrace of God as the power of her life. this is similar to when she acknowledged the power of her heart as His desire being toward her (V.7:10).

2. She speaks about the right and left hand of God. He is embracing her by manifesting Himself in several different ways through the right and left hand.

a. The right hand of God is that which is overt and obvious and embraces her so she can feel it.

b. The left hand of God which is hidden behind her head, so she can’t see it.

c. When prophetic promises (V.7:8) are combined with intercession (V.7:11–8:1) it increases the visible and invisible activity of God. It is the working of both the right and the left hand that bring her to maturity, as do both the north and the south winds Vv.4:16).

d. This passage is quoted two times in (V.8:3; 2:6). He is answering her prayer to be close to her (V8:1) as well as fulfilling His promise to lay hold of her (V.7:8). The relationship is so close that she is described as leaning on Him (V.8:5).

V.8:4a – “ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

A. "I adjure you" – the Beloved speaks with authority and purpose to others in the Body of Christ. This is the third time in the Song that He charges them in this way (V.2:7; 3:5). However, in this passage, the phrase from V.3V.5, "by the gazelles or by the does of the field" is omitted because the Bride is so stable so as not to need the sensitive approach rather the exhortation is to avoid division that force her to heal thus, hindering her effectiveness.

B. The daughters of Jerusalem were the immature members of the Body who we vulnerable to be manipulated by those with bad motives so as to with the Beloved's plan in the Bride's ministry.

V8:4b – “that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.”

A. "You do not stir up or awaken." Don't disturb her during this strategic season of her life.

B. "Love until it pleases" – she must not be distracted from the working of God's love in her midst by the religious reasonings of the carnal, insensitive daughters. This is an abundant release of the grace of God blending together intimacy and servanthood.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

"My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches." (Psalm 63:5-6)

V.8:5a - “Who is that coming up”

A. “Coming up” speaks of her victory in the midst of testing, temptations, and difficulties that purified her in this life.

1. In V.2:8-10, the Bride was urged by the Beloved to rise up to go with Him to the mountains. In fear, she refused. The mountains of spices are before her in V. 8:14. She now ascends in full love and victory. This passage describes one of the great days of our life.

V.8:5b - “from the wilderness”

A. The “wilderness,” in a personal sense of life, speaks of our testing, temptations, and difficulties in this life as God trains us in righteousness, as well as the fallen world that is filled with sinful human beings and under the influence of the enemy.

B. In V.3:6, the Holy Spirit asked this same question, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness?” He was describing the Beloved coming up after the Cross and in the resurrection from the wilderness of this fallen world as He ascended to the right hand of the Father. Now, in V.8:5, the Bride comes up from the wilderness in His embrace (V.8:4).

C. The Beloved sees the people of God come up in victory through the wilderness. She comes up. She is not descending; rather, she is ascending. She did not quit in the wilderness.

D. This final stage of love shows the Bride coming into full maturity in her love relationship with her Beloved. It reveals the true nature of agape (self-sacrificing) love, both in our relationship with the Beloved and in a Godly marriage.

E. The Bride leans 100% on her Beloved and is totally His. The love they have is so strong that nothing can tear them apart. Here, we see a beautiful picture of the quality of people God is looking for in His Church and what should constitute a mature, godly marriage. He looks for people who lean totally on Jesus and who long to bring others into this quality of relationship with Him - those who give their lives to do His will and who look towards His glorious second coming!

1. The goal of love V.8:5-14

(a) Leaning on Him (8:5a):

(b) Great Awakening (8:5b):

(c) The Strength of the Love of God (8:6-7):

(d) The Call to Discipleship (8:8-9):

(e) The Call to Maturity (8:10):

(f) The Lord of the Harvest (8:11-12):

(g) The Cry for Him to Come (8:13-14):

V.8:5c - “leaning on her beloved?

A. The Beloved is “the lover of her soul, her Beloved. The ascending Bride so loves Him. She calls Him Beloved as she leans on Him. She comes up victorious in love.

“I saw… a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast… standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” (Revelation 15:2)

B. Divine love revealed and imparted is the only way that we will not quit in the wilderness.

1. Anybody can quit except a person in love.

2. When we are tempted to quit, the big obstacle in our path is that we really love God. Her gratitude and love for the Beloved is the motivation behind her diligent life of obedience, not the religious motivation of shame, fear, and guilt.

C. She fully embraces weakness as she acknowledges the Beloved as her only life goal and life source.

D. She is leaning as one who is fully dependent on Him. He Himself is now her life goal and her source of supply. She is saying, “You are the Reason I live, and You are the Source from which I live.”

E. She is resting in the Beloved’s embrace (V. 8:3) as she embraces voluntary weaknesses.

1. John the Apostle leaned on the Beloved’s breast

“Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” (John 13:23)

2. Mary of Bethany poured her life out in love for The Beloved and is a picture of a woman in the New Testament leaning and loving The Beloved.

3. The Holy Spirit has prepared a bride with a loving and learning heart. This is one of the key truths of the whole SONG.

E. The Beloved’s strategy is to produce in her an attitude of total dependency on Him (Jeremiah 9:23; 1 Corinthians 1:31). Paul said that he has no confidence in his flesh, but he glories Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:3). Paul spoke of leaning upon Jesus alone for wisdom, for provision and for sanctifying in influences, etc. (1 Corinthians 1:30).

1. The history of God’s people reveals that we don’t often lean and love in the midst of blessing. Eventually, we stand in our strength, becoming our source. We often use the blessing of God to further our own ends.

2. The heart of a fallen man is not prone to lean. Our hearts are prone to self-assertion and a spirit of independence.

3. The Beloved wants to anoint His people in a way that leads them to lean and love even in times of blessing

F. She has a deep revelation of her inadequacies and weaknesses. The Holy Spirit has revealed these to her in a way that has created a dependency in her heart.

1. In the wilderness season of testing, the Beloved revealed her and the weakness of her flesh. Walking in the knowledge of our weaknesses is a great sign of maturity.

2. She comes up with an understanding of who she is in the flesh, as well as who she is in the Holy Spirit. Her first confession in V.1:5 was “I am dark, but lovely.” She has come to a mature understanding of both issues. She holds them in proper balance.

3. Even at the end of his life, Paul the apostle said, “I am a chief sinner.” That did not mean that he sinned more than other people. Paul meant that he had more revelation of his sin than anybody around him.

G. Ways that we lean upon Jesus

1. For salvation- she trusted in His work on the cross, not in her own deeds.

2. For attaining victory - learning involves looking to her present-tense relationship with the Holy Spirit as her source of power. She does not trust her discipline nor in her religious rules. Neither does she look to her past victories nor her past defeats.

a. She won’t trust in her own rules or religious regulations. What she trusts in is the active present-tense fellowship with the Holy Spirit. That is the source of her power.

b. She leans on Him in humility. This leaning involves the reaching of our heart to the person of the Holy Spirit. There is no self-sufficiency or trust in her own heart. She won’t even lean on her past victories. She has a deep revelation of her inadequacy and sinfulness. She does not trust her discipline.

3. For wholeness - She has laid down the self-protecting behavior that “shields” her heart from risks and conflicts. She depends upon Him with genuine vulnerability. He is working in our lives to bring us to a discovery of our inadequacies.

4. For direction - in God’s plan, the ordering of our steps takes divine intervention to help circumstances line up correctly. She understands that she does not have the wisdom or power to arrange her own life. It takes a sovereign King who has all knowledge of the future and power over all circumstances. She is no longer leaning upon her own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

5. For provision - the Lord arranges circumstances in a way that He alone is seen as her source of supply. She has the confidence to take a nap in the boat in the midst of a storm, because she has confidence in the provision of God.

G. The Beloved wants a Bride who voluntarily remains in weakness as she feels the power of the Holy Spirit on her. This is how Beloved walked while on the Earth.

