A Thousand And Two Hundred (Song 8:11-14)

 “Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.” (So 8:11-12)

There is reward, if we do God’s will. He doesn’t teach us to serve Him in vain. Instead, if we believe, then we shall be saved. If we repent, there is the FORGIVENESS of sins.  And, if we do God’s will, then there is reward for the righteous.

1. Do not be ashamed of rewards, and know that this encourages us to serve God.  We must GET a payback for what we do for God, for it isn’t in vain - “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord“ (1 Cor 15:58).

2. The Lord, by the “thousand”, reveals that He gets all glory and praise (Song 8:11). He is the reason that we’re saved, and He saves us from many a fall. He saves us from the flesh that is constantly ungodly, and He produces the good that’s in us. He is gracious, kind, and delights in mercy. He forgives redundant sin, and He gives SINNERS eternal life. His saints are sinners too. We are “black, but comely”, and He blesses us NOW, even though NOW there is devilry in us, a nature constantly opposed to God (Song 1:5).

On the basis of pure merit, we can’t stand one second in His presence. But, on the basis of grace, faith, righteousness imputed, and the new man being seen by God, we are blessed to serve Him now - “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service“ (Rom 12:1).  If I can preach, it’s a gift of grace, and it is not I, but Christ and grace is doing it for me (1 Cor 15:10).

Yet, this doesn’t stop the reward system. Give Christ ALL glory, and you’ll get the honor of giving Christ praise, even if the world hates you.  Live for Christ’s honor, and you’ll get the glory of salvation, wisdom, and righteousness. You’ll be rewarded by the God who sees you.

3. Remember, your pastor only gets “two hundred”. He is exalted of God to preach to you, but he is not the God who does the exalting. He is human, fallible, and wrong.

Every pastor is WRONG right now in something that they do and teach, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not“ (Eccl 7:20). Yet, he is worthy of his reward, and he will get it from God.  Don Fortner writes,             “Let none of God’s saints ever look with scorn upon any man who preaches the gospel of God’s free grace in Christ. He who faithfully preaches the gospel to two or three of the Lord’s sheep is just as important in his place, doing what God has called him to do, as the man who preaches to hundreds. He is to be heard, respected, honored, supported and prayed for just as the preachers whose names are widely known.” But, while men may or may not respect him… men may or may not be saved by his God-honoring message… he “must” get his reward from God who cannot lie - “If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified” (1 Pet 4:14).

4. What are you living for? When it is said and done, and you look back on your life, will you be wise or foolish?  Many think that I’m foolish for “wasting” my life on God, wasting my talent, my opportunities, etc.

Yet, these things are GIVEN to me by God, and I’m WISE to pay Him back with love and reverence. I’m thankful that I’ve obtained mercy, so it is RIGHT that I should be merciful, serving Him.

Give Christ ALL the glory, and give every person who serves Him their due. But, God will, whether you and I notice it or not. He is already rewarding the righteous with love, joy, and peace. He already conquers and pardons us in our sins. He already gives GRACE to obey the gospel.  He already smiles upon us inwardly and fellowships with us (John 14:23). We have riches the world cannot see, and then we go to heaven, when mankind is burning in the lake of fire.

5. It is WORTH it to serve Christ.  Do it unashamedly. Don’t look for rewards from men. Don’t say, “I must hold back because I will lose this friend”. Say, “Serving Christ, right now, and giving Him glory, is going to come back to me. I cannot honor Christ and not get what God’s promised to give those that do”, both now and forever.

We’ll Help Her (Song 8:5-10)

“We have a little sister, and she has no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?  If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar” (vs8-9)

Love is the church’s response.  After we have been loved so freely, we FREELY love those that love God. We are not judges, but the strong encourage and help the weak (Rom 15:1). Christianity isn’t a religion where the “high ups” are served; it is where we serve (Matt 20:28).

Luther said one clear illustration of the Pope’s heresy is that he bears no cross: he rules as a king, pampered and soft (Matt 11:8).

