Current Shareware 1994 January/SHAR194.ISO/religion/alphon_3.zip/SOLOMON.S11

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        Study No. 11.

                                SONG OF SOLOMON


         RESTORING TRUE LOVE cont.  - Chapter 4:8 - 5:1


        4:8  - "Come  with  me  from Lebanon,  my spouse,  with  me  from
               Lebanon;  look  from  the top of Amana,  from the  top  of
               Senir,   and  Hermon,  from  the  lions'  dens,  from  the
               mountains of the leopards."

        "Come with me from Lebanon,  my spouse". This constitutes  the
         Second Call .

         a) This verse is the key to the whole book and reveals both  the
            reason  for the King's dealings with the Bride,  and her  own
            reason for being.  The King's recent endorsements of her were
            not meant to be an end in themselves,  but a means to an end.
            His expressions of faith in the Bride and appreciation of her
            beauty  were designed to enable her to progress into her real
            destiny.

         b) The Lord may postpone His intention for a time because of the
            inability of His Church to progress,  but He never lowers His
            standard or surrenders His purpose.   He never gives up.   In
            chapter 2:8-17 she had not been able to accept the  challenge
            to  "come  with me".   Now the same call reaches out  to  her
            again (3:8).   The Church can never escape the call of God to
            fulfill its ministry.  We may waste time and opportunity, but
            He will persist until we face it.

         c) This  is the first  time in the book that the King has called
            the  Bride "my spouse".   In the Hebrew language this is  the
            word for Bride,  but it comes from a root which means to make
            perfect  or complete.   The dealings of God are  designed  to
            achieve  perfection or "maturity" in His Church and the  King
            has been bringing the Bride to this place of maturity so that
            she  will  be  qualified to face the challenge  of  her  real
            ministry.   She has not been called to the King to be blessed
            and  favoured above others,  but so that she will be prepared
            to be an instrument in His hand to subdue His enemies.

               The  King  never calls her "my spouse" until  she  is
               able to say "I will go all the way with you and  will
               not settle where I choose while you go further".  The
               emphasis  is not so much on mountains as the  Bride's
               total unity with the King - not only in nature but in
               purpose.  The emphasis is "come with me".

         d) This  new  position with the King brings a  totally  new
            perspective  of the world to the Bride.   Previously she
            had looked at the mountains as an impossible task, or an
            unnecessary interruption to her comfortable state.

            i) The  Lord's desire for  His  Church is  to be  seated
               with   Him  in  heavenly  places,  and to "look down"
               upon the problems and challenges of this life with  a
               perspective of victory.  Eph. 2:6, cp 1:20-22.  It is
               true that the view depends upon the vantage point.

           ii) There  are  two basic philosophies of  the  Christian
               life  which are diametrically opposed to each  other.
               They are "working for the Lord" and "working with the
               Lord".   The  first is works based and seeks to  earn
               God's  favour by human effort.   The second seeks  to
               find  God's will and co-operate with Him,  and it  is
               this  alone  which  will bring success  in  spiritual
               things.   We are crucified "with Him",  buried  "with
               Him", raised "with Him", seated "with Him", and shall
               reign  "with  Him".   It was God working "with  them"
               (Mark  16:20) which brought confirmation of the  word
               by signs following.

         e) Mount  Hermon is a triple peaked mountain in the Anti-Lebanon
            range and it appears that the three names,  Amana, Shenir and
            Hermon  were  applied  to the peaks  which  are  about  equal
            distance apart and of equal height.

            i) Lebanon,   where  these  mountain peaks  are,   was  never
               possessed by Israel,  although it was part of its promised
               inheritance.   Its  occurrence in the Song of Solomon as a
               spiritual  truth  written by Solomon who as King  did  not
               possess  that territory shows us that the Church must  not
               settle for less than its full inheritance in Christ.

           ii) The  names of these mountain peaks are significant in  the
               Bride's victory:

               1) Amana  means "confirmation" or "permanent".   The  word
                  also carries the thought of "covenant",  and is related
                  to  the word "Amen".   Jesus is called "The Amen  - the
                  faithful and true witness" - Rev.  3:14.   "In Him  all
                  the  promises of God are yea and Amen" - 2  Cor.  1:20.
                  In the heavenly places with the King the Bride receives
                  not  only  a  world view and increased  vision,  but  a
                  greater  understanding  of her  relationship  with  the
                  King, and the resulting change in her nature.  There is
                  a  confirmation  of truth to her that only  came  about
                  through  her obedience to ascend the mountain with  the
                  King.

