The Song of Solomon

Commentary by Michael Travesser

Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant:
also our bed is green. Song 1:16

     Humans have a difficult time separating the flesh from the spirit, especially in those areas which are cross-imaged. That is -- the same image or representation may be used for either the flesh or the spirit. Satan has keenly devised plans to amalgamate the flesh and the spirit so completely, that humans dare not go to the depth of experience of exaltation and vulnerability for fear of sinning the sins of the flesh. Self-exaltation takes on a forceful manner regarding the things which are of the Spirit in order to force them into the vault of one's own will. True exaltation can be seen in the life of Jesus, in that He took nothing to Himself but simply followed His instructions as they came. While He knew who He was, and spoke clearly in regards to that, He went to the cross rather than lift a finger against His doubters.

     While we dwell in the wilderness, the Lord is no longer taking long periods of time to fulfill His purposes. He has clearly taken the work into His own hands. If we have a mind to go to Him for food, we shall be fed. If we do not, we will not. The Father works out His will in these swift rapid and final moments of time.

     While we have been content in imagining our quiet time and our inner thoughts as being His voice, He calls us now to a more vivid revelation of His presence. So often it is said, God told me, when God did not tell at all. Our personal pride is the barrier to hearing our Savior in just the way He would have us hear Him. He doesn't come to us as we expected. We are quite willing to say God told me, when it is not offensive to our ego. What is offensive is to have someone else tell us who we would not want to appear to reign over us and especially in a way that does not reflect our own personal ideas.

     We have been courted and have learned the truth about our heavenly Husband. Now, it is the woman's work alone in yielding up to Him. She must open the door to Him and make the decision whether or not she will be married to Him in whatever form He comes to her. He is come for his lover and if the virgins have not taken the opportunity to prepare for His light by taking much oil with them in the waiting, they will be left outside the door. The other virgins will not be left, but invited on into the feast He has prepared for her. "Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Luke 17:35. This study constitutes the basis for the marriage feast. In the Greek "the one shall be taken" literally means taken along side. "The other left" literally means, left desolate and unmarried.

     Some of those who profess to be in the family of God have had grand plans for making money and doing business in this world. The multitudes say they love God, but they have not a clue as to what this love involves. You will get a glimpse as to why as the study unfolds. While work is a blessing and a necessary thing for life and health, work is also the diversion for many people because they want to finish their busyness before they meet with the Lord, or the Lord gets sandwiched in between one thing and another instead of being the whole thing. Their work seems more necessary than sitting quietly listening to their heavenly guest. While with Him, some poor souls do all the talking and He will have nothing to share within their torrent of words. The nature of man is that he can continue to imagine necessary work, thereby never coming to the knowledge of God. Men often place God within their schedule rather than letting God place them in His schedule. We have scheduled the Lord into our morning or evening reading, prayer meeting or Sabbath worship. If He happens to come by at any other time or any other way many of the daughters miss Him. When He does come by, she is focused on talking of herself rather than desiring to hear from Him.

     The nature of man is to be self-centered. We boast of this or that accomplishment, or this and that desire. When that man becomes a professed Christian, things often stay the same except he boasts of this or that vision or this or that health reform, or this or that natural remedy. That one is still very self-centered. The testimony of such a one is about himself but it is made to look like a testimony about God.

     In the light of having our own earthly supports cut off, we may be acutely aware of the abundance of heavenly fruit and support. There is no storage for such fruit. It is like the manna which comes in more abundance as the days progress. We have a garden we have not seen before. Our meals are not made by human hands. Our riches flow from heavenly resources and our jobs and checks will not be allowed to be in competition with heavenly resources. We may have them, but we will see they will not be permitted to encroach on the Lord's land.

     The Song of Solomon is a beautiful and most supreme example of how one finds the Lord and His anointing. If the reader will carefully and prayerfully consider the Song, he will find the answer to all the mysteries. He will know what he must now do. If the mystery of the Song is not carefully considered, the answer will slip by like a moment. Will you come away with me to the mountains of spices? Or will you be left barren and unmarried. The Song of Solomon reveals and unfolds the mystery of this question.