1. She voluntarily chooses to submit her strengths or resources to the Holy Spirit in weakness rather than use them to establish her strength in natural things.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS." THEREFORE MOST GLADLY I WILL RATHER BOAST IN MY INFIRMITIES, THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 - emphasis mine)

1. She voluntarily embraces weakness in the way she uses her spiritual influence with people who desire to receive from her as well as those who resist or oppose her.

2. She does not use anger and strife to pay back those who oppose her.

3. She refuses to take advantage of those who will do anything for her.

4. She refuses to direct people using her spiritual authority.

5. She refuses to manipulate in ministry contexts

a. Hype

b. Pretense

6. She refuses fleshly exhibition in her ministry style.

a. Showmanship and theatrics

b. She is modest in her ministry style

H. She voluntarily embraces weakness in the way she spends her money.

1. She continues in her conviction to minister to the poor even as abundant finances are available as a result of the anointing on her life.

2. She continues in the fasted lifestyle in the midst of economic prosperity in her ministry.

V8:5d - “Under the apple tree”

A. The apple tree is the place of refreshment. The refreshment of the apple tree is where she received a life-changing revelation of His love (V.2:3).

B. The Beloved is reminding her of her beginnings in the refreshment of God’s grace. When she had no thoughts of God, God awakened her heart by refreshing her with His kindness. He is bringing her back to her beginning.

V8:5e - “I awakened you”

A. The Beloved reminds her that He awakened her at the very beginning when she was first under the apple tree.

1. He accomplished this when He knocked on the door of a compromising Laodicean church to awaken it to holy passion (Rev. 3:20). It is the power of His knock that awakens the church, and the door is opened.

2. The Beloved awakens us, and then we respond in obedience.

3. God is the author of our natural and spiritual birth.

V.8:5f – “There your mother”

A. The church is the mother from V.3:11. However, the agency He uses for our natural birth is a woman, i.e., our mother. God is our father, and the church is spoken of as our mother. Paul spoke of the New Jerusalem (the church in the eternal city) as our “Mother” (Galatians 4:26).

1. She speaks of the impact that her mother, or the church, had upon her in the plan of God.

2. The church effectively brought her forth. During times of crisis, she wanted to leave her involvement in the body of Christ. At key times, He always directed her and even mandated her to find herself in the midst of the people of God. At the very end, the Beloved says to her, “Didn’t I tell you the truth? You thought it would be easier on the outside, but I caused you to have to face issues, and I brought you forth in the context of the people of God.”

V.8:5g - “was In Labor with you”

A. The church ministered to her effectively, bringing her into the refreshing love of God’s grace. She led the Beloved into the house of her mother (V.8:2).

V.8:5h - “There she who bore you”

A. The Beloved reminds her of her spiritual lineage. We owe much to the church through history that labored to bring us forth. He wants us to be grateful to our spiritual roots instead of despising them. He also wants us to acknowledge the whole church that contributed to our progress today and not just to those who believe just like us.

V.8:5i - “was in Labor”

A. The statement is repeated twice in this verse for emphasis.

V.8:6a,b,c,d - “Set me”

A. NIV translates the phrase “set Me” as “place Me.” NAS translates it as “put Me.”

B. The Beloved invites us to an active present-tense partnership with the Holy Spirit. When He says, “Set Me,” He is saying come into partnership with the Holy Spirit, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, or intimacy with Beloved.

1. David said, “I have set the Lord continually before me” (Psalm 16:8). Set or place the Beloved on your heart by communing with Him.

2. He is inviting us to an active present-tense partnership with the Holy Spirit. An important part of cooperating with the Holy Spirit is the posture of the soul that is reaching to Him for fellowship.

V.8:6 “as a seal”

A. The seal of love on the heart speaks of her affections as she lives out the first commandment, “You shall love the Lord God with your whole heart.”

B. The Beloved is the bridal seal and is made of Divine fire. The Seal is none other than the power of Beloved released by the Holy Spirit, called the “Fire of God.” He is extending an invitation to her to take Him as the seal on her heart. The Divine guarantee is behind His seal. Seal speaks of a king’s guarantee. God is putting a Seal on the heart of His people. He protects and guarantees what is in the Seal.

1. In the ancient world, royal documents such as title deeds and military strategies were authenticated by a royal wax seal. The king encased the document in wax; then he put his seal. The seal covered the entire document, and then the king used his signet ring to seal the document. It was like a personal signature because a king’s seal was distinguished from another, so the king receiving the document could know that it came from Caesar.

a. This wax seal spoke of the king’s ownership, protection, and authority.

b. Breaking a royal seal was a serious crime, leading to the death penalty. If even a government official broke the royal seal without the king’s permission, he would be put to death.

C. God is imparting love to her heart unto intimacy with God and community with people. This seal fulfills both elements of her original prayer in V.1:4 - to be “drawn” into intimacy and to “run” unto community.

1. The sealed heart speaks of her affections and emotions being impacted by the power of God

a. The seal speaks of the way that we carry our hearts or the way we identify and define our lives. In other words, how do we determine our spiritual identity

b. Our past victories are not the seal. The seal is fellowship with Beloved in the Holy Spirit.

2. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit the day we are Born Again. This seal includes the manifestation of the presence of God in our hearts, which causes us to grow in love over the years.

a. It is the wedding ring; it is the earnest payment. At the new birth, we are officially engaged with the Beloved.

3. God wants to cause our hearts to be sealed with His presence to come forth in love in a greater way.

D. This is the cry of the Bride. In Old Testament times, a seal was used to indicate ownership of a person's valued possessions (a mark of ownership). The Bride asked to be her Beloved's most valued possession, both internally (heart) and externally (arm), both in their unseen times together and also in the times when all can see. Also, the seal bears the image of the one who owns us. His image must be in our hearts (the center of our being) and our arms (all we do).

V.8:6b - “As a seal upon your arm”

A. He first says, “Set Me as a seal upon your heart,” then says, “Set me as a seal upon your arm,” Both of the two great commandments are spoken of here.

1. The arm speaks of our work, and the heart speaks of our affection.

2. The seal of love upon the arm speaks of the second commandment, wholehearted love for people.

3. The seal upon the arm speaks of the ability to impart this passion for God to others through our labors.

B. The sealed arm speaks of the sanctified acts of Christians instead of the arm of the flesh. This speaks of Holy Spirit-inspired activities. All of her activities are focused and limited to doing the will of God while refusing every ministry idea and opportunity that does not flow from the Holy

Spirit.

1. This speaks of the discernment and willingness to say no to the arm of the flesh activities.

2. We want an arm that is sealed in the love of God. It means that we don’t just go through the mechanics of ministry, but we actually impart this Seal to others through our arm of ministry.

D. The Seal on the arm is more than imparting passion. Beloved wants to protect us in our labors so that we don’t burn out. So that we don’t end up quitting because of pain or shame. It is so much more difficult to keep our passion fresh and alive in the midst of ministry. The Seal of love on our arm is also protection from compromise and defilement in our ministry. It is easy to become defiled in the midst of laboring. It is easy to become bitter as people lack gratitude after we serve them. Beloved desires that this holy passion protect her from compromise and defilement as she serves other people.

E. The Bride wants to be drawn into intimacy (1:4), and she wants to run with Him in ministry. The two commandments - the heart and the arm include intimacy and impact. In other words, being a worshiper and yet being a help to people

V.8:6c – “for love is as strong as death.”

A. The seal of love that is like the grave is a seal that is prevailing, all-comprehensive, and all-powerful. In other words, no area in our life is outside the scope of the power of this redeeming, transforming Divine love.

B. This passage shows us three aspects of love described in the Song of Solomon.

1. It SEALS us (V.6a).

2. It is STRONG (V.6b-7a).

3. It is very SPECIAL (V.7b).

C. The final statement about this love depicted in the SONG shows how priceless and special it is. All of one's wealth would be totally inadequate to purchase such love. In fact, such material possessions would be despised because His Love cannot be bought. Any attempt to do so would depersonalize it.

