A Glimpse of Glory!

Part 4 of 5

Has your heart been adequately bathed in God's truth? Have you realized His wooing potential? In our brief study, my heart has been broken and bathed by the intense desire that God has for His people! It simply amazes me the great lengths that He goes to in order to ensure the proper response from us. It brings me to tears as I ponder His endless and forceful seeking of our affections! He wants to secure the willingness of His bride, and He goes to such great lengths to lovingly do so.. It's a beautiful thing. This is one reason why Scripture can say, "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8). He is the very epitome of affection!

We've seen Him delicately act in the life of the Shulamite woman as she grows and progresses from refusal to willingness. Early in the book, she asks the Lord to "turn" from her (Song 2:17). For a variety of reasons, she is not willing to "rise up and come away" (Song 2:10). However, some chapters later, she suddenly cries out to God and reveals her true heart: "I will get me to the mountain of myrrh... (Song 4:6)! Myrrh, being a burial spice, speaks of death! The Shulamite will soon be willing to decrease and die, and "put on the Lord Jesus" (Rom 13:14), even that "new man" which was born from above (Eph 2:4). She will soon finally be ready to give Jesus His rightful preeminence (Col 1:18). But what will cause this dramatic transition? Why the change? We've seen it to be because of a variety of divine reasons. In short, God was all the while wooing her! He used such methods as remedial judgment (Song 3:1-4), as well as His trials and dealings (Song 3:6). But what more?

Next, we will see the Lord Jesus wooing her via a glimpse of His glory! Oh how grateful we are for His glorious and divine effulgence: That great and holy presence that so wholly wins us over! Many a hardened man has been brought to tears by a simple breeze of the Holy Ghost. Many a rebellious man has surrendered under the weight of God's presence. And it is no different with the Shulamite, nor with you and I. A true visitation from God will most always be the counsel and cure to drive "Christian complacency" far from our dwellings! "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered" (Ps 68:1). Perhaps this lack contributes to the current awful state of the world? Perhaps the earth has not been won because they have not seen God's glory adequately evident in His people (Rom 8:18-20)?

We see this further in the life of the prophet Isaiah. Once he gets a glimpse of God's glory and greatness, he can barely find words, much less continue any potential rebelliousness he may have possessed: "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple... Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts... Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isa 6:1-8). May any similar complacency flee from our hearts as we get a glimpse of God in His glory, as Isaiah did!

Notice with me the similar instance in our current study, concerning the life of the emerging bride. Friend, we must notice that this occurrence is one of God's methods utilized to birth a bridal response.

"Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart" (Song 3:7-11).

Here, the Shulamite gets a glimpse of God in His glory, as He rides upon a chariot. The type is found in Solomon, who possessed a "palanquin", or a "bed, couch, or vehicle". As the remainder of the verses display, this chariot was very ornate, and priceless. This demonstrates the greatness of its owner, who was typical of Jesus. We will also see what this chariot is made of, and how it contributes to the glory of God that is now being displayed. We must recognize that as the Shulamite beholds the vessel that the King rides upon, she is seeing a glimpse of the spiritual glories of King Jesus that will propel her onward and upward. God is teaching her these spiritual truths to more fully convince her heart to follow Him. She catches a glimpse of the glories of God, as well as the subsequent comforts and joys of the believer who is pressing on (Phil 3:14)! Observe:

- It was surrounded by the valiant of Israel (vs. 7-8): This glimpse of glory not only revealed the heart of God, but also showed the security that His upward journey possessed. Before, she was very apprehensive, possibly even fearful. But notice the comfort the Lord gives her as He seeks to solicit an opposite response: "Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night" (Song 3:7). In other words, as she chooses to go deeper with God, she will be protected. There is not fear to be had! The many valiant men around Solomon (Jesus) denote the secure greatness of Him and His eternal covenant.

- It was made of the wood of Lebanon (vs. 9): Wood in Scripture signifies humanity; men are constantly likened to trees (Ps 92:12). The cedars from Lebanon were very costly, and here they reference Jesus' humanity: The vigorous growth, utility, fragrance, and beauty of these noble trees, set forth the life, character, and destiny of the Lord of Hosts! Interestingly, the temple of Solomon was made of cedar, whereas the tabernacle of Moses was made of shittim wood. Therefore, the temple trumps the tabernacle in glory! And so it is with this "vessel" as well: It is far more glorious than any other! Thus our response should be one of willing acceptance.

- It had pillars of silver (vs. 10): On this chariot, the pillars are what held the canopy in its place, in order to protect its riders from outside and external influences (such as harsh sunlight, bad weather, etc). Spiritually, it's pillars are of silver, which consistently signifies redemption, or "the price of a soul" (Lev 5:15; 27:3-6; Exod 30:11-16; 1 Cor 3:12-15; 1 Pet 1:18-20; Matt 27:3-9; etc). Therefore, the glory of Jesus' character possesses strong, firm, supportive (Jer 1:18), and pure (Ps 12:6) redemption! What a manifold glimpse this must have been for the Shulamite! What an easy choice this should be! Come up higher!

- It's bottom was of gold (vs. 10): Gold signifies kingship and the divine nature (Rev 14:14; Song 5:11; Matt 2:11; Acts 17:29; 1 Cor 3:12; Mal 3:3; etc). These attributes are the foundation ("bottom") of this chariot, even as Jesus is the golden bottom of the Gospel, the sum and substance of it, and the principal subject in it to be insisted on. He is laid in it as the bottom, ground, and foundation of faith and hope. Only a fool would resist such a glorious wooing!

- A covering of purple (vs. 10): In Scripture, purple signifies royalty and wealth (Lk 16:19; Jdg 8:26; Rev 18:12-16; Jn 19:1-5; Mk 15:17-20; Song 7:5). Such was the "covering" of this chariot. Holy and royal blood is to be our shelter from divine wrath! This was displayed to the Shulamite woman, and is to be ours too. As we partake of this higher calling, our needs will be surely met. There is no reason to neglect God; there is no fear to be had. Follow Him!

- An interior paved with love (vs. 10): This is in contrast to the tables of stone in the "midst" of the ark, covered with the writings of stern command. What a glorious and opposite assurance the Shulamite is receiving here! "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (Jn 1:17). She is promised the perfect and graceful love of God, even in the midst of troubles and shortcoming: "he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him" (1 Jn 4:16). If nothing else would draw her nearer, surely this would, right? The exterior silver and gold, cedar, purple, and valiant guards, may not fully capture her heart, but when the bride enters within, she rests on a pavement of love. And this is the icing on the cake!

- It carried a crowned King (vs. 11)! And oh what a beautiful invitation we have here, as we conclude. The crown is significant of utmost dominion and authority! And how awesome that He who is highest and most glorious is wooing us today! The crowned King is asking this reluctant believer to come up higher; come up and ride with me upon this chariot-bed. How could she resist? How could we? How could she say no to the absolute experiential security, peace, purity, and love that this journey will provide her? Only a fool would neglect further (Matt 25:1-13).

Thus we see the many apprehensions that have been conquered by a real and glorious encounter with God. Fear, apathy, carnal reasoning, etc. have been progressively crushed out of the Shulamite's heart; she is even now encouraging others to partake: "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon..." (Song 3:11)! What a fruitful wooing! And what a marvelous existence that will be hers as this emerging bride chooses to go deeper with King Jesus! As we see such wonders, will we go deeper too?

To be continued...