The gospel humbles everyone - as we FAIL and obtain mercy: we’re taught to humble ourselves and serve, rather than be served.  Richard Sibbes, in “The Bruised Reed”, wrote, “After conversion we need bruising, that reeds may know themselves to be reeds and not oaks.  Even reeds need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy. . . . Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly.  This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than [substance].  ‘Though all forsake thee, I will not.’  The people of God cannot be without these examples.  The heroic deeds of those great worthies do not comfort the church so much as their falls and bruises do.”  True religion is more than “doing it right” yourself; it is helping others do it right too. And, if your religion is “I’m better than you”, then you worship God in vain, and PRIDE keeps you from God - “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Mt 7:1-2)

True religion is forgiveness received and given. It is DEALING with my neighbor and God, both, in Christ, rather than just one. True religion is tender, merciful, and it speaks the truth in love, rebuking with tears and brokenness of heart.

My favorite preacher of the last century, Rolfe Barnard, was direct and bold, and yet gentle and tender. He could scream “hell” at the top of his lungs, but his love made it music, rather than irritation (1 Cor 13:1).  And, if you give me a flaming love for people that’s gospel based, I don’t need a lot of talent to get my point across.  We labor for knowledge, etc, to look good on the outside and be “orthodox”, but when we get love, then we are straight with scripture. Without love for my enemies, I don’t know the gospel as I ought. Without patience to weak saints, failing brethren, and those who are in need, I don’t know how much love God has to me. I don’t see it REALLY, because I don’t respond. I may see a glimpse, but I haven’t continued looking at Christ; I’ve looked away to some other assurance and confidence, because I boast in knowledge, rather than God -  “Knowledge puffs up, but charity builds up. And if any man think that he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” (1Co 8:1-3 AKJV)

Let LOVE rule the day, and you honor Christ.  He LOVES you and made it known, so you receive Him and desire for His love to be reciprocated. Now, because of FORGIVENESS and grace, we love failing brethren and help them. We don’t sit still and say nothing, but we rebuke in love, we pray for, and we live holy ourselves to exemplify what we want in others.

If your communion is strong, then your love to the weak is strong.  You can’t have grace and not be gracious.

“His Desire Is Toward Me” (Song 7:7-8:4)

“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (vs10)

Assurance is from Christ speaking well of us, as we RECEIVE His word.  Yes, the word of God is here, but truth must be received by faith, and as it is, we are assured of His being ours by the sweet-talk that He gives us, speaking to us in love (vs7-9).

Many lack assurance because they REFUSE to believe what God says about them, about their FAITH and love, so they can’t have the assurance, for the Spirit doesn’t work by lies but by the truth, and the fullness thereof.

J. Eadie, said, “The mind most liable to be seduced is that which, having reached only an imperfect and one-sided view, is continually disturbed and perplexed by opposite and conflicting ideas which from its position it is unable to reconcile, but is forced to wonder whether really it has ...attained to just conceptions of the truth” (Col 2:2)

Thomas Brooks wrote that "Without the diligent use of means a lazy Christian has no right to expect to receive assurance."

Therefore, hear what God says to you.  You are lovely, pure, and holy.  He says your stature is upright and strong, like a palm tree (vs7).  You are fruitful, and your fruit not only pleases God but helps men, “causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak” (vs7-9).

These, and many other good things are yours. As you receive His testimony, you also receive assurance. As He speaks well of you, and you believe it, you will honor Him in your life saying, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me”, so that He loves me, and that’s what I must know, if I’ll love Him back (vs10).

Don’t try to live Christian without this boon of grace, this rightful privilege. Receive the GOODNESS’ of Christ, and don’t let your sin, weakness, or anything quit you from believing. Believe God who is worthy of faith. Lean on Him more, and you’ll have MORE knowledge and assurance He is yours, and you’ll live better and happier as the result.