1. This fire of love manifests itself by tenderizing our hearts so that we feel some of what He feels. Our hearts are by nature hard, dull, and insensitive to the things that God feels. There is nothing more precious and pleasant to us than to be empowered to feel what He feels. It takes God’s help for us to be able to feel God. The love of God is poured into the heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

V8:6d – “Jealousy is fierce as the grave; …”

A. The nature of this imparted love is comprehensive. Nothing created can overpower it. Just as death consumes everything, so also nothing will escape the grasp of God's love that He will give to us.

… but according to the power of an indestructible life. (Hebrews 7:16 (NAS)

1. Anger is destructible. Lust is destructible. Demonic bondages are destructible, but God's Spirit, when yielded to, is indestructible. It can overpower every single human bondage when we consistently fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

B. The jealousy of God claims everything in our life if we expose ourselves to it.

C. The grave is cruel or unyielding in that it demands the total submission of all. No one escapes it. Nothing escapes the severe grasp of the grave in the natural order of things. Nothing escapes the power of this holy severe love.

D. The Beloved will release a love upon us that is as comprehensive as death and the grave. This love will include every secret area of life. We long for a comprehensive love that captures every area of our lives for The Beloved. We don’t have to live in failure.

V.8:6d - “its flashes”

A. The source of this power and impact is the flame of God, which speaks of the Holy Spirit.

B. God’s fire flashes in the human heart. A flash of fire comes powerfully, suddenly, and then soon wanes until the next flash. God’s fire often comes to us in this way. There are times when He tenderizes us suddenly as a flash of fire. Then, sometimes, as suddenly as it comes, it seems to leave. Our heart waits with great anticipation for the next visit of His flashing, tenderizing fire. No power can overpower the force of fire, water, death, or the grave. These are the most powerful metaphors of human life describing the power of the love of God in the conflict of the human heart against sin. In the same way, this divinely inspired love and jealousy cannot be overpowered by anything in the natural arena.

C. God’s fire flashes in the human heart. A flash of fire comes powerfully, suddenly, and then soon wanes until the next flash. God’s fire often comes to us in this way. There are times when He tenderizes us suddenly as a flash of fire. Then, sometimes, as suddenly as it comes, it seems to leave. Our heart waits with great anticipation for the next visit of His flashing, tenderizing fire.

1. One of the first revelations of God in Scripture is God is a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24).

2. In Daniel 7:10, when Daniel saw the throne of God, he saw a river of fire proceeding out of it. That river of fire is a picture of the Holy Spirit.

3. The river of God is a river of living water, but it is also a river of divine fire imparting passion in the hearts of God’s people for the Son of God.

4. Fire penetrates and purifies its object. This speaks of the impartation of divine love into the hearts of Christians by the Holy Spirit. This is the love of God poured into the heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Fire penetrates and purifies its object (Malachi 3: 1-6). This fire does not consume us, it only consumes the dross.

5. People often think of God’s fire first in terms of judgment. God’s fire is first an expression of His passionate emotion. Yes, it does destroy that which hinders love. His fire is first His love. The judgment aspect of God’s love is that which removes what hinders bridal love.

V.8:6e - “are flashes of fire the very flame of the Lord”

A. God is described as a consuming fire. His throne is ablaze with fire. There are wheels of fire under the throne.

1. There is a river of fire coming out of the throne.

2. The place where the saints stand to worship is on a sea of glass-like crystals that is mingled with flaming fire (Rev. 15:2).

3. The angels possess fire.

4. The atmosphere has fire all around it when Beloved returns. His eyes are filled with fire, and when He looks at His Bride, He will awaken the Divine fire in her all through eternity.

5. The bush next to Moses was not consumed by the fire (Ex.3: 2).

B. The Beloved is not jealous in a carnal way or that He is mad at anything. However, He is an emotional God. He has fiery emotions. He cares intensely about His people. He is a jealous, passionate, consuming ocean of fiery love for His people. He is a burning Fire of hot emotion.

C. This fire of love manifests itself by tenderizing our hearts so that we feel some of what He feels. Our hearts are by nature hard, dull, and insensitive to the things that God feels. There is nothing more precious and pleasant to us than to be empowered to feel what He feels. It takes God’s help for us to be able to feel God. The love of God is poured into the heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5).

D. One of the first revelations of God in Scripture is God as a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deut. 4:24).

1. He is not jealous in a carnal way. However, He is an emotional God. He has fiery emotions. He cares intensely about His people. He is a jealous, passionate, consuming ocean of fiery love.

2. His jealousy does not mean He is mad at everything. People think if God is jealous, He is mad all the time. His jealousy means He has a hot desire for His people. He is a burning Fire of hot emotion.

3. In Daniel 7:10, when Daniel saw the throne of God, he saw a river of divine fire proceeding out of it. That river of fire is a picture of the Holy Spirit as a river of living water imparting passion in the hearts of God’s people for the Son of God.

4. Fire penetrates and purifies its object. This speaks of the impartation of divine love into the hearts of Christians by the Holy Spirit. This is the love of God poured into the heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Fire penetrates and purifies its object (Mal. 3: 1-6). This fire does not consume us, it only consumes the dross.

5. People often think of God’s fire first in terms of judgment. God’s fire is first an expression of His passionate emotion. Yes, it does destroy that which hinders love. His fire is first His love. The judgment aspect of God’s love is that which removes what hinders bridal love.

V.8:7a – “Many waters cannot quench love.”

A. “Many waters” - Waters speak of the obstacles and pressures of everyday life that hinder us from receiving this impartation of divine love and holy jealousy.

1. Many waters of affliction cannot quench this kind of love because it is a supernatural work of God in the heart of the Lord Jesus.

2. Water naturally puts fire out. But this is a supernatural fire. It cannot be put out by any water in the natural.

3. There are many different types of waters in Scripture. These are negative waters that the enemy will use to try to quench Divine love in our souls.

4. There are many diverse waters to quench the fire of God in our hearts. It cannot quench” the impartation of divine love when we yield to it in our spirit in a consistent way. Why? Because it is the Father’s love for His own Son.

B. This passage refers to the love of God imparted to us so that we might become mature lovers of God. The very flame of God Himself is to be the seal upon our hearts. The source of love is God Himself. It has nothing to do with our personality or temperament. It has nothing to do with whether we have been abused or if we are addicted to pornography or drugs. It is stronger than any “sinful flame” in our life.

C. Five types of quenching waters

1. The first type of quenching waters are difficulties that tempt us to be offended with God because of their severity (Mark 4:17).

a. He declares that even the negative waters of disappointment like sickness, failure, cannot quench this flame.

b. We can overcome all of these things that would cause our hearts be quenched by disappointments.

2. The second type of quenching water is the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches (Mark 4:19).

3. The third type of quenching water is accusation and condemnation from the enemy as we experience our own failure in sin.

4. The fourth type of quenching waters is temptations. Joseph felt the waters of temptation when Potiphar’s wife said, “come lie with me.” But the fire of God was kindled in his heart, and the waters of immorality couldn’t put it out. There is a fire that keeps us loyal to God in the face of sinful pleasures.

5. The fifth type of quenching waters is prosperity. The enemy uses prosperity and pleasure on the one hand and then poverty and shame on the other to quench the impartation of the love of God.

V.8:7b – “neither can floods drown it”

A. “The floods” - of persecution. Floods speak of great obstacles that create great crises. A flood is not a positive thing. By the natural order of things, fire is extinguished by water. But not even a violent flooding river can put out this fire. This is not a natural fire. Nothing can put it out.

1. The waters are one thing, but the floods are an excessive amount of water.

V8:7c - “If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house”

A. The house is more than the specific home we live in. It speaks of his family inheritance and all that his family has accumulated over generations. It is speaking of everything about who we are in the past, present, and future. Love itself is the reward.

B. The Bride loves Him with all of her strength by the goodness of God. That is all that she ever wanted. Her reward is the love itself.

1. Paul gave up many things that gave him a tremendous future in fleshly standards. He considered them as rubbish when compared in the balance of the man Christ Jesus.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I ALSO COUNT ALL THINGS LOSS for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and COUNT THEM AS RUBBISH, that I may gain Christ… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (Philippians 3:7-10)

C. Such love despises recognition of being heroic and noble for giving all. The very love itself is the reward. She would despise the idea of comparing her sacrifices for Him as equal to His great love for her. She has received from the Spirit the kind of love that is free from self-awareness and self-congratulation.