               2) Shenir (Note  Deut. 3:9) means "covering" and indicates
                  an  "armour  of protection" provided for the  Bride  in
                  this  high  place with the King.   She will  soon  face
                  conflict  and opposition as a result of this new  state
                  of faith,  but is prepared for it by the King before it
                  comes.   This is the Church's spiritual armour of  Eph.
                  6:11-18.

               3) Hermon  means  "devoted  to destruction",  and  in  the
                  context of the other names, infers the overthrow of the
                  Satanic Kingdom through the work of Christ on the Cross
                  - Col. 2:14-15.

                  Before  we  ever face spiritual conflict the  King  not
                  only  prepares  our  armour for  us,  but  has  already
                  overthrown our enemies.

         f) While in this exalted place of obedience and revelation,  the
            Bride  confronts  the  enemy - "the  lions'  dens,  from  the
            mountains of the leopards".   In the midst of her new  status
            with  the  King and the revelation of herself in Him  calling
            her "my spouse",  spiritual warfare begins.   In her maturity
            she at least enters into the ministry of the King.

            i) The  enemy of our souls who goes about as a  roaring  lion
               attacks the Bride at this point,  and not before.  She was
               not a threat before.

           ii) The  uncovering  of the enemy's tactics usually  does  not
               occur until the Church ministers to God in heavenly places
               and  high  praises.   Note Ps.  149.   Prayer  and  Praise
               becomes  a  weapon  of spiritual warfare and  exposes  the
               Satanic strategy.  It was when Daniel was seeking God that
               a spiritual battle in the heavenly realm took place - Dan.
               10:12-13.   It  was  during  Jesus' 40 day  fast  that  He
               entered into a battle with Satan.   Paul's high revelation
               resulted  in Satanic opposition - 2  Cor.  12,  and  Jesus
               transfiguration was immediately followed by a contest with
               the powers of darkness in an epileptic boy - Matt. 17.

          iii) The "dens" speak of the root of Satanic bondage.  His work
               may  be seen in the valleys,  but the source of it is with
               the Prince of the Power of the Air.   The leopards suggest
               the swiftness of his attack and the unchangeable nature of
               Satan - "can the leopard change his spots".

           iv) The  King says to the Bride "look from it".   Her view  is
               not  to be obsessed with the lions' dens or leopards,  but
               to have a wide and balanced perspective.

         g) The  King calls the Shulamite His "spouse" five times in  the
            next five verses, though He had never used it before.

            Her  ascent with Him into the "heavenly realm" and the  place
            of  spiritual warfare causes the King to confirm her  (Amana)
            as  spouse and this is not taken from her,  despite her  next
            decline.

        4:9 - "Thou hast ravished my heart,  my sister,  my spouse;  thou
              hast  ravished my heart with one of thine  eyes,  with  one
              chain of thy neck."


        "You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse".

        This  can  also  read,  "You  have  given  me  courage".   It  is
        incredible  to realise that we,  the  Church,  meet needs in  our
        Lord.   However,  it is only the sister/spouse who can ravish His
        heart.

         a) The  sister  speaks of the common origin of the King and  His
            Bride.   There is both a birth and blood relationship between
            Christ and His Church - we are bone of His bone and flesh  of
            His flesh - Eph. 5:30.

         b) The  Bride,  or spouse relationship is one of choice and both
            these  levels of relationship are essential to fully  satisfy
            the King's need for our love.

         c) "With one glance of your eyes".

            She  had doves' eyes which had now received a greater  vision
            because she has fixed her sight upon the King.

         d) "With one chain of your neck".