“The Company of Two Armies” (Song 6:13)

"Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon you. What will you see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies", or a host of armies (vs13) 

Because we’ve conquered with God, the Lord sees us mighty, having “power with God and with men, and has prevailed” through prayer (Gen 32:28).

If I can get God to do what I want, get God to hear my prayer, and get God to give me the BLESSING that every soul will covet, then I’m mighty - “he had power with God: yes, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us“ (Hos 12:3-4). For a sinner to plead the blood and be saved, for a hell-deserving beast to obtain mercy, and for God to say, “Be it unto you, even as you will”, is the mercy given to believers (Matt 15:28). We persuade and move Him. We get God to give us what we need, because we look no other place and believe Him for it.

This is what Christ sees in us: He sees us prevailing against God, and commanding Him to keep His own promises, as He has commanded us, “Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command you me” (Is 45:11).  God has made promises, and we OBTAIN them.  We subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, overcome sins, etc.  He gives us GRACE to obey and to serve Him in a world of sin. He enables us to defeat the flesh, resist the devil, kill sin, and mortify the deeds of the body (Rom 8:13). He enables us to overcome, and we conquer for real, repenting and receiving the promised blessing, fleeing from the danger to Christ.

Be strong, O child of God, and know what you have in Christ. Know that you have POWER with God and you can be gentle, loving, and kind in your conduct among men. You are not ruled by the flesh, but even when He’s absent, He gives you grace to subdue wickedness and bring Him near. He is constrained by you (Luke 24:29). The faith He gives you is enough to bring Him near, and the obedience you render catches His eye and moves His heart - “Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of [my willing people]” (Song 6:12).  He is made willing by our willingness, the gift of God.

Beautiful, Comely, and Terrible (Song 6:2-7)

“You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners” (vs4)

Faith grabs the Lord’s heart. He wants us to SEE that He has been conquered in love. Even as He LOVED us to our rejoicing, now, our love, in spite of His hard “no answers”, is enough to compel His heart.

He says, “O woman, great is your faith: be it unto you even as you will.  And her daughter was made whole from that very hour” (Matt 15:28): God sees the faith of sinners under the conviction of sin, and for us to BELIEVE on Him, though we’re vile, is BEAUTIFUL in His sight - for the sinner to trust the Lord for mercy, when he’s sinful to the core. 

This glory of DEPENDENCE and faith gives glory to God, believing that what He’s promised, though grand, He shall do… that though Abraham can’t have any children, he’ll have them as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea - “faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform“ (Rom 4:20-21).  This faith pleases God, and He rewards it, as promised.

“Your Teeth” (vs6)

You receive the word of God, even the rebukes, even when joy is absent. You aren’t a fair weather fan, but you believe through thick and thin. He is your only hope truly.

Be encouraged that it’s seen by God.  He doesn’t disregard your faith, labor, love, and patience; He counts your afflictions and trials to be graciously and beautifully endured.

Fruitful Knowledge (vs7)

Your knowledge is FRUITFUL; it isn’t the dead knowledge of, “He is gone, so I am too”, but it is the gift of love for Christ, so that you’ve heard, believed, and glorified God by waiting patiently on His promise.

The life of FAITH is similar to the trial of faith, in that we WAIT for what we really want, because it isn’t heaven down here.  We wait because He is faithful, and we get power the world cannot know to resist sin, failures, doubts, and grief. He saves us to GLORIFY Himself, as He has said.

Notice that the Lord commends us the same as He did in previous chapters, except now, we see our SINFULNESS more clearly, so we behold Him more distinctly from the pit.  In chapter two, we say, “My beloved is mine, and I am his”, as we know that we have Him.  In chapter 6:3, we say, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine”, so that we see Him holding us, even when our grip is weak and we have rebelled against Him willingly.  When we are unfaithful and know it: we see His faithfulness.  Our sins have taught us lessons of the grace of God, and whether I’m communing and enjoying Christ or seeking Him sorrowing, my faith is BEAUTIFUL and submission is pure.

