“His head is as the most fine gold; His locks are bushy and black as a raven.” Having answered the daughters of Jerusalem in a general way as to her Beloved, she now begins to describe Him more minutely. Guided by the Spirit of God, she delights to dwell on His varied excellencies and glories, under the similitude of the human features. One word, my soul, at the threshold; seek not, I pray thee, for the mystic meaning of these separate features, beyond the limits of holy scripture. “The place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” For although the Lord did not forbid Moses to draw near to the burning bush, He told him, plainly, that it must be with unshod feet. Let thine eye, then, be anointed, and thy heart worshipping, while meditating on Zion’s glorious King.
In the fourth Chapter, the Bridegroom, in recounting the attractions of His Bride, enumerates seven features. Here, she points out ten, in portraying her Beloved. The significant numbers, three and seven, are united in Him. We will now briefly meditate on each feature separately.
“His head is as the most fine gold.” Supreme majesty may be indicated by “the most fine gold,” as in Dan. 2:33, “Thou art this head of gold.” It is also frequently used in scripture to represent divine righteousness—in connection with the Person of Christ; as in Isa. 11:5 and Rev. 1:13. Of this same Jesus we read, “Behold a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And O, man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isa. 32:1, 2.
“His locks are bushy and black as a raven.” The bushy, raven locks of the Bridegroom are evidently contrasted with the long, flowing hair of the Bride, which He compares to “a flock of goats, that appear from Mount Gilead.” Youthful vigor and strength may also be indicated by the profusion of the locks. Of Ephraim it is said, Hos. 7:9, “Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not.” But of Ephraim’s Lord and King no signs of decay shall ever be seen. He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Some believe that “the most fine gold” refers to the Godhead of Jesus; and the “ bushy locks” to His manhood. No truth lies nearer the heart of faith, then the perfect manhood of the blessed Savior; and that in connection with His eternal Godhead. “Christ who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.” Rom. 9:5 and Col. 1:15-19.
“Admire, adore this God immutable:
To whom alone it appertains to say
‘I live forever!’ and to whose vast mind,
The shadow of a turning is unknown.”
“His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water, washed with milk, and fitly set.” Margin, setting in fullness. In Rev. 5: 6, St. John speaks of “the Lamb which he sees in the midst of the throne, having “seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” The number seven, we know, denotes fullness, perfection, which here signifies intelligence. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chron. 16:9.) But the believer has nothing to fear from the keen, penetrating glance of that eye of sevenfold brightness; to him it is soft, tender, and affectionate “as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters.” It is his happy privilege to watch its direction. “I will guide thee with mine eye.” What feature so expressive as the eye! And, oh! what an eye is now before the eye of faith! Tender as the dove’s — bright and lustrous as when bathed in the river: or shining, as with a passing tear of deep compassion. The white part, pure as milk, the eye itself, “fitly set.” Neither too prominent nor too much sunk, but like the precious stone that is perfectly set in the foil of the ring.
“His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers.” Margin, towers of perfume; or, as some render it, “mounds of balsams.” Great sweetness, bloom, beauty, and fragrance, are represented by these comparisons. The face in general may be referred to by this feature. Only think of the difference between the past day of lowly grace with Jesus, and the coming day of wondrous glory. The daughter of Zion, in her blindness, despised and rejected Him because of His lowliness; and in perfect grace He submitted to the will of man, which is enmity against God. “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isa. 1:6.) And, again, “They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.” (Mic. 5:1.) But for all this hatred and cruelty, the daughter of Zion will be heartily sorry then. The veil shall be removed. As it dropped from the face of Moses when he turned round to the tabernacle, so shall it drop from the heart of Israel when they look on Him whom they pierced. And then, in place of their saying of Him, u there is no beauty that we should desire him,” it will be, “He is altogether lovely.” The once marred, insulted, and smitten cheek, is to the heart of the nation as beds of spices — sweet flowers — towers of perfume — mounds of balsams. Oh! what has grace wrought? What the operations of the Spirit? What the triumph of God’s pardoning love? Hasten! O, hasten, the coming — happy — millennial day!
“His lips like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh.” The comparison may be to the beautiful red lily of the East; but the believer knows the truth of that blessed word, “grace is poured into thy lips,” not dropped scantily, but poured abundantly. The lips of Jesus, and His only, can speak peace to a troubled soul. Until He, and He alone, 13 listened to, true peace is unknown. “The Lord God,” He says by the prophet, “hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word is season to him that is weary.”
“Sweet-smelling myrrh of Jesu’s holy lips.
Diffusing comfort, purity, and peace,
Where’er it penetrates — oh! waft it soon,
God! high and holy! to remotest lands;
Prepare remotest hearts to welcome it!
