Clearly the Shulamite woman is set apart from her peers, the daughters of Jerusalem. Clearly, the response of her heart and the fruit of her lips have specially elevated her above the rest! She is not one of the mere "multitude", following the Lord Jesus from a distance (Ex 20:21; Deut 5:5; Matt 14:22; etc.), but rather is likened to the "disciple whom Jesus loved", he/she that is especially near and dear to His heart (Jn 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7). She, for some reason, possesses an especially significant devotion and attraction to the Lord Jesus!
Now what has caused such a special separation? What has caused this Shulamite to be so dramatically different to her peers, even as a lily is the polar opposite of a thorn?
Thankfully, Scripture gives us the very reasons why she is labeled as such. God declares such wonderful things about her leading up to her distinction, and even causing her distinction, in Song of Solomon 2:2. Such qualities have great spiritual significance. Observe...
"I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi. Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir. I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." (Song 1:9-17 - 2:2).
Here we have the wonderful qualities that are attributed to this bride. These characteristics are what label her as a lily among thorns! Shouldn't we seek these same passions too then? YES! Observe:
1. She is compared to "a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots". Reader, these prized horses were celebrated for their rare beauty, swiftness, ardor, and successes in battle. These horses were purchased at a high price by Solomon out of Egypt (2 Chron 1:16-17). So the bride is redeemed out of spiritual Egypt by the true Solomon, at an infinite price (Isa 51:1; 1 Pet 1:18-19). In this verse, the Hebrew word for "mare" is used. A mare is said to be much stronger, and able to endure much greater hardships than an average horse. So it is with she who is a lily among thorns (Song 3:6; 8:5).
2. Her "cheeks are comely with rows of jewels..." Oh what a glorious testimony! Her cheeks are adorned with graces, even the instruction of her Lord: "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck" (Prov 1:8-9). Secondly, the cheeks, in ancient times, were said to be "the chief seat of beauty". What a compliment here given!
Furthermore, she is composed of the knowledge of God: "...the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel" (Prov 20:15). What a difference this trait must have been to the apathetic daughters of Jerusalem!
3. "...thy neck with chains of gold." In Scripture, the neck represents the will of man (Prov 29:1); it turns the head withersoever it goes; It is the source of every motion of the soul: "But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction" (Jer 17:23). Gold in Scripture refers to the character and nature of God, and of His Kingship (Mal 3:3; Rev 14:14; Matt 2:11; Acts 17:29; 1 Cor 3:12; etc). To possess a "neck with chains of gold", therefore, is to possess a will dictated by the very character of God! My how we all could use such a testimony! And what wondrous fruit would come forth as a result!
4. "While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." The allusion is to John 12, when Mary worshipfuly anointed the feet of Jesus with costly ointment: "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment" (Jn 12:3). Clearly this references the bride's worship! Spikenard is an aromatic, it was an unguent of great esteem in the ancient world. The exercise and manifestation of her worshipful graces is a sweet smelling savour in the nostrils of her Husband! She worships in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24), and her genuinely fiery heart has elevated her above the rest. Let it be with us too, dear Jesus!
5. "A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me..." Myrrh is an ancient burial spice; it was very bitter, and speaks of her personal reckoning of death to sin. He has become to her her sanctification (1 Cor 1:30). She seeks no other means of transformation.
Furthermore, myrrh was very costly in the ancient world: even a little myrrh was costly, much less a bundle of it! She compares her Beloved to a myrrh-repository (1 Pet 2:7), which day and night departs not from her bosom, and penetrates her inwardly with its heart-strengthening aroma. So constantly does she think of Him, and so delightful is it for her to dare to think of Him as her Beloved.
6. "...he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts." She, as already noted, possesses an especially significant intimacy with God! She, as John the beloved, possessed His bosom as a place of habitation (Jn 13:23)! But not only that, God also has found a place of rest within her! "For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance" (Deut 32:9). Reader, what a heart she must have possessed to be able to say such things! She possessed such substance that God Himself could come and receive His fill!
7. "My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi". Scholars will tell you this vineyard was actually one of the most prized vineyards in the ancient world. It was famed for its aromatic vines and shrubs; it was only 2nd to Jerusalem for the fertility and groves of its palm trees. How interesting that this place belonged to the tribe of Judah ("praise")! To the bride, her Beloved was as a heap of camphire; a mass of costly and odorous flowers. Such loveliness of God is considered her reward; she would pay any price just to have Him: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward" (Gen 15:1). How wonderful!
8. "...thou hast doves eyes..." Again, the Lord begins to speak over her. He says she has doves eyes. Physically, a dove is unable to focus on more than one object at a time, and because of this, they are not easily distracted. They cannot rightly behold 2 objects at once; they cannot behold both God and mammon. The Shulamite too is continually and steadfastly tending to Jesus, no matter what distractions and "other lovers" may come her way. The bride, as opposed to the daughters, possesses a single eye, and therefore an entire body FULL of light (Matt 6:22)! Consequently, her "ways" are therefore established (Prov 4:25-27), and her heart is in love with ONLY ONE (Acts 2:46). I believe this is what Proverbs 31 means when it says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil" (vs. 10-11). Unfortunately, other less responsive ones possess a high look (Ps 101:5), an evil eye (Matt 20:15), and even "eyes full of adultery" (2 Pet 2:14). But she is overcoming!
9. "...also our bed is green..." That is to say, the place of intimacy is alive and thriving. Not only does it exist (alive), but it also is growing! Green in Scripture speaks symbolically of growth, fertility, life, etc. (Ps 23:2; Gen 1:30; Ex 10:15; Job 8:16; etc). She is growing toward a practical Most Holy Place reality (Heb 6:19-20; 10:39)!
10. "The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir." Cedar is a type of wood that, in Scripture, symbolically represents power, majesty, beauty, royalty and fruitfulness (Isa 2:13; Ps 92:12; 80:10; 104:16; 148:9; Song 5:15; etc). The "beams" and "rafters" speak of her foundation (Heb 6:1). She is founded and grounded in God's Word and His ways, which is an all too rare reality. Her beams are royal, majestic, and FULL of power!
Let's not only focus our attention on the meanings of such symbolic language, but also turn our ears to the fruit of such qualities. It can never be emphasized enough that these truths are what MADE HER a lily among thorns! These, and other graces are what propelled her into God's very chambers, distinguishing her out from among those around her. What glorious attributes are given to this blossoming bride. She surely is not perfect, but is growing in grace. And what a wonderful effect of such growth and unhindered devotion: "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Song 2:1-2).
Do you desire to become the Bride of Christ? Then take heed to the pattern displayed. What a precious truth! And what a godly jealousy that we now possess; let's be like this beautiful bride, and seek Jesus in fullness! Such an investment is invaluable!
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