SONG OF SONGS 7
When the saints return to view as overcomers spiritual features appear in them, such as are described in a figurative way in the opening verses of this chapter. And there seems to be greater fulness in this description of the spouse than in the previous ones. There is greater development both externally and internally. What the spouse is in her movements is brought before us in verse 1. Her “footsteps” are beautiful. There is a royal dignity about them, and a peaceful character, for one would connect the “sandals” with having feet shod with the preparation of the glad tidings of peace (Ephesians 6: 15). Such a feature will not be secured without overcoming what is hostile to it, but when it is secured there is a suggestion of peace in every movement. The Lord said, “Into whatsoever house ye, enter, first say, Peace to this house” (Luke 10: 5). Wherever His disciples went their feet were to be beautiful as announcing glad tidings of peace. We cannot ensure that all those to whom we come will be “sons of peace”, but we can ourselves move in the spirit of peace, and in “the way of peace”.
All assembly movements have rightly a peaceful character, for we read that “God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14: 33). Any one who sows discords is an abomination to Jehovah. (Proverbs 6: 19.) Peace is a uniting bond which enables the unity of the Spirit [p. 181] to be practically manifested. There is nothing more beautiful under the eye of Christ than His saints moving spiritually together in unity and peace. His first word to His assembled saints as the Risen One was: “Peace be to you”, and again He said, “Peace be to you” in sending them forth (John 20). There is no dignity in being irritable and ungracious; that is not like a “prince’s daughter”. There are “scenes of strife and desert lift”, but through them it is our privilege to “tread in peace our way”.
Strength for movement lies in the thighs, and if our movements are to appear as “jewels”, and as “the work of the hands of an artist” it can only be through the practical breaking down of the flesh, and of what is natural to us. The Man who wrestled with Jacob had to touch the joint of his thigh and dislocate it. Natural energy has to be crippled under the discipline of God to make room for a new character of movement in spiritual power. Paul got a thorn for the flesh, but he learned that it was better to have the thorn and the grace of Christ than to be without it. He learned that power was perfected in weakness. If we want to move in a beautiful way spiritually we must be prepared for reduction and crippling on the natural side. Every movement that shews the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ is a jewel in His eyes; there is a divinely artistic beauty about it. There is nothing clumsy or ungraceful about “the work of the hands of an artist”. We know that movements of a lovely character are possible, for we have all seen them at some time or other. They are ever seen in overcomers.
Verse 2 speaks of what the “prince’s daughter”
[p. 182] is inwardly. She is marked by inward satisfaction. The Lord spoke to the woman at the well of living water that would become an inward fountain, and He said of the believer “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”. Paul could say that he knew what it was to be satisfied in himself so as to be independent of circumstances (Philippians 4: 11). Eliphaz asked, “Should a wise man ... fill his belly with the east wind?” (Job 15: 2). It is a pity if we have nothing better than the east wind to fill us. Elihu had something better than this, for he could say, “I am full of matter, the spirit within me (of my belly) constraineth me. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent, like new flasks it is ready to burst” (Job 32: 18, 19). He was so full of what was of God that he did not know how to keep it in.
The “mixed wine” would no doubt be a reference to the varied joy which lies in the Holy Spirit, and the “heap of wheat” would speak of Christ as the great expression of divine faithfulness, and, as such, becoming the food of His saints. The inward parts of overcomers are furnished with such precious substance as this, not in scanty measure but as a “heap”. And if Christ is treasured His saints are not forgotten. The “heap of wheat” is “set about with lilies”. The saints are held in affection as being in intimate association with Christ and necessary to His glory. We cannot be deeply interested in Christ without being also deeply interested in those who are of Christ and for Christ. And all this is presented here as known inwardly as joy and substance. It is quite unsuitable to a dispensation of such abundant supply that any should come before God “empty”. If He [p. 183] would not suffer this on the part of Israel much less is it becoming in those for whom the fulness of Christ and of the Spirit is available. How acceptable it is to the Beloved to see us inwardly furnished! So that we can not only say things, but say them because our hearts are filled with the substance of which we speak. In coming together we should always be full, so that each brother awaits his opportunity to contribute according to his measure of faith, and as the Lord may direct. It is right to wait in consideration for others, so that there may be room for whatever is present that is precious and edifying. But each one, whether he contributes publicly or not, should be full and available as possessed inwardly of spiritual substance. It is very sad if a brother is silent because he is “empty”; such a one could hardly be an overcomer.