“But One” (Song 6:8-9)

The Lord sees the uniqueness of the church: we are the one He loves, and we are the one that loves Him.  There is none like the church, and He takes SERIOUSLY what the scripture calls true praiseworthiness in a woman. Prov 31:30 says, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised”, and the Lord sees us FEARING Him and loving Him, even after shutting the door and refusing Him fellowship (Song 5:3).  The Lord sees the BEST of us, sees the new man’s love, and He commends us for it.

Be thankful that while you’re vile and wicked, you are also holy and good. You have JUSTIFICATION and sanctification, good works and good standing. You have faith, which PLEASES and glorifies God above all else in this world. Don’t ever think the Lord doesn’t observe you.  He sees your beauty, is pleased with your person and work, and He shall reward you openly, first with comforting words, then fruit, then heaven.

“Sick of Love” (Song 5:2-8)

“I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him, that I am sick of love”.

The Son of God leaves, so that we may seek Him in His great value.  He means so much to us, that when He is gone, and we’re AWARE of His absence, we seek Him lovingly, which His elect see and hear. 

We are not useful in the high times alone, but even in the deep, we are BLESSED of God to hear and be heard, even though our strength is small.  In our times we weakness, we still speak by faith, and those appointed to salvation are brought to Christ by our faith, even in the “down times”, saying (Song 5:9; Song 6:1).

Don’t think that Christ is gone to stay; think He’s gone to teach me a lesson, to make me love Him more.

We failed when He spoke, refusing to open to Him - “I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul FAILED when he spoke: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer“ (vs6). We thought ourselves SELF-sufficient and OK without Him, so He leaves us, makes us SEE our great need, and then He gives us hope as we seek Him (vs3?)- “My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him” (vs4). 

He is gone, but not forever. He is angry with us rightfully and has departed, but He will hear our cry, He will lift up the humbled, and He teaches us BY His absence to SEEK Him when He’s near - “I sleep, but my heart wakes: it is the voice of my beloved that knocks, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night“ (vs2).   His loving embrace teaches joy, and His refusal to embrace teaches us that joy is in Him only (Eccl 3:5). The Lord is PRECIOUS and the Most Import Thing.

Do not fail, when He says “Open to me”, and do not go without seeking Him. Don’t say, “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them (vs3)”.  When He comes in thoughts and deeds in the gospel, when He moves upon the heart and mind, then let Him in - “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night“ (vs2). He has GOODNESS’ for you and only your highest joy in mind.  When He is gone, do not say, “It’s OK. He will return one day”, but seek Him immediately, lest your time without Him lead to sin - “I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock” (vs5).

When He hurts you by the messengers, and strips you of your proud self-sufficiency, then He has done good - “The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me” (vs7).  Now, make known your love for Him, even when you don’t have the highest joy (vs10-16). Preach peace, even when your peace is small, and tell the world the Lord Jesus is most important to you, that you need Him above all else.  

Many people love a happy religion, but God has a seeking religion, too, because we don’t stop, until we get Him. He DRAWS us to Himself, opening the door of our heart by mercy and causing us to turn unto Him - “My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved” (vs4-5a).  All obedience is the FRUIT of Christ’s grace, so we need Him to obey, and without Him MOVING us powerfully, we sin and get misery as the result.

The gospel is for sinners and saints who’ve gone astray.  Return to your Beloved and declare how precious He is.

No Spot In You (Song 4:1-7)

“You are all fair, my love; there is no spot in you” (vs7).

The Lord Jesus commends us, calling us beautiful inwardly by the Spirit in the new nature, because He wants us for Himself.  It is like a husband talking to his wife in loving adoration, so that she draws near, so they can fellowship in love.

The Son “sweet talks” us, not because He is wrong and cannot see our sin, but because sin is punished, and we have new natures that love, serve, and honor God.  And, it is by His cleansing love, love that made us pure within, that we draw near to Him, being constrained by His great love to serve Him, laying down our lives in grateful submission (Eph 1:4; 2 Cor 5:14).