            Her  submission to His will would not have been possible  but
            for the work of the Godhead begun in Chapter 1:10.  It is God
            who is at work in us both to will and do His good pleasure.

            Note  Proverbs  1:9.   These  qualities in  her  bring  great
            blessing  to  the King and she satisfied His heart in  a  way
            that no angel or any other created being can.

        4:10 - "How fair is thy love,  my sister,  my spouse!   How  much
               better is thy love than wine!   And the fragrance of thine
               ointments than all spices!"

        "How much better is your love than wine."

        The  King's response to her love for His is also both parallel to
        and greater than the Bride's response to His in Chapter 1:2.  She
        had said "your love is better than wine".   The King now declares
        that the  Bride's  love is  much better  than wine.   The joy she
        causes in the King is unique.   Nothing else can bless Him as she
        does and her obedience and love stimulates the King greatly.  She
        had  also  commended Him on the "savour of His  good  ointments".
        Now  the  King  says of her,  "The smell of  your  ointments  (is
        better) than all spices".

        Ointment  is the product of spices,  but in a crushed form.   The
        dealings  in her life to bring her to the fulness of  the  King's
        will  in  her  produced a fragrance which had  not  been  present
        before her time of total yieldedness to Him.

        4:11 - "Thy lips, O my spouse, drop like the honeycomb; honey and
               milk  are under thy tongue,  and the scent of thy garments
               is like the fragrance of Lebanon."

         a) Her lips are referred to before (4:3) as a thread of  scarlet
            which  speaks of a good confession of faith of the  redeeming
            blood of Christ.

            However,  the  King  now  indicates a further level  of  this
            confession,  He points out that her affirmation of His  truth
            is  not  mere  glib talk.   Just as honey is not  made  in  a
            moment,  and  is the end result of a lengthy process,  so her
            speech of faith is a result of the process the King has  been
            working  in  her  life.   She is expressing  the  belief  and
            commitment  of her heart.   Until the  honey is capped in the
            honeycomb  by  the wax,  it will not  properly  develop.  Her
            speech is now rooted to things deep in her heart.

         b) The  King  also says "honey and milk are under your  tongue".
            This speaks of a controlled tongue.

            Two  things  necessary  to be imputed to  new  believers  are
            symbolized by honey and milk,  but these elements are only of
            value to such people if the source of them is wise in  speech
            and has a right attitude - ie. from a self-controlled tongue.

            Honey  is  both  a  predigested food and a  source  of  quick
            energy.   The  things  of the Lord which  have  already  been
            assimilated  by the Bride will bring about rapid strength  in
            new believers when imparted to them.

            Milk  symbolises  the Word of God fed to new  believers,  and
            those immature in the faith - 1 Cor.  3:2,  Heb.  5:13, and 1
            Pet. 2:2.

        4:12-15 - "A  garden enclosed is my sister,  my spouse;  a spring
                  shut up,  a fountain sealed.  Thy plants are an orchard
                  of  pomegranates,  with pleasant  fruits;  henna,  with
                  spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon,
                  with all trees of frankincense;  myrrh and aloes,  with
                  all the chief spices;  A fountain of gardens, a well of
                  living waters, and streams from Lebanon."

        The Bride begins another period of decline.  Her first decline in
        chapter 1:5 was caused by reaction.  Her headstrong period in 1:9
        resulted from resistance,  and last decline in chapter 2:9-17 was
        caused  by  rebellion.   Now she is recoiling  from  the  awesome
        challenges she has to confront on Lebanon.  The dens of lions and
        leopards  represent  a  demand  on  her  and  an  involvement  in
        spiritual  warfare which is intimidating to her.   She  withdraws
        from the conflict and seeks to retire to more pleasant pursuits.

        She  has faced and become afraid of spiritual manifestations, and
        these  demands on her in both time and effort.   It is easier  to
        opt for a more routine and predictable area of spiritual life, so
        once  again  she retreats behind a wall.   She becomes  a  garden
        enclosed.   Her  spring of living waters is shut up,  instead  of
        flowing out to the needy land.   She is becoming parochial in her
        vision again,  and as a result of her reaction to spiritual power
        and conflict, she concentrates on the development of the fruit of
        the  Spirit  instead  of  the Gifts  of  the  Spirit.   Both  are
        essential to a well-balanced life.

