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SONG OF SONGS

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER OVERVIEW: The cry of the Bride from the beginning of the Song is for intimacy—"kiss me and draw me” (chapter 1). Chapters 1-4 describe the deepening relationship between the Bride and the Bridegroom as it develops in the secret place. In Chapter 5, the Bridegroom appeals to the Bride to enter a new relationship with Him by responding to His call to the harvest fields of the world.

THE BRIDEGROOM

1 I have come to 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.

(TO HIS FRIENDS) eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved

ones!

(1) I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse

In the final verse of SOS chapter 4, the Bride appeals for the Bridegroom to come into her garden. Here, at the beginning of this chapter, He responds “I have come.” His garden is the garden of her heart. Your heart is His garden. The Passion Translation says, “I have gathered from your heart…I have gathered from my garden…” (SOS 5:1, TPT). See Supplemental Study 4.2 on “The Gardens of God.”

Sister is always mentioned before spouse because your relationship to Jesus is first by birth as a born-again child of God the Father, then as spouse as part of the Bride of Christ. “Spouse,” as used here, means “my promised Bride”.

(1) I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk.

The Bridegroom comes to the garden of your heart:

-To gather myrrh, representing your suffering.

-To gather spices, representing your praise and worship.

-To eat honey, representing the good things in your life.

-To drink wine mingled with milk. Wine speaks of the joy of the Holy Spirit. Milk speaks of the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2). The worshipper God seeks is one who worships in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23-24).

He comes to gather, to eat, and to drink spiritually in the garden of your heart.

(1) Eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved ones!

The appeal of the Bridegroom to the church is to enjoy the fruitfulness of mature believers. She is a living sacrifice that others can feast upon.

THE BRIDE

2 I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

3 I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?

4 My beloved put his hand by the latch of the door, and my heart yearned

for him.

5 I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

6 I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

7 The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil away from me.

8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am lovesick!

(2) I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one.”

I sleep, but my heart is awake: You may be asleep physically, but your spirit never sleeps. Her spirit hears His call.

It is the voice of my beloved: The Bride knows His voice, as she calls Him “my Beloved”

(John 10:27).

He knocks, saying, “Open for me”: The symbolism here is of the Bridegroom seeking entrance into the garden of your heart. In His appeal to the Laodicean Church, Jesus said:

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. (Revelation 3:20)

It is sad that our Bridegroom should be outside a closed door and need to knock. It is even more sad that He should continuously knock in vain at the door of His Bride’s heart. It was the Bride’s condition of self-satisfaction, comfortable conditions, and love of ease that made her hesitant to respond to the Bridegroom’s appeal.

Your Bridegroom stands at the door of your life. He takes the initiative. He seeks you despite the barriers you may have erected. He wants you to hear His voice. He knocks at your door through circumstances, sorrows, and trials of life. He invites you to open the door to Him. He never forces His way into your life, but He enters if you will open to Him. Nothing can stand between you and your Bridegroom if you will simply open the door. He will enter and sup with you, you can enjoy the benefits of intimate relationship with Him, and you will be nourished by His love and His Word.

A.W. Tozer notes:

“Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.”

The Bridegroom is calling the Bride not just to be at rest in Him, but to accompany Him on His mission to the world. That is the same call that He extends to you.

There are three types of obedience:

-Duty-based obedience: When one responds simply on the basis of duty.

-Fear-based obedience: When one responds because they don’t want to suffer negative consequences.

-Affection-based obedience: When one responds because of love.

The Bridegroom is appealing to the Bride on the basis of affection. He wants her to respond not out of a sense of duty or fear, but because she loves Him. He pleads: “Open your heart, my darling, deeper still to me. Will you receive me this dark night?” (SOS5:2, TPT)

The Bridegroom uses four terms of endearment in His appeal: Open to Me…

-“My sister" points to them both sharing the same Father (Hebrews 2:11; Matthew 12:50). It is a spiritual relationship made possible to believers by the born-again experience.

-"My love" speaks of her relationship as a spouse by choice (1 Corinthians 6:17).

-"My dove" speaks of their relationship by commitment to the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, which is symbolized by a dove (Galatians 4:6; Matthew 3:16).