F. In the beginning of her journey, she prayed for what she desired most. She asked for the kisses of His mouth (1:2). All she really wanted was the power to love God fully. Over the years, she received His kisses. Her heart became tenderized. This is her reward.

V8:7d – “he would be utterly despised.”

A. Suddenly, the Beloved shares this proverb about love.

1. Love itself is the reward!

2. She loves Him with all of her strength by the goodness of God. That is all that she ever wanted. Her reward is the love itself.

B. Paul gave up many things that gave him a tremendous future in fleshly standards. He considered them as rubbish when compared in the balance of the man Christ Jesus.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I ALSO COUNT ALL THINGS LOSS for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and COUNT THEM AS RUBBISH, that I may gain Christ… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (Philippians 3:7-10)

C. Such love despises recognition of being heroic and noble for giving all. The very love itself is the reward. She would despise the idea of comparing her sacrifices for Him as equal to His great love for her. She has received from the Spirit the kind of love that is free from self-awareness and self-congratulation.

D. Jesus taught new Christians to count the cost before they make sacrifices. Mature Christians already know that they do not give up anything comparable to what they first received. They despise recognition for what others call “sacrifice.” They want no recognition whatsoever because they did it in light of the indescribable beauty of Christ Jesus. It was for the Son of God who gave Himself.

E. In the beginning of her journey, she prayed for what she desired most. She asked for the kisses of His mouth (1:2). All she really wanted was the power to love God fully. Over the years, she received His kisses. Her heart became tenderized. This is her reward.

V.8:8a - “We have a little sister”

A. The Bride remembers her as a “sister” instead of forgetting her in order to move on to “deeper things.” She remembers the others that are a part of her family. Her little sister is immature yet is a recognized relative in the same family.

B. Little sister speaks of others, depicting spiritual immaturity. They have not yet been strengthened with a mature understanding of God. The Bride sees her for who she is and yet is not impatient with her. The Bride knows that she is a little sister and is thus at peace with her shortcomings.

1. This verse refers to the young maidens, or the daughters of Jerusalem, throughout the SONG. In V.6:1, the daughters ask to seek the Beloved with her.

2. Beloved calls Himself our brother and teaches that all who obey are His brothers and sisters in the new birth (Hebrews 2:11; Matthew 12:50).

C. While overflowing from the seal of bridal love from the last session (8:5-7), she now moves into intercession. The Bride is keenly aware of the spiritual condition of other members of the Body of Christ who are still babes in Christ. They are the ones who have not yet grown into mature spiritual love. Bridal love causes her to overflow so as to move right into intercession.

1. This shows the Bride's prayer concern for her little sisters.

2. She intercedes for the spiritually immature to be visited by the Beloved.

D. The Bride is referring to herself and the Beloved as having a co-responsibility to bring forth others to maturity. She feels the same towards the immature sisters as He does. He was ravished over them (4:9). He longed to see their face and hear their voice (2:14).

1. She joins the Beloved in a mature spiritual partnership. The Bride is speaking to the Beloved in this passage, “we are in this together.” She sees the need of the young ones as their mission together.

2. The young ones are spiritually unstable and easily moved by pressure. She has little faith and easily loses her courage when she is in a trial. She is easily filled with fear and quickly gives up in the midst of trials.

3. They lack passion for the Beloved and confidence before God in the midst of their weakness. They are easily condemned with accusations of failure.

G. The little sisters are not yet developed in love, and thus not ready for marriage.

V8:8b - “She has no breasts”

A. The little sisters are undeveloped in spiritual love. Therefore, the Bride intercedes for them.

B. They are spiritually as little girls who have not yet felt the impact of the stirrings of love. The kiss of God or the embrace of God is something they long for but have very little personal experience with.

1. They have not yet experienced the kisses of God’s Word that bring them to spiritual intimacy and maturity. The Divine kiss is experienced when the Word spiritually romances our hearts.

2. They have not yet experienced the long loving embraces of the Word of God that are necessary to enlarge their heart. The Divine embrace is experienced when the Word tenderizes the heart.

3. The little sisters are not yet equipped as spiritual mothers to spiritually nurture and edify others with the milk of the Word. Her inability to reproduce and nurture speaks of her spiritual immaturity.

a. Immature Christians can only receive the milk of the Word (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). They have no ability to release the milk of the Word to other people.

b. They lack mature burdens for others. They lack the concern to help others. They are overwhelmed with their problems. They are immature in character, discernment, wisdom, and perseverance (Heb. 5:13-14).

V8:8c - “What shall we do for our sister?”

A. The Bride accepts co-responsibility with the Beloved to bring forth others to spiritual maturity. She is sensitive to her responsibility for young Christians (V.6:11;7:11). This shows her strong sense of responsibility to feed the new Christians as if they were her own. This is the heart of a spiritual father (1 Thessalonians 2:11).

B. As the sealed Bride is before the Beloved, a primary thing on her mind is her little sister, who is able to reproduce or to nurture others. She is small in her understanding and her heart. She can’t yet handle the deeper things of God. The Bride has a tremendous sense of responsibility for her little sister. She doesn’t want to move on without her. She is not just content to go on in the Beloved herself without helping others to follow.

"Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you AND ALL THIS PEOPLE, to the land which I am giving TO THEM-- the children of Israel. (Joshua 1:2)

a. In this passage the Beloved told Joshua to lead the people to their inheritance in the land.

C. The Bride does not use the singular, saying, “What will ‘I’ do for my sister,” but rather, she uses the plural, “we,” indicating that she is in full bridal partnership with the Beloved.

1. Her original prayer in 1:4, “Let us run together,” is also in the plural. All running in ministry is in the plural.

2. We work together with the Beloved to help the others.

3. The Bride recognizes that the young ones will eventually mature.

V.8:8d -“In the day that she is spoken for?”

A. “In the day” – the day of God's visitation is the season in which He requires maturity from the little ones. It also speaks of the wedding day

Go forth… see King… with the crown… on the day of his wedding, the day of the gladness of his heart (V.3:11)

1. This speaks of the engagement time, the preparation for the joys of marriage. That is what it means in the literal sense. The day when she receives the “kisses of God” in a deeper way in the spiritual sense.

2. This is a reference to the time when she attains the maturity of her bridal partnership with Christ. This maturity begins as the daughters see themselves as chosen to be the Bride of Christ (V.2:1).

B. The day is in contrast to the night. She sought Him in the night of immaturity (V.3:1). When He is found, it becomes day. The Bride has confidence that “the little ones” will eventually come to maturity (Ephesians 4:13).

1. There is a time and a season when the Beloved begins to visit and require more fruitfulness out of her life. In those early years, in the grace of God, the Beloved treats us as young ones. He doesn’t hold us responsible for nurturing others. He doesn’t require us to be able to give ourselves by serving other people in a consistent and costly way. Many Christians live their whole life without a deep sense of responsibility for others in the grace of God.

2. He usually allows those early seasons where we could just splash in the water as spiritual babies without any responsibility and say, “You love me, I love You.” As we play in the water, we look up to see the Beloved smiling and bouncing us on His knee. However, there is a time when He says, “Now it is time to grow up and prepare for your coming wedding.”

V8:9a – “she is a wall” a battlement of silver, but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.”

A. A wall speaks of defense and protection. Several places in the scripture speak of an unwalled city that has no protection. A walled city is a protected city. A wall is necessary for a city to be properly guarded.

B. The Bride continues to make her plea before the Beloved in intercession. She is dialoguing with the Beloved over the concerns of the young ones. The Bride’s commitment to labor for the maturity of the “little sister” is seen in this intercession. “If she is a wall,” she says, “we’re going to build upon her. I’m committed to see the work of God continue in her life.”

1. God’s desire for us is to become a wall of protection for others. A city without a strong wall of defense was like a flock of sheep without a shepherd vulnerable to wolves.

