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Union and Communion
OR
THOUGHTS ON THE
SONG OF SOLOMON
BY J. HUDSON TAYLOR, M.R.C.S.
FOREWORD BY REV. J. STUART HOLDEN, M.A.
_THIRD EDITION_
MORGAN & SCOTT, 12 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS,
LONDON, E.C.
CHINA INLAND MISSION, NEWINGTON GREEN,
LONDON, N.
PHILADELPHIA, TORONTO, MELBOURNE, SHANGHAI
FOREWORD
THIS little book, whose design is to lead the devout Bible-student into
the Green Pastures of the Good Shepherd, thence to the Banqueting House
of the King, and thence to the service of the Vineyard, is one of the
abiding legacies of Mr. Hudson Taylor to the Church. In the power of an
evident unction from the Holy One, he has been enabled herein to unfold
in simplest language the deep truth of the believer's personal union
with The Lord, which under symbol and imagery is the subject of The Song
of Songs. And in so doing he has ministered an unfailing guidance to one
of the most commonly neglected and misunderstood of the Sacred
Scriptures. For how many have said in bewilderment at the richness of
language and profusion of figure which both conceal and reveal its
meaning, "How can I understand except some man should guide me?" It is
safe to say that these pages cannot fail to help and bless all such.
To those who knew him, Mr. Hudson Taylor's life was in the nature of
emphasis upon the value of this small volume. For what he here expounds
he also exemplified. If his words indicate the possibility and
blessedness of union with Christ, his whole life declared it in actual
experience. He lived as one who was "married to Another, even to Him Who
is raised from the dead"; and as the outcome of that union he brought
forth "fruit unto God." What he was has given a meaning and confirmation
to what he has here said, which cannot be exaggerated. It is inevitable
that there are those who will read and reject as mystical and
unpractical, that which is so directly concerned with the intimacies of
fellowship with the unseen Lord. I would, however, venture to remind
such that the writer of these pages founded the China Inland Mission! He
translated his vision of the Beloved into life-long strenuous service,
and so kept it undimmed through all the years of a life which has had
hardly a parallel in these our days.
This is really the commendation of the following short chapters. They
proclaim an Evangel which has been distilled from experience, and form
at least a track through this fenced portion of God's Word, which will
lead many an one who treads it into the joys of Emmanuel's land.
J. STUART HOLDEN.
ST. PAUL'S,
PORTMAN SQUARE, LONDON, W.
_June 1, 1914._
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTORY 1
THE TITLE 7
SECTION I
THE UNSATISFIED LIFE AND ITS REMEDY 8
SECTION II
COMMUNION BROKEN--RESTORATION 27
SECTION III
THE JOY OF UNBROKEN COMMUNION 37
SECTION IV
COMMUNION AGAIN BROKEN--RESTORATION 47
SECTION V
FRUITS OF RECOGNIZED UNION 58
SECTION VI
UNRESTRAINED COMMUNION 70
APPENDIX 83
THE SONG OF SOLOMON
INTRODUCTORY
THE great purpose towards which all the dispensational dealings of GOD
are tending, is revealed to us in the fifteenth chapter of the First
Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "That GOD may be all in all." With
this agrees the teaching of our LORD in John xvii. 3: "And this is (the
object of) life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true GOD,
and JESUS CHRIST, whom Thou hast sent." This being so, shall we not act
wisely by keeping this object ever in view in our daily life and study
of GOD'S holy Word?
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, and
hence no part is, or can be, neglected without loss. Few portions of the
Word will help the devout student more in the pursuit of this
all-important "knowledge of GOD" than the too-much neglected "Song of
Solomon." Like other portions of the Word of GOD, this book has its
difficulties. But so have all the works of GOD. Is not the fact that
they surpass our unaided powers of comprehension and research a
"sign-manual" of divinity? Can feeble man expect to grasp divine power,
or to understand and interpret the works or the providences of the
All-wise? And if not, is it surprising that His Word also needs
superhuman wisdom for its interpretation? Thanks be to GOD, the
illumination of the HOLY GHOST is promised to all who seek for it: what
more can we desire?