-"My undefiled" speaks of the Bride’s sanctification (Colossians 2:9-10). Some versions translate this as “My perfect one”, meaning that her intentions are perfect before God.

(2) ..for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.

The dew is fresh upon the Bridegroom’s head. Dew is water in the form of droplets that appear on exposed objects in the morning or evening due to condensation. As the exposed surface cools by radiating its heat, atmospheric moisture condenses at a rate greater than that at which it can evaporate. This results in the formation of drops of water that refresh the earth and are vital to the life of vegetation.

Where spiritual dew falls:

-There is spiritual growth: Hosea 14:5.

-There is abundance: Genesis 27:39.

-There is divine guidance: Judges 6:36-40.

-There is restored youth: Psalm 110:3.

-There is blessing: Psalm 133:3.

-There is eternal life: Psalm 133:3.

-There is divine favor: Proverbs 19:12.

-There is supernatural provision: Zechariah 8:12.

The Bridegroom longs to share the benefits of spiritual dew with His Bride. He appeals to the Bride to open the door, but her response is…

(3) I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?

The Bride has removed the robe (symbolic of her old self) and washed her feet (symbolic of sanctification). She doesn’t want to go from that place of intimacy back into the world and defile herself. But being unspotted from the world doesn’t mean eliminating contact with those who are lost in sin. When you are secure in the love of your Bridegroom, you will have no fear of the pollution of the world. You won’t go back to the old life because you will realize there is nothing to go back to.

The Lord is calling the Bride to come outside the wall to follow Him to difficult places to reap the spiritual harvest. He has come to draw her away from the routine, the predictable, her comfort zone. But His Bride wants to remain behind the wall because she doesn’t know where He might lead.

The good news is that God allows second chances. You can reverse things. You can put your coat and shoes back on! That is one of the first things the Father did for the prodigal son when he returned home. His garments were restored (Luke 15).

You can’t put on your coat while you are lying down, however. You must get up off your bed of lethargy and prepare to go with your Bridegroom. You need the garments of salvation and the shoes of the Gospel. See Supplemental Study 5.1 on Responding To the Bridegroom’s Call.

(4) My beloved put his hand by the latch of the door, and my heart yearned for him.

The Bride knows His voice, as she calls Him “my Beloved.” But she chooses not to respond.

How sad it is to take delight in conferences, retreats, and conventions, to feast on the good things that are set before us at the spiritual banqueting table and yet refuse to go with Him to rescue the perishing outside the walls of our churches. Mature love is not just focused on receiving, but also on giving love to its lover and sharing that love with the world.

Eastern houses had an opening above the lock on the door for the insertion of the key. The hole was also large enough for a person to put their hand through and look or speak through. When the Bride saw His hand, her heart yearned for Him. The KJV says her “bowels” yearned for Him, the bowels being considered the seat of emotions in Jewish culture. In verse 6, it says “my heart leaped when He spoke”, indicating that she didn’t fail to recognize His voice. She knew it, but did not respond. What about you? Have you heard His voice regarding a specific matter and hesitated to respond?

(5 ) I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

I arose to open for my Beloved: She sees His hand, and that is all it takes. She is willing to respond and open the door. Thomas saw His nail-scarred hands, and acknowledged “my Lord and my God.” His hand is extended to you today. If you have never known intimacy with Him, He is calling you to experience it. If you have sensed a coldness and distancing from the Lord, He is calling to return to an intimate relationship with Him. For all of us, He is calling us to a new level of service outside the walls of our fear, comfort, and security which we have erected.

..and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the

lock. When a lover came to call and the loved one did not answer, he would often leave sweet smelling ointments on the lock of the door so she would know He had been there. That is what the Bridegroom did. He oiled the lock to let the Bride know He had been there and to make it open easily when she responded to Him. If you will but rise up in obedience, the anointing is already there to overcome every difficulty. What is on your hands: The anointing of the Lord or the blood of the lost because you failed to respond?

Myrrh is a sweet-smelling substance that was used as part of the sacred anointing oil and was in the enclosed garden mentioned in SOS 4:14. It symbolizes the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The mountains of myrrh mentioned in SOS 4:6 indicate total immersion in sweet fellowship with the Bridegroom. Myrrh was presented to Him at His birth to prophetically confirm His destiny and it was used along with aloes to anoint Christ at His burial. It was the scent of myrrh and aloes that rose from His empty tomb, so these spices speak of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Myrrh also symbolizes suffering and death to the flesh (SOS 3:6; 4:6; 5:1,5,13).