What we enjoy inwardly is there to be available for others. I have noticed that I hardly ever enjoy something of the Lord without soon having an opportunity to pass it on to somebody else. That is how spiritual increase is promoted.
The spouse’s neck was described in chapter 4. I as erect in military strength, but here it is “as a tower of ivory”. If, as was suggested in connection with chapter 4: 4, the neck indicates strength of purpose, its being compared to “a tower of ivory” would intimate the personal cost at which purpose to be for Christ can alone be maintained. Ivory is only obtained at personal cost to the creature that yields it, and if we are set that Christ shall be magnified in our body we shall find that it can only be at the cost of giving up that which would be our life as natural men and women. But how precious and attractive [p. 184] to the Beloved when the neck of His spouse has this character! It is another feature of the overcomer.
The “eyes” of the prince’s daughter being compared to “the pools in Heshbon” seems to convey the thought of depth of spiritual perception. Her eyes being spoken of as “doves” in a previous chapter indicates the spiritual character of her perceptions, but this figure of “pools” seems to add the thought of depth. There was depth of spiritual perception in Mary of Bethany that led her to discern the suitability of anointing the Lord at that particular moment (John 12). She might not have been able to explain why she did it, but the Lord could explain that she had kept her choice gift for the day of His preparation for burial. She perceived what was suitable to the moment. This is a most attractive feature of spiritual beauty.
Then her “nose” represents the power to distinguish the savour of what is of God. It is figurative of a perceptive faculty which is of great importance. If there is keenness of scent in regard to what is of God there will also be quick perception of what has an evil savour. It was written of the Lord, “And his scent will be in the fear of Jehovah” (Isaiah 11: 3 margin). We ought to be able to “scent” the character of persons or teachings without a very close examination. The organ of smell is very fine in its discrimination; it can distinguish when there is nothing apparent to any other sense. An evil teacher might be clever enough to make his doctrines appear to be wholly based on Scripture, but a truly spiritual person would perceive an ill savour about them, even if he could not point out exactly what was wrong. So that this faculty is like en elevated [p. 185] watch-tower with a wide range of outlook. The one who has it does not need to investigate minutely, or at close quarters, what is contrary to God. The very “scent” of the thing is enough, and he turns from it. But, on the other hand, he is quick to perceive the spiritual odour of what is of God. He is glad to follow it up, to trace it out in Scripture, to have it confirmed by diligent inquiry, but before he has had opportunity for this he has an intuitive sense that it savours of God and of Christ. The “eyes” and the “nose”, representing perceptive faculties, are very prominent features of the beauty of the “prince’s daughter”.
The result of the perceptive faculties being in exercise is that spiritual understanding is developed. “Thy head upon thee is like Carmel”. Carmel means “Fruitful”, and we read of “the excellency of Carmel” (Isaiah 35: 2). The assembly is comprised of intelligent persons, who have the Spirit (1 Corinthians 10: 15). The temple of God is marked by the presence of spiritual light, and this light becomes available for edification through the brethren being fruitful in their understanding. All instruction and edification depends on the understanding being fruitful (1 Corinthians 14). So that “five words” spoken with the understanding are more valuable in the assembly than ten thousand words without the understanding, even though the latter might all be spoken in the power of the Spirit of God, as would be the case if speaking with a tongue. Great value attaches to the head being “like Carmel”, for the real gain of every meeting lies in the saints being edified. What is expressed in the assembly should be the fruit of divine light having [p. 186] taken form in the understanding, and it is expressed that the saints may be spiritually enlarged. So that not only what is ministered to the saints, but what is addressed to Divine Persons in prayer or praise, is all to be “done to edification”. God is constantly adding to the growth of His saints through the fruitfulness of understanding in different members of the body. Edification is always going on, and every activity in the assembly is to promote it. We should look in every meeting for the addition of something we have not had before. We can see growth more in young believers because they are like young trees, in which every season shews a marked difference. But old trees are making growth all the time, too, though it may not be so obvious. There is generally more real growth in an old tree than a young one, unless it has begun to decay. And so it is with old saints. I do not think it is possible for saints to come together in a godly way without edification, but this depends on fruitfulness of spiritual understanding. So Paul says, “Brethren, be not children in your minds, but in malice be babes; but in your minds be grown men” (1 Corinthians 14: 20). Children act and speak according to their feelings, but men speak and act with understanding. In the assembly there is intelligent understanding of divine things, and as it comes into expression there is general edification. The Lord has great pleasure in this. It brings into evidence the feature of His spouse which is set forth in her head being “like Carmel”.