2. The Bride, herself, in SONG 7:10, says, “I am a wall.

3. The idea is to determine how the little sisters respond to the grace of God. Would they mature to become a wall in the purpose of God that would be a source of protection and defense for other people?

V8:9b - “We will build on her”

A. This is a commitment to work to equip her in ministry until a strong ministry of protection is established in her for others.

B. The Bride is saying, “If she decides that she is called to be a wall, then we are committed to equip and train her. We are going to build into her life.”

1. If she agrees to move on to maturity to be a wall or to be one that is filled with God’s concerns for protecting others, then the Beloved and His Bride will build together in her life.

2. If my sister commits to be a wall, then we will respond in great earnest to equip her for such ministry by building battlements of silver into her life.

3. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul told Timothy to invest much time and energy only in those who are faithful to help others. The Beloved girds Himself to serve or equip those who are faithful to serve others (Luke 12:37).

4. There are two different directions in which the little sister might respond. She might respond to be a wall, or she might respond to be a door. However, the Bride's commitment to train her is dependent upon her God-given giftings and heart passions as well as her response to serve others in diligence.

5. If in the season that she is spoken for, she desires to be a wall or a ministry that protects others from the onslaught of the enemy, then the Bride commits to train her, or to take her to the next step. She does this by building into her deeper things in the grace of God that cause her to be a battlement of silver.

C. There are pressures associated with being a wall. When the enemy attacked, they shot arrows to kill people. The wall took many of the arrows. God wants to raise up men and women who will take a stand regardless what it costs them, regardless of the assault that comes against them. They will stand true for what God says is true, and it will stand for righteousness and will protect others.

V8:9c “a battlement of silver”

A. The NIV translates this phrase as “towers of silver.” We put time and energy into her to equip her to protect people and to bring her forth in her ministry skills. The Bride is saying to The Beloved, “We're going to build her into a battlement of silver.”

B. The battlement of a castle was the place on the top of the stone tower or wall that goes around the city of the castle where the archers stood to shoot through the indentations. The archers shot their arrows through little indentations in the stone to the enemy that were down below. They could shoot and then stand behind the stone battlements for protection.

1. These towers or battlements provided places for the watchmen to spot the enemy shoot the arrows, and defend the city.

2. A city was guarded against invading armies or thieves by the watchmen standing on the battlements of a wall (Is. 62:6-7).

C. “Silver” speaks of redemption or the help of God via the Holy Spirit. There was no such thing as a battlement of silver. They were made of clay, wood, or stone, never silver. A battlement of silver is in contrast to being a battlement of clay or wood that could be easily torn down. This speaks of God’s supernatural power (grace) that guards us.

1. It is supernatural protection in the context of redemption. The battlement of silver speaks symbolically of being equipped in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring redemption and protection to others.

2. These battlements include the release of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are vital in protecting others. They are not weapons of the flesh but of the Spirit (silver). Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers (Eph. 6:12). Therefore, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in the power of God (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

3. These battlements speak of constant watchfulness for the safety of God’s people against the enemy. It is God’s supernatural power and grace that guards and keeps us. These are battlements of silver because, without God’s help, we can never watch over the city effectively. Unless the Beloved guards the city, the watchman guards it in vain (Ps. 127:1).

V.8:9d - “but if she is a door.”

A. A door is the point of entry for others.

B. The Beloved is the doorkeeper to the flock of God.

1. As a door, she functions to open the way of salvation to others. She becomes a vessel to help others through the door of salvation. Paul prayed for evangelism as a door of faith being opened (Col. 4:3). Many passages in the New Testament speak of opening a door for the Gospel. This is the actual terminology that Paul uses.

2. For some, the primary thrust of their ministry is as a wall of protection; for others, she is a door of evangelism. A wall speaks of a pastor, and a door an evangelist.

V8:9e - “we will enclose her with boards of cedar”

A. “We” - She does not use the singular, but rather the plural, “we,” indicating that she is in partnership with The Beloved.

1. The Lord and the Bride will respond to the sister’s responses. They respond according to what has been put into the sister’s heart by God. If the sister desires the grace of God to be a wall of protective ministry, then God will build her into a battlement of silver. However, if she desires in the grace of God to be a door, then God will enclose her with power from on high. In other words, they will work to make her effective according to her response.

2. The seal of love (V.8:6) has transformed her into a wall of protection. She speaks what the Lord thinks about her. The Bride, sealed with love, goes right into the ministry of intercession to build her up in the way that she is called by God. She continues to pray for the sisters until they also become effective in ministry. The one sealed with love has deep concern expressed in intercession for other members of the Body of Christ. Divine love in us leads us to join the Beloved who lives forever to make intercession (Hebrews 7:25).

C. “enclose her” speaks of being clothed with the Beloved. This is the principle of being clothed from on high with His power to win the lost (Acts 1:8; Lk.24:49).

1. If the grace of God upon her life leads her to evangelism, then the Bride prays, “let us enclose her with boards of cedar.”

2. The Beloved and the Bride will continue to work together with her until she is enclosed, clothed, or anointed by God.

3. The word enclosed is the idea of Rom. 13:14, “being clothed with Christ Jesus.” This speaks of being wrapped in Beloved as the One likened to the cedar of Lebanon, picturing His death and resurrection (V.3:9). He is the cedar. As the cedar sent from the Father, He is the stately cedars of Lebanon that are fragrant, strong, expensive, and the most exquisite wood building material that could be found in all of Israel.

C. “With boards of cedar” (or “cedar panels”) – these boards are made of expensive, strong, and fragrantly scented cedar wood. Cedar is smooth, fragrant, and scented wood. Cedarwood speaks of humanity in the symbolism of scripture. In the symbolism of the tabernacle, the wood speaks of humanity. The Beloved is the fragrant cedar of Lebanon (V.3:9a).

1. A cedar board is expensive, sturdy, reliable, and fragrant. These fragrant boards speak of the fragrance of Christ and bring non-Christian to the Gospel from 2 Corinthians 2:15. The chariot of the gospel was made out of the cedar of Lebanon, the humanity of Jesus (V.3:9a).

2. Cedars of Lebanon were used to build Solomon’s temple where the Beloved’s Presence dwelt (1 Kings 4:33; 5:6).

3. The Beloved is pictured as the cedar boards, not only in the Song of Solomon but in several places in the Psalms. The boards of cedar speak of the fragrance of the Beloved, as the cedars of Lebanon are very fragrant.

4. Being enclosed with the cedars of the Beloved speaks of her being clothed in the beauty and fragrance of The Beloved or the cedars of Lebanon (Romans 13:14).

V.8:10a – “I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers...”

A. Throughout the SONG, the breasts speak of the ability to nurture others, the milk of the Word of God. She has an abundant ability to bring nurture to other people.

B. Her ministry is as towers of milk that speak of her abundance to nurture those within her walls. She knows she is like a fortified city, with the capacity of a tower to nurture others in the “milk of the Word.” Three times she has been compared to a tower (V.4:4; 7:4; 8:10).

C. Paul knew that God strengthened him beyond the normal measure for effective ministry (Phil. 4:13).

1. She is not like the little sister who can't nurture anyone. She knows how to bring the Word of the Beloved skillfully and with abundant revelation.

2. She knows what they need. This is not arrogance.

D. Her experience of supernatural peace by understanding who and why she is.

V.8:10b – “Then I was in His eyes.”

A. She finds peace in the Beloved’s eyes but not necessarily in the eyes of others.

1. Paul the apostle was still slandered and stoned and considered a deceiver by many, even in the church and even at the end of his life. He was considered evil by people in the church.

“By..dishonor, by evil report (regarded) as deceivers (2 Corinthians 6:8) Now I pray to God… not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.” (2 Corinthians 13:7)

a. In God's eyes, he found peace. He knew he was walking in his Divine destiny and was pleasing to God. And the assurance of an undistracted heart gave him freedom from self-consciousness. Paul had peace at the highest level that can be described. This is where the Lord wants us. He wants us to let go of false ideas fueled by the spirit of unbelief and self-doubt.

