Song of Solomon 5

"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." Jesus has gathered his myrrh for the purification of his flesh, he has tasted of the sweetness (honey) of his Father's Word in that he has been raised from the dead, there- fore he can say to all his friends (His Bride), "Eat, O friends, drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved." Through the resurrection of the Bridegroom all the blessings of God have been made possnble for the Bride. In Isaiah 53.11 we read: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge Shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."

This verse seems to suggest the Bride is asleep, perhaps in a dream. But connecting these thoughts with verse 1, it may be referring to the time of Christ's death and the three days in the heart of the earth. The Bride was spiritually asleep, not realising what was happening, not knowing the Scripture that her Beloved must suffer death and rise from the dead. Although spiritually asleep, yet her heart waketh. Those that went to his sepulchre were much perplexed, especially when they saw two angels which said that he was alive. (Luke 24.23) "The voice of her beloved that knocketh." It was the voice of Jesus that knocked. He stood in their midst showing signs that it was indeed their Beloved. "Open to me, my sister, my love, my undefiled, for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night." It is written in Psalm 133.3: "As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord cormanded the blessing, even life for evermore."

"I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" Jesus had washed their feet (John 13.5-10), they were clean every whit, they were (as it were) in a dilemma, they could not change their coat Revelation 3.18). In Proverbs 31.25 we read: "Strength and honour are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come." Verse 17: "She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arm." The Bridegroom has been in his land once, his voice has been heard, but the nation was likened in parable to a fig tree with leaves but no fruit.

This fig tree was accursed of God and it withered. The Bridegroom has withdrawn himself and the Bride was now persecuted by the false watchmen that went about the city, but she was faithful unto death. She was sick because of her love for her Man (the Bridegroom) (Song of Solomon 2.5). The Bridegroom had to go to his Father to ask for his inheritance before the marriage (Psalm 2.8) so that he could share it with his Beloved. The watchmen mentioned in chapter 3.3 did her no harm, but now things were different. After Jesus went to heaven, the disciples were smitten and wounded.

There are times when all the servants of God need strengthening, as did Elijah, as we have already mentioned.

From verse 9 we have a figurative expression of the loveliness (verse 16) of the Bridegroom. The Scriptures reveal to us how comely he was at his first coming. "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." (Luke 4.22). In Isaiah 50.4 we read, "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."

The Bride speaks of the comeliness of the Bridegroom. "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand, (a standard bearer - margin)". The word 'white’ has its meaning as ‘clear' or 'bright' and its application would refer to his divine strength and energy. (Psalm 19.5). "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people: to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious" (Isaiah 11.10). God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. He is the captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2.10). "Anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows" (Psalm 45.7). Ruddy - like David, "for he was but a youth and ruddy and of a fair countenance" (I Samuel 17.42). Jesus was pure and strong, made strong by God, immortal, to die no more.

“His head as fine gold, most fine gold." He was tried even unto death and came forth as the most fine gold. In the image recorded in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom are likened to gold. "Thou art this head of gold" . "For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power and strength and glory." Jesus and his kingdom are likened to most fine gold. His kingdom, power, strength and glory will be excellent and eternal.

"His locks are bushy, and black as a raven." "His locks bushy" reminds us of Samson's seven locks of hair: he was a Nazarite, separated and consecrated unto his God. Jesus had a zeal that consumed him, his meat and drink was to do the will of his Father. "Black as a raven.“ This word 'black' is translated 'youth' in Ecclesiastes 11.10. Hair black as a raven would suggest immortal strength and youth, no grey hair suggesting corruption.

"His eyes fitly set as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk and fitly set." From the 'Land and the Book' we read, "Doves delight in clear water—brooks, and often bathe in them; and do look as though just washed in transparent milk. No other symbol either in or out of the Bible suggests so much precious instruction and spiritual comfort as the sweet bird of ours. Pure and gentle, meek, loving and faithful, the appropriate emblem that descended from heaven upon our Lord at His baptism." The dove chooses for its abode the neighbourhood of a pure running stream which harmonizes with its own purity. "His eyes are of purer eyes than to behold evil." The eyes of the Bridegroom are as pure as if they had been freshly bathed in milk, fitly set.

"His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers." The word 'cheeks‘'is literally 'face' or 'countenance'. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance." (Psalm 89.15) "A bed of spices" - a mass of flowers, not a few, filling the air with fragrance. Such is the character of the Bridegroom, like ointment poured forth. "And the house was filled with the adour of the ointment" (John 12.3).

"His lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh." The lips are the channel of speech. "Never man spake like this man" (John 7.46). Liquid myrrh exudes naturally from the myrrh tree and is choicer in quality than that which is artificially extracted. (Exodus 30.23). "Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever" (Psalm 45.2).

"His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires." The sapphire is a stone of a sky-blue colour, a heavenly colour, speaking of the height and depth of the love of Christ, Divine love. "His belly" represents his bowels of compassion (Colossians 2.1—2) of bright ivory - the best, well prepared and polished.

”His legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold." The word 'legs' is from a root word signifying 'to walk'. "His countenance (the whole stature) is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars". As Lebanon among the mountains, as cedars of Lebanon among trees, such was Jesus among men. The cedars of Lebanon were unrivalled by any in the world for their loftiness, glory and majesty, excellent, elect and choice. So was Jesus: "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell" (Colossians 1.19).

"His mouth is most sweet" - his speech, his words (literally) are most sweet. We see friendliness manifested in the love of Christ and taste of his sweetness (chapter 1.2), for He is our Beloved and our Friend - altogether lovely.

"His legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold." The word 'legs' is from a root word signifying 'to walk'. "His countenance (the whole stature) is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars". As Lebanon among the mountains, as cedars of Lebanon among trees, such was Jesus among men. The cedars of Lebanon were unrivalled by any in the world for their loftiness, glory and majesty, excellent, elect and choice. So was Jesus: "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell" (Colossians 1.19).

"His mouth is most sweet" - his speech, his words (literally) are most sweet. We see friendliness manifested in the love of Christ and taste of his sweetness (chapter 1.2), for He is our Beloved and our Friend - altogether lovely.