(6) I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke.

This is the darkest scene in the Song, but we can learn much from it. Hesitation in responding to the voice of the Bridegroom was costly. He had withdrawn. When He withdraws His hand He is still omnipresent, you don’t see Him working, sense His presence, or hear His voice. The Message Version states that when the Bride discovered this, she died inside (SOS 5:6, MSG).

(6) I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

Job described how it felt to lose the sense of God’s presence. In Job 30:16-31, He describes it as:

-Verse 16: His soul being poured out.

-Verse 18: Crying to God with no answer.

-Verse 20: False accusations.

-Verse 21: His soul like a heap of ruins.

-Verse 24: Evil coming when good was expected.

-Verses 17: Seething emotions.

-Verse 28: Mourning without comfort.

-Verse 29: Dwelling alone in a desert place.

-Verse 30: Lack of ability to worship and commune with God.

The bottom line is: When the Bridegroom knocks, answer quickly before He withdraws the sense of His manifested presence.

(7) The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil away from me.

Watchmen were soldiers and guards of the king who protected the city. These watchmen did not help the Bride, but wounded her and removed her covering (veil). Being stripped of the veil was public judgment for prostitution in that day, so this means she was falsely accused.

Spiritual watchmen are appointed by God to leadership positions in the church (Isaiah 21:6; Ezekiel 3:17; 33:6). The Bible teaches that we should obey and submit to spiritual watchmen who are called of God and faithfully doing their duty (Hebrews 13:17). But sometimes--like in this account in the Song--these men are spiritually blind (Isaiah 56:10). An example of such lack of spiritual perception is seen in the Old Testament priest Eli who rebuked Hannah for being drunk when she was praying. The watchmen accused the Bride of prostitution when she was actually in pursuit of her Bridegroom. You may have been wounded by the watchmen, spiritual leaders who have hurt you and falsely accused you. Do not allow negative experiences with the watchmen to hinder you from your quest to find your Bridegroom.

Why were these watchmen so angry with the Bride? Because the anointing rested on her hands. When she took hold of the door to open it to follow her Bridegroom, the anointing was there and transferred to her hands. Sometimes religious leaders are hostile against the anointed Bride. Those who are operating in the flesh will always oppose those who are operating with the anointing of the Spirit of God.

The Bride did not allow the wounds of the watchmen to deter her from her search for the Bridegroom. She didn’t get mad and stop following her Beloved. She didn’t stick around to argue with the watchmen. She simply continued her pursuit.

(8) I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am lovesick!

This request from the Bride indicates that the daughters of Jerusalem had not found Him. They were not walking in intimacy with Him, as demonstrated by their questions in the next verse. The Bride says she is lovesick. In the natural world, when one is lovesick, their only desire is for the one they love. They want to be with them and are in constant communication with them. We should be lovesick spiritually for our Bridegroom.

THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM

9 What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you so charge us?

(9) What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you so charge us?

This is the cry of the world: What does your Bridegroom have to offer that is different from others? How does Christianity differ from other religions? Here, they are asking the Bride, “How can you continue to care so deeply for Him when he seemingly is not there?” (SOS 9:TPT). What gives you the authority to challenge others to accept Him? Religion says, “There are many ways to God. What makes your way different?” You must be ready to give an answer to the following questions:

Who is Jesus?

-God: John 1:1

-Creator of all things: Colossians 1:16

-Sustainer of all things: Colossians 1:17

-Savior: Acts 4:12

-Risen Christ: 1 Corinthians 15:20

-Revelation of the Father: John 1:18

-Living Lord: Acts 2:36

-Our high priest: Hebrews 4:15

-Our advocate: 1 John 2:1

-Our representative in Heaven: Hebrews 9:24

-Our only way to God: John 14:6.

Where is Jesus?

-At Father’s right hand making intercession: Hebrews 10:12

-Awaiting the signal to return for us: Hebrews 10:13

-Preparing a place for us: John 14:2

-His Spirit lives in us: Galatians 2:20; John 14:16-18

How can one find Jesus?