     This book is one of the most valuable books in Scripture and the most full, excepting the words of Christ Himself, whose life made a context for this book. The Song of Solomon is a book about being in love. I used to consider in-love as a trick to get people to marry. I have had to adjust my thinking on this somewhat. The devil's trick about in-love is that he has associated it with breeding. Breeding and in-love have nothing whatever to do with each other. When a bull breeds with a cow, would that be considered love? The world and Satan have coined the term "making love" to describe breeding. "Making love" has nothing to do with breeding. The devil lied again and humans fell for the bait.

     Since breeding out of wedlock is called adultery and since in-love and "making love" have been associated with breeding, Christians have abstained from in-love since it could lead to sin. The world, however, has changed the rules and now breeding is everywhere, and without law or constraint, since it is so closely associated with the word love. The world has accepted the notion from Satan that if one feels good about another person, one can breed and thereby they are loving.

     It is easy for a person to fall in-love with someone who is beautiful. But this sort of in-love is not in-love at all but the natural selection for the furthering of the race. Natural selection finds and searches out the best mate for the development of offspring. All the animal kingdom involves itself in the same sort of thing. A female ready to breed may seek out a man who is strong and handsome or appeals to some other aspect of her desire for her offspring. The male chooses in the same way even though this choosing may not be conscious. This sort of in-love is only selecting a mate for the purpose of breeding and making more humans, and of the best quality, as seen from the eyes of the prospective breeders and their natural instincts.

     True in-love has nothing of this in it. Satan has married the two, but we can divorce them. Breeding is breeding and true love is true love and never the twain shall meet. The Song of Solomon is about in-love and not about the continuance of the race. It is a picture of the Lord in relation with His people and the Spiritual nuances associated with that relationship. The woman in the Song is the woman of Revelation 12. We may see why later on. This narrative is, and has always been, intended and written so that men might see the relationship between God and His people and the relationship between God's people. The people of God are to be in love with each other in a way that is sacrificial and yielding. It is written, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, AS I have loved you." John 15:12. This is a most terrible command since we have grown up with so much of the flesh mingled with our close associations and so little of the Spirit. "Who is sufficient for these things?" For this truth of the Song will either be a savour unto death or a savour unto life. 2 Cor 2:16. This truth of love being accepted will thrust a soul into the highest realms of delight. If this truth is permitted to go into the realms of the flesh, the soul is ruined.

     When I use the term flesh, I am not referring to physical feelings. We cannot live without physical feelings. Something is not of the flesh simply because someone feels. Something is of the flesh when the flesh is the barometer and the source of one's motivations. So often when someone is "in love" that feeling determines the decisions they make concerning life. They want to associate with someone because they feel attracted to them. This is the flesh. When one moves from the Spirit, he will follow the Spirit's unction and see through the eyes of our Father's light. This soul may also feel something in the process of being led by the Spirit.

     When entering into His final crisis, Jesus was greatly tempted to do away with His enemies. And He knew He could do away with them. He had the power to carry out any plan. His victory was that He did not yield to the flesh in this matter. He bore His cross. Likewise, in this matter of the Song, we, also, can carry out our desires. We can cross over into the area of the flesh and into the realms of the unlawful. This would be our downfall as it would have been for Jesus. The flesh must be conquered in that we only follow the unctions of the Spirit. We have thought we might get by in life by staying out of the way of temptation. Now we must enter here and have victory over every weakness and thrust ourselves into the realms of light. By trusting in God we will find the solace and the protection we need.

     We are prepared to accept that God loves us. We may even be able to accept that God is in-love with His church, but it may be more difficult to accept that we are commanded to love each other as the Lord loves us. The Song of Solomon is about the love of the church toward the Savior and the love of the Savior for the church. It is also a description of the love of the saints toward each other since the church is commanded to love as God does. The loving as God does is clearly in-love since even the publicans and sinners love in the ordinary way. Again, this has nothing to do with breeding. It has to do with the love of God. Is the love of God in your heart? Then, this is the love of God. It has nothing to do with whether a person is pretty or not. Pretty muscles and youth only have to do with breeding and natural selection. In-love has to do with God and how He loves. In-love speaks of the church and how it loves, since it loves as God loves. This love reaches down into the soul and connects with it.

