A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed. Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices—a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon. (Song of Solomon 4:12-15, ESV)

In continuing some reflections and studies using the Song of Solomon, I thought I’d take a post to go through these few verses. The garden spoken of in this part of the song represents the soul of the believer. A garden is not merely for reproduction, but for beauty as well. By understanding the significance of these spices, or ‘ingredients’ of the ‘maiden’s soul, we can learn what the transformed soul-life is like for the believer.

First, we must notice how similar the ingredients mentioned here are to those used in the anointing oil that was used on the heads of the priests, first mentioned in detail in Exodus 30:22-33.1

1) Liquid myrrh

As mentioned in a previous post, myrrh is one of the most fragrant perfumes and casts an intoxicating odor. When we read of myrhh in Scripture it is used in reference to purification and suffering. The word myrrh literally means ‘bitter’. As believers, we are afflicted for Christ’s sake, who, though a Son, learned obedience through what he suffered (Heb 5:8). Philippians 1:29 states that it has been granted to believers that we will suffer for Christ’s sake ourselves, and as we follow in His footsteps, and will share in the power of His resurrection as we become like Him through death (see also Phil 3:10). Part and parcel with being anointed by the Holy Spirit, is going the way of the cross and living a crucified lifestyle, being sharpened by the sufferings and hardships we will face. For more about the myrrh, see the previous post Strong Behind the Veil of our Thought Life.

2) Fragrant Cinnamon

The next ingredient mentioned in the anointing oil, is cinnamon, which literally means “erect” or “upright”. If mixed properly, the anointing will cause an upright walk of holiness and righteousness in the life of the believer. We’re given the gift of righteousness through faith, and if we embrace it, we’ll also hate sin and lawlessness,

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age (Titus 2:11-12)

This ingredient in the natural would also have a sweet taste and smell. For more about this ingredient in our lives, compare also Hebrews 1:9, Matthew 7:21, and Ephesians 5:3.

3) Calamus

This ingredient literally means “branch” or “reed”. This was a tall reed-like grass with hollow stems. It is a very sweet-smelling plant, which is able to grow in harsh, difficult environments. This was the channel through which life would flow, and produce fruit, if and when we’re connected to the life source of Christ Jesus Himself (see John 15:1-8). It is also mentioned in Genesis 41:5 in the Pharoah’s dream, where we’re told of the stalk that was producing plump and good grain.

This is also the same word used in Matthew 11:7:

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

We also know that no matter how harsh our surroundings and circumstances we face, it’s said of Jesus:

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. (Matt 12:20, NIV, emphasis mine)

It would benefit the reader to learn some more about this type of reed, as it would derail too much to go into further detail, but worth knowing is how these types of reeds were used in the making of boats in the ancient Middle East. When gathering and tying the reeds together, if the reed was too slippery they would bruise it so the rope would fasten to it more easily. The more they were bruised, the more they were useful in helping hold the boat together. The pillars in the body of Christ are the very ones who’ve been bruised the most and developed the most tender hearts that they can give life and encouragement to the rest of us who go through trials ourselves.

The oil that was extracted from this grass was an ingredient in the anointing oil, and the calamus was grown throughout Palestine.

4) Cassia

Which really means ‘shriveled’ or ‘bowed down’. It typically would come from the inner bark of a specific type of an Indian tree. This represented true worship, and the heart of absolute surrender to giving of one’s life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

A great passage representing this would be found in Gen 24:26.2

5) Olive Oil

This came from olives, obviously, but what is significant about this is that the way you obtain the oil is by crushing and pressing the olive and squeezing the inside out of it. The Garden of Gethsemane was an olive press, so it’s of no small significance that this was the location where Jesus prayed into the night for the cup to be removed, before being arrested and sentenced to the Cross. The olive oil literally means ‘broken’ and ‘contrite’.

Olive oil is supposed to be the best preservative of odors, and it is also the ingredient that holds all the other ingredients together, in order to preserve their fragrance.

The Holy Spirit flows through broken vessels who’ve been crushed through life experiences, and made stronger through them.

Thoughts to Consider

I find it interesting to note that the two ingredients that are the most closely related to suffering and going through difficulties, are the ones that cost twice as much as the other two. Myrrh and cassia both required 500 shekels’ worth, while the quantity required of cinnamon and calamus was 250 shekels.

Back to our song; we see the same mentioned ingredients, almost identical to those of the anointing oil, the ‘finest spices’ (v. 14). This garden represents an anointed and holy place where God can meet with her. As one who has had the privilege of ministering to God, she has been anointed as holy to the Lord, set apart as a special meeting place for Him and Him alone. The incense of frankincense represents how this spice in particular was also used symbolically to represent the prayers of the saints (see Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4), and in the Old Testament, we find frankincense was poured on a grain offering (Leviticus 2:1-3). This particular offering was only to be brought with burnt or peace offerings, and never with the sin offerings. This offering relates only to the offerings of those who desire fellowship with the Lord and desire to consecrate their lives to Him.

It could be said that the fragrance of ‘all the trees of frankincense’ coming up from the garden of the maiden is a reference to the soothing aroma of a life filled with praise to God, and not only that, but one with much variety. As mentioned, but worth repeating, is that myrrh and aloes–depending on the translation you use–signify suffering love, which Jesus demonstrates for us in His burnt offering sacrifice on the Cross. The maiden’s garden also smells of this suffering love. It’s mentioned at the end of the song, that this love

…is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire,the very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised. (Song of Solomon 8:6b-7, ESV, emphasis mine).

