Deal or No Deal..

Part 3 of 5

What wondrous tools we have seen that are utilized by our Lord in wooing and winning His people to Himself. What a marvellous thing that we can begin this great journey in rebellion, selfishness, and reluctance, yet progress on this journey into real Godly submission, selflessness, and adoration! For those who truly desire the depths of God, real growth will occur. I cannot but marvel at the gracious and fruitful wooing of our Savior! He is so good to us!

We've been discovering the many different methods that the Lord uses in accomplishing this eternal purpose. So far, we've seen that it is our choice; we must be willing to go onward and upward. Forced love is not love at all. Forced submission is not submission at all! Rather, we are to be as Paul, "willing to live honestly" (Heb 13:18). Secondly, we have seen how the Lord's judgments will birth a proper response in His people. This is because His judgments are always remedial, that is, they are given with the intent to teach a lesson and provoke a proper reaction, similar to how a father disciplines (judges) his child. These truths, as we have seen, are birthing a bridal heart in the Shulamite woman; they are provoking her towards a change of mind (Song 4:6) - the opposite of which she once possessed earlier in the book (Song 2:17). Oh how necessary this is! And how grateful we are that God has given us the keys!

Today, let's observe yet another tool that is utilized to this glorious end: the dealings of God. Strangely, though this idea is a constant theme throughout Scripture, pastors and teachers of the Word do not readily speak of it as they should, and consequently, believers are unprepared and ill-equipped for the challenges associated with living as a true and influential Christian.

How do the dealings of God work in the life of the Shulamite woman? How do they influence her decision to go further with Jesus, that is coming in chapter 4? It's a beautiful process. Let's remember, these truths are typical of God's methods with us, as He draws us nearer: "Now ALL THESE THINGS happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for OUR admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor 10:11).

The Bible clearly gives us the Shulamite's current problem: "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, TURN, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether" (Song 2:17).

But it also provides us with the solution (one of many, of which we have seen): "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?" (Song 3:6). One given solution, of which this verse informs us, is the dealings of God. Observe with me how this verse speaks to us of such dealings, that is, the trials of our faith and the personal self-sacrifices that cause us to grow up.. This is the place we find the bride as she is emerging from her refusal.

Of course the fact that she is found with God in the "wilderness" is evidence enough for our current discussion. The wilderness (spiritually) is the place of God's dealings, trials, and tribulations. Of the wilderness, Scripture says, "And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no" (Deut 8:2).

The remainder of this verse lends us toward the same truth: Smoke in Scripture is usually symbolic of the presence of God (Exod 13:21-22; 19:18; Joel 2:29-31; Num 14:14; Deut 1:33; etc). This smoke , however, also may reference that which wafted up from the burning sacrifice (Exod 29:18, 45; Lev 1:9), or in our case, the evidence of a spiritual sacrifice, a spiritual death (Rom 12:1-2; Phil 4:18; Jn 12:3-8). Secondly, Myrrh is a burial spice and references death as well, or in our case, spiritual death: John the Baptizer said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). Myrrh is continually referenced as the "scent" of Jesus, He in whom true death was displayed: "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (Eph 5:2; Ps 45:8; Jer 48:11; Matt 2:11; Heb 6:20). The word myrrh actually means "bitter". Thirdly, frankincense was also a spice that was used at the altar, thus also referencing sacrifice and death (Lev 2:1-2; 6:15; etc). It also references prayerful communion, as we see in the book of Revelation (5:8). Finally, the powders of the merchant were those which composed the differing scents. These spices were crushed, and thus made powders. Can't we see the further symbolic significance here? Such a "crushing" is to be our testimony too: "As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter" (Rom 8:36).

Many are confused with these verses. Readers seem to be divided over who is speaking, and of whom it is speaking. I believe this verse is speaking of Solomon and his lover, who was obviously typical of Jesus (Lk 11:31) and His bride (Eph 5:32). I believe she found the Lord in the wilderness, in the very place where she initially refused to go. As it was in Jesus' day, when you leave the Lord Jesus you must go back to the place you left Him (Lk 2:41-46). In the Shulamite's case, this place was the wilderness: the place of real sacrifice (Exod 3:18); the place of God's dealing (Lk 4:1). Once she obeyed the Lord and repented, she was then thrust back into His presence (smoke), and His presence was apparently in the wilderness: "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?" (Song 3:6).

You see, the dealings of God are a GOOD thing! As is evident from the activity of the Shulamite, such dealings and trials come our way even when we're right and repentant with God. I dare say that such trials come our way especially when we're right with God! As it was with the Shulamite, He is actually leading us there: "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her" (Hos 2:14; Ezek 20:10). The "wilderness" has a job to do (Ezek 20:35-36; Rev 12:6). Many will say that if something doesn't feel good then it cannot be beneficial, or from the Lord. But is this entirely true? To be honest, we weren't ever meant to know the difference between good and evil: "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it" (Gen 2:17). Such knowledge has led us to label "tough times" as from Satan, and "good times" as from God. But again, is this entirely true? No. I'm here to tell you that pleasures and abundance do not possess an automatic relation to the blessing of God. The church at Laodicea makes that pretty obvious (Rev 3).

In the case of the Shulamite, we can readily see that the dealings of God are not reserved for those who are evil! These trials were not her punishment! We saw yesterday how her judgment had come and gone. Now, because she had chosen Jesus, trials came her way: "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim 3:12). If God is dealing with you, it means you are in a good place. Are you surprised? Wouldn't you rather God deal with you than leave you alone to yourself? I sure would! The Shulamite apparently had repented of her shortcoming, and was found immersed in the glory once again (Song 3:4). So why is she automatically struck with the dealings of God (Song 3:6)? Friend, it's because God's dealings are to perfect us. His dealings are what we NEED! Why are we so afraid of them? Look what they did for the Shulamite! They eventually birthed a proper response! Scripture tells us that such dealings are the road to great glory: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor 4:17). And again Scripture testifies, "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb 12:10-11).

How wonderful that these dealings serve a glorious and fruitful purpose: "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word" (Ps 119:67).

Let it be so with us, dear Jesus! We welcome your purifying flame!

To be continued...