“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court… For I know nothing against myself… but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes… Then each one's praise will come from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

b. People in the world and in the church criticized her just as they slandered Paul. We will never be at peace in the eyes of all others. But she found peace before God. In the eyes of other people, she is still criticized, but she is still living for an audience of One. She was still living before the Master Who was approving her.

B. To know the truth of why we are created and then to say yes to it is to have tremendous assurance that we have lived a life in wisdom. To know that we have offered to God a heart of wisdom and a heart of worship throughout our life is glorious.

C. She is no longer speaking of her intercession as in SONG V.8:8-9. The Bride has been describing herself in SONG V.8:10. She is now speaking to the little sisters. She says, “I am a wall. I am a source of protection to many. And my breasts are like towers; then I became in His eyes as one who found peace.”

V.8:10c – “as one who finds peace”

A. She has found peace. She’s connected with her destiny. She understands who she is in the full sense of the word. Blessed is the man and the woman that has this kind of peace. This is more than the peace we have at salvation.

B. She says, “I’ve come to peace with the creative design of God for my humanity. I know why I have breath on the Earth. I know why I have been created in the mind of God. I have been created to be a partner of Christ Jesus.” She connected with the truth of what this life is all about. This is a profound sense of peace fills her being. She has no striving and accusing thoughts. She is completely at peace with the way that God designed her and created her. She knows why she is on the Earth.

C. She connects with the truth about why she has life on Earth. She can look at all the alluring lusts of this world and say no to them because this is not what she is about. She has settled the issues.

V.8:11a – “Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon”

A. She is now walking out her confession of V.8:10. This short parable speaks of the principle of accountability before God that every Christian will give on the last day (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:12-14).

B. She has a profound understanding of her accountability before God. This is the principle of accountability before God, being spoken through the picture language of this Song. On the last day, every Christian will give to God a full account of their Earthly life.

C. The vineyard belonged King Solomon, who, throughout the SONG is a picture of King Jesus.

1. The King had a vineyard “at Baal Hamon.” There is no mention in Scripture or Israel’s history of this geographic place. Baal Hamon is also translated as “the populous one.” The word literally means in Hebrew, “the father of a multitude.” Some Bible versions translate the meaning without trying to translate it as a city.

2. The Beloved has a very large vineyard at Baal Hamon or throughout all the nations. It’s a world-wide vineyard. It’s a very large vineyard. It speaks of the large worldwide vineyard, or the church of Jesus, that reaches to the ends of the Earth. It also speaks of a vast harvest before this age is over (Rev. 14:14-16).

3. The Beloved’s vineyard speaks of the people of God or His church world-wide. Israel was spoken of as God’s vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) and the church is God’s vineyard in the New Testament.

V.8:11b – “he let out (Leased) the vineyard to keepers”

A. This speaks of the principle of the Kingdom of God in this age as being leased/entrusted to the church. This is an aspect of the dignity of the church.

1. Jesus taught in parables how He “leased His vineyard” to His servants before He went away to a “far country.”

"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard… and built a tower. And He leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.” (Matthew 21:33)

2. The Kingdom of God is the rightful property of Jesus, and He entrusted it to the Church. He taught in his parable on His last visit to Jerusalem right before He died.

3. Jesus taught that He came to Earth as the owner of the vineyard. Then He leased it and went away to a far country (heaven) and promised to return after some time.

4. We are living in the time frame when the Beloved is in a “far country”. In other words, He is out of our sight. He has entrusted the resources of His kingdom to His servants.

B. “to keepers” – those to whom the Beloved has entrusted responsibility to cultivate His vineyard. He works together with these keepers (1 Corinthians 3:9; Mark 16:20). In other words, it speaks of each Christian.

1. All of us have been given a certain stewardship before God. His vineyard has been leased to the people to whom He has entrusted a sphere of responsibility.

2. You don’t need to wait for a Pastor to define your calling to serve. Go out and begin to win your neighborhood and begin to invest your life in the people in the workplace. You don’t need a title. You don’t need an official job description. Just start serving people.

3. The Word of God has already commissioned you to go forth. We are all the keepers to whom He has leased His vineyard.

V.8:11c – “Each one was to bring its fruit.”

A. “Each one” - He expects everyone to bring fruit as they cultivate, through hard work, the portion of the vineyard that He has entrusted to them (Luke 12:31-48).

1. Everyone was to bring forth a return for the vineyard that was leased out to them, the part of the vineyard.

2. The portion of the vineyard that God has entrusted to us is usually our neighborhood and our workplace. Ask the Beloved who they are and go cultivate that vineyard. It won’t necessarily be easy.

B. “its fruit” – there is an accountability to cultivate the vineyard in a way that produces fruit. Jesus taught of this in the parable (Mathew 21:33- 44). He requires a return of fruitfulness from the gifts that He gives us

"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes… He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease His vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." (Matthew 21:40-41)

G. The Lord desires a full return of fruitfulness for that which He entrusts.

V.8:11d – “A thousand pieces of silver.”

A. The “thousand” is an indication of a full response of the heart back to God. It is a complete number that speaks of fullness. In other words, full return.

B. It speaks of the full measure that God requires according to that which was entrusted. The idea is a life that has full fruitfulness, i.e., a thousand. This speaks of the fullness of what Jesus expects from every person. Jesus requires fruitfulness from His investment in our lives. He has a clear expectation from every person, which is signified by the number “a thousand.”

C. Silver speaks of redemption. Silver speaks of purity.

He will sit as a… purifier of silver; he will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as… silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:3)

D. The 1000 pieces of silver are also referred to by the prophet Isaiah.

“It shall happen in that day, that wherever there could be a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels of silver, it will be for briers and thorns.” (Isaiah 7:23)

E. Jesus spoke three parables, teaching us that all of God’s servants are responsible for giving an account of what is entrusted to them. These parables are in the context of the Beloved’s teaching on the Second Coming (Matthew 24-25). All of the parables are related to the doctrine of the second coming of Christ. Likewise, V.8:11 is in context to the Lord’s Second Coming (V.8:14). The Bride is looking to the consummation of this age and proclaims that she will give an account for what is entrusted to her.

F. These are her final words to the people that she ministered to and her final words to the Beloved at the end of her life journey. She is giving her statement before the Beloved. She has functioned as a wall of protection with towers of revelation in the Word. God gave her full measure of anointing, and now she is accountable for being fruitful.

V.8:12a – “My vineyard, my very own”

A. “My vineyard, my very own” – speaks of the particular responsibility given to her by the Beloved. This is the sphere for which she is accountable. This is a reference also to her personal life (V.81:6).

V.8.12b - “is before me”

A. She is aware that she will stand at the judgment seat of Christ to give a full account of all that had been entrusted to her (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). She says, “My own heart is before and I see it clearly.”

B. Paul exhorted the elders of Ephesus to watch over their souls or their vineyard first. He said, “Guard your own hearts in this journey of being an elder.”

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers...” (Acts 20:28).

1. Paul fulfilled his ministry course.

“… nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus…” (Acts 20:24)

C. The Bride’s confession of her experience includes her assurance of victory before God. She is able to give the Beloved all that He expects from her.

D. She totally fulfills the Beloved's expectations of her.

V.8:12c - “you, O Solomon, may have the thousand”

A. She fulfills the principle in V.8:11, where Solomon expected 1000 pieces of silver from the keepers. He asked for a thousand in V.11, and now in V.12, she is saying, “You, O Solomon, may have a thousand. Everything You have asked of me is now offered in love to You”. The king receives full payment. She is confident that she has given her full devotion and obedience to Him. Enoch also received this testimony that he was pleasing to God (Hebrews11:5).

B. At the very beginning of the journey, her vineyard was not kept.

“My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.” (V.1:6)

1. Now everything that the Beloved wanted is given to Him. It is totally opposite from the young Bride's beginning.

2. She is confident she has given her full devotion and obedience to the Beloved. This does not mean that we never make mistakes, or never stumble, or never do anything wrong. It means that when we have stumbled, we get up and run into the heart of God.