Her mind is a paradise of godly thoughts as indicated in the orchard of pomegranates.3

The Winds of Change

What it is that draws me into this imagery in particular, and why I felt it relevant to take the route I did with the ingredients of the anointing oil, is to make sense of how in verse 15 onwards, we’re told this garden is locked up for her Lover, but the river flows outward to Lebanon. I think this is symbolic of how the life of a believer results in rivers of living water flowing out of their inner most being, directly related to their personal intimacy with God, but resulting in others being nourished and what flows out of us benefiting them. This speaks of the renewed spirit of the believer in the midst of the soul.

Wind often usually speaks of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, and so in verse 16 when it mentions the north and south winds blowing on the garden, I think it speaks of wind that comes in and spreads the fragrance of the garden, and all its variety of fragrances onto the land surrounding it. This is not just river flowing, for in the natural, north wind can be cold and penetrating, and in contrast the south wind is very pleasant, gentle and mild.4

It’s not just the winds of wonderful goosebumps and feelings that cause the flow of the fragrance of the spices of the Lord’s working in our lives, but the harsh breeze of circumstances that may make us feel crushed, persecuted, but yet not abandoned, or struck down but not destroyed. Sometimes that wind of the Holy Spirit will also break off junk from our lives and circumstances that don’t belong there, and it may be painful at the time, but yet it’s just part of the bigger plan to have more and more of the Spirit’s work in our lives, that others may benefit from this fragrance.

Dear saint, don’t shy away from the variety of experiences you face in your Christian walk, including suffering, trials and tribulations, for these things are a sweet smelling fragrance and the work they produce in us is of eternal relevance.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, 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 2:15, ESV, emphasis mine)

Amen! 

Steve Bremner is a missionary to Peru, called to raise up disciples who flow in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is general editor of Fire Press, and also produces & co-hosts its podcast called Fire On Your Head. Visit his personal site at http://stevebremner.com 

1. The following portion is taken from notes I wrote in the margin of my Bible after reading S.J. Hill’s book Personal Revival where he takes a whole chapter to go into this detail
2. For more on this of which we don’t have time to get into today, it’s recommended that the reader check out a previous post on the symbolism used in the differences between the wheat and the tares, http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2008/03/20/mixing-the-counterfeit-in-with-the-genuine/
3. It’s recommended to read Strong Behind the Veil of Our Thought Life, http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2011/01/05/strong-behind-the-veil-of-our-thought-life/
4. The latter portion of this article is heavily gleaning from Bob and Rose Weiner’s study of the Song of Solomon, Bible Studies For The Preparation of the Bride, Study 12: “The Garden of the Lord”

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the Fire On Your Head podcast between Dave Edwards and myself on this subject, I highly recommend doing so.  It’s not necessary before proceeding, but this post is basically a write-up or follow up to some of the stuff I got spontaneously discussing with Dave when we were discussing repentant thinking.

Our Scripture passage, to start with, is found in Song of Solomon 4:3, which states

Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil.

In Scripture, the temples–or cheeks, depending on the translation you’re reading from–represent the seat of man’s thoughts. In describing the temples as a sliced pomegranate, we see that the thoughts of the Bride are opened and exposed before the Bridegroom, God. In Jewish culture of that time, women would typically have their face veiled in public, and only their husbands could see their face at home. Letting the man see their face was personal, therefore, notice that the temples are veiled from the outward world, but in this description they are open and laid bare before the Lord. “Behind the veil” speaks of the Bride’s humility, as well as her secret life in God. Her veil also represents her submission to her Lover.

The Psalms repeatedly describe writers who desire to have their inner lives searched and found to be acceptable and pure before the Lord (see Psalm 19:14, and 139:23-24 for a few examples). The seeds of a pomegranate are crystal seeds, tinged with red. In describing her face, her inner private most personal thoughts and appearance like this, Solomon is saying the thoughts of the Bride have been cleansed and made purified. Her thoughts are pure and red as crystal, allowing the light of God and His wisdom to shine through them. Her thoughts have been redeemed, as signified by the color red used in this description, signifying redemption, similar to the way the blood of Jesus has redeemed us and made us pure.

Becoming Strong Pillars in the Temple of God

As I mentioned previously1, Solomon was an incredibly brilliant man and knew what he was doing when he wrote this, and when he designed his temple:

The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. (1 Kings 7:20, emphasis mine)

I find it very fascinating that he had designed the pillars in his temple in a fashion that involved latticework resembling this fruit hanging from it, and we can obviously glean from this the idea of pure and exposed thoughts. But what other practical significance can this hold for us as believers?

I believe the answer is found in the following;

if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. (1 Tim 3:15)

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. (Revelation 3:12a)

It should be noted then that the ones who are overcomers–whose thoughts have been made pure by the blood of the Lamb, Christ Jesus–who know how they ought to behave in the house of God, are the ones who are made pillars in the temple of God, the Body of Christ. I find it interesting to also note how the very image of a pillar in Solomon’s temple involves each one of them bearing fruit, so to speak–in terms of having the two hundred of them woven into the framework towards the top. Each of us are members of the Body of Christ and are expected to bear fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives (see Gal 5:16-24). If we’re not in intimate fellowship with Christ, we won’t produce the corresponding fruit. It’s as simple as that.

Those Who Hear the Voice of God

Also of significance is the crown of lilies that tops it as described a few verses later in 1 Kings 7 verses 19 and 22.

Consider then what Solomon says in chapter 5 verse 13 of his song:

His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.