-The first step to find Jesus is to realize that your greatest problem is sin. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

-The end result of sin is spiritual death, separation from God: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

-God loves you and has provided forgiveness for your sins. "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world ... as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10). God loves you so much that He has provided a way for your sins to be forgiven so that you do not have to reap the wages of sin.

-The answer to your sin problem is Jesus who said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” ( John 14:6). Acts 4:12 confirms, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Jesus Christ is the answer to the sin problem. He is the only way to God and the only way to be forgiven.

-You must accept Jesus as your personal Savior. "If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord: and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). Acknowledge your sin, ask forgiveness, and accept Jesus as Savior.

Other truths you must share: You must also share with new believers how to live their new life in Christ and the importance of prayer, Bible study, church attendance, and relationship with other believers. Use “New Believer Guidelines” and “Foundations of Faith”, available free at

THE BRIDE

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

11 His head is like the finest gold; his locks are wavy, and black as a raven.

12 His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and

fitly set.

13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices, banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, Dripping liquid myrrh.

14 His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires.

15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

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

The most important question Jesus asked is, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). It is not intellectual knowledge of the Bridegroom that sustains the Bride. It is not emotions and feelings, for He has withdrawn the sense of His presence for a time. Will you still follow your Bridegroom and love Him when you do not sense His presence? Is your relationship based only on emotion or is it based on faith? Who do YOU say that He is?

In answer to the questions of the daughters of Jerusalem, the Bride describes her Bridegroom, although no words can adequately do so. These are poetic descriptions that are symbolic of spiritual truths.

(10) My beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand.

His general appearance: White is radiant, dazzling, sunny, and bright and speaks of His righteousness. Ruddy comes from the word “red” and refers to the color of human skin. The Bridegroom is the express image of God and the brightness of His glory, but He also reflects the ruddiness of humanity (1 Corinthians 15:44-49; Hebrews 2:14-18).

His status: He is the chief among 10,000.

(11) His head is like the finest gold; his locks are wavy, and black as a raven.

His head is as the most fine gold, representing His deity.

His hair is black like a raven. A raven is an unclean bird, so this description reflects His humanity as He took upon Himself the sins of the world. Other places in Scripture, His hair is described as white which denotes His deity (Revelation 1:14). The two descriptions reflect two aspects, His humanity and His deity.

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

His eyes are like the eyes of doves, symbolizing the loving side of His nature. In

Revelation 1:14 His eyes are described as a flame of fire, reflecting the judgment side of His

nature. His eyes also reflect the rivers of living water that flow from within. Milk represents the Word of God. His eyes being fitly set mean that they are perfectly equipped to see all and

judge all. As the Bride is becoming like her Bridegroom through increasing intimacy, her eyes are also like those of a dove (SOS 1:15)

(13) His cheeks are like a bed of spices, banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, Dripping liquid myrrh.

His cheeks are as a bed of spices. Emotions are expressed in the cheeks--a smile, redness of anger, blushing of embarrassment. The Bridegroom’s cheeks reflect His passion and pleasure in His Bride. As cheeks reflect one’s health in the natural world, spiritual cheeks are symbolic of spiritual health. Here are some analogies:

-People with pale spiritual cheeks are anemic because they haven’t eaten the Word and/or they attend churches where the blood isn’t preached.

-People with spiritually old cheeks are not waiting on the Lord to renew their strength.

-People with yellow cheeks in the natural world have something wrong with the cleansing mechanisms of their liver. Spiritually, it indicates one who is refusing the cleansing of the Holy Spirit by harboring unconfessed sin.

-People with their spiritual cheeks covered with acne or sores are symbolic of being infected with bitterness and unforgiveness which clogs the purification of the blood stream from Calvary.

-People with dirty spiritual cheeks have not looked into the mirror of God’s Word to see their true reflection and done something about it.

His lips are like lilies that are dripping with liquid myrrh. Lilies are symbolic of beauty, myrrh is symbolic of death. He speaks both loving words and words of correction, words of life and words of death. Deuteronomy chapters 28-29 is a good example.

(14) His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires.

