Part 1 of 5
Have you ever considered the vast differing array of passion we have present in the body of Christ? Believers sometimes seem to be polar opposites of one another in terms of love and devotion for their Creator! This schism is more than a difference in maturity levels; it's a difference in response (Jn 7:31-32; Jer 5:3-5; Prov 17:16; Matt 11:16-19; etc); it's a difference in love (Lk 7:47; Matt 10:37; Jn 21:15-17; Phil 1:9; 1 Jn 3:18; etc)! How can that be? Well, if it weren't possible to love God partially, then why are we continually exhorted to love Him with the "WHOLE heart" (Ps 9:1; 86:12; 111:1; Deut 6:5; 10:12; etc)? If such radical and "whole heart" devotion were automatic upon salvation, then Scripture would not say things like "LET US go on unto perfection" (Heb 6:1-3), and the corporate church would not be in the state that it now is. As hard as that may be to receive, it's true. It was true in Jesus' day, and things are no different now. Jesus continually had believers with differing levels of devotion following Him: Jesus had the multitudes (who came to be blessed, and then went home), then He had the 70, then the 12 disciples, then the 3 disciples who were consistently around Him (Peter, James, and John), and then the 1 disciple (John) who laid his head upon Jesus' bosom (representative of real intimacy). How interesting that this disciple (John) received "the Revelation of Jesus Christ". Friend, this is no coincidence.
But WHY are there some believers who are so completely radical and sold out for Jesus, and then some who could seemingly care less? What is the difference? Why the division? I do not believe it is a matter of the saved and the lost, but rather, I believe it's a matter of devotion and lukewarmness (Rev 3). There were 12 disciples, yet a few who were specially devoted. Were the others lost and hell-bound? Of course not. This is a matter of differing devotion. WHY does this exist?
As always, our answer is found in God's great Book!
Thankfully, the Song of Solomon gives us a glimpse (in type) into the progressive emergence of bridal passions that the people of God are to increasingly possess. The Shulamite woman begins her journey reluctantly. She desires God (Song 1:2), but chooses to neglect His wooing to greater intimacy. He asks her to rise up and to come away (Song 2:10-14), but she says no; she asks Him to turn from her: "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). "Bether" means "separation". However, a couple chapters later we see her changing her tune. She says, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I WILL GET ME to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense" (Song 4:6).
This will be the foundation for our brief study. What causes the Shulamite to begin with reluctance, yet end with passion? What transpires between chapter 2 and chapter 4 that births such a dramatic transformation? We will find out. As we consider the many different divine influences God used to win her heart, we can see the beautiful growth progression of bridal passions, which are to be formed in us as well, as we daily respond to the grace of God.
The following outline is what contributes to the Shulamite's passionate declaration in Song of Solomon 4:6:
(1) A conscious choice
(2) Remedial judgment
(3) The dealings of God
(4) A glimpse of God in glory
(5) The revelation of His affection
These 5 truths, as they are experienced in the life of the Shulamite woman, are just the very things that WIN her heart and cause her to be abandoned unto the Lord! How beautiful. How neccessary!
The first thing we must seek to understand is the Shulamite's personal ability to refuse or accept going onward and upward with Jesus. If we do not ever recognize our potential to deviate from such a divine pursuit, we will never be able to recognize the dire need that we are in control of. Our justification of course is free, but subsequent to justification we must press into fullness! This is clearly exhibited by the Shulamite being highlighted out from among the other "daughters of Jerusalem". These daughters did not press in at all, and even questioned the Shulamite's fervency after God, yet they were indeed saved (Song 1:2-3; 4). We each have a personal responsibility to go onward and upward, as is clearly evident from the testimony of Scripture: "My soul is continually in MY hand: yet do I not forget thy law" (Ps 119:109). Again the psalmist said, "Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts" (Ps 119:173).
Notice with me further the testimony that Scripture lends toward this great truth:
- Queen Vashti refused to come at the King's command. Esther, however, was willing. She is a type of the bride of Christ (Est 1:10-12; 2:17). The Bible says that Vashti's royal estate was to be given to another "that is better than she" (1:19).
- When searching for a bride for Isaac (a clear type of Christ - Gen 22:2), the woman had to be willing. If she was not willing, she could not be Isaac's bride: "And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath"(Gen 24:8).
- In the book of Revelation, it tells us that this bride "hath made herself ready" (Rev 19:7). Clearly, a conscious and willing choice was involved in this sanctification process (Jn 3:30; Gal 4:19). Paul said to "LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who... became obedient unto death" (Phil 2:5-8). Reader, we are not speaking of a "works Gospel", but rather of a "responsive Gospel". It is a great deception to think that we can live in the grace of God nonchalantly. Rather, His Gospel is one of purposeful forward motion.
As the Shulamite eventually does, let's choose to go onward and upward!
But what was her motivation? How did she change?
To be continued..
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