Myrrh is one of the most fragrant perfumes and casts an intoxicating odor. One characteristic of a lily is that it has a very sweet smell. The lips tend to represent speech or words that proceed from the mouth. As believers, we don’t live on bread alone but from every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matt 4:4). Jesus’ words are sweet, intoxicating and powerful; and Solomon had this depth of revelation when writing this, knowing fully well how he designed the temple to have this ‘crown’ of lilies above the fruit-like latticework.

Man is the crowning glory of God’s handiwork, and will be adorned with the words of the Lord–worked into their spirits will be the comfortable familiarity that comes through intimacy with God, of that still small voice, penetrating our spirits.2 Overcomers are ones that are intimate with the Lord and who know their God. Jesus, our Bridegroom King and Shepherd has sheep who follow him, and his sheep know his voice (John 10:27).

Jesus also said in Matthew 6:28-29 that even King Solomon was not arrayed like the lily when he was in all his glory. In his case, his glory was his wisdom and understanding. Even though he was the wisest man who ever lived, we now have Jesus Christ Himself who is the source of all wisdom and understanding, above and certainly beyond any wisdom the man Solomon ever had or wrote from.

I also believe his lips speaks of the power of His words; it can refer to the affirmations of His heart as written about in the Scriptures, as well as the words spoken directly to our hearts by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, as our Bridegroom, has the ability to speak lovingly and precisely to the needs of our hearts (see Psalm 45:2; John 6:63, 7:46). The phrase about his lips “dripping liquid myrrh” signifies that Jesus’ lips speak of His words which are sweet and pure like lilies. They contain myrrh which refers to exhortations to embrace death to self. His words are motivated by the incredible sacrificial love that He has for us, His Bride. Everything Jesus says to us comes from a heart of kindness. Even when He corrects us, we need to see it as coming from a heart of a sacrificial love. Loving correction is never to be taken as rejection.

I hope some of these brief insights into a few of the phrases used in this song can develop a hunger for you to become someone whose intimacy with Christ makes you into a strong pillar producing fruit for others in the Body of Christ and resulting expressing the voice of God as an overcomer.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the aforementioned podcast, What Is Renewed Thinking?, you can do so here:

Download this episode (right click and save)

1. In my post, Why the Song of Solomon Fascinates Me
2. I got this from the study I previously mentioned, Bible Studies for the Preparation of the Bride: A Study of the Song of Solomon, Bob & Rose Weiner, p.97

Recently I got up to preach at Centro de Fuego/The Fire Center (our church here in Lima, Peru), and people snickered and made jokes when I told them to turn in their Bibles to the Song of Solomon. Remarks like “of course” were heard across the room, and jokes about how people were sarcastically telling me shocked because I “hardly ever go there”. However, I DO preach and teach from all manners of topics found in the Scriptures, but this one book is definitely my favorite. I feel like it’s a key that unlocks a lot of the rest of the Scriptures, at least through the paradigm of God’s love.

I’ve been interested in this particular book of the Old Testament for nearly 9 years to date. I’ve gone through stages or waves where I got into studying this book really thoroughly for weeks at a time, and then my interest would wane. The first time I really started to see and have my eyes opened to the idea that there was more to this book than imagery and symbolism, was in my first semester of Bible school in Pensacola, Florida. One of my mentors, S.J. Hill was teaching an entire course on the book that lasted one semester. It drove me nuts that this book of only 8 chapters could have enough material that he could teach for a whole 16 weeks or so on it. 1

Since it was a second year class and I was only in my first year, I decided to grab a Matthew Henry commentary, and go through the book and look up every reference to other words in the Scripture that were referenced. In almost no time at all, my New King James translation of the Bible had markings all over the margin–so much so, there was almost no white left. S.J. left after my first semester, so I never wound up getting to have his class, but someone lent me a 20 session tape series Mike Bickle did on the subject, and those really rocked my world2. A couple of years later, I got fascinated with it again, and re-read it every day for 30 days in the New International Version, and towards the end of that month, felt like I was overflowing with divine insight and revelation that I didn’t need to get from a commentary or scholar. 3

I personally believe this song to be a demonstration of practical realities of John 17:26:

I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

King Solomon’s Life and Rule

Copyright http://www.thebricktestament.com

That being said, I look at Solomon’s life. If we go to the first book of Kings, we see Solomon begin to reign in Israel after his father David. He loved the Lord and walked in the statutes of his father (3:3). In his immaturity, he still offered sacrifices on the high places, but Scriptures state that He loved the Lord. He even offered 1000 burnt offerings at one time when only one was necessary under the old covenant4. In Gibeon God appeared to Solomon in a dream at night (3:5) asking him what He wanted the Lord to give him. Solomon asked for wisdom, above anything else:

And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. (1 Kings 3:11-12, 4:29-31, ESV, emphasis mine)

If this man was granted such wisdom and discernment, then obviously the things he wrote ought to be taken seriously and studied and given careful consideration. Most Christians spend time memorizing verses out of the book of Proverbs, but yet the pages of the Song of Solomon are still stuck together in their Bible like the day when they first bought their Bibles. Many don’t want to ‘go there’ and delve deep into the things about the heart of God through the Bridal paradigm this particular book helps unlock. We ought to listen to what Solomon obtained in intimacy and revelation with the Lord, don’t you think?! Observe what the following verses state;

He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:32-34, emphasis mine)

Most people are well aware that he wrote most of the proverbs in the middle of our Bible. But this man–the richest and wisest man who ever lived, wrote 1004 other songs as well–of which we know almost nothing about other than this one verse here merely mentions them in passing.

A Masterpiece

This song is called the “Song of Songs” in the same manner that the most holy place in the tabernacle is called the Holy of Holies, or the same way that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God saw to it that this one made it into Scripture canon, because I’m convinced it’s a key to something about the heart of God.