Read without the key, this book is specially unintelligible, but that
key is easily found in the express teachings of the New Testament. The
Incarnate Word is the true key to the written Word; but even before the
incarnation, the devout student of the Old Testament would find much
help to the understanding of the sacred mysteries of this book in the
prophetic writings; for there Israel was taught that her MAKER was her
HUSBAND. John the Baptist, the last of the prophets, recognized the
Bridegroom in the person of CHRIST, and said, "He that hath the bride is
the Bridegroom: but the friend of the Bridegroom, which standeth and
heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice: this
my joy therefore is fulfilled." Paul, in the fifth chapter of the
Epistle to the Ephesians, goes still further, and teaches that the union
of CHRIST with His Church, and her subjection to Him, underlies the very
relationship of marriage, and affords the pattern for every godly union.
In Solomon, the bridegroom king, as well as author of this poem, we
have a type of our LORD, the true Prince of peace, in His coming reign.
Then will be found not merely His bride, the Church, but also a willing
people, His subjects, over whom He shall reign gloriously. Then distant
potentates will bring their wealth, and will behold the glory of the
enthroned KING, proving Him with hard questions, as once came the Queen
of Sheba to King Solomon; and blessed will they be to whom this
privilege is accorded. A brief glance will suffice them for a lifetime;
but what shall be the royal dignity and blessedness of the risen and
exalted bride! For ever with her LORD, for ever like her LORD, for ever
conscious that His desire is toward her, she will share alike His heart
and His throne. Can a study of the book which helps us to understand
these mysteries of grace and love be other than most profitable?
It is interesting to notice the contrast between this book and that
preceding it. The Book of Ecclesiastes teaches emphatically that "Vanity
of vanities, all is vanity": and is thus the necessary introduction to
the Song of Solomon, which shows how true blessing and satisfaction are
to be possessed. In like manner our SAVIOUR'S teaching in the fourth of
John points out in a word the powerlessness of earthly things to give
lasting satisfaction, in striking contrast with the flow of blessing
that results from the presence of the HOLY GHOST (whose work it is, not
to reveal Himself but CHRIST as the Bridegroom of the soul); "Whosoever
drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him shall never thirst: but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing
up"--overflowing, on and on--"unto everlasting life."
We shall find it helpful to consider the book in six sections:--.
I. THE UNSATISFIED LIFE AND ITS REMEDY.
Chap. i. 2-ii. 7.
II. COMMUNION BROKEN. RESTORATION.
Chap. ii. 8-iii. 5.
III. UNBROKEN COMMUNION.
Chap. iii. 6-v. 1.
IV. COMMUNION AGAIN BROKEN. RESTORATION.
Chap. v. 2-vi. 10.
V. FRUITS OF RECOGNIZED UNION.
Chap. vi. 11-viii. 4.
VI. UNRESTRAINED COMMUNION.
Chap. viii. 5-14.
In each of these sections we shall find the speakers to be--the bride,
the Bridegroom, and the daughters of Jerusalem; it is not usually
difficult to ascertain the speaker, though in some of the verses
different conclusions have been arrived at. The bride speaks of the
Bridegroom as "her Beloved"; the Bridegroom speaks of her as "His love,"
while the address of the daughters of Jerusalem is more varied. In the
first four sections they style her "the fairest among women," but in the
fifth she is spoken of as "the Shulamite," or the King's bride, and also
as the "Prince's daughter."
The student of this book will find great help in suitable
Bible-marking. A horizontal line marking off the address of each
speaker, with a double line to divide the sections, would be useful, as
also perpendicular lines in the margin to indicate the speaker. We have
ourselves ruled a single line to connect the verses which contain the
utterances of the bride; a double line to indicate those of the
Bridegroom, and a waved line to indicate the addresses of the daughters
of Jerusalem.