3. This is the glory of a mature life. The emotional dynamics that are released with this kind of assurance is fantastic. The dynamics of single-minded emotion without any draining negative self-consciousness.

V.8:12d – “and the keepers of the fruit.”

A. “And the keepers of the fruit” – those who helped her on her journey to maturity and fruitfulness. She acknowledges that some reward will be given to them as well.

1. She acknowledges that there are others. She didn’t do it alone. It wasn’t just her and the Beloved. Others were working alongside her.

V.8:12e - “Two hundred”

A. The reward for the laborers who helped keep and look after the fruit has honor from their fruitfulness on the last day or two hundred pieces of silver.

1. It is a double tithe of two-tenths of the whole ($1,000) paid back by the Beloved

2. The laborer is worthy of their hire so the Bride will not keep it all for herself, even though it was freely given to her, but for His use and glory (Luke 19:13; Romans 6:15; 14:7-9; 1 Corinthians 12:7).

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

1. Paul, with Silas and Timothy, wrote this letter that taught the saints how they would be his crown and glory. They would be their crown of glory together.

2. There is a plural sense in which Paul’s team had a crown of glory in the church of the Thessalonians.

3. Jesus spoke of making friends in eternity from our service in this age.

"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. (Luke 16:9)

a. Those that have helped will have honor from her fruitfulness on the last day.

b. Others share a part of the reward in our labors on the last day, when we stand before the Beloved to give Him what He requires.

V.8:13a – “O you who dwell”

A. The Beloved names her “You who dwell” because she didn’t quit and is still in the gardens cultivating the purposes of God, even when she had many reasons to quit or back away.

1. She’s dwelling in the garden. That is a very powerful statement for someone who has walked with the Beloved for many years.

B. The Beloved gives her one final commission. These are the last words that He speaks to her.

V.8:13b – “in the gardens”

A. The gardens speak of the vineyard of V.8:11. The Beloved speaks to His Bride, who labors diligently in His gardens (V.5:1).

B. The gardens speak of the place where all the plants are growing. It speaks of the Church at large.

1. This is a powerful statement of who she is in the grace of God. To dwell in the garden implies regular involvement in the Church with a whole heart of desire towards the various parts of the body of Christ. The gardens are plural, with all the different flavors and spices that serve the entire purpose of God worldwide. It is not just even her little local place. She loves the whole Church, not just one part that she was familiar with.

2. The Beloved is saying, “You are connected, related, and involved in the garden of God.” What the Beloved is saying to her in this title is a fantastic affirmation. He is identifying her with someone who didn’t quit.

3. At the end of the journey, she’s still vibrantly related to the people of God and is still one who dwells in the midst of the gardens of God. She loves the people of God. She is not in isolation.

V.8:13c – “with companions”

A. Those who receive her ministry.

V.8:13d – “listening for your voice”

A. These are the daughters who eagerly desire the mature quality of ministry that comes from her. They listen to her voice because they take her ministry very seriously.

1. This speaks of the Bride's credibility, stability, and maturity in her life. They still want to receive from her. As the daughters heard her voice in V.5:9 and V.6:1, so also many others in the Body honored her by hearing her voice.

2. This implies honor and unity when people truly hear one another. This is the opposite of criticism, judgment, and isolation that result in people minimizing each other’s value.

V.8:13e – “Let me hear it!”

A. The Beloved goes a step further. This is His final commission to the Bride. He says, “Let me hear your voice” because it is welcome to God’s ears and delights His heart.

B. At the beginning, in her immaturity, her voice is sweet (V.2:14). At the very end, the Beloved says, “Let me hear your lovely voice. This was spoken at a time of her immaturity and weakness, and now, her voice is fully mature and in union with Him as His beloved partner.

C. The Beloved wants to hear her voice in four ways continually:

1. Worship -He gives her this one final exhortation, “In all your labors, don’t forget to let Me hear your voice!” Don't neglect prayer. Don't forget it is about worship. He wants the voice of devotion to continue to ascend from our hearts. He wants to hear you say, “I love you, God,” until her last breath on the Earth. We are lovers. He wants to continue to hear your voice clear to the end.” Originally, she was reluctant to run, but now she is reminded how precious her voice is to Him. He doesn’t want her to forget intercession, worship, and prayer in the midst of her anointed ministry to others. Earlier, He said, “Let Me hear your voice because your voice is sweet to Me” (V.2:14). He wants to hear our voice in worship. He says, “Don’t get so busy that you quit worshipping Me.” One of the ways that we love Jesus is by lifting our voices in praise and worship.

2. Teaching - One of the ways that we care for the vineyard is by lifting our voices in teaching. She should teach and encourage others as if God were listening to her since she will give an account to Him one day. Another way to care for the church is by lifting our voices and speaking words of encouragement to others. God also hears our voice when we speak to the little sisters. This exhortation is very similar to Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus tells the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. He wants to hear your voice in speaking the Word of God to Christians.

3. Evangelism -One of the ways that we care for the vineyard is by lifting our voice in evangelism. He wants to hear your voice in proclaiming the Word of God to non-Christians.

4. Intercession - Another way to care for the church and to love Jesus is by lifting our voices in intercession. She should let Him hear her voice in intercession in the midst of her ministry to others. In Heb. 7:25, it says, “Jesus lives forever to make intercession.” He will hear our voice in intercession throughout all the ages. He wants to hear your voice in intercession. Don’t get discouraged when you draw back and quit. Fight for God in intercession. God wants to hear the voice of His church in night and day intercession (Is.62:6-7). He wants to hear our intercession for revival to go day and night. He wants to hear your voice in partnership as you speak the gospel to non-Christians and as you encourage the saints. The enemy wants to silence our voice, but God wants to release our voice to ever ascend before Him and His people.

V.8:14a – “Make haste”

A. She instantly responds to V.8:13 command with worship and intercession. “Come to me, and then come for me! Come to me in revival spirit and your Presence being manifested, then come for me at the second coming.” She immediately obeys the exhortation to let Him hear her voice as she offers this final intercessory cry for the Beloved to come quickly.

B. We see the urgency and longing of her heart to be with the Beloved in full bridal intimacy. She says, “Make haste, quickly come, be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains.”

C. This is the same prayer as “Maranatha,” which means, “Come quickly, Lord” (1 Corinthians 16:22). This is similar to the cry in Rev. 22:17, “And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ (Revelation 22:20). “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Make haste! Now, come to me in Your Presence, and then come for me in the second coming.”

1. Paul spoke of this same longing, “All of creation groans waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now… but we also … groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:20-23)

D. This is her last words in the book. She ends the Song as she begins it, with “Draw me and let us run.” What started as a cry for a kiss and the receiving of a seal ends in the same urgent cry for His return. She is crying, “Come to me, Lord Jesus!” This is a similar prayer to V.2:17, although she alters the prayer in a significant way. In 2:17, she said, “flee and go to the mountains.” Here in V.8:14, she says, “Make haste” / Come quickly to me.

E. She wants the Beloved to fulfill the final harvest of this age (Revelation 14:14-16), but she also wants the wilderness of this fallen age to end so that she will have a permanent, unbroken communion with The Beloved in the eternal city. This is the cry of the Spirit in every fervent Christian. Paul said, “to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). This cry for His coming keeps us focused. This is the hope which is the anchor of our souls (Hebrews 6:19).

V.8:14b - “My beloved”

A. Divine love is still her full source of motivation and strength. It is that love is her final cry to the Beloved, “is the one that I love, my beloved.

B. This is the Bride's final intercession for His coming. The Beloved gives her a final commission, and then she offers the Beloved a final intercession in the wonderful, romantic, poetic language of this love song.

1. We see the urgency and the longing of her heart to be with the Beloved in bridal intimacy. “Oh, the One I love, you want to hear my voice? I love you! Come quickly!”

V.8:14c – “be like a Gazelle””

A. “And be like a gazelle” – she asks Him to be like the gazelle who skipped on mountains in V.2:8. The gazelle is very swift. She wants Him to come back to her swiftly. This is her intercessory cry for the Beloved to bring her to victory in the great end-time harvest. The Beloved was revealed as the gazelle in V.2:8 and V.2:17.