In their study Bible Studies for the Preparation of the Bride: A Study of the Song of Solomon, Bob & Rose Weiner point out the following:

In contrast, the preceding book, Ecclesiastes, is an exposition of the vanity of vanities. In Ecclesiastes we find that all things under the sun are sought for — the wrong things in the wrong way. In the Song we find that one thing is pursued; a relationship with the King, which in its consummation, tells us that satisfaction cannot be obtained through knowledge alone. The Song speaks of rest from wandering and tells us that man can reach satisfaction only through love. 5

Other Writers’ Insight

The Apostle John had a close relationship with Jesus that nobody else had. He was in the inner three, one of the ones who was with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, and the only one of Jesus’ disciples who witnessed his crucifixion. John also lived the longest out of all of them and is said to have died a natural death, as opposed to a martyr’s death like the rest did. Jesus, at the cross, also gave him the charge of taking care of His mother after he left. John repeatedly referred to himself as the one Jesus loved, and made mention of things like how he was laying his head on Jesus’ chest at the last supper. Almost no other human being who lived during the time of Jesus can say the same things as John does in his writings. His gospel is even different than the other three listed in our Scripture canon, and contain details the others don’t. John is also the one Jesus revealed Himself to later in his life, and John wrote about it in what is properly known as The Revelation of Jesus.

If you read the Song of Solomon and then start reading Revelation through a lens of one who knew Jesus intimately, and not as a doom and gloom apocalypse book, you will immediately notice similarities and mirroring symbolism. For example, notice Solomon’s description of ten characteristics of the Bridegroom in chapter five of the song; radiant and ruddy (v. 10) compared with John’s description of how Jesus’ shone like the sun when He appeared to him (Rev 1:12-18, 4:2-3); the living one (v. 10) compared with John’s description of the Ancient of Days (Rev 1:3-18, and see John 8:56-58) and the Alpha and Omega, beginning and end (Rev 1:8); distinguished among ten thousand (v. 10), John mentions Jesus coming back with ten thousand of his holy ones (Rev 19:12) and found upon his head is a crown with many diadems and a name only He knows. Compare this with how in the Song, the maiden described the Bridegroom’s head with finest gold (v 11). These are but just a few descriptions found in common between the two books. I’m sure you’ll find more as you dive into this for yourself. John also understood, and wrote about things from the Bridal perspective and understood the significance of many of Jesus’ teachings and miracles. 6

Charles Finney, one of the greatest revivalists in the last few hundred years, also described the secret to his prayer life as that of having a tremendous appreciation and revelation of the Lord’s love and desire for him, through an understanding of the Song. Even in his testimony, Finney understood that God longingly pursued him7 Of the Song he said:

The language of the Song of Solomon was as natural to me as my breath. I thought I could understand well the state of mind he was in when he wrote that song; and concluded then, as I have ever thought since, that that song was written after he had been reclaimed from his great backsliding. 8

Finney went on to say later in his biography that he believed very few people encountered such an intimacy with God like he was experiencing and yet this was a man so used by God to spread revival and lead many souls to Christ. Dare I say that we cannot have corporate revival if we don’t have personal revival?9

So these are just a few reasons that I take this book seriously and get excited about it more than any other book in Scripture canon, and why I desire to stir up as many people as possible into it as well–to start a revolution of people fascinated with God and who spend time worshiping and seeking him because they understand His delight in them, and therefore seek to delight in Him back.

That’s where I’ll end this for now. I’ve got some stuff burning in me that I’ve been trying to write out for my new personal blog at http://stevebremner.com, and maybe if I feel the need to, I’ll share them on Fire On Your Head for a larger readership,but if this would interest you, then please visit my new site and subscribe or bookmark it for more nuggets from this song.

What do you like about the Song, or what is your favorite book you’re passionate about in the Bible?

1. For his notebook on it, click here. To hear the class online streaming for free, visit here.
2. Click here http://mikebickle.org/resources/series/song-of-songs for a more recent version of those same teachings
3. Such as this insight into chapter 2:14-15 of the Song
4. See my article on Fire On Your Head called “Solomon, The Cheerful Giver“
5. Bible Studies for the Preparation of the Bride: A Study of the Song of Solomon, Bob & Rose Weiner, p11
6. See The Wedding At Cana: Why Did Jesus Really Turn the Water Into Wine? and More Reflections on the Water Turned to Wine
7. “Finney On Revival” by V. Raymond Edman, p.34-35
8. Ibid, p. 54-55
9. For more about this, see a previous post I wrote about Finney here called Finney On Intimacy With God

What is prophetic, or repentant thinking? Join us in the second part of this discussion, as David Edwards and Steve Bremner continue their series on repentance and Holy Spirit mind renewal.

We share some thoughts on bringing heaven to earth and understanding our place in Christ, and learning where we are seated (in the heavenlies). We had a relatively spontaneous conversation, and are pleasantly surprised at the direction the Holy Spirit took us in this time.

Check it out!

This week’s intro “It’s Beautiful (Once You’re Out Here)” by Stavesacre

Related Articles for further study:

The Manifold Wisdom of God – by David Edwards

It’s All Grace? – by Steve Bremner.  And don’t forget to check out Steve’s brand new website, at  http://stevebremner.com

Check out a great Bible teaching series on this subject matter by Dave Roberson, called “The Prison Is In The Mind“

Download this episode (right click and save)

If you’d like to subscribe to the Fire On Your Head Podcast, visit our directory in iTunes,  or visit FireOnYourHead.com for more subscription options.