It will be observed that the bride is the chief speaker in Sections I.,
II., and is much occupied with herself; but in Section III., where the
communion is unbroken, she has little to say, and appears as the hearer;
the daughters of Jerusalem give a long address, and the Bridegroom His
longest. In that section for the first time He calls her His bride, and
allures her to fellowship in service. In Section IV. the bride again is
the chief speaker, but after her restoration the Bridegroom speaks at
length, and "upbraideth not." In Section V., as we noticed, the bride is
no longer called "the fairest among women," but claims herself to be,
and is recognized as, the royal bride. In Section VI. the Bridegroom
claims her from her very birth, and not merely from her espousals, as
GOD in Ezekiel xvi. claimed Israel.
In the secret of His presence
How my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons
Which I learn at JESUS' side:
Earthly cares can never vex me,
Neither trials lay me low;
For when Satan comes to vex me,
To the secret place I go!
THE SONG OF SOLOMON
THE TITLE
"_The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's._"
WELL may this book be called _the_ Song of Songs! There is no song like
it. Read aright, it brings a gladness to the heart which is as far
beyond the joy of earthly things as heaven is higher than the earth. It
has been well said that this is a song which grace alone can teach, and
experience alone can learn. Our SAVIOUR, speaking of the union of the
branch with the vine, adds, "These things have I spoken unto you, that
My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John xv.
11). And the beloved disciple, writing of Him who "was from the
beginning," who "was with the FATHER, and was manifested unto us," in
order that we might share the fellowship which He enjoyed, also says,
"These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." Union with
CHRIST, and abiding in CHRIST, what do they not secure? Peace, perfect
peace; rest, constant rest; answers to all our prayers; victory over all
our foes; pure, holy living; ever-increasing fruitfulness. All, all of
these are the glad outcome of abiding in CHRIST. To deepen this union,
to make more constant this abiding, is the practical use of this
precious Book.
SECTION I
THE UNSATISFIED LIFE AND ITS REMEDY
Cant. i. 2-ii. 7
THERE is no difficulty in recognizing the bride as the speaker in verses
2-7. The words are not those of one dead in trespasses and sins, to whom
the LORD is as a root out of a dry ground--without form and comeliness.
The speaker has had her eyes opened to behold His beauty, and longs for
a fuller enjoyment of His love.
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth:
For Thy love[1] is better than wine.
It is well that it should be so; it marks a distinct stage in the
development of the life of grace in the soul. And this recorded
experience gives, as it were, a Divine warrant for the desire for
sensible manifestations of His presence--sensible communications of His
love. It was not always so with her. Once she was contented in His
absence--other society and other occupations sufficed her; but now it
can never be so again. The world can never be to her what it once was;
the betrothed bride has learnt to love her LORD, and no other society
than His can satisfy her. His visits may be occasional and may be brief;
but they are precious times of enjoyment. Their memory is cherished in
the intervals, and their repetition longed for. There is no real
satisfaction in His absence, and yet, alas! He is not always with her:
He comes and goes. Now her joy in Him is a heaven below; but again she
is longing, and longing in vain, for His presence. Like the
ever-changing tide, her experience is an ebbing and flowing one; it may
even be that unrest is the rule, satisfaction the exception. Is there no
help for this? must it always continue so? Has He, can He have created
these unquenchable longings only to tantalize them? Strange indeed it
would be if this were the case. Yet are there not many of the LORD'S
people whose habitual experience corresponds with hers? They know not
the rest, the joy of abiding in CHRIST; and they know not how to attain
to it, nor why it is not theirs. Are there not many who look back to the
delightful times of their first espousals, who, so far from finding
richer inheritance in CHRIST than they then had, are even conscious that
they have lost their first love, and might express their experience in
the sad lament:--
Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Others, again, who may not have lost their first love, may yet be
feeling that the occasional interruptions to communion are becoming more
and more unbearable, as the world becomes less and He becomes more. His
absence is an ever-increasing distress. "'Oh that I knew where I might
find Him!' 'Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth: for Thy love
is better than wine.' Would that His love were strong and constant like
mine, and that He never withdrew the light of His countenance!"