Then her head has adornment. “And the locks of thy head like purple; the king is fettered by thy ringlets”. There is a certain spiritual beauty which,
[p. 187] according to God, ever accompanies spiritual understanding, and that is the ornament of subjection. This is the glory of the assembly just as long hair is a glory to a woman. The spirit of subjection is most attractive to the eye and heart of Christ. Every part of the truth demands subjection. There is nothing which the spiritual understanding can take up which does not call for subjection, Otherwise we should not be under the practical control of what we understand. The sense of this in the heart is a great preservative from headiness and high-mindedness.
The truly “royal” character of the “prince’s daughter” comes out in this, It is the “purple”, which I take to be the authority of Headship truly owned. If the spirit of subjection to Christ is in us it will affect us in all our relations with one another. One could hardly be subject to Christ, and insubject to those who are Christ’s. The spirit of subjection in the saints is the only witness in the world of the authority of Christ. And we can all have part in this witness. Many may not be able to preach or teach, or give, but we can all in some way express that we are in subjection to Christ as Head. The woman, we are told, is to have “authority on her head, on account of the angels” (1 Corinthians 11: 10). The angels are to see in the woman the glory of subjection to headship. And in like manner “the assembly is subjected to the Christ” (Ephesians 5:4).
One great glory of the Lord was that He was here in a place of subjection. The centurion in Luke vii, perceived this. He said, “For I also am a man placed under authority”. He understood that the Lord was in that position in relation to God, and Jesus wondered [p. 188] at his faith. Perfect subjection marked the Beloved Himself, and His spouse must correspond with Him in this feature. It is our glory to be marked by subjection, and such a spirit is most attractive to the Lord. “The king is fettered by thy ringlets”. Nothing in the saints appeals more to the heart of Christ than their affectionate subjection to Him as Head. It has power to hold Him “fettered” — a wonderful word when we consider who the King really is! It makes us think of John 14: 21. “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me; but he that loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him”.
Where there is affectionate subjection the Lord gets His full portion of delight in His loved one. He can say, “How fair and how pleasant art thou, my love, in delights!” His spouse now yields Him all the delights that His love can desire. She has come to “stature” (verse 7) — a feature not before mentioned. If all the features we have considered as marking the “prince’s daughter” are found in saints we may be sure that “stature” will be found there also. The divine nature will be developed, and there will be some evidence of growing up towards “the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ” (Ephesians 4: 13). The saints are to “grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ”. Knowledge or faith or gift are not stature. Stature is the result of formation in the divine nature; we are as big as we love and no more. We may measure our stature by 1 Corinthians 13.
To the “prince’s daughter” the Beloved can say, “This thy stature is like to a palm-tree, and thy breasts to grape clusters”. Stature and satisfying affections [p. 189] go together, and the Beloved takes possession of His loved spouse, so that she can say “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me”.
Three things are mentioned in verses 7 - 9 as a special delight to Him. “Thy breasts”, the “fragrance of thy nose”, and “the roof of thy mouth”. He appreciates our affections, He finds pleasure in our perceptive faculties, and the way we taste the sweetness of divine things is “like the best wine” to Him.