     When the Lord said to the church at Ephesus, "Thou hast left thy first love", He was saying, you have left your in-love. "First love" in the Greek does not infer the love they had at the first. First love would be more associated with best love. First love is in-love. So, the Song of Solomon is the Song of first love and that which Ephesus must gain or lose her light and witness altogether.

     In the Roman church there has been much confusion in regards to this. The church has even gone so far as to encourage celibacy within its priesthood. The neck band around the priest's neck is considered a marriage ring. In their thinking, if one is married to Christ he cannot be married to a woman. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 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 and prayer." 1 Tim 4:1-5. The worship of food, dress, celibacy, or any other common thing is satanic. It causes one to refrain from the very things which promote the knowledge of God. When a man and woman understand the nature of in-love and the nature of the Song, their marriage will be as blessed as God is blessed. Their relationships will be perfect as God is perfect. Commanding to abstain from things that God has made natural and for a blessing for the sake of some imagined righteous attainment is to bring self-exaltation into the life. It is eating of the forbidden fruit.

     God is not a man, neither is He a woman. He is not a bird or a deer. He is everything. A man may have difficulty relating to a heavenly lover because he associates that love as with a man and woman. Perhaps it would help to see God as so masculine that any man would be a woman when near Him. It also may help to note that God is far above all our mortal comparisons and His ability to be a lover stretches far and wide over the universe and over every created thing. God's love is not the kind so long associated with breeding. Men who regard love as sexual activity, lose the true essence of it. Sexual activity is not wrong as singing is not wrong. Why men or women do things and the motivations of why they do them is where the judgment lies.

     With all this as a foundation, let us consider the Song.

1. The song of songs, which is Solomon's (The Song of Peace).

The name Solomon means peace.

2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

The word kiss in the Hebrew means to put together, to fasten up, to touch. The kisses of His mouth have to do with fastening up and bringing together by His spoken word that comes to our heart. Two become one when they kiss.

The "Kiss" in scripture

The word "kiss" used in verse one stands for "intimacy." Intimacy is noted as being the relationship of oneness. When two are intimate they see eye to eye. They speak honestly with each other.

Gen. 27:26. "Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son." (Familial affection is implied).

2Sam. 15:5. "And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him." (Respect and affection)

1Kgs. 19:20. "And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." (Familial affection is implied).

"Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." Those left will be those who have not been unified with Baal.

Ps. 2:12. "Kiss his feet, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way; for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him." (Respect and submission to God, reverence and subservience).

Ps. 85:10. "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other." (An intimate union) One might say, "Righteousness and the Song of Solomon (peace) have kissed each other."

Luke 7:45. "You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet." There were those who saw themselves as friends of Jesus but they would not kiss Him. They used Him for their own perverted desires of one sort or another, but the harlot kissed Him. She was the one who knew Him.

Rom. 16:16. "Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you." (Brotherly affection and love in the family of God).

2Cor. 13:12. "Greet one another with a holy kiss."

1Pet. 5:14. "Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you that are in Christ."

The kiss implies a close bond in whatever endeavor is undertaken. It may be with harlots or the Lord, but it infers a close bond. It infers becoming one. When Judas kissed Christ, it was a lie since he was implying devotion and union while betraying Him to His enemies. Judas made the kiss to stink.

In the Song, the betrothed is desiring the kisses from the mouth of her love. Prov. 24:26. "He who gives a right answer kisses the lips." The woman of Revelation 12 wants the truth straight from her heavenly Lover. He who speaks truthfully is one who kisses you on the lips. He is in union with you, eye to eye and straight on. The woman of Revelation 12 desires to have a relationship with her Savior which is that close. She wants to be kissed by Him on the lips. He also desires to kiss her on the lips. This does away with all the hiding that men have done with the Lord and it abolishes the storytelling. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other [on the lips]." Ps 85:10.

3. Because of the savor of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

Oil is a frequent symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit conveys the fragrance of Christ into the believer as the Christian walks in an intimate relationship with the Lord. "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. 2:14-16) In love, we are the aroma which ascends from Christ unto God.

A "name" [shem] implies authority of the person who bears it. When we sign our name to a check or to a contract, we authorize a transaction in our authority. "...And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Oil poured over the head of the king or High Priest signified anointing and empowerment from God for an office.