Poor mistaken one! There is a love far stronger than thine waiting,
longing for satisfaction. The Bridegroom is waiting for thee all the
time; the conditions that debar His approach are all of thine own
making. Take the right place before Him, and He will be most ready, most
glad, to "Satisfy thy deepest longings, to meet, supply thine every
need." What should we think of a betrothed one whose conceit and
self-will prevented not only the consummation of her own joy, but of his
who had given her his heart? Though never at rest in his absence, she
cannot trust him fully; and she does not care to give up her own name,
her own rights and possessions, her own will to him who has become
necessary for her happiness. She would fain claim him fully, without
giving up herself fully to him; but it can never be: while she retains
her own name, she can never claim his. She may not promise to love and
honour if she will not also promise to obey: and till her love reaches
that point of surrender she must remain an unsatisfied lover--she
cannot, as a satisfied bride, find rest in the home of her husband.
While she retains her own will, and the control of her own possessions,
she must be content to live on her own resources; she cannot claim his.
Could there be a sadder proof of the extent and reality of the Fall than
the deep-seated distrust of our loving LORD and MASTER which makes us
hesitate to give ourselves entirely up to Him, which fears that He might
require something beyond our powers, or call for something that we
should find it hard to give or to do? The real secret of an unsatisfied
life lies too often in an unsurrendered will. And yet how foolish, as
well as how wrong, this is! Do we fancy that we are wiser than He? or
that our love for ourselves is more tender and strong than His? or that
we know ourselves better than He does? How our distrust must grieve and
wound afresh the tender heart of Him who was for us the Man of Sorrows!
What would be the feelings of an earthly bridegroom if he discovered
that his bride-elect was dreading to marry him, lest, when he had the
power, he should render her life insupportable? Yet how many of the
LORD'S redeemed ones treat Him just so! No wonder they are neither happy
nor satisfied!
* * * * *
But true love cannot be stationary; it must either decline or grow.
Despite all the unworthy fears of our poor hearts, Divine love is
destined to conquer. The bride exclaims:--
Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance;
Thy name is as ointment poured forth;
Therefore do the virgins love Thee.
There was no such ointment as that with which the High Priest was
anointed: our Bridegroom is a Priest as well as a King. The trembling
bride cannot wholly dismiss her fears; but the unrest and the longing
become unbearable, and she determines to surrender all, and come what
may to follow fully. She will yield her very self to Him, heart and
hand, influence and possessions. Nothing can be so insupportable as His
absence! If He lead to another Moriah, or even to a Calvary, she will
follow Him.
Draw me: we will run after Thee!
But ah! what follows? A wondrously glad surprise. No Moriah, no Calvary;
on the contrary, a KING! When the heart submits, then JESUS reigns. And
when JESUS reigns, there _is_ rest.
And where does He lead His bride?
The King hath brought me into His chambers.
Not first to the banqueting house--that will come in due season; but
first to be alone with Himself.
How perfect! Could we be satisfied to meet a beloved one only in public?
No; we want to take such an one aside--to have him all to ourselves. So
with our MASTER: He takes His now fully consecrated bride aside, to
taste and enjoy the sacred intimacies of His wondrous love. The
Bridegroom of His Church longs for communion with His people more than
they long for fellowship with Him, and often has to cry:--
Let Me see thy countenance, let Me hear thy voice;
For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Are we not all too apt to seek Him rather because of our need than for
His joy and pleasure? This should not be. We do not admire selfish
children who only think of what they can get from their parents, and are
unmindful of the pleasure that they may give or the service that they
may render. But are not we in danger of forgetting that pleasing GOD
means giving Him pleasure? Some of us look back to the time when the
words "To please GOD" meant no more than not to sin against Him, not to
grieve Him; but would the love of earthly parents be satisfied with the
mere absence of disobedience? Or a bridegroom, if his bride only sought
him for the supply of her own need?