His hands are like rods of gold set with beryl, a precious metal combined with a precious stone. Gold represents His deity. Beryl was one of the stones on the breastplate of the high priest. Both symbolize things that are durable, precious, and of great value. The hands speak of His work in your life which is durable, precious, and of great value.

His body is described as carved ivory which symbolizes wealth and value. Ivory also represents death, as that is the only way ivory can be retrieved. The ivory represents Christ’s death and the sapphires symbolize that it is precious and of great value.

(15) His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

His legs are as described as pillars of marble, representing stability and the ability to bear weight upon His shoulders. The pillars of marble are set in gold, meaning your security in both life and death is supported by His deity. In the natural world, legs support the body. The same is true in the spiritual world. His legs support His Body, the Body of Christ which is the Church.

His countenance is like Lebanon and its cedars. Cedar is a durable and indestructible wood, symbolic of the eternal, durable nature of our Bridegroom and His promises. The Voice Version translates it as: “He stands tall and strong like the mountains of Lebanon, with all its majestic cedars.”

(16) His mouth is most sweet, yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

His mouth is sweet.

His comprehensive beauty: He is altogether lovely.

His relationship to His Bride: This is my Beloved, this is my friend.

See Supplemental Study 5.2 on Friendship With God.

PRAYING THE SONG OF SONGS

CHAPTER FIVE

1 Come into Your garden, Lord. I have gathered my spiritual myrrh representing my pain, and my spices which are symbolic of the good things of life. I lift both my pain and my praise to You. Your Word is sweeter than honeycomb to me spiritually. Let me drink of the wine of Your Spirit and be nourished by the milk of Your Word.

2 In times past, even though I was slumbering spiritually, I heard your voice appealing to me to open the door to You.

3 Many times I made excuses:

-I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?

-I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

-I am too tired.

-I am too busy.

-I am comfortable where I am.

4 Despite my spiritual immaturity, You continue to extend Your hand to me, and my soul is moved.

5 Lord, I rise up right now to open the door of my heart to You.

6 Please do not withdraw Your presence because of my negligence and procrastination. Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. When I call to You, please answer me.

7 I have experienced many wounds in this world, some of them from the very ones who should have been caring for me and my soul. As I was seeking You, they wounded me and stripped me of my spiritual covering.

8 I come to You sick, wounded, and in need of healing.

9 Some ask why I care so deeply for You and what makes You better than any other.

10-16 Here is my answer to them:

-Your countenance is the fairest of ten thousand.

-Your leading is supernatural, like the most fine gold representing your deity.

-Your locks are black as a raven, representing you bearing my sin.

-Your eyes are like the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, seeing all clearly, without distortion.

-Your face is like a lovely garden where fragrant spices grow.

-Your lips are filled with Your Word, anointed and dripping with sweet smelling spices. -Your hands have unlimited power. They are beautiful as gold rings set with beryl.

-Your inner being is like a beautiful work of art that is covered with ivory and overlaid with sapphires.

-Your legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold, representing the eternal nature of Your steadfast strength.

-Your countenance is as excellent as the cedars of Lebanon, strong and enduring.

-Your mouth offers sweet kisses of Your Word.

-You are altogether lovely.

-You are my Beloved.

-You are my friend and my lover!

There is none like You!

Amen

CHAPTER FIVE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Using the outline notes and verse 1, answer the following questions.

-Who is speaking?

-To where has He come?

-What has He done there?

-What appeal does He make to His friends?

2. Using the outline notes and verses 2-8, answer the following questions.

-Who is speaking?

-What is she doing as this passage opens?

-Who comes to the door?

-Does the Bride recognize His voice?

-What appeal does He make to her?

-What is her response?

-List and explain four terms of endearment used by the Bridegroom in His appeal to the Bride.

-Using the outline notes, list the benefits of spiritual dew.

-When the Bride finally opens the door, what sad discovery does she make?

-What had the Bridegroom left on the handle of the lock and what did this represent?

-Who did the Bride meet when she went out to seek her Bridegroom? What did they do to her? Why?

-What did the Bride charge the Daughters of Jerusalem to tell her Bridegroom?

-Using Job 30:16-31, describe what it is like to no longer sense the Bridegroom’s presence.