His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me! (Song of Solomon 2:6, 8:3 ESV)

My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:8)

As frequent readers may already have noticed, I have a very strong interest–if not a passion–for the Song of Solomon. It is likely my favorite book in the entire Bible, even though maybe its pages are still stuck together in your personal Bible. I believe the Song is an allegory of the Bridegroom King Jesus and His Bride, the Church, the Body of Christ, and I glean many things from my personal life of devotion to God through that lens as I read this book. In fact, God speaks to me in language I recognize from that song, and I immediately cross-check things to see what certain words mean in their original language in order to get what I come across in other passages of the Bible.

In Scripture, the hand typically signifies the will in action. If we look at Mark 16:19, Psalm 45:9, and Rev 3:21, we could get a look at the will of God in action, in exaltation and favor. The right hand of God, represents the right hand of His throne, and speaking of the seat of honor in the Messianic Kingdom. 1.

It’s very fascinating if we do a word study on the uses of the right hand in the Word of God;

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30, emphasis mine)

The context this comes from is clearly concerning adultery, and therefore we understand that the hand is used to physically satisfy what the eye stirs up by lust. Through the eye comes stimulation; through the hand comes participation or action. 2

It is also interesting to note that in the book of Revelation when all human beings are required to take the mark of the beast, it’s on the right hand or forehead. (Rev 13: 16); also that Christ is seated at the right hand of God; or when Paul was accepted into the Body of Christ by the other disciples, he remarks that they extended him the right hand of fellowship (Gal 2:9), and so on, just to give a few examples. But We’d get off track if I went too far into that word study.

Experiencing God’s Embrace

In our song, we note that the phrase “His left hand is under my head” speaks of the invisible activity of God. The left hand of God is away from her view because it is behind her head. Through the course of our Christian journey, the Lord spares us from troubles and pains ‘behind the scenes’ that we are not always aware of. The left-handed activity of God is something we accept by faith, but it’s an important part of our worship, and speaks of His indiscernible activity in our lives. There are many things that Jesus, our Bridegroom King, does for us behind the scenes that, if nothing else, we should experience an incredible security in His love. We will never know how many times the Lord has intervened in our lives, protecting us from the onslaughts of the enemy.

The phrase “his right hand embraces me“, speaks of the sweet manifest presence of God that can be seen, felt and discerned. This speaks of the visible blessings of the Lord that are obvious. A physical embrace, for example, is easy to recognize and notice. It’s this cherished embrace that continues to tenderize the Bride’s heart in these passages.3

This all being said, it’s usually the right hand that’s used in Scripture, because in reality it is the stronger more dexterous of the two hands. Only a small percentage of the population is left-handed. God uses His left hand, to hold our head–which represents knowledge, and the learning we can accumulate, but He uses the stronger of the two in order to embrace us. This is consistent with his passionate love for His Bride, the Church. He exerts more ‘effort’ so to speak, embracing and showing love, than He does in revealing and giving knowledge–which is not bad in and of itself.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18, emphasis mine)

Again, notice that when John trembled and almost fell dead at the feet of Jesus–who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16), Jesus approached him, telling not to fear, but to come closer, extending to him his right hand.

Therefore, the psalmist, King David, the only person Scripture refers to as “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) was able to say while writing this song–”I cling to you–because your right hand upholds me, or holds me securely“. We know elsewhere in the Bible, we can love the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul (Luke 10:27), but only because He first loved us (1 John 4:10)–and passionately so at that!

It’s believed by some that David wrote this song when he wrote Psalm 3–when he was fleeing from his son Absalom. David ran to Edom, which is east of Jerusalem where David lived. To get to there he would have to go through wilderness. There was not much water and it was very dry. It probably made David think that he was very dry. This was not because he was thirsty for water but thirsty for God! He not could at this time go to the Temple in Jerusalem and speak to God there, and desperately cried out to the Lord here, and came to the realization, that no matter what wildernesses or dry seasons we find ourselves in, God upholds us with his right hand.

1. Weiner, Bob and Rose, Bible Studies for the Preparation of the Bride; A Study of The Song of Solomon, p.29 & 190
2. Ravenhill, David, Surviving The Anointing: Learning How to Effectively Experience and Walk in God’s Power, p 119. It’s highly recommended that the reader check this book out, as the quote comes from a chapter on personal purity, and it would derail the purpose of this article to go in that direction
3. Hill, S.J., The Song of Solomon: Rich Language For A King’s Loving Devotion To His Bride, p 35, compare with p. 86. For more awesome resources of S.J.’s, visit his site at http://www.sjhillonline.com

“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.“ Song of Solomon 2:14-15 (ESV)

I originally wrote an article on this a number of years ago specifically about the insights I had at that time about the effects of praying in tongues, but with the revelation and insight into this Bridal paradigm God’s giving me lately–and to flow with the articles I’ve been posting in the last few months–I couldn’t help but feel that a re-working and revisit to this subject were necessary.  Especially in light of our spending significant time lately reflecting on truths of Christ based in the Song of Solomon and talking about “love being more excellent than wine”.  I have always had a profound revelation from this passage about the way speaking and praying in tongues builds up the believer and helps them overcome in their life and ward off the foxes and demons trying to ruin the work of the Spirit in our lives.