A word about the morning watch may not be out of place here. There is no
time so profitably spent as the early hour given to JESUS only. Do we
give sufficient attention to this hour? If possible, it should be
redeemed; nothing can make up for it. We must take time to be holy! One
other thought. When we bring our questions to GOD, do we not sometimes
either go on to offer some other petition, or leave the closet without
waiting for replies? Does not this seem to show little expectation of an
answer, and little desire for one? Should we like to be treated so?
Quiet waiting before GOD would save from many a mistake and from many a
sorrow.
We have found the bride making a glad discovery of a KING--her KING--and
not a cross, as she expected; this is the first-fruit of her
consecration.
We will be glad and rejoice in Thee,
We will make mention of Thy love more than of wine:
Rightly do they love Thee.
Another discovery not less important awaits her. She has seen the face
of the KING, and as the rising sun reveals that which was hidden in the
darkness, so His light has revealed her blackness to her. "Ah," she
cries, "I am black";--"But comely," interjects the Bridegroom, with
inimitable grace and tenderness. "Nay, 'black as the tents of Kedar,'"
she continues. "Yet to Me," He responds, "thou art 'comely as the
curtains of Solomon!'" Nothing humbles the soul like sacred and intimate
communion with the LORD; yet there is a sweet joy in feeling that _He_
knows _all_, and, notwithstanding, loves us still. Things once called
"little negligences" are seen with new eyes in "the secret of His
presence." There we see the mistake, the sin, of not keeping our own
vineyard. This the bride confesses:--
Look not upon me, because I am swarthy,
Because the sun hath scorched me.
My mother's sons were incensed against me,
They made me keeper of the vineyards;
But mine own vineyard have I not kept.
Our attention is here drawn to a danger which is pre-eminently one of
this day: the intense activity of our times may lead to zeal in service,
_to the neglect of personal communion_; but such neglect will not only
lessen the value of the service, but tend to incapacitate us for the
highest service. If we are watchful over the souls of others, and
neglect our own--if we are seeking to remove motes from our brother's
eye, unmindful of the beam in our own, we shall often be disappointed
with our powerlessness to help our brethren, while our MASTER will not
be less disappointed in us. Let us never forget that what we are is more
important than what we do; and that all fruit borne when not abiding in
CHRIST must be fruit of the flesh, and not of the SPIRIT. The sin of
neglected communion may be forgiven, and yet the effect remain
permanently; as wounds when healed often leave a scar behind.
* * * * *
We now come to a very sweet evidence of the reality of the heart-union
of the bride with her LORD. She is one with the GOOD SHEPHERD: her heart
at once goes instinctively forth to the feeding of the flock; but she
would tread in the footsteps of Him whom her soul loveth, and would
neither labour alone, nor in other companionship than His own:--
Tell me, O Thou whom my soul loveth,
Where Thou feedest Thy flock, where Thou makest it to
rest at noon:
For why should I be as one that is veiled
Beside the flocks of Thy companions?
She will not mistake the society of His servants for that of their
MASTER.
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women,
Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock,
And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.
These are the words of the daughters of Jerusalem, and give a correct
reply to her questionings. Let her show her love to her LORD by feeding
His sheep, by caring for His lambs (see John xxi. 15-17), and she need
not fear to miss His presence. While sharing with other under-shepherds
in caring for His flock she will find the CHIEF SHEPHERD at her side,
and enjoy the tokens of His approval. It will be service _with_ JESUS as
well as _for_ JESUS.
But far sweeter than the reply of the daughters of Jerusalem is the
voice of the Bridegroom, who now speaks Himself. It is the living fruit
of her heart-oneness with Him that makes His love break forth in the
joyful utterances of verses 9-11. For it is not only true that our love
for our LORD will show itself in feeding His sheep, but that He who when
on earth said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of
these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me," has His own heart-love
stirred, and not infrequently specially reveals Himself to those who are
ministering for Him.