3. Using the outline notes and verse 9, answer the following questions.

-Who is speaking?

-To whom are they speaking?

-What questions do they ask?

-How would you respond to these questions?

4. Using the outline notes and verses 10-16, answer the following questions.

-Who is speaking?

-Summarize how the Bride describes her Beloved:

-His general appearance.

-His status.

-His head.

-His hair.

-His eyes.

-His cheeks.

-His lips.

-His hands.

-His body.

-His legs.

-His countenance.

-His mouth.

-Summarize the Bride’s final statement in verse 16. What relationship does she claim with her Beloved?

-Compare the Bride’s description of the Bridegroom in verses 10-16 to Daniel 7 and Revelation 1.

SUPPLEMENTLA STUDY 5.1

RESPONDING TO THE BRIDEGROOM’S CALL

In Song of Songs 5:2-6, the Bride is challenged by the Bridegroom to join Him in the spiritual harvest fields of the world. At first, she rejects His call, giving various excuses as to why she cannot respond. Eventually, she moves to the next level of relationship with her Bridegroom by responding positively to His summons.

The following outline, drawn from the life of Moses, will help you eliminate excuses for remaining where you are when the Bridegroom’s call comes to you. It will enable you to take steps of faith to respond in obedience to His summons. Use Exodus chapter 3 as you study this outline.

I. Step One to respond to the Bridegroom’s call:

Reject excuses for remaining where you are.

A. Moses’s excuses:

1. Who am I (Exodus 3:11)

And Moses said unto God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

Many struggle with their past or with who they are--what talents, abilities, or education they lack.

God’s answer: It is not who you are, but who I am!

And He said, “Certainly I will be with thee!” (Exodus 3:12)

2. What authority do I have? Who sent me? (Exodus 3:13)

And Moses said unto God, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?”

God’s answer: I am sending you!

“Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14)

You are not called by a denomination or because of your education. You are called by God.

3. What if they don’t believe me? (Exodus 4:1)

And Moses answered and said, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.”

God’s answer: What is in your hand?

And the Lord said unto him, “What is that in thine hand?” (Exodus 4:2)

a. In Moses’ hand was the rod of God symbolic of His miracle- working power. Jesus gave you similar power and authority.

b. Begin where you are with what you have. Moses began with his rod. The prophet asked the widow lady, “What do you have in the house.” She had only a little oil and flour, but when she used what she had, she experienced a miracle.

c. Start using what you have and moving out in faith and the miracles that follow will take care of all else.

d. Azusa street, a little run-down street in Los Angeles, California, became the site of a great revival. Smithton, Missouri, was a little town which ended up with more people in church than lived in the town.

4. What shall I say? (Exodus 4:10)

And Moses said unto the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

God’s answer: Who made man’s mouth?

“I am going to give you Aaron…I will be your mouth and his mouth. I will teach you what to say!” (Exodus 4:12)

When Moses stands before Pharaoh, guess who is doing all the talking?

The man who claimed he was not eloquent: Moses.

B. Excuses for not responding to the Bridegroom’s call:

1. Fear of the unknown.

2. Fear of failure.

3. Security: We like things the way they are and do not want to step out of our comfort zone.

4. Laziness.

5. Tradition: We have always done things a certain way. Do not look for a precedent when God calls you. There was no precedent for Abraham leaving his home at the call of God to go to a place he did not know. If he had waited for a precedent, he would still be waiting.

C. All of these excuses are summarized in one word UNBELIEF

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19)

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

(Matthew 13:58)

D. If you have been using any of these excuses, pray this prayer:

Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mark 9:24)

II. Step two to respond to the Bridegroom’s call:

Realize that things always get worse when it is time for a move.

Once you have eliminated excuses, be aware that sometimes circumstances get worse when it is time for a move. If you remained comfortable, you would stay where you are. In Israel’s case, after Moses came with the message of deliverance from God, they had even more tribulations as they were forced to gather their own resources for the building project. This made them more willing to leave Egypt.

III. Step three to respond to the Bridegroom’s call:

Respond on the basis of the covenant promises of God.