The whole book, whether you read it allegorically or just as a song, is about the love between the Bridegroom and His Bride.  We can glean from it in more specific and personal ways for our individual journeys with the Lord, and not just the collective Body of Christ.  When I read these simple yet profound verses in the Song, I’m compelled to think of passages like the following in the Gospel of John:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:1-8 emphasis mine)

We go to the “hiding place”, signifying a place of privacy, but more specifically that of intimacy with Christ in our relationship with Him.   It speaks of letting Him hear our voice, hence re-enforcing that you can’t only think your prayers, but He desires to hear it out of our mouths as well.  Click here for more articles on the importance of confession and just what it is exactly.  Hearing our voice is also applied to our worship of Him.

The Hebrew for the word “ruin” in S.O.S. 2:15, is Châbal: A primitive root; meaning to wind tightly as a rope, or to bind, specifically by a pledge. It also means figuratively to pervert, or destroy; also to writhe in pain, especially of parturition.  The English Standard Version I quote from uses the word spoil, which shows the same concept.

The foxes represent the devil or demons, and could also be applied to our flesh and our carnal leanings & tendencies.  I believe it represents both: in our own neglect of our relationship with Christ, the opportunity is created for outside spiritual and demonic schemes to come in when we’ve let our guard down through neglect or lack of personal devotion.  In either case, if the foxes are not dealt with at this time, they will cause more damage and be more difficult to overcome.  When we’re growing and the vineyard is in bloom and ripe, THAT is the time they are the most vulnerable and sensitive.  Little foxes can destroy the vine that yields fruit. They do this by gnawing and breaking the little branches and leaves, and the bark, by digging holes in the vineyards, and so spoiling the roots by eating the grapes, and any other way to hinder the growth of the vine.

Our First Fruits

What are vineyards for? Grapes.  And what are grapes used for?  To produce wine.  Chapter 5:22-23 of Galatians lists the fruit of the Spirit, and these are some of the evidences there will be in our lives if we’re intimately connected to the vine, we’ll produce fruit and become more like Him whom we’re beholding and Whose image we’re being transformed into. Though many times different symbols are used in different ways in Scripture, the vineyard is often a type or a symbol of the Church in the New Testament, Israel in the Old Testament, and just the people of God in general. And of course, if you’ve been reading my series on “Love, the More Excellent Way” you’d already be familiar with examples of how wine is correlated with the work of the Holy Spirit, and used in chapter 1:2, and 4:10 in the song as representative of GOOD things and finer pleasures of this world.  The devil is always seeking to destroy us in any way he can.  He desires to ruin the work of the Spirit, in our lives individually and collectively as the Body of Christ, and there’s no better way to do it than at the foundational root level, like the foxes seek to do to the vineyard.

More specifically, we know one symbol for the Holy Spirit is new wine–which is made from fresh just-picked grapes, and the passage here in Song of Solomon talks about how the foxes ruin the vineyards that are in bloom–when they’re young, tender or sensitive.  Most plants and trees require that you remove the first fruits as soon as they appear, and then after that the fruit appears in larger size and more quantity.  But if it’s not obtained properly in that first fruit stage, the tree will never grow properly and yield very much fruit–in other words, will never realize its full potential.  I’m sure there’s a sermon in that on giving God our first fruits with all things in our lives, but that’s another post.  Suffice it to say, it’s the first fruits the foxes are trying to spoil, so the vine never comes to its full potential.  Therefore it’s at this crucial moment the foxes must be stopped from doing any damage or else it will be irreparable and the young one in Christ may not fully recover from the damage caused.

Intimacy with God

God calls us through this passage to the hiding place in the rock (the Rock Christ Jesus) and wants to see our face and hear our voice.  This is indicative of prayer, and definitely indicating intimacy.   Viewing these verses in that lens, we see that going and being alone with God and praying, we’ll wind up “catching those foxes” that ruin the Spirit’s work in our lives because we’re bound to them instead of walking in freedom.  When the vineyard is getting watered with the Word of God (Eph 5:26), then the things of the Spirit, such as the gifts and the fruit, and new wine revelation will flow, and it’s THIS the foxes try to destroy, stop or pervert and prevent from happening.

If you are struggling with fleshly tendencies, or overcoming habitual sin, experience and my understanding of this passage encourages me to encourage you to go be alone with Christ and ‘behold Him’ in this manner. Doing so will help you catch the foxes in your life that spoil the work of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit in turn will help you grow strong in your inner man to overcome these areas.

Notice how it states in verse 14 that He loves the sound of her voice, so what better thing to be offering up with our voices than tongues since according to Romans 8:26 we don’t know what we ought to be praying?  Jude 20 mentions praying in the Holy Spirit to build ourselves up in the the most holy faith.  Another way of saying it, is that praying in tongues builds up the inner man and helps keep those foxes from spoiling the vine.  Jude was writing to the early Church–which was young and still in formation like ‘tender grapes’–to contend for the faith because false doctrine (foxes) had gotten into the Church and was rendering it powerless at this crucial moment in its history.  Early on, while the Body of Christ was still young and getting established, much like the vineyard with grapes in bloom in spring time–was the most sensitive and important time for false doctrine to be weeded out from spoiling things.  So the remedy to that is verse 20, praying in the Holy Ghost. Praying in the Spirit is our inoculation against false doctrine (the foxes) because it is how the Holy Spirit teaches us.

The Apostle John stated in his epistle: “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing [of the Holy Spirit] that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” (1 John 2:26-27, emphasis mine, and parenthesis mine).  The Holy Spirit, and abiding in Him IS the way you’ll avoid and be protected from deception.

So the application of this teaching?  Be intimate with Christ, and pray a whole lot in tongues as well. Not only will it help with your understanding and revelation of the Word of God, but it will help crucify your flesh and overcome the foxes that are holding us back.  As you dwell in the pure Word of God and allow it to ‘water your vineyard’, it will result in wine being produced.