Yes! Thou hast promised — and what arm of flesh
Shall interpose to hinder or obstruct
What in thine everlasting purposes is sure?”
“His hands are as gold rings, set with the beryl” In general, all the works of His hands may be embraced in this feature. Works of nature, providence, and grace. Their beauty, glory, perfection, and durability, may be represented by the gold, the ring, and the precious stones. “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” (Psalm 111:7, 8.) But faith can now say of these jeweled hands, in the language of the loved Shalamite, “His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.” Oh! what an embrace! Happy, thrice happy, they who are thus folded in His everlasting arms! It is everlasting —endless, like the ring itself. “Love never faileth.”
“His belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires” The bowels of His deep and tender compassion may be referred to here. “My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” (Psalm 22:14.) The idea of depth may he conveyed by a reference to the bowels. And the color of the sapphire stone being blue, suggests the heavenly character of His tender sympathies. “And there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” (Exod. 24:10.) Pure as the “bright ivory,” deep as the bowels — high as heaven, is the tenderness, pity, compassion, and love of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Phil. 2:1, 2.
“His legs are as pillars of marble set in sockets of fine gold:” The walk, in general, is usually represented by this feature. “Show me thy ways, Ο Lord, teach me thy paths........All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.” (Psalm 25) By the “pillars of marble,” the strength, steadfastness, and continuance of His reign may be set forth; and by the, “sockets of fine gold,” divine righteousness as characterizing the whole of His governmental ways. Divine righteousness — Almighty power — ways of “mercy and truth,” appertain to Zion’s — to earth’s mighty King. “The government shall be upon his shoulders.” “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, Ο God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” (Heb. 1:8, 9.) “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44.
“His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.” The spouse having already portrayed her Beloved from head to foot, she now refers, we doubt not, to His general appearance — to all His glorious features together — His full stature. And His stature “is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.” This figure, evidently, illustrates His glorious Majesty, as the Messiah. The lofty cedars “on that goodly mountain Lebanon,” are the standing type in scripture of exaltation, glory, and majesty. Resplendent as the “most fine gold” from head to foot — adorned with every grace — fragrant with all sweetness — glorious and majestic like the cedars of Lebanon, is the Person of her well-beloved.
O Majestic King!
Thy front sublime, Thy perfect character
Is as the noble mount of Lebanon.
Clothed in magnificent solemnity;
Thy spouse adores Thy peerless excellence —
Thy towering glories.
“His mouth is most sweet.” The “lips” having been already referred to, something different from words may be indicated by this feature. It seems to refer more especially to the grace of Jesus — to the expressions of His kindness — His communications — His friendships. The spouse has often tasted of His grace, therefore she could say from experience, “His mouth is most sweet.” The grace and kindness with which He meets her, even after failure, is enough to impress her heart forever, with the sweetness of the grace of her Lord. “If so be,” says the apostle, “ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Some think that the melody of His voice is alluded to. But she goes on to say, “Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved and this is my friend, Ο daughters of Jerusalem” Language fails her. She is not wearied speaking of Him, but she is unable to say all that He is. Hence, she closes the description with, “He is altogether lovely.” As if she had said, All loveliness dwells in Him— all that is desirable is found in Him— and every unspecified beauty belongs to Him. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, and all the graces of manhood. He is lovely in His humiliation — lovely in His exaltation — “yea, he is altogether lovely.”
But, oh I is not the last note of this lovely song, the richest and sweetest of all? “My beloved........my friend.” Some may say, “what a description this is!” But say thou, Ο my soul, what a conclusion this is!
“This is my beloved......my friend.” He — Himself is mine. She is delighted to dwell on His qualities, but more delighted still, to be able to say, “He in whom all these qualities shine so brightly is mine! Therefore all His qualities, too, are mine. But the qualities are in the Person.
Thrones, crowns, scepters, kingdoms, glories, blessedness, are His, and the believer’s, in Him; but after all, these are not Himself. What would all these things avail without the Person of the Beloved? To the renewed affections, blessed as they are — a mockery. Like the heart of the fair bride that has been made desolate — that has been wrecked on the very threshold of her new home, through the affections of the one she counted on going out after another. True, the well-furnished house remains, but alas, it is evident, that his heart — all she cared for, is elsewhere. She sees it; and all is turned into the gall and wormwood of bitterest disappointment. The shadow of a dark cloud spreads over the whole scene. Everything now bears the reflection of her own misery. Her happiness is gone. Yes, my soul, this is no uncommon thing with the loves of earth. Many a warm and confiding heart has thus been crushed and broken through the heartlessness of the one she trusted. But not so—never so, the loves of heaven. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Jesus. It is heaven on earth to know Him — to know His love — His unchanging love. His love is not in word only, but in deed and in truth. Not in a formal heartless vow, but in the eternal covenant of His grace, and sealed with His own most precious blood.