We have spoken of her “nose” as figurative of a keen faculty of perception. Here it is “fragrant” to the King. She has not occupied herself in scenting out what was of ill savour. Her scent has been like His — accustomed to all that is of sweet-smelling savour. And the roof of her mouth — or her palate, as it really is, the same word that is used for His mouth in chapter 5: 16 — is figurative of power to taste the sweetness of all that is spiritual and divine. This is “like the best wine” for the Beloved. How precious is the thought that our tasting the heavenly sweetness and enjoying it is wine — yea, the best wine — for Him! He delights in our private and individual enjoyment of divine things, but how specially sweet to Him are our collective enjoyments! One often looks round when Christ is being ministered to see how saints are enjoying it. If it is a pleasure to us to see the evidences of true appreciation of Christ’s things and the Father’s things, how much more is it to Him? And He loves that we should enter into what it is to Him. Our doing so is set forth after the first sentence of verse 9. The Beloved speaks to this point, and then the spouse breaks in, if we may so say, and finishes the sentence for Him. It is a sweet [p. 190] and striking expression of complete harmony between Him and His loved one. She enters into what her appreciations are to Him; they are to Him the best wine “that floweth straight to my beloved”, as the margin reads. The Lord loves to give us a sense of how our joy in divine things is a joy to Him.
Nor is there any more powerful influence to affect “them that are asleep” than the appreciations and enjoyments of His wakeful and happy saints. I suppose nothing has been more used to awake and revive dull and sleepy hearts than their being made aware of those satisfactions and delights which are the portion of overcomers. When this steals “over the lips of them that are asleep” it has a sweet awakening power.
It has often been said that verse 10 is the highest point reached in the spouse’s apprehension of her relation to her Beloved. “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me”. He has taken possession of her in verse 8, and she is now consciously His. Paul could say, “I have been taken possession of by Christ” (Philippians 3: 12). This is the true satisfaction of bridal affection. To be wholly His, absolutely yielded to Him, and at His disposal as one desired by Him. This is the climax of the present possibilities of love: it is as near to the consciousness of union as anything which we find in this precious book, which is so dedicated to the portrayal in a figurative way of holy and spiritual affections.
We noticed that in chapter 6: 11 the Beloved speaks as having gone down to see whether the vine budded or the pomegranates blossomed. That sets forth the Lord as surveying a wider range of interests [p. 191] than was expressed in His spouse, and looking for signs of spiritual life or revival in that wider field.
Now in chapter 7: 11, 12 we find the spouse in full accord with the mind of her Beloved, and taking the lead, if we may so say, in suggesting that He should come forth with her to see if the vine had budded, and if the pomegranates were in bloom. She is now fully interested in the wide range of His interests upon the earth — the fields, the villages, the vineyards all come into her outlook. She takes a keen interest in all that is for Him; it is in that wide domain that she gives Him her loves. As being conscious that she is His, and that His desire is towards her, she is entirely free from self-consideration. She is like the woman of worth in Proverbs 31 who does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. Her interests are merged in His.
If we have the true affections of the bride we shall have no private or personal interests; true assembly affections are bound up with the prosperity of every interest of Christ. He would have us free in heart to think of all that is His upon the earth now, and of what will be His in another day, whether in the remnant at Jerusalem or in the subsequent wide field of millennial glory. His spouse today can survey it all with Him as having a common interest. Her love comes out in this.
Our great interest should be to look for signs of the work of God in souls. The remnant in a coming day will be keenly interested to look for signs of spiritual vitality in the nation at large. They will know that spring-time for Israel is at hand, and they will be entitled to expect to see bud and blossom [p. 192] in the nation. They will call upon their Beloved to come forth with them to look for signs of spiritual life on a wider scale than had yet been seen.
We do not expect to see much in the way of bud and blossom in Israel yet, for signs of spiritual life only appear where God is working, and the present time is peculiarly a time of blessing for the Gentiles. The gospel field affords a very wide outlook, and what is in view here is the work of God in souls. “Lift up your eyes and behold the fields, for they are already white to harvest” (John 4: 35). God’s work now has the assembly in view, and every soul in whom God is working claims our interest from that point of view: The range of Christ’s interests now is a very wide one, and we are privileged to survey it all with the interests and affections of His bride. We give Him our loves in the sphere of His interests.
