The seeking one in the Song of Songs is likened by the Lord at the beginning to a company of horses. The Lord said to her, “I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots” (1:9). She was a company of horses, but in Pharaoh’s chariots. In the Bible, Pharaoh is related not only to the world, but also to Satan. Pharaoh was a type of the prince of the world. Although the Lord appraised the seeking one, yet He was wise. In His appraisal of her, something was related to the prince of the world. This indicated that the Lord was saying, “My love, you do love Me, yet you are still carrying something of the world; you are still related to the prince of the world. I must liken you to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.”
But in chapter six there is much maturity. It seemed that she was completely matured in chapter four, and this was true to a certain degree. She was indeed matured, but not as matured as she is in chapter six. In chapter six the Lord likens her to a city with the name of Jerusalem. “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners” (6:4). She is no longer linked with Pharaoh, but with Jerusalem. She is no longer related to the prince of this world, but to Jerusalem. She is not a company of horses any more, but a city, and a city with the unique name of Jerusalem. This is the name of a city found both in the Old and New Testaments. It is a name given by God which will remain for eternity.
We know of some people today who do not believe the Bible was inspired by God. But do you believe King Solomon by himself could compose poetry which is so fitting for today’s church life? Undoubtedly, the Lord Himself inspired this book. This short book has never been so open and understandable to the Lord’s people as it is to us today. Today we are clear that this book describes the love between the Lord and His loved ones.
When we consider all of the figures used to describe the seeking one, we marvel: from the horses to the garden, and eventually to the city. And this city is an army. To the Lord she is comely and beautiful, but to the enemy she is terrible and terrifying. Positively, she is the city to fulfill God’s purpose to express Himself, and negatively, she is the army to fulfill His purpose to deal with His enemy. The city expresses God in His comeliness and beauty, and the army deals with God’s adversary.
May this not simply be a kind of teaching or saying among us! We must all enter into the experience of these things. We need the revelation, the reality, and the real experiences! How could this seeking one grow so much until she becomes a garden to the Lord? We must see how the garden comes into being. Though we may say we have seen it, we still need to see something more.
The first part of this book shows the first aspect of the Christian life; the last part shows the last aspect of the Christian life. Most Christians only care for the first aspect, which is mainly individual. Very few care for the last aspect, the corporate life. We have seen the Christian life in an individual way in the foregoing eight figures. There were the horses, the doves’ eyes, the lily, the dove, the pillars of smoke, the couch, the palanquin, and the crown-all mainly a portrait describing the individual Christian life.
If most of us could attain the transformation of a palanquin or a crown to the Lord, we would consider that to be the consummation of our Christian life. How wonderful it would be if we could be a transformed palanquin for the Lord’s move! To become a crown for the Lord’s glory and boast-that would be wonderful! Even the Lord Jesus did not mention any shortcomings in her. The end of chapter three shows the appraisal of others. Some asked, “Who is this one?” The others answered, “This is Solomon’s couch and Solomon’s palanquin. It is even Solomon with the crown.” Then chapter four gives the Lord’s appraisal. In both appraisals no shortcomings are mentioned. She has been perfected in her Christian life.
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