"For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts." Mal. 1:11.

Watchman Nee suggests that here the "maidens" [almah] signify, in type, "other believers." The Hebrew word usually means "virgin maidens." All true believers are justified by faith, but not all are interested in a deep walk with God. Not all wish to leave a state of spiritual infancy to pursue the deeper things of God. When the Lord comes to some of the maidens, rather than having a deep desire to hear Him, they only want to hear themselves. They speak of themselves and talk on about their great understanding while their Shepherd withdraws Himself. This Song speaks of these maidens and THE maiden of HIS desire.

4. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

[cheder = inner chamber]. The inner chamber is The Most Holy Place. This inner chamber is off limits to anyone who is not intimate with Him. The previous "Christian experience" was in the Holy Place. This was the place of good and bad and overcoming sin. Now we are asked to come into the immediate presence of the King Himself. In immediate response to the maiden's heart-felt request, the King brings her into His inner chambers---the place of intimate communion and fellowship. Ray Stedman once said, "God has many intimates, but no favorites." The Shulamite represents the believer in Christ who desires a more intimate walk with God. In order to achieve this, one first draws near to God in prayer, giving up the other loves (such as the love of the world) in the process. This love of the world does not necessarily infer sin. It may only be things like marriage, babies, jobs, cars, food and clothing.

An old acrostic for Faith is Forsaking All I Take Him. We can not claim the close fellowship symbolized by the royal courts and inner chamber of the King if we cling to the idolatrous desires of earth. Spiritual adultery and worldliness are the mark of our generation. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever." I John 2:15-17. James, the brother of Jesus, is even stronger in his rebuke, "You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."James 4:4. The world does not merely signify evil worldly activities. The world includes all that is in the world. It may even be good world such as boating, horseback riding, bike riding, mechanics and building things, etc. Anything that has our first love is our love.

Isa. 26:20. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

Before the woman enters into His chambers, she has kissed Him on the lips. That is, they have spoken honestly with each other. They have come to terms on what the truth is and what is required to be in a marriage relationship. The woman has yielded up herself and the King has taken her into intimate fellowship with Him.

5. I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

6. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

7. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside [in shyness] by the flocks of thy companions?

Here the woman looks at herself and seems confused. She is black from the sun and does not want people to look at her but she also states that she is comely. She blames others for her condition and that she had not even kept her own vineyard because of these unfortunate circumstances. When the Sun of Righteousness shines upon us we are more conscious of our own sorry condition. We appear black compared to His excellent righteousness. His white robes seem more of a problem for the woman than a blessing, for the whiter they are the darker she looks. She calls out for the One she loves in her heart, for she feels her need, but does not know where to find that One her heart pants after.

8. If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

Here the messenger tells the woman that if she does not know where her Lover is, she may gain assistance by feeding near the shepherds' tents. "Go to where the people of God feed and you will find your Lover there." This is a statement for the blessing of the congregation and the church. She is not free to roam around in the world by herself looking for her Lover, for she will not find Him there. She should go where the lambs are feeding. This also is a key to our current state where the woman is fed in the wilderness for 1260 days. The Lord has prepared a place to feed us. If the woman wants to find Him, she must feed there in that place.

9. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

10. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

11. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

12. While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

13. A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

14. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

15. Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.

16. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

17. The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Here stated is the profession of the woman. The woman has come to understand the character of God. She extols His virtues. She sees her Lover as perfect, perfect, perfect. His eyes are the eyes of peace. His neck is strong and rich bringing the thoughts of the head and the instincts of the heart together. She sees the King sitting at a well-supplied table and she desires that He lie between her breasts all night. The great symbol of nurturing is the breast which supplies the first nutrients to the child born of her. The child of the King will rule with a rod of iron. The imagery here is that she will love to lie close to her Lover and have His head right over her heart in the midst of her nurturing nature. She desires to bring this to her Savior since her heart is so full of love. Here she is understanding the character of God but still has not found Him. She knows what He is like but has not consummated the marriage with Him. She knows what she should have but does not yet have it.