The commendation of the bride in verse 9 is one of striking
appropriateness and beauty:--
I have compared thee, O My love,
To a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.
It will be remembered that horses originally came out of Egypt, and
that the pure breed still found in Arabia was during Solomon's reign
brought by his merchants for all the kings of the East. Those selected
for Pharaoh's own chariot would not only be of the purest blood and
perfect in proportion and symmetry, but also perfect in training, docile
and obedient; they would know no will but that of the charioteer, and
the only object of their existence would be to carry the king
whithersoever he would go. So should it be with the Church of CHRIST;
one body with many members, indwelt and guided by one SPIRIT; holding
the HEAD, and knowing no will but His; her rapid and harmonious movement
should cause His kingdom to progress throughout the world.
Many years ago a beloved friend, returning from the East by the overland
route, made the journey from Suez to Cairo in the cumbrous diligence
then in use. The passengers on landing took their places, about a dozen
wild young horses were harnessed with ropes to the vehicle, the driver
took his seat and cracked his whip, and the horses dashed off, some to
the right, some to the left, and others forward, causing the coach to
start with a bound, and as suddenly to stop, with the effect of first
throwing those sitting in the front seat into the laps of those sitting
behind, and then of reversing the operation. With the aid of sufficient
Arabs running on each side to keep these wild animals progressing in the
right direction the passengers were jerked and jolted, bruised and
shaken, until, on reaching their destination, they were too wearied and
sore to take the rest they so much needed.
Is not the Church of GOD to-day more like these untrained steeds than a
company of horses in Pharaoh's chariot? And while self-will and disunion
are apparent in the Church, can we wonder that the world still lieth in
the wicked one, and that the great heathen nations are barely touched?
Changing His simile, the Bridegroom continues:--
Thy cheeks are comely with plaits of hair,
Thy neck with strings of jewels.
We will make thee plaits of gold
With studs of silver.
The bride is not only beautiful and useful to her LORD, she is also
adorned, and it is His delight to add to her adornments. Nor are His
gifts perishable flowers, or trinkets destitute of intrinsic value: the
finest of the gold, the purest of the silver, and the most precious and
lasting of the jewels are the gifts of the Royal Bridegroom to His
spouse; and these, plaited amongst her own hair, increase His pleasure
who has bestowed them.
* * * * *
In verses 12-14 the bride responds:--
While the King sat at His table
My spikenard sent forth its fragrance.
It is in His presence and through His grace that whatever of fragrance
or beauty may be found in us comes forth. Of Him as its source, through
Him as its instrument, and to Him as its end, is all that is gracious
and divine. But _HE HIMSELF_ is better far than all that His grace works
in us.
My Beloved is unto me as a bundle of myrrh,
That lieth betwixt my breasts.
My Beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna-flowers
In the vineyards of En-gedi.
Well is it when our eyes are filled with His beauty and our hearts are
occupied with Him. In the measure in which this is true of us we shall
recognize the correlative truth that His great heart is occupied with
us. Note the response of the Bridegroom:--
Behold, thou art fair, My love; behold, thou art fair;
Thine eyes are as dove's.
How can the Bridegroom truthfully use such words of one who recognizes
herself as
Black as the tents of Kedar?
And still more strong are the Bridegroom's words in chap. iv. 7:--
Thou art all fair, My love;
And there is no spot in thee.
We shall find the solution of this difficulty in 2 Cor. iii. Moses in
contemplation of the Divine glory became so transformed that the
Israelites were not able to look on the glory of his countenance. "We
all, with unveiled face [beholding and] reflecting as a mirror the glory
of the LORD, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory
[_i.e._ the brightness caught from His glory transforms us to glory],
even as from the _Lord_ the SPIRIT." Every mirror has two surfaces; the
one is dull and unreflecting, and is all spots; but when the reflecting
surface is turned fully towards us we see no spot, we see our own image.