It is suitable to the bride to have an outlook that takes account with delight of the work of God in souls. And the reality of our interest in this comes out in the little bit of the wide field that we have personal contact with. We should always be on the look out for buds and blossoms. The figure supposes that there is no fruit as yet, but there is evidence of life, and a promise of fruit to come in due time. We think of the possibilities for the glory of God and for the pleasure of Christ that may mature in every soul that gives evidence of spiritual life. How delightful it is to see a soul manifesting real interest in the things of God! We are glad when we hear of one professing faith in Christ, but our true interest lies in asking, What is there going to be for God in that soul? Bud and blossom speak of something [p. 193] that will come to maturity for the pleasure of Christ. And as this is the assembly period we look with keen eyes for the first evidences of assembly exercises in souls who have been called to bear fruit as having their place and service in the assembly.
Verse 12 gives the outlook of the spouse when she is in the conscious enjoyment of the love of Christ. She is not self-centred, but interested in every evidence of divine working. If this were the character of our interest in each other, and in any of the people of God we come into contact with, would it not effectually preserve us from much that is unprofitable? The spouse is a collective entity, so that what we see figuratively here is an outlook which should mark us assemblywise. When we come together for prayer our outlook embraces all the precious interests of Christ, and particularly those that stand in relation to the truth and privileges of the assembly.
Then the spouse has not only got a wide outlook, but she has “gates” where “all choice fruits, new and old” are laid up for her Beloved. She has in a more limited sphere a treasured store of fully matured choice fruits laid up for Him. Here there is something more than bud and blossom; there is that which is in a, complete way for His satisfaction. It is an exercise for us to consider whether we have really secured such “choice fruits” for Him.
“All choice fruits, new and old” indicate great variety as well as excellence. It gives a large thought of the extraordinary wealth of satisfaction that the saints are capable of laying up for Christ. “New and old” sets forth how the whole scope of God’s ways as unfolded in the Old Testament, and the [p. 194] wide range of promise as found there, are brought in to contribute to the present spiritual wealth of saints, as well as all that is dispensationally “new” and connected with the mystery. A brother complained to me once that I was putting the church into the Old Testament! “No”, I said, “I do not do that; but I would like to bring all the wealth of the Old Testament into the church!” I am sure the Lord would do that, for as the Risen One He “interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”, and He “opened their understanding to understand the scriptures” (Luke 24: 27, 45). And He has told us that “every scribe discipled to the kingdom of the heavens is like a man that is a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old” (Matthew 13: 52). The “old” things as well as the “new” are to be brought out for the instruction of saints, and they all tend to the production of “choice fruits” for the Beloved. Of course divine teaching is needed for this; we have to be “discipled”; this means something more than acquaintance with the letter of Scripture. It means that we are initiated into things which are hidden from the wise and prudent, but which are revealed to babes. Then there are “choice fruits” for the Beloved. This speaks figuratively of the peculiar satisfaction which is laid up for Christ where normal assembly conditions are found. Through His own great favour there are “gates” where such fruits can be found, and He would have all His saints to know that such gates are their gates, according to the wealth and blessedness of their calling. He would have us to have “gates” where “all choice fruits” are laid up for His delight.
[p. 195] This may be regarded as a climax of spiritual experience. The eighth chapter does not present any advance upon it; indeed, speaking generally the last chapter returns to expressions of desire rather than of present conscious satisfaction. This perhaps suggests that, whatever degree of intimacy may be enjoyed on favoured occasions when the Lord is pleased to manifest Himself to His lovers, there will be no complete relief from exercises of a varying character until He actually comes to receive us to Himself. Though access to the holiest may be known individually, and assembly privilege enjoyed collectively in a sweet sense of the Lord’s presence and love, we have to return to the exercises of the wilderness life. Even after being caught up to paradise, Paul had to come down to bear the buffetings of a messenger of Satan, a thorn for the flesh to preserve him from undue exaltation. Different forms of humbling self-knowledge are necessary to the end of our course. Thus we learn grace in an ever deepening way. And there always remain with us exercises as to the state of our hearts; not always, perhaps, exercises of conscience as to wrong-doing, but exercises of affection as to whether we are answering loyally to the love of Christ, and yielding Him all that His love desires. To know the sweet intimacies which we have seen portrayed in this book only intensifies such exercises. His service, His testimony, all that has been entrusted to us of His interests, requires a devotion that can only be maintained as desire and purpose are preserved unflagging in our affections. I believe it is in this connection, and to this end, the last chapter comes in.