V.8:14d - ” or a young stag”

A. She asks the Beloved to be like the stag who conquered the mountains of opposition in V.2:8. This is our intercession for the Beloved to bring us to victory over all the conflicts caused by the enemy. In other words, she is saying, “be as the victorious King over all the obstacles of this age.

V.8.14e - “on the mountains of spices”

A. The mountains of spices speak of the ivory palace (Psalm 45:8-10). The Beloved lives on the mountains of God’s eternal throne. He effortlessly skips over the mountains here because He is King over the mountains there.

B. These mountains are unusual and spectacular and ultimately speak of the fragrance, pleasure, and beauty of the eternal city and speak of a place of unbroken communion with the Beloved face-to-face, which is our great longing. That is where He is coming from to bring us the fullness of God, whose throne is described as the “mountain of spices.”

C. The mountains speak of the eternal city, filled with all the spices of God, which has an abundance of diverse spices beyond anything we can imagine in this age.

D. It also speaks of the time when the shadows are all gone (V:17, 4:6). In V.2:17 and 4:6 the Bride asked, “O until the time when the shadows flee.” The shadows are all gone; all the compromise is gone. The dawning of the full day is at hand. She is preparing to stand before the Beloved. She has given her account before people. She has given her account before the Beloved. She is ending her life in the garden. She is full of intercession and worship. She is speaking her whole life. She has not retired at all. She is re-fired into the heart of God. She has overcome all the reasons to quit.

1. There will be a time when there will be no tears, death, sorrow, crying, or pain, for the former things will have passed away (Revelation 21:4). It will be a time of unspeakable happiness and pleasure for the people of God, when God answers the longing of the heart for true pleasure, in which sensuality, pride and greed are only counterfeits in this brief age.

E. Throughout the book, the individual Christian is spoken of as like a lily. Also, her spices and fragrances are described as emanating out of her.

1. Each Christian is referred to as having all “chief spices” (V.1:12; 4:10,14).

2. The corporate church is spoken of as a “garden of spices” (V.4:16, 5:1, 6:2). So, each individual has all the spices emanating from them, but the church is the garden.

3. Abraham longed for this eternal city (Hebrews 11:14-16). Moses also looks to Messiah’s reward in the eternal city (Hebrews 11:24). Paul looks for the eternal city (Philippians 1:21-23). The heavens will pass away, “Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new Earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:12-13).

CONCLUSION

In this message series, we have concentrated on the relationship of Christians with Jesus, the Beloved, both corporately (The Church as the Bride of Christ) and as individuals as part of His Church.

Knowing Jesus is enchanted with your beauty should fill your heart with new courage and confidence. Understanding the affectionate personalities of God equips you to wage war against the enemy and to demolish the lying, accusing strongholds he has erected in your mind. Resting in the sure and certain knowledge of God's ravished heart and overflowing, unwavering love will enable you to stand unoffended, unshaken, and mature in times of trouble or persecution.

Understanding and applying the powerful passions in the heart of God Himself are the source of holy passion in your own life, which ensures the continuing growth of your passion for Him because He is yours, and you are His.

1. "My beloved is mine, and I am His." (V.2:16) - "He is mine; he belongs to me. I have rights to Him. However, I now realize that I also belong to Him." She now adds a new dimension of His ownership of her life. She now sees the necessity of loving Him because she is His inheritance. However, it is her secondary concern at this stage of maturity. Her understanding is two-dimensional.

2. "I am my Beloved's and He is mine." (V.6:3) - "I belong to Him. He owns me, yet He still belongs to me and I still have rights to Him." She reverses the priority of her concern. His inheritance in her is now first in her heart. Here the order is reversed. Her inheritance in Him is vital yet secondary. She cares first about His inheritance. This is a significant reversal from V.1-2. Her understanding is two-dimensional.

3. "I am My Beloved's and His desire is toward me." (V.7:10) - "I belong to Him. He owns me entirely. His concerns and desires are what I care most about." She is filled with the reality of her love toward Him and His total ownership of her. The Father's love for Jesus is continually being imparted to her (John 17:26; Romans 5:5). It is her meat is to do His will. She exists for Him without any other consideration (Revelation 14:4). She unconditionally serves God with little concern for what happens to her. Her focus is now entirely on Him, without any self-interest. However, now she adds insight into what motivates her. She acknowledges the source of her great love for Him is rooted in her revelation of His passionate desire and enjoyment of her.

There is another significant application of this truth of "His desire." The Bride is committed to whatever He desires. His concerns and desires are what she cares most about and becomes the most relevant issue in her life.

She finally discovers that what He most desires is "her." Therefore, she must love and value herself for His sake - "she" is the focus of His desires. This significantly affects how she defines and feels about herself. and impacts one of our greatest emotional needs - the need to feel valued. It is impossible to be valued more than this. When this revelation touches her heart, it transforms how she thinks and feels about herself and, therefore, about others. This is the truth that empowers her to feel love for difficult people.

The transition has now fully taken place. It started in V.1:12-13 then changed in V.2:16, then again in V.6:3, and now here in V.7:10. It is His inheritance that she is most concerned with.

As you have seen in the SONG, God pursues you with relentless, infinite love. Do not let this truth grow cold in your heart. God is not some mystical, nebulous force that loves the masses but not individuals, whose love is focused on vast populations but not on a single person. You serve a deeply loving, passionate God whose heart is ravished by the beauty of your sincere, devoted heart. You are so beautiful to Him that you take His breath away!

We can see that contrary to what many Christians think, the Song of Solomon is a highly practical and understandable book of the Bible. It is a timeless and beautiful picture of God's 'endorsement' of pure emotional and physical love between husband and wife and, metaphorically, His eternal love for the Church, His Bride, and our love relationship with Jesus, as well as Israel's with Yahweh.

The SONG is the story of how the Bride became set on fire from within as she experienced the electricity of God. She describes how she feels so alive because she knows who she is deeply. We can only be alive like this on the inside as we walk in the rare place of radical obedience. This reality makes our hearts glow in this dark world. God has provided this as the only place where the human heart can fully resonate within.

The Bride's revelation of her spiritual maturity before God (V.8:12). This understanding flows from her revelations of how God sees her (V.8:10). The revelation of her maturity is the foundation of her spiritual identity. It implies that she has confidence and assurance in her heart that causes us to be radiant as we know that we are fully obeying God in maturity and victory.

Such unusual confidence before God and humanity does exist in the grace of God. When God grants this gift, it results in His people enjoying radiant confidence as they fully walk in the place that God has ordained for them

The Bride's revelation of her inevitable accountability before God is a main doctrine in the Word of God that is closely associated with the revelation of the Second Coming of Jesus (V.8:11). The Bride's urgency for the Beloved to return is expressed in intercession (V.8:14).

In the beginning stages, her enjoyment of the Beloved is her central focus. She talks about what He is to her without much awareness of what she is to Him. In V.2:16 and 6:3 and then finally 7:10, she uses this same language but changes the order to express her concern about what she is to Him. He is her inheritance. However, it is equally true that she is His inheritance.

This ravished love of God manifests itself by tenderizing our hearts so that we feel some of what He feels. Our hearts are by nature hard, dull, and insensitive to the things that He feels. There is nothing more precious and pleasant to us than to be empowered to feel some of the things He feels. It takes God's help for us to be able to feel God. The love of God is poured into the heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

Prayer: May this Song be ever fresh on our lips and in our hearts, and may you, our Beloved, take us deeper into Your presence and lead us on in Your will through our pilgrimage of Love as revealed in the Song of Songs!

May You give us new eyes to see your affectionate, ravished heart for us while we're still growing, failing, and weak in so many ways. Help us to allow the truths in this beautiful love song not to be forgotten and fade away in our hearts. Let us cherish the message of Your love and continually enjoy ourselves, even in our imperfections and immaturity. Amen!

Maranatha! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!