A. Moses came with a message of deliverance based on God’s covenant promises. God said:

“And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians

keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant .Therefore say to the

children of Israel: 'I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of

the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with

an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 'I will take you as My people, and

I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings

you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 'And I will bring you into the

land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you

as a heritage: I am the Lord.'" So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but

they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

(Exodus 6:5-9)

B. The people did not receive the message from God because of:

1. Anguish of spirit: Feelings.

2. Cruel bondage: Circumstances.

A. If you rely on feelings and circumstances, you will never respond to the Bridegroom’s call.

B. Do not look at how powerful the “Pharaohs” in your life are—the circumstances, finances, people, etc. There is no person determining your life. God is!

C. Respond positively to the call based on God’s covenant promises.

IV. Step four to respond to the Bridegroom’s call:

Rise up and take action.

A. You must take action, or you will remain right where you are.

1. After Saul’s death, God told Samuel to stop mourning over the past and go anoint a new king.

2. God told Moses at the bitter waters of Marah, “Do something! Don’t look to me...look to the branch of the Lord Jesus and cast Him into the waters.”

3. God told Noah, “Rise up and build an ark.”

4. He told Nehemiah, “Arise and build the wall.”

5. Despite his shackles and incarceration in prison, Peter was told to wake up, get up, and get out.

6. The lame were told to step out and walk.

7. You must take positive action, or a year from now you will be right where you are presently.

B. The Lord’s word to you is:

Arise from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life. Shine be radiant with the glory of the Lord; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1, TAB)

C. Are you properly preparing to respond to the Bridegroom’s call?

1. You are believing God to send you to the nations, but have you secured a passport?

2. You want to be a missionary to a certain country. Are you studying the culture and learning the language?

3, You believe God is calling you to minister His Word. Are you studying and preparing to do so?

4. You feel the call to be a worship leader. Are you taking music lessons and learning to play an instrument? Do you spend time in personal worship?

5. You say you are called to medical missions. Are you getting the proper education to serve in this field?

V. Step five to respond to the Bridegroom’s call:

Rely on God’s power to move you to the next level.

A. God promised that He would move Israel out by His power:

“So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” (Exodus 2:20)

B. Jesus promised to give you power as you respond to His call:

And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

VI. Step six to respond to the Bridegroom’s call:

Claim what you need to step out in faith.

A. When you move out in obedience to the Bridegroom’s call, you will come out better than when you went in. God told Israel:

"So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will

do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor

in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go

empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who

dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you

shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the

Egyptians." (Exodus 3:2-22, NKJ)

B. As you respond to the Bridegroom’s call, you won’t go out empty-handed.

1. You will come out of that trial with more than when you went in.

2. You will receive favor from those who cursed you.

3. You will be blessed by those who have come against you.

4. You will receive all that is needed to respond to His call.

Conclusion:

As the Bride in the Song of Songs, when you respond to the call of the Bridegroom, you will begin to relate to God in a new level of intimacy. When Moses responded to the call, he received a new revelation regarding God’s identity and his own destiny:

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: "I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Jehovah, I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.

And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Therefore say to the children of Israel: 'I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 'I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 'And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.'" (Exodus 6:2-8)

God was previously known as “God Almighty”. Here He revealed Himself as Jehovah, a name taken from the Hebrew verb "to be," meaning simply but profoundly, "I am who I am," and "I will be who I will be." All other Old Testament names of God revealed in the future were rooted in this name.

As you respond to the Bridegroom’s call, you also will receive new revelations. Perhaps you only know Him as Savior. Now it is time to know Him as Lord of your life, as your Healer, and as your Comforter. You have functioned at one level, but as you respond to His call you will move to a new level of intimacy.

SUPPLEMENTAL STUDY 5.2

FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD

Several metaphors in Scripture portray the believer’s relationship with God. We are called sons, daughters, and the Bride of Christ. Jesus is called our brother, Bridegroom, and husband. We are also called “friends of God”. In Song of Songs 5:16, the Bride declares of her Bridegroom: “This is my friend.”

God created mankind because He wanted someone like Him who He could call a friend. He came daily to fellowship with His newly created friends, Adam and Eve, until sin separated them. It was a sad day when God came looking for His friends crying out, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

Think about the fact that God wants a friend. He created man for fellowship first, then service.

Your friendship with God is more important than your service for Him. The same is true in the natural world. A true relationship with someone is more important than what you do for them. What you do for your friend flows out of your relationship with them.

