THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for
the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
Song Of Solomon
CHAPTER 4
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. 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. 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. 4 Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. 5 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
Verses 1-15 contain descriptive terms given by the bridegroom (Solomon) of his bride. The descriptive terms used are not necessarily what you and I would use today. But they adequately portray his feelings for her and his longing for her. He is entranced by her beauty.
In verse 1, he says she is "fair," or beautiful. Her hair is described as lik a "flock of goats." The mountainous region of Judaea is well-known for dark colored goats which move smoothly upon the mountains. Her hair then, is dark and flowing beautifully.
The "teeth," in verse 2, are very white and none are missing.
Her lips, in verse 3, are tender, red and speak softly. Her temples are colored pink below her dark hair.
The "tower of David," in verse 4, was an armory where David kept the shields of war. Her neck is strong.
Her two breasts, in verse 5, stand youthful and strong like two young deer.
The beauty of one soul to Christ our Creator is beyond our comprehension.
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. 7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. 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. 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. 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! 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.
His desire is to get away to the "mountain of myrrh." It is thought that this is Mt. Moriah where the temple was built and incense continually burned for God. The statement intends to show the commitment of the bridegroom to be prepared for his bride.
Christ desires for his "bride" the church to have a place (called heaven) that is perfect and prepared by Him alone for eternal enjoyment.
In verse 7, the beauty of the bride is again described by the bridegroom. It is very interesting that in her he finds "no spot." To him she is perfect.
I believe this is indicative of Christ's view of the saved. Those who have come to Him begging forgiveness have been CLEANSED.
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27)
Jesus calls for mankind to come away from pride and be yielded to Him.
In verses 9-11, we see that the beauty of the bride has "ravished" the heart of the bridegroom.
The heart of Christ is so intent upon winning His people that He gave Himself at Calvary for our redemption. The ultimate joy of eternal fellowship with His saved caused the horror of the cross to be bearable.
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
A garden "inclosed" is one that is fenced around and specifically for the use of the owner. The bridegroom invites (verse 8) the bride to join him in a commitment of total fidelity.
The invitation of Christ to join Him in eternal glory includes surrender to His ownership; to be His exclusively.
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 bride's answer is a commitment to belong to the bridegrooom exclusively. Her desire is that the "wind...blow" and CAUSE her to be fruitful only for him.
Our desire as Christians should be the the Holy Spirit of God come upon us so strongly that we would be exclusively His and fruitful for His purposes.
CHAPTER 5
1 I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
The bridegroom now comes to consummate the marriage. The line "eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.." is the expression of a blessing upon the marriage consummation.
Marriage is blessed of God. And He desires that we fully and totally enjoy the union. The purpose of enjoying marital union in earth is to keep the marital partners from infidelity.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4)
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. 3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? 4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. 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. 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. 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. 8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.
Verses 2-7 are a dream of the bride. In the dream she is reminded of her guilt. When her bridegroom would come to her, she SLEPT. She was lax in her duty as a bride. She had put off her "coat" (of self) and washed her feet (verse 3). But when the bridegroom drew near, she was ASLEEP.
The bridegroom was too tender and kind to awaken her, but his closeness finally awakened her. When she arose, it was too late. He was REMOVED from her!
In haste, she ran about the streets trying to find him. She was caught by the guards and punished as a prostitute. Then she awakened!
And her call (verse 8) to others was that her heart's desire was to again find the love of her bridegroom.
This dream is an example of the church and every Christian. We have come to trust Christ, and have been washed and cleansed. We have put off the coat of self to serve Him. But we often SLEEP! We are lax in our duty, and unaware of the presence and power of His closeness. We often fall into the "sleep" of laxness not allowing our Lord to take full possession of who we are.
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?
After her call to others, the bride is asked "What's the big deal? Who is YOUR husband, and how is He greater than others?"
Indeed, WHO is Christ above all the religion heads in the world? Why do Christians prefer HIM above all others?
The answer is really very simple. Jesus is the ONLY ONE WHO OVERCAME DEATH AND THE GRAVE! He is ALIVE!
Budda is dead; Mohammed is dead; Confucious is dead; but CHRIST IS ALIVE! He is not found in a tomb!
And the power over death exemplified in Christ is OFFERED to anyone who will surrender to Him!
He is:
10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. 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. 13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. 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.
To this bride, her bridegroom was ABOVE and BEYOND all others! Her description allows no doubt that to her, he is the MOST BEAUTIFUL of all!
The dream reminded her of her need for His closeness and presence and power. Her call to be rejoined to Him was a desperate call. Her REASON was that her bridegroom meant more to her than ALL others!
OH! Friends! When we find ourselves, as Christians, lax in our duties and the power and presence of God is diminished in our lives, we should HASTE to recommit ourselves to His total ownership!
He is "the Fairest of ten thousand!"
He is "the Bright and Morning Star!"
He is "the Lily of the valley!"
And, He is the "King of all we are!"
Christ is our Creator, our Saviour. He is our Redeemer and Eternal Joy. He is MORE! He is MORE than all the world!
If you find that you have allowed self to become lax and His closeness and power are no longer in you, then waste no time going to the altar to beg forgiveness! SEEK HIM!! He WILL be found!
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:9)
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.