The Holy Spirit is more easily able to flow through those who are intimate with Christ.

Related posts:

What Are You Feeding Your Tree?

How’s Your Connection To The Vine?

“How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!” Song of Solomon 4:10b

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2

We began in our previous article with this verse from the Song of Solomon to establish our premise for these series of articles on the love of God flowing through the believer.  The context surrounding that verse establishes that the Bridegroom, Christ, is speaking to His Bride, the Church stating we have ‘captivated His heart’ (verse 9).  Our worship and adoration–and just simply our obedience to come follow Him and be in awe and reverent fear of Him–does something in his heart.  He gets some type of satisfaction from our worshipful, fasted lifestyles that He doesn’t get in another way.

We also began in the last post to elaborate on the fact the wine speaks of the best this life has to offer and not sinful or guilty pleasures.   Since most oftentimes wine is associated with the Holy Spirit, we’re then assuming that the Spirit being poured out is a good thing, BUT a foundational starting point for this love walk we’re going on.  So allow me to show you another part of this journey, of just what happens when the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

^“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:17-21, emphasis mine)

As we established in our previous article by looking at 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14 to show that the gifts of the Spirit are foundational–but love is the more excellent, and the greater way–then it makes sense also that one of the evidences of a born again believer truly being filled with the Holy Spirit, is going to be love.  If we are operating in all manner of gifts of the Spirit, but have not love, then it is pointless and we are nothing (see 1 Cor 13:1-2).  If we are constantly, and regularly being filled with the Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis, then it won’t just be evidenced by speaking in tongues, prophecies, psalms, hymns and so on, but we will also be submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Dare I say it: the REAL evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit, is love for one another–not at the expense of the gifts such as tongues, but on top of it, including the gifts.  How do I know this?  Well, I could post too large a list of Scriptures dealing with commandments to love, but let me focus on a few things that tie into our Bridal paradigm specifically, and the direction I’m going in with this series of articles:

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-20, emphasis mine)

We must remember a few things about the Apostle John: he had a revelation of the love of God which obviously would affect his perspective.  He referred to himself in his gospel account as the one Jesus loved.  In the end of that Gospel, he said that if all the works Jesus did were recorded, the world would not be able to contain the books (John 21:25).  Therefore, what we have written in our Scripture canon does not contain any wasted pages.  All of it is divinely arranged to be there for a reason.  John lived to be a ripe old age and it’s commonly held by many that he wrote this and his other two epistles towards the very end of his life, even after he wrote The Revelation he received while exiled on the island of Patmos.  It is for this reason then, we can reasonably interpret the book of Revelation through the lens of the LOVE of God he had, and when one does, we see the matter of the coming of the Lord in a whole different light than just stuff that belongs in Left Behind fiction books–but one of a marriage finally coming to realization. The book is a revelation of the Bridegroom–lovesick for His Bride–coming back to finally marry her.  John had that revelation, but I digress a little from where I’m going with this.

If John took the time to write these 5 chapters, then this stuff MUST be some of the most important things he felt worth sharing with the recipient of this letter, and the Church.   Therefore, if at the ripe old age of 90 or maybe even 100 this was what he had to say after decades of intimate relationship with The Bridegroom–after decades of public ministry– then it’s wise of us to take seriously, and meditate and ponder things from his perspective.   We need the perspective of the one who knew his identity in the Bride of Christ, and knew himself as the one Jesus loved.

How do I know this whole “wine of the Spirit and being filled, speaking to one another, and submitting to one another” thing ties into this whole Bridal paradigm?  Because the rest of the chapter goes on to say so:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. (Eph 5:22-24)

Sometimes I really hate the chapter breaks and title headers the publishers of our Bible translations put in there, because the original manuscripts were not broken down into chapters and verses, and certainly didn’t have subject headings like most of our Bibles say.  I’m only mentioning that because even though they’re helpful for finding specific passages and parables, when reading they sometimes inadvertently give the reader the impression new topics are starting.  However, this is a part of the same flow of thought the author had.  Jesus taught in complete subjects, even if the English Standard Version I’m reading this from breaks things down into seemingly different topics, when the apostles and epistle writers wrote in entire concepts.  Let’s keep reading:

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph. 5:25-33, emphasis mine)

Remember, we love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and Christ has sought out His Bride since before the foundation of the world.  He is talking here of presenting His Bride to Himself at the marriage of the Lamb.  Christ cherishes the Church.  She’s His own Body.  He nourishes her.  Christ ‘left’ His Father, in the eternal heavenly realm, to come down to our earth that He may gather His Bride to bring her where He Himself is.  He cried out on the cross “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46) as he bore the sin of His Bride so as to make her pure and spotless before God.  As Jesus was feeling that weight of sin, He was experiencing separation from God for the only time in all of eternity. It was at this time that 2 Corinthians 5:21 occurred, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Now, if we have truly been born from above, and filled with the Holy Spirit, we’re going to respect Christ the way the wife is to respect her husband.  So if we respect Christ, out of the response we have towards Him as he loves us, then we will not do anything to hurt His Bride that we’re apart of.  We will lay our life down for one another.  We will speak encouragement, not gossip.  We will submit to one another, preferring the other as better than ourselves.

Let’s submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, for He finds that to be better than wine.