Mary Magdalene was a woman in love with Jesus. She poured her oil upon His feet and bathed His feet with her tears, drying His feet with her hair. This act was placing the head of Jesus between her breasts and it prepared Him for the burial and helped sustain Him on His cross.

"And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head." "And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." "While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." The woman says, my Savior will stay on my heart all night. Mary was a comely woman but had a black reputation. She was in love with her Savior and sought Him out to shower Him with ointment. He had doves' eyes. All of the "appropriate guests" took offense at this expression of Mary's love. While they expressed offense at it because of her black past, they would have been offended if anyone had done that. Mary touched Jesus and kissed Him, and besides all that, it was in public.

"And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, thy sins are forgiven."

This was the moment when Judas was offended, and all hearts untrue to the Master will be offended at this total and free expression of love for Him.

"Our bed is green." Green is the color of faith. We are supported and our love is held through the support of faith.

1. I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

2. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

Here she seems to see herself as somewhat special in her relationship. She sees the other daughters (churches) as thorns compared to her. This may at first seem like a boast, but it is more associated with her knowing who she is and the nature of her love. It is by faith, because her bed is green, that she sees the Lord's view of who she is. The woman expresses who she is since she has heard it from the lips of her Lover. He has kissed her. She has read it from the pages of His Word. He embraces her.

3. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Here she sits with her Lover. She enjoys His words. She is receiving instruction from Him instead of teaching Him. When she is near Him she is not "running off at the mouth" as it were. She does not express all her theological ideas. She eats what He has to tell her and it is sweet. The woman of Revelation 12 knows how to listen instead of talk. She knows how to be quiet.

4. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

She was brought to the marriage feast and committed to the wedding. She, in no way, feels judged, or criticized, or pushed away. She, in no way, feels belittled or faulted.

5. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

She is in-love with her Savior so much as to feel faint.

6. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.

He supports her in a strong embrace. His hand is the foundation of her thinking and His arm embraces around her heart.

7. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

A clear reference to the truth: don't take Him for granted. We are to do what pleases Him and not do what does not please Him.

8. The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

He comes from the high places.

9. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

We haven't seen Him real clear. We knew He was out there but could only see a part of Him. Even so, she knows His love is like a roe or a young heart. This is precisely how He has described her breasts. He is gentle, tender and soft.

10. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

He calls her to come away and be apart and alone with Him. He has called her to the wilderness for 1260 days. He also calls her while in the wilderness to come away and be alone with Him. He wants us to partake of His good fruits and cause her to not have to see Him as through a lattice. She will see Him in His fulness.

11. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

He called us to come in the spring. That is when we came away to the new land. It is the time of His calling. One will be taken, the other left. It will be seen whether the professors are able to be fed of Him. This is the ultimate and important time in all her experience. This is the consummation of all her hopes.

12. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Here is another clear reference to our experience. After the winter, our Love called us to come away. He is in the cleft where we will dwell safely until the indignation be overpast. We don't see Him perfectly clear in His coming just yet, but He shows Himself to us as through a lattice. We can see that He is there but He stands behind a wall. We are not fully able to fulfill our love, but the woman seeks after Him and tries to see Him more clearly.

We have seen two principles. The woman has a complete and total drawing out after her Lover. She seeks Him and tries to find Him. The second principle is that He calls her away from her other interests. He alone will be the attention of His lover. In meetings, the focus is often on ourselves. We set the time and place. This is not wrong in its time, but it does not spring from life. It springs more from a knowledge of what one should do and that one doing it. While this is not wrong in itself, the love chamber is private and totally spontaneous. It can come about anytime. When one is called to the love chamber, but opts for something else, that is downright offensive and grievous to the Spirit of God.

14. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

He asks her to come and be with Him. He delights in her. In the wilderness she dwells in the cleft. He knows who is dwelling there and she is the one invited to come away.

15. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

He is concerned for those little foxes that spoil the invitation. The vines are tender and the woman has self doubts, which are those little foxes. She looks at her faults and weaknesses. She is troubled that she does not measure up. He says, take the foxes away.