The love of Christ produces holiness in those that believe.  As He commends us, we lean on Him increasingly and seek His face in this world.  Rather than allowing our minds and bodies to serve another beloved, we think on Him, setting our minds on things above (Col 3:2).

Many fear that love revealed is unbecoming, that Christ cannot speak of us this way, but don’t ever let your blackness keep you from believing that you are pure (Song 1:5).  If you believe God, though you’re as vile as possible in the flesh, it is the new man that He commends, loving us WHILE we were yet sinners and in spite of our vileness, and loving us as obedient children, whom He has made so by His blood, promise, and Spirit.  Hear the Son speak well of you:

• Your hair is as a flock of goats; it is long and shows your submission, that you subject yourself to Christ, willingly, taking His yoke upon you and learning of Him (Song 4:1; 1 Cor 11:15).
•  Your teeth are not the ravenous teeth of wolves and lions that lash out at the Savior, but you have the submissive teeth of sheep, hear His voice, and you follow Him (vs2).

• Your lips and mouth speak the gospel of God’s grace in knowledge of His love for you.  You are not merely saying nice stuff about Christ, but you believe that He loves you, so you speak of His glory sincerely (vs3).

• Your neck is strong and has overcome the enemy.  You have yielded yourself to Christ, and thereby, you conquer sin, resisting Satan, and he flees from you (vs4).

• Your breasts are nourishing to Christ, satisfying to Him, and a place for Him to rest His head, knowing that He’s made you able to care for the church, to love as He gave commandment.

And, He says this to draw us to Himself. He tells us where He will be, “Until the day break and the shadows flee away”, until we’re in heaven with face to face communion, “I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense” (vs6). He is where He is blessed and praised, and He is where He is depended upon in prayer: He will meet us there.

“Behold King Solomon” (Song 3:6-11)

“Go forth, O you daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart” (vs11).

The church bids you to enjoy the fellowship of Jesus Christ, to come to Him and be changed by Him, so that you may be safe, fruitful, and happy (Rev 22:17).

The gospel of grace changes men; it takes us from the misery of religious duty and licentious vanity, and it changes us by the glory of Christ REVEALED, so that we know God’s love and are made loving by it.  The gospel comforts the soul, soothes the fears, and it is SAFE; it isn’t a “looking over my shoulder” pleasure, but a pleasure from God that purifies the heart and keeps me from sin, strengthening my resolve and causing my face to shine.

Our praises go up, as God’s mercy comes down to us, even as she is perfumed with pillars of smoke, as her love for and dependence on Christ ascended to God - “Who is this that comes out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the powders of the merchant“ (Song 3:6).

She is safe in God’s promises, kept from alarms, and comforted amidst a really cruel world; it isn’t that she has “light headed” but empty fellowship while danger lurks about; it is that in the teeth of REAL dangers, fears, and grief, she obtains power and security in the Beloved’s arms and loving embrace - “Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; sixty valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man has his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night” (vs7-8). He keeps her from fear that is there, for He is the refuge that we need.  Forgiveness, promises, and the eternal security of the believer produces faith which works by love.

This pleasure of communion, this peace, this joy, and this happiness are not to be condemned.  This isn’t illicit joy or the pleasure of this world that is vain and short lived; it is the joy of Christ, the love of God, the pardon of sin, and the promises of blessing that move us inwardly with peace. God’s gospel, and not this world, is what you need.  Thus, He calls us to Himself by His love and the good that it does for us.  He says, “Come”.  Now, having come, we say, “Come” to you too - “Go forth, O you daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart” (vs11).  We say experience this love and don’t live without it. Come home to Christ your Beloved and enjoy the benefits of His love to you - “King Solomon made himself a [traveling bed or carriage] of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with LOVE, for the daughters of Jerusalem” (vs9-10)

His heart thrilling love is the crown of His glory, that He’d be so good to sinners as to make us holy in heaven to commune with us, having made us holy by the Spirit whereby He communes with us here.