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

“How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!” (Song of Solomon 4:10b)

“And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31b)

In the opening of the Song of Solomon—my favorite book in the Old Testament—the Shulammite shepherdess states of her lover that his love is better than wine (SoS 1:2).  Then, midway through the song when he speaks of what fascinates him about her, we’re told the same thing.  This writer believes the Song of Solomon is to be interpreted as a representation of the Bridegroom’s love towards the Church, His Bride.  We know that Jesus is better than anything in this world, and the obvious interpretation of that phrase would lead the believer to say “of course it is!” and agree.

Therefore, if He is saying of her that her love is better than wine, then we can automatically rule out that He’d be saying her love is better than anyless life and died to save us from our sins, and would not have engaged in any carnal pleasure that he’d compare her love with. sin since he lived a sin

No, she finds His love to even be better than the good pleasures of this life, even things that aren’t inherently sinful or wrong and He finds her affection and devotion to Him better than wine–He finds our love towards Him to be more intoxicating than wine, for Scripture says God desires obedience, and loyalty more than sacrifice (Hos 6:6).  If the believer in Christ would get a revelation that they are the apple of God’s eye, and that your love back to Him blows Him away–I’m convinced it would change and sustain us in deeper ways in life and ministry.  So what is the significance of this?

The Love of God as a Motivation for Service and Operation of the Spiritual Gifts

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:4,7

In this first entry in our study, we’re going to start by looking at the work of the Holy Spirit involved in our motivation, but in the next study, hopefully we’re going to focus on the role of the Holy Spirit getting us there to maturity in the Love walk.

Oftentimes in the Old Testament, wine is used symbolically to represent the Holy Spirit.  The oft-quoted Ephesians 5:17-21 is not saying the Holy Spirit IS wine or that being filled with Him is like being drunk, but instead when we’re filled we won’t act drunk, but we’ll do the things listed such as “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.“  We’re going to spend more time on this passage in a later part of this study.

In chapter 12 of First Corinthians, Paul goes into significant detail about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and their operation.  There’s been much debate within the Body of Christ about their use, their importance, which ones are significant, and so on and that’s not the direction I’m going in with this post because there’s other articles on this site that deal with that more effectively.  We’re beginning today with the premise that functioning in the gifts of the Spirit is the norm for the contemporary Church, and that they are exactly what a gift is–something GIVEN to us freely without earning it.  Paul states at the end of this chapter, I will show you a still more excellent way. (v.31)

A more excellent way than what?

The answer is in verse 11: All these [gifts] are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” Most in the Church emphasize chapters 12 and 14 but skip chapter 13–the “love chapter.”  Then others, fearing misuse of the spiritual enablements, over-emphasize chapter 13 to the exclusion of the other two chapters surrounding it.  Both are necessary, for Paul said “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.“ (v.1-2)

The lesser is included by the greater, but not diminished by it.  The lesser in this case is that the gifts are distributed as the Spirit wills, and the greater work is love.  But, I repeat: the greater doesn’t nullify or do away with the lesser. For example, it is out of love that you will most effectively minister in the spiritual gifts. Maturing into love doesn’t mean you no longer need the gifts.  On the contrary!  Paul didn’t say “instead I will show you a more excellent way“, but he says AND.  The two go together, and the fact he goes into talking about love, is building on the foundation [of the basic use of the gifts], not replacing it.

^“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (v. 11-12)

When we are children in the Lord, it is necessary for the Holy Spirit to distribute the gifts in our lives and in the members of the Body of Christ as He sees fit.  When children are little, there is more supervision needed in their lives, even of some good and ‘safe’ gifts they’ve been given.  Maybe, as an example, they are given a computer and hooked up to the internet, but the parents will still put limitations on it such as time allowed, and filter what sites they visit.  But as time goes on and the child matures and is more disciplined and knows how to manage his time well, he proves to be faithful with what he’s been entrusted with, and gradually needs less and less supervision.

But not only that, now the child becomes a fully mature adult, and knows how to use the internet for profitable purposes and no longer uses it just to play video games.  He starts an online business, and donates a large portion of his profits to those in need in other places in the world.  He hears of problems people are going through, and writes e-mails to encourage them.  Now motivated by maturity and love, he knows how to do things without being instructed or given suggestion.  His relationship with his parents has not changed in the fact he’s still their son and they his parents–but he has changed his childish ways and no longer needs the same type of involvement of monitoring his activity online.  Now, he’s grown and is in a relationship with his parents of a more mature nature.  He can be depended on to make right decisions because he is no longer a five year old child.

I realize this example is far from perfect, but I wish to draw the point that the gifts of the Spirit are basic at the fundamental and foundational level–not the “be all and end all” or the telltale sign of spiritual maturity–but the opposite: they’re just a beginning and we’re to move on in maturity from there.  The entire book of Corinthians shows that flawed, imperfect and even selfish people DO still operate in the things the Spirit has enabled them to, but does not signify that they are mature or walking in love toward one another.

So back to the Song of Solomon for a moment: the shepherdess is saying His [Christ's] love is more excellent than the wine–good and noble things, even though they may be Holy Spirit inspired.  If you are being filled with the Holy Spirit–as our familiar passage in Ephesians 5 says–you won’t just be speaking and making melody in your heart, but you will also be “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (v.21).  What is submission more than merely preferring the other person more than yourself, out of the agape love poured out in your heart the more you continually receive infilling of the wine of the Holy Spirit?

Now “your love is better than wine” and “I will show you a more excellent way” both have more significant and impacting meaning to me than they did before the Lord showed me this stuff I’m sharing with you now.

For more on this until I post the next part of our study, it would probably be of benefit to the reader to check a previous post of mine birthed out of meditating on the Song of Solomon, titled Behold, I Stand At The Door and Knock.  I was merely beginning to unpack in that post some of the stuff God has since been impacting me with.