        Nine  specific  fruits or spices  are  mentioned  - pomegranates,
        camphire,  spikenard,  saffron,  calamus, cinnamon, frankincense,
        myrrh and aloes; and there are 9 Fruit if the Spirit - Gal. 5:22.


        4:16 - "Awake,  O north wind,  and come, thou south; blow upon my
               garden, that its spices may flow out.  Let my beloved come
               into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits"

        The  King  is now prepared to leave the Bride in  this  withdrawn
        state  but  she  calls  for  the cold and  harsh  north  wind  of
        adversity to blow upon the garden,  and then for the balmy  south
        wind  to  do the same so that between these two types of  dealing
        with her,  some of the product of the garden may reach the  world
        around her.

        Because  the painful lessons she has learned in chapters 3 and  4
        have  left a permanent effect on her and her desire was  only  to
        escape the challenges of such demanding spiritual ministry as she
        had encountered on Lebanon.   She does not want to be without the
        King's  presence  and invites Him to come into the  garden.   She
        also acknowledges that it is His garden.   She does not lay claim
        to His possessions as she had previously  (3:1).

        Notice - It is the brides response,  she says  that she  sees the
        potential too,  and  also sees the  lock, - please  remove it and
        make "My  garden breath out fragrance."

        5:1 - "I am come into my garden,  my sister,  my spouse.   I have
              gathered my myrrh with my spice;  I have eaten my honeycomb
              with my honey;  I have drunk my wine with my milk.   Eat, O
              friends.  Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved."

        The  King  has accepted the invitation of the Shulamite  to  come
        where  she is,  and thus accommodates Himself to her weakness  at
        this  point.   However,  in  doing so He emphasizes a  number  of
        important aspects of their relationship.

         a) He insists that it is His garden - not hers.  Note 4:16 - "my
            garden".

         b) He still emphasizes the fact of her status as both His  Bride
            and  sister.   Her choice of Him and their common origin  are
            not  changed  by this period of moving  away.   Through  this
            whole book the King's strategy has been to lift her vision by
            describing  her  as  He  sees  her  in  faith.    He  is  not
            condemnatory now.

         c) "I have come into my garden"  He has come in and  eaten,  and
            walked around, drunk a  little, ate a  little  then  he  says
            friends, come drink abundantly.

            Remember  the  second call was to go down to  the  valley  of
            human need.  "Journey down" Chapter 4:8 N.A.S.B.
            You did pray for the North wind.

            How  many  of you know that Jesus knows how to walk  in  your
            garden  but  all  his  dumb  friends,   they  come  with  big
            clodhoppers,  football boots,  skateboards, bicycles and they
            bring their kids!  Oh NO!!  Open to them?  NEVER!!!

            When you open to people,  they hurt.   They don't know how to
            walk in your garden.


            Because when people come into your life they  (1) Take
                                                          (2) Demand
                                                          (3) Drain
                                                          (4) Injure

                                               They also  (1) Supply
                                                          (2) Challenge
                                                          (3) Provide
                                                          (4) Heal

            The King intends that by reminding the Bride of where she has
            been  she  will be inspired to recover that area of her  life
            instead of running away further.

            He has come where she is,  but expects that she will now come
            where He wants her to be.

            Jesus said,  "If any man thirst let him come to me and drink,
            and   out   of  his  innermost  being shall  flow  rivers  of
            living  water."  He does not intend to pour  the  life-giving
            water of His Holy Spirit into us, but instead turns our wells
            of  salvation (Is.  12:3,  John 4:14) into "rivers of  living
            waters" - John 7:37.

            Section three ends with the Bride still in decline,  but with
            the   King  bringing  to  bear  His  forces  of  inspiration,
            encouragement,  adversity and blessing to produce a  recovery
            of her ministry.

                              END of STUDY ELEVEN