Awake Not My Beloved (Song 3:1-5)

“I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the deer of the field, that you stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please” (vs5).

Christ teaches us to maintain communion with Him by His absences and the difficulty in finding Him - “I sought him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not“ (vs1).

If we could command His presence and peace at our will, then we would not obey the Lord. We’d sin, and say, “Come back, Lord. I command you to give me peace”, and He would play the part of the genie, doing what He must, but not as Lord.

However, He HIDES Himself so that He is not only sought but also treasured after He is found - “It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loves: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother‘s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me“ (vs4).  It isn’t of my will to enjoy peace as I please, so I will seek Him whom I love… Him who is my peace… and when I have Him, rather than squandering fellowship, I’ll hold Him dear. I’ll believe and obey until He comes, and then I’ll believe and obey when He is here with me, so that He remains.

You and I love the Son of God supremely, so much that He is “whom my soul loves”, my Joy, my Peace, my Satisfaction, and Fulfillment. He is everything to believers, so we seek Him when He is gone, because without Him, life is miserable, but with Him, even the bitter is made sweet, we have peace, and we can do His will - “I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loves“ (vs2).  The presence of Christ is heaven on earth so desperately needed that we forsake everything else to have Him.  We come to Him by night, when others are asleep, because we need the Son’s favor - “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves“ (vs1). We come to Him though we don’t find Him, because He’s promised that we’d find Him, and we have nothing until we do - “I sought him, but I found him not… I sought him, but I found him not“ (vs1-2).

He hides Himself, but the watchmen, the preachers of Christ, find us, and shortly after leaving them, we find Him - “The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw you him whom my soul loves?  It was but a little that I passed FROM them, but I found him whom my soul loves” (vs3-4).

The watchmen are NOT the Christ, even though they help us see, being sent by God to show the way of salvation, which we as watchmen take first . We declare the whole counsel of God, and in doing such, show you and others where you have erred, so you may have Him again, “For I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God“ (Acts 20:27).  We show REPENTANCE and the forgiveness of sins, the whole counsel of GRACE unto good works, and we meet every sinner’s and saint’s need right here (Luke 24:47).  You and I need GRACE, and we need faith in grace to do God’s will, to love, as He gave us commandment, submitting to His way of life, so that we may have peace - “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls“ (Matt 11:29).

The Lord comes to us after we leave the preachers because He won’t have us trusting in the men who preach - “It was but a little that I passed FROM them, but I found him whom my soul loves”(vs4). They are helpers and oracles of God, but it is GOD Himself that we deal with in Christ.  And, having Him near… finding Him and treasuring His presence… we’re resolved to bring Him to God’s house, the church of God, to the chamber where we were conceived - “I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother‘s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me“ (vs4).   The individual saint finds Christ, so that we can share Him to others, and He comes for this reason, not merely to make us happy and yet still mean, but to make us holy and happy, desiring that others see the Beloved.

Lastly, the daughters of Jerusalem, those who are in the Lamb’s book of life, are told exactly what we’ve learned - “I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the deer of the field, that you stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please“ (vs5). The watchmen tells what he’s heard, and the believer experiences it. Then, the believer tells what she knows, so that God’s elect who’re yet unsaved can hear it too.

“Come Away” And Be Changed (Song 2:8-17)

“My beloved spoke, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away” (vs10).

The Son of God comes to us skipping upon the hills and leaping upon the mountains of our sin and unbelief - “The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes” (vs8).  Having paid for sins and being gracious to sinners, our unbelief and obstacles are no problems for Him; He isn’t hindered.

He comes to us saying, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away”. He calls us TO Himself.  Salvation isn’t forgiveness only, but forgiveness and cleansing, so He calls us to obedience, faith, love, joy, and peace, by doing things His way.  

He will cleanse and change the character, so that we can enjoy Him in the change that He makes and the peace of His Spirit, “being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God“ (Col 1:10).  He doesn’t merely say, “I’ll fellowship with you, as you are, in the way that you want to live”, but He says, “Come unto ME all you that labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). I’ll fix you, pardon you, strengthen you, and cause you to obey, and in this, you’ll have power, love, joy, and peace: you’ll have Me (John 14:15).