16. My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

This is, again, a reference to where He is feeding. And He shall feed her there for 1260 days. We will be fed if we are not chasing our fleshly interests and seeking after worldly gain. We will be fed if we are not touching the dead in the form of our dead relatives and dead interests with our first love. Mankind are such saviors all by themselves and the King is shut out. They think they do the King service but they are foolish. They are only serving themselves. The King's service is to do what the King now is calling the woman to do. If she would rather feed with the dead, she will not find her Lover, but, instead, be with the daughters who are thorns in comparison.

If a king asked the woman to bring him a flower, and she did so, that would be doing the will of the king. If the next day the king asks her for a stone but she brings a flower, it would now be considered rebellion.

17. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether (Cleft).

This is the time when the woman is to stay safely in the cleft of the mountain until the day breaks in her life and all the shadows flee away. Some have come to meeting speaking of their shadows and trials. The woman should remain in the cleft with her Lover until those shadows are gone.

1. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

This is clearly a reference to prayer. All night she sought Him in prayer but could not find Him. Since she does not find Him there, she goes out into the streets of the city to seek Him.

2. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

She goes about the streets of the city to find Him and is not successful until the watchmen find her.

3. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

The watchmen that go about in the city found her and helped her to know how to find Him. A little time passes and she finds Him. This shows the benefit of residing in a city where there are watchmen.

4. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: 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.

Here she declares she will not let Him go since she found Him and is purposed to bring Him clear to her roots. Our mother's house is the church and our religion which has conceived us. The woman sat in meetings and heard the message and was conceived, but now she has found her Lover as her personal friend and she will bring Him in and make Him the reality of her religion and her conception.

Herein is the mystery of our present time. We have learned the lessons of God's character. We enjoy considering the provision of God in all of its ramifications. But so unlike this woman, so many professed Christians do not go after Him, hunt Him down and find Him. They may have their moments of meditation and a reading from the writings of some spiritual sage, but they do not pant after the heavenly gift day and night. Many of the daughters don't go searching and finding Him.

The Lord has searched us out while we were ignorant of His character. Now we are required to search Him out and find Him day or night. He may walk past, and the daughters say hello, or how are you today, but they do not seek Him out and ask Him to share with her His heart's desire. They are too much wrapped up in themselves to do that. They are too self-sufficient and thereby shall be left desolate.

These days the daughters search out the local laundromat or the best place to buy produce. Her interest may be in getting this needed item for the family or that. She knows how to seek for money and find it, but so few search for Him as if for hidden treasure.

When we found this land in which we now live it was as: "The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Matt. 13:44. A few of the daughters thought it beneath them to give all for the field, but there will be no heavenly gift without that kind of sacrifice.

5. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

Again she is careful to warn: do not take His love for granted. This process does not occur without the devoted attention of the woman.

6. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

The daughters exclaim, Who is this that comes from the wilderness? This is the peaceful soul.

7. Behold his bed [litter], which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

This is the bed of peace, guarded by all of the King's valiant men of the valiant overcomers.

8. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

These guardians have the word in their sides of strength. They guard against the fears of the night which would break the peace of the woman.

9. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

10. 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.

11. Go forth, O ye 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.

She describes the King with descriptions that are clearly referenced to the temple. The powders of the merchant denote the incense ascending up in the temple service. The cedars of Lebanon were used for the construction of it. The King is carried on a bed (litter) as was the ark of the covenant. Those in attendance had the sword of the word. The woman's lover is mighty. He is the very place of her most sacred experience.

"For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Isaiah 62:5.

1. Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.

Her Lover now extols the virtuous state of the woman of Revelation 12. Her eyes are eyes of peace and can see the truths He has given her. Her hair is her covering and beautifully covered she is.

2. Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.

He praises her ability to eat of the bread of life and multiply the blessings of the word, leaving nothing barren.

3. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

Her words are pure and holy. Her thoughts are exalted.

4. Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

She is extolled as having a strong and beautiful neck. The neck is the connection between the heart and the mind.

5. Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

Again, she is a nurturer. Her breasts and her abilities to nurture are over her heart and beautifully placed. She is innocent, soft and gentle.

6. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

There is a mountain of myrrh, where the Savior will meet with His betrothed. He meets with her there in a special way and not as the congregation. He is alone with her there and this is a special work until her day breaks and her shadows flee away. She won't receive this in congregation because of her conflicting thoughts. In the congregation she would try to understand what others were saying while communing with her Lover. She will only receive it from her Lover in a place of frankincense.

7. Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

Her heavenly Love does not behold spots in her. He is never of a critical nature. The woman is not bad in His eyes, and she always does that which pleases Him, since He is always pleased with her and in love with her.

8. Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

He calls her away to the high places. He wants her to see from the high places so that she will not be in the shadows, having her trials and tribulations that are so often repented of. He wants her to look from the top of Amana. Amana means permanent and unmoved. Someone who cannot be moved from her peace is looking from the top of Amana. Shenir means the mountain of light and Hermon is the mountain of sacredness. She is invited to come and be with Him in sacred light from which she is never moved.

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.

The King's heart is ravished by her because she has poured out her love and appreciation as did Mary Magdalene. Her praise is His delight.

10. How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

The wine represents the blood of the Savior. This blood and life have given the woman praise and thankfulness for her heavenly Prince. This outpouring of love is better than the wine, for it flows from a free and thankful heart. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." The blood of intercession is precious and necessary, but more pleasurable to God is when the woman yields up her will herself. When she seeks Him for His own sake, because she is in love with Him, it is better than blood (wine). The smell of her ointments which are her anointing is better than all the prayers that ascend.

11. Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

We have read why He extols her so. She is appreciating all of His qualities as a lover. Her words of praise are called honey and milk. He smells her and her smell is like Lebanon. Lebanon was known for its evergreen cedars. They did not lose their foliage in winter. They always had a favorable scent as cedars anywhere do. This is the smell of the ointment of praise always ascending heavenward.

12. A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

Her Lover counts her as shut up unto Himself. She is a fountain sealed only for His drinking. She has no other earthly lovers and interests. He has her first love, best love, and in-love. No one, and no thing else, is given this special communion.

13. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

Clearly this was the experience of Mary Magdalene. Her orchard is exalted. She poured upon Him her incense. "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." Matt 26:13. This is her natural exaltation which pomegranates signify.

14. Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

15. A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

He praises all her qualities and is ravished with the singleness of her love. He sees no spot in her and says to her, "Come away with me." Her character is of a pure nature and she does not have a double heart, and her words are always pouring out in love for Him.

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

The woman sees herself as the garden of the Lord and welcomes Him to eat of her pleasant fruits planted there by Him. He calls for His beloved to be blown upon by His spirit so that the heavenly qualities might not be closed up. "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." Ps 48:2. The north wind comes from the city of the great King.

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.

There should be no chapter break here. The woman invites her Lover into her garden and here He clearly states that He has come in. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20. He feeds in her garden.

2. I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, 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.

Now there is a new chapter beginning. A warning to the daughters. Her Lover comes at an inconvenient time. She is sleeping, and He calls to her that she might let Him come in to her. This is not Sabbath morning at 10:00 A.M. She has other things she is involved in. She considers the inconvenience of the timing. "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Matt. 24:44.

3. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

She begins to make excuses, worrying about her coat and getting her feet dirty.

4. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.

Yet, her heart is stirred by His knocking and she seeks to have Him come in after a little getting ready.

5. 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.

She now feels prepared and she anticipates His coming in to her.

6. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

By her delay and her considering her mundane comforts, she loses the moment. By the time she opens the door He has withdrawn Himself and she cannot find Him. Too late she sees how vain her little inconveniences are in opening the door. Now she has lost her Love. Her interest for just a moment was only on herself and it cost her dearly. "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."1Thess. 5:6.

7. 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.

Again she is found by the prophet who chastises her for her indolence and inconsistency. He takes her veil away and exposes her situation to herself. She has no covering (excuse) which is used to keep her from seeing her responsibility.

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

With her veil removed she is made to be sick of love. That is, she is so much in love she is weak. She goes about in search of Him again and seeks to find Him wherever He might be found, even so much as to ask the daughters of the city to help search for Him.

9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?

The daughters of the city ask her why her Beloved is so special above other lovers,"that thou dost so charge us." When she asked them to help her search for Him she required an oath that they would. This brought up the question as to why He is so special. She goes on to tell them why.