So while the bride is delighting in the beauty of the Bridegroom He
beholds His own image in her; there is no spot in that: it is all fair.
May we ever present this reflection to His gaze, and to the world in
which we live for the very purpose of reflecting Him.
Note again His words:--
Thine eyes are as dove's,
or
Thou hast dove's eyes.
The hawk is a beautiful bird, and has beautiful eyes, quick and
penetrating; but the Bridegroom desires not hawk's eyes in His bride.
The tender eyes of the innocent dove are those which He admires. It was
as a dove that the HOLY SPIRIT came upon Him at His baptism, and the
dove-like character is that which He seeks for in each of His people.
The reason why David was not permitted to build the Temple was a very
significant one. His life was far from perfect; and his mistakes and
sins have been faithfully recorded by the HOLY SPIRIT. They brought upon
him GOD'S chastenings, yet it was not any of these that disqualified him
from building the Temple, but rather his warlike spirit; and this though
many of his battles, if not all, were for the establishment of GOD'S
Kingdom and the fulfilment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Solomon, the Prince of Peace, alone could build the Temple. If we would
be soul-winners and build up the Church, which is His Temple, let us
note this: not by discussion nor by argument, but by lifting up CHRIST
shall we draw men unto Him.
* * * * *
We now come to the reply of the bride. He has called her fair; wisely
and well does she reply:--
Behold Thou art fair, my Beloved, yea, pleasant:
Also our couch is green.
The beams of our house are cedars,
And our rafters are firs.
I am (but) a rose of Sharon,
A lily of the valleys.
The last words are often quoted as though they were the utterance of
the Bridegroom, but we believe erroneously. The bride says in effect,
Thou callest me fair and pleasant, the fairness and pleasantness are
Thine; I am but a wild flower, a lowly, scentless rose of Sharon (_i.e._
the autumn crocus), or a lily of the valley.
To this the Bridegroom responds: "Be it so; but if a wild flower, yet
As a lily among thorns,
So is My love among the daughters.
Again the bride replies:--
As the apple-tree (the citron) among the trees of the wood,
So is my Beloved among the sons.
I sat down under His shadow with great delight,
And His fruit was sweet to my taste.
The citron is a beautiful evergreen, affording delightful shade as well
as refreshing fruit. A humble wild flower herself, she recognizes her
Bridegroom as a noble tree, alike ornamental and fruitful. Shade from
the burning sun, refreshment and rest she finds in Him. What a contrast
her present position and feelings to those with which this section
commenced! He knew full well the cause of all her fears; her distrust
sprang from her ignorance of Himself, so He took her aside, and in the
sweet intimacies of mutual love her fears and distrust have vanished,
like the mists of the morning before the rising sun.
But now that she has learned to know Him, she has a further experience
of His love. He is not ashamed to acknowledge her publicly.
He brought me to the banqueting house,
And His banner over me was love.
The house of wine is now as appropriate as the King's chambers were.
Fearlessly and without shame she can sit at His side, His acknowledged
spouse, the bride of His choice. Overwhelmed with His love she
exclaims:--
Stay ye me with raisins, comfort me with apples:
For I am sick of love.
His left hand is under my head,
And His right hand doth embrace me.
Now she finds the blessedness of being possessed. No longer her own,
heart-rest is alike her right and her enjoyment; and so the Bridegroom
would have it.
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the roes, and by the hinds of the field,
That ye stir not up nor awake My love,
Until she[2] please.
It is never by His will that our rest in Him is disturbed.
You may always be abiding,
If you will, at JESUS' side;
In the secret of His presence
You may every moment hide.
There is no change in His love; He is the same yesterday, to-day, and
for ever. To us He promises, "I will never leave thee, never fail thee,
nor forsake thee"; and His earnest exhortation and command is, "Abide in
Me, and I in you."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Loves = endearments, caresses.
[2] The pronoun here and in chapter iii. 5, and viii. 4, should not be
"he" as A.V., nor "it" as R.V., but "she."