The Lord could have simply come all the way in and saved her without her response, but He desires us to come to Him - “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young deer: behold, he stands behind our wall, he looks forth at the windows, showing himself through the opening“ (vs9).  He will not have us ignorant or constrained by outside force, but He’ll have us come to Him by faith, confess our sins to the Beloved, and live by willful obedience.  It isn’t the unintelligent worship of the robotic that He seeks but the willing worship of people who need Him and take hold of salvation.

He says, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (vs13). Come away with Him.  Do not stay where you are; don’t refuse to repent of known sins, and don’t seek Christ’s peace on your terms. Come to Him, believe, repent, and obey by the Spirit’s power, and you’ll have Christ returned to you in experience: you’ll taste His power, “For, lo, the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land; the fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell” (vs11-13).

But, be careful. Your Winter season is past for a beautiful Spring time with Christ, but don’t think that you are a big shot now - “Take us, the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes“ (vs15). Yield yourself to Him and lean on Him continually, because your new fruit is tender, and there are foxes who seek to distract and deceive you, taking your eyes off Christ and causing you to sin, so that His presence is gone.  Take great care to maintain fellowship with Christ by repentance, faith, and love continually.  Be changed, and He will stay with you.

Here is an Illustration:

My boss got under my skin, and I can either keep my anger and bitterness, or I can have Christ, but I can’t have both.

Needing Christ for peace, I came to Him, and He instructed me to submit to my boss and then taught me things that I can do to make the situation better, perhaps.  God gave me PEACE, as He gave me His will, pardoning and changing me to love.

Now, Christ RETURNS and I have something more valuable than the pleasure of sin for a season, something better than hate and pride: I have love, joy, and peace.

“Love in the Spirit” (Col 1:8)

“Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit“ (vs7-8). 

Love is in the Holy Spirit; love is that gift of God by the gospel of Christ revealed, forgiveness enjoyed, and promises received by faith.  The Holy Spirit ministers Christ and blessedness is felt and understood, and then love comes from forgiveness, producing deeds visible to others, even as Epaphras declared it unto Paul (vs8).

Christian truth changes lives today, even as He changed lives thousands of years ago.  He transforms us from sinners into saints, then we deal with the sin in us by forgiveness and promises of God (Song 1:5).  He cleanses us continually, enabling us to honor Him by faith. We RECEIVE His word of goodness and good deeds result.

Our gospel produces actions, and you who have been changed and are being changed are God’s ELECT manifested.  - “But we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord“ (2 Cor 3:18).  You are loved and shall be loved in obedience, experiencing love and peace, as you walk in peace and love, believing unto obeying, being cleansed continually and possessing help from God - “He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him“ (John 14:21).  He didn’t just save, but He made you like Himself: loving!  You didn’t merely receive a “get out of hell” pass, but He gave you “life more abundantly” (John 10:10). 

We enjoy this life by PARDON, as sin is dealt with and forgiven, enabling us to love each other, and love, thereby, grows.  We get more fellowship from God, as we love people, because we’ve been loved.

“My Mother’s Children Were Angry With Me” (Song 1:6)

 

“Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun has looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but my own vineyard have I not kept” (vs6)

We can be hateful to one another, hard, and unforgiving.  I’m not saying everyone who claims Christ is saved; I’m saying that believers do wickedness and other believers are quick to judge, criticize, wound, and reveal their faults unto others - “Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother“ (Matt 18:15).  Do not fault find and gossip, but know this is part of your life of faith. All who love God won’t love you, and some who love God will speak evilly of you, and you will give them occasion by your failures, “my own vineyard have I not kept… I am black, because the sun has looked upon me“, and trials have wore me down, temptations, now failures. This is par for the course and can’t be denied. We press on to Christ BECAUSE of the heat of the day; it doesn’t make us quit.