In the Old Testament, Enoch was a friend who walked with God and one day the Lord just took him on home with Him. Abraham was called the “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). A.W. Tozer notes:

“Remember that at that point in history, almost 2,000 years before the coming of Jesus Christ into our world, Abraham had no Bible and no hymnal. He had no church and no godly religious traditions for guidance. He could not turn to a minister or an evangelist for spiritual help. Abraham had only his own, empty, hungry heart. That and the manifestation of the God who reveals Himself to men and women who desire to find Him and know Him.”

God spoke to Moses face-to-face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). King David was a special friend who was “after God’s own heart” and served the purposes of God in His generation. The Old Testament also has some beautiful examples of friendships between people, such as those of David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi.

In the New Testament, Jesus had various levels of friendships: The 70, the 12, the 3, and John, His most beloved friend. Jesus was also called a “friend of sinners” because He loved them and ministered to them (Matthew 11:19). He often stayed with His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. His friend, Joseph of Arimethea did not openly confess Christ for a time, but when Jesus was rejected, forsaken, and shamed, he came to claim the body of his friend and give Him a proper burial.

Because of the death of Jesus on the cross, the way is now open for all believers to experience friendship with Jesus. He said:

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

(John 15:14-15)

How To Be A Friend Of God

We often chose our friends based on common interests, geographic proximity, or work relationships. Your friendship with the Lord, however, begins when He chooses you. Jesus said: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you…” (John 15:16). To be a friend of God, you must hear the Word and act upon it, starting by experiencing a born-again relationship with Jesus Christ (John 3).

A friend of God will live a life of faith. Abraham was called the friend of God because of His faith (James 2:23; Hebrews 11:6). After beginning your relationship with the Lord through the new birth experience, you deepen your friendship with Him as you learn to live by faith through believing and acting upon His Word.

Just as you spend time with good friends in the natural world, you must spend time with God, your spiritual friend. Relationships take time to develop both in the natural and spiritual worlds. You must have a desire to know the Lord--not for what He can do for you, not for receiving blessings, gifts, talents, or ministries. You must simply want to be His friend.

A friend of God will guard their affections, because friendship with the world alienates you from God (James 4:4). The only thing that will prevent you from being His friend is for you to be a friend of the world by embracing its sinful lifestyle and standards (1 John 2:15-17).

A friend of God is reliable with shared revelations. Just as you carefully guard information shared by good friends in the natural world, you should also guard revelations from your spiritual friend. You must carefully guard the revelations of God’s Word by accurately sharing them with others and demonstrating them in your lifestyle. A good friend does not misrepresent their best friend by their actions or words.

A good friend advances his friend’s agenda and wants them to receive recognition. The same is true spiritually. As a friend of God, you will advance His purposes in the world and encourage others to worship Him.

Qualities Of Your Best Friend

Friendship with God is best illustrated by the Father’s love for the Son (John 15:9). The depth of Christ’s love for you is demonstrated by His death on the cross:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

(John 15:13)

God is a good friend, in that He forgives your sins:

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

(Psalm 103:12)

As your friend, He guides you:

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

He helps you:

Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. (Psalm 33:20)

He delivers you:

But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. (Psalm 40:17)

He sympathizes with you:

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

He sustains you:

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

He provides for you:

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:19)

He shares secrets with you. God shared His future plans with Abraham, His friend (Genesis 18:17).

There’s a private place reserved for the lovers of God, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promise (Psalm 25:14, TPT)

Your Friend loves you so much that He will someday return and take you to live with Him forever:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:1-3)

In Conclusion…

In Enjoying Intimacy With God, J. O. Sanders commented:

“It would seem that admission to the inner circle of deepening intimacy with God is the outcome of deep desire. Only those who count such intimacy a prize worth sacrificing anything else for are likely to attain it. If other intimacies are more desirable to us, we will not gain entry to that circle.”

So the question is: Are you a friend of God, or merely an acquaintance?

For Further Study

Study the following scriptures which are relevant to friendships in the natural world as well as to your spiritual friendship with God.

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

(Proverbs 27:6)

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. (Proverbs 27:9)

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off. (Proverbs 27:10)

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