Verse 13 says, “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.” “Thou” refers to the Lord. “The gardens” are plural in number. He is not only dwelling in the garden of the maiden (6:2) but dwelling in many other gardens as well. He is the Lord who dwells in the hearts of men. He is not only dwelling in the heart of one who follows Him absolutely, but He is dwelling in the hearts of all those whom He delights in. The maiden addresses Him according to this relationship. She says to Him, “The companions hearken to thy voice.” The word “hearken” means that everyone is listening. All those who are seeking the Lord together with her adopt the same attitude. They have been dealt with, and they know the futility of speaking and the profit of hearkening. They know that they have to be slow to speak in order to be quick to hear. Both she and they are no longer as talkative as they once were; they no longer babble about their condition before the Lord as soon as they acquire some experience. That conduct is gone. They no longer insist on speaking like others do, and they no longer speak for the sake of speaking. Those who cannot stop talking about trivial things still have the earthly life reigning within them. But these are listening; they adopt the attitude of a hearer. They know that their lives depend on the Lord’s words and their work depends on the Lord’s commands. They will only listen, because they cannot and will not move by themselves any longer. Without the Lord’s words, they will not have any revelation, light, or knowledge. The life of the believers hinges totally upon the Lord’s speaking.

“O Lord, while we are waiting to hearken, make us hear. If those who seek find, and if those who knock have the door opened to them, make us hear, and make us able to hear. If Jehovah will not speak to us, we will be like those who are dead. What use is there in hearing something if it is not heard in a real way? Therefore, please allow us to hear Your voice, because only this can guide us until Your return.” She has learned her lessons by now; therefore, she offers up such a profound prayer toward the end.

Verse 14 says, “Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.” These words are the same as in 2:17. It is the same prayer, but the things that are referred to are not the same in both cases. This book mentions the wilderness two times, and in the same way, it mentions the Lord’s coming as “a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices” two times. The first time on the mountains refers to His fellowship with the believers; it shows His longing for an absolute fellowship with the believers. But then the shadows had not fled and the day had not yet broken, that is, the Lord had not yet come. The emphasis was fellowship. Therefore, we saw Him upon the mountains of Bether; He was clearing away everything that was causing “separation.” But the second refers to the Lord’s second coming. This coming is in the future, and though it may be very near, no one knows when it will be. Unlike the case in chapter two, it does not have a time limit. The matter is not fellowship; therefore, this verse does not speak of the mountains of Bether, but of the mountains of spices. It describes the condition of the Lord’s coming and His kingdom. At that time, it will be a marvelous world, one like the mountains of spices.

Then the maiden’s experience will be like a drop of water that has disappeared into the ocean; there will no more room for advancement, though the tide can always go deeper. All that is left in the world is just her body. Everything else has gone to another world. Therefore, she cannot help but cry, “Make haste, my beloved.” “Come as quickly as the roe or a young hart. Just as a roe or a young hart appears on the mountains of spices, may You come in Your kingdom.” Although the love is perfect, something is still lacking. When He comes, faith will be turned to facts, and praise will replace prayer. Love will consummate in a shadowless perfection, and we will serve Him in the sinless domain. What a day that will be! Lord Jesus, come quickly!