Love your brothers, but don’t expect them to love you in return so perfectly. Improve yourself, but don’t forget to FORGIVE and talk to brethren who err against you - “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a fault against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you” (Col 3:12-13).  Be guiltless of transgressions, even when others are guilty of fault-finding and gossip.  Be like Christ, and don’t be distracted when godly people have no compassion.  You too have despised others, been proud, and said in yourself, “I’m not like that…I’d never do such” - “Also, take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you: for oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others“ (Eccl 7:21-22). Well, you would and you do such the like, in your own way of sin.  Therefore, FORGIVE and give no offense in your behavior, and be not distracted when you are RIGHTFULLY rebuked and have done enough evil to cause people to doubt you.  Live better now.

“As the Curtains of Solomon” (Song 1:5)

“I am black, but beautiful, O you daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon” (vs5)

Solomon’s curtains were glorious, and so is the believer. We are BOTH vile and BEAUTIFUL beyond description. As depraved as we are naturally, is as holy as we are in regeneration and newness of life. He put His righteousness on us and in us, transforming us into new creations that honor God.  We have been saved, not merely in acceptance, but we have been saved to live acceptably, so that we’re not only forgiven, but we’re given power to sin no more - “Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more“ (John 8:11). 

The gospel is REAL; it doesn’t promise and not deliver, but the Christ who says, “I forgive” is the One who says, “I cleanse and sanctify”. In fact, “saint” is FAR MORE often your designation in the apostolic writings than sinner (61 times).  Paul and James WARN and rebuke us, but they never shriek from declaring how changed we are in Christ - “And such were some of you: but you washed yourselves, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God“ (1 Cor 6:9). In fact, the change that God makes is the hope that believers have with the gospel, that as we command men to love God, they can, by FAITH in Jesus Christ do all that we tell them to do - “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). They can be new, pure, upright, and gracious. They can love, and live godly in this present world, because the Commanding is a Performing God.  He is the doer of the work.

Love Better Than Wine (Song 1:2)

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for your love is better than wine” (vs2).

Christ’s love is better than everything the world can give, which is why we SEEK Him and love Him supremely. If His love were not better, then we wouldn’t have the motivation to pursue Him here. We’d have the duty, perhaps, but not the pleasure… and duty WITHOUT pleasure isn’t the way of God - “Looking unto Jesus the Leader and Perfection of faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God” (Heb 12:2). He says, “Come unto me”, not merely because He is Lord, but because He is enjoyable, too. He says, “Believe”, not merely because it is RIGHT, but also to obtain GOOD things from God. He says, “Obey”, not merely because He has authority and we ought obey, but we’ll be rewarded.  Thus, the goodness of God’s love in Christ is a joy that makes us seek after God in Christ. He is the high of my life, the joy of my heart, and He is the Only One who gives peace.

If the world could give peace, then I’d love the world, but it cannot; it can only deceive me to destruction  - “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season“ (Heb 11:25). But, since Christ gives JOY and gladness, I pursue after Him to have what I so desire. It is GOOD to seek your pleasure, knowing it’s in God. It is right to desire happiness in obedience to Christ. Thus, to love my neighbor, because Christ commands, is the path of peace, and I will do it, because Christ’s love… what I get back from loving… is better than wine… what I get from sin.

Earthly wine isn’t bad, but Christ’s love is better than the proper things of this world. In fact, earthly joy is enjoyed as we honor Christ - “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God“, not forbidden by scripture, “and prayer“, and conscience faith in Christ as I partake of it before God (1 Tim 4:4).  We experience the best this world has to offer as we walk in the love of God, enjoying temperance, and being thankful to God, rather than idolatrous.  Christ’s love changes bad into good, cleanses the conscience, and brings forth fruit; it is better than what the world gives because it is sanctifying and pleasurable; it is safe, secure, thrilling, and it lasts unto eternal life; it is the way of preparation for heaven, and it is the best foretaste we have down here.