10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

He is the leader and above ten thousand of her difficulties. "Nothing shall by any means hurt you." This section of scripture sounds much like the description of the Nazarite. "Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire."Lam. 4:7. The woman is describing the righteousness of her Lover. She is full of His delights of the Spirit.

11. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

12. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

His eyes are soft and peaceful.

13. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

This is her experience when understanding from Him her anointing and what she is called for.

14. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

15. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

16. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Here, again, are references to the temple, the priest, and the breastplate. "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Rev 21:22. She is ravished by the love of her heavenly Lover. She once again praises His qualities and understands His virtues as she goes out to find Him again.

1. Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.

The other daughters of the city ask her where is her beloved, that they might go and seek Him also. While she was looking for Him herself, she was able to tell them where He was.

2. My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

She states that her Beloved has gone into the garden to feed and to gather His flowers. The garden is in His lover. There He feeds with her on the mountains of spices.

3. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.

She, again, makes the statement of her faith that her Beloved is hers and He feeds among the lilies. She is a lily. She will go there to be fed also. "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Rev 12:6.

4. Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

After her statement of faith, her Lover again encourages her with His love. Terzah means "delight." Jerusalem means, "possession of peace."

5. Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.

The King is overcome by the entreaties of His lover, who had been bothered by His unannounced visit, but now is not concerned with timing. She wants Him to come anytime and not just Wednesday evening or Sabbath. She wants Him to come while she is sleeping or working or anytime else and she longs for His visit. This overcomes Him and He asks, Turn away thine eyes.

6. Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them.

She eats of His word and it bears fruit.

7. As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.

This pomegranate being her temples represents an exalted mind.

8. There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

9. My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

The King states that there are many daughters (churches) but she is the only one of her mother. He confirms that she is His special love and only church. He extols her in that she is not barren, having no life in her. She is not only fertile but has twins [two witnesses].

10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." This is the Lord's statement of His lover. It is how He sees her.

11. I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.

He goes down into His wilderness garden to see if His lover's true exaltation has budded. He wanted to see if she was able to see her true exalted self.

12. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.

Amminadib means "My people are willing."

13. Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.

Shulamite is the feminine of Solomon. The word means peaceful and perfect. The heavenly Lover calls out to her, "return, return that we may see you oh peaceful and perfect."

1. How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman.

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns'." Isaiah 52:7, Rom. 10:15.

2. Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.

The navel is a place of strength.

3. Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.

Her nurturing is soft and gentle.

4. Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.

The thighs represent spiritual strength which comes from years of spiritual discipline and training. Jacob's thigh was thrown out of joint when he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord at Peniel, showing that our spiritual strength must not come from natural strength, i.e., from the flesh. The references here indicate inner fruitfulness and fecundity. Inner creativity ("beingness") is the specialty of the fairer sex. Men think themselves better at outward expressions of "doingness"---invention, warfare, building, hunting, thrusting and ranging. A nose compared to a tower is a strange compliment. "Nose" represents discernment and an intuition of things. Damascus was historically the enemy of Israel. She can sniff out trouble coming and can recognize when the enemy is near. This was something Eve had had to deny in order to fall, since she was given the capacity to discern at her creation.

5. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

The King is held in the galleries. The meaning here is that the King is enslaved to her. "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:14. In the Scriptures some kings have boasted that they would give half their kingdom. Our King says He gives it all.

6. How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!

7. This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without. 1 Kings 6:29. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Ps. 92:12. The palm represents righteousness and spiritual success which stands tall and may be seen a great way off.

8. I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

9. And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

The woman finds her Lover again. After being rebuked by the prophet and entreating the other daughters to help her look, she hears the wooing of her soul mate. He praises her and delights in her. It might be noted that in her failings, her Lover was never the one to chastise her. That was the watcher's work. The chastisement that came from her Lover was only that she had lost Him. Whenever He was found, it was always the experience of in-love for her.

10. I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.

This desire is as a man toward a woman. He is attracted to her.

11. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.

12. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.

13. The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.

She knows she is accepted of Him and wants to go everywhere with Him. She now resides in the wilderness place feeding with her Lover. The woman of Revelation 12 will never be moved from His side now. Whatever they do they do together. They are as one.

1. O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.

The woman recounts her acceptance with her Lover. She not