Chap. 6. “Whither is thy beloved gone, Ο thou fairest among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside t that we may seek him with thee.” Most blessed and varied are the results which flow from the soul’s entire occupation with Christ. To lose sight of self, and have Him for our one object, is immediate — certain blessing. When Christians slip into a low, dull state of soul, what will most speedily and effectually bring them out of it? Becoming filled and occupied with Christ for themselves, and speaking of Him to others. The experience of the spouse is a beautiful illustration of this truth. Her failure, doubtless, was thinking and caring about herself. Self-occupation — self-indulgence. “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? “But when challenged by the daughters of Jerusalem, as to the superiority of her Beloved over others, she is led to think and speak of Him only; and as she proceeds, her own soul, in the first place, is fully and happily restored. She is thus raised to a measure of communion, which she had never before reached; and she so dwells on the matchless excellencies of her Lord, that the inquiring daughters are attracted by the glories of His Person, and desire to see Him, and know Him.
But there is another fruit, my soul, of the Bride’s testimony to Christ, which I would not have thee to pass over unnoticed. The daughters of Jerusalem, observe, very naturally conclude, that it must have been the Bridegroom that left His Bride; not, of course, the Bride that had left her Bridegroom. Hearing her speak of Him in such glowing terms, they could not for a moment imagine that she could ever wander from Him. One so loved — so admired — so good — so appreciated, of course, her eye could never cease to gaze on Him—her heart could never cease to delight in Him, and she could never, never, grow weary of Him. Hence they inquire, “Whither is thy beloved gone:—whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.” What a sharp, cutting reproof, though indirect! And how keenly her now sensitive heart must have felt it. But in extolling her Lord, she condemned herself. So it is, and so it must always be. When the soul is out of communion, everything seems to knock unkindly against it, and condemn its ways. But when restored, all these things serve to deepen our humility, and elevate the tone of our communion. The heart that has just been overflowing with the praises of her Beloved, is now rejoicing in Him. Her eye rests on Him. She knows where He is and what He is doing. Happy moment! All is light and joy. Now she can tell her companions where He is to be found.
“My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.” What a lovely scene this is to the eye of Shelomith, compared with chap. 5:7. “The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me: the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.” Such is the difference between walking in fellowship with Jesus, and wandering in the world. Now, she is in the rural scenes with her Beloved, entering into the counsels of His heart, and the works of His hands. This verse presents a scene of happy communion. The Lord is finding delight in His people; He is in His garden gathering lilies. “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” She enters into His thoughts about His people generally, and about herself especially. This is communion, blessed, solid communion. Her eye is single, and the light of heaven fills her soul. Now she exclaims, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine; he feedeth among the lilies.” This is a high note, but easily taken by faith. It is the key note of a soul that has lost sight of self. “I am my beloved’s.” It is the very opposite of a soul being occupied with itself. It is true heart-occupation with Christ. It is entering into His thoughts, His love, His grace, His delights; in place of being filled and occupied with its own thoughts, its own feelings, its own faith, or its own services. The eye, the heart, the thoughts, the lips, all are full of Christ and occupied with Him. “I am my beloved’s.” In chap. 2:18, she says, “My beloved ii mine and I am his.” There, it is the joy of possessing Christ; He is mine. Here, it is the deeper joy of belonging to Christ; I am His. Both are blessed, but the latter marks divine progress.
We can understand a newly awakened soul being full of anxieties about itself, in many ways; and, when it first receives the truth, exclaiming, do believe in Jesus now — I am sure I believe in Him — I know I believe in Him — I know He died for me on the cross — He shed His blood to wash my sins away, and now I can trust in Him!” Having watched the deep struggles of a newly quickened soul emerging from the darkness of nature, and hearing the shout of victory, as the dark clouds were rolled back, “Jesus is mine!” we have been thankful and joyful beyond measure. It is all we could expect at the time, and we were satisfied.
But, by and by, when the soul has calmed and settled down after the throes of the new birth, we look for it rising in the intelligence of truth from its own concerns to the source of its blessing. Where has this new life come from? it may well inquire. Whence its source? Why all this grace and goodness to me a sinner? Who has planted the pulse of eternal life in my once-dead soul? Learning, by degrees, that eternal life and every blessing are but the fruits of God’s love in Christ to me a sinner; I am sweetly drawn to Him in the confidence of love — of His perfect love to me when in my sins. All fear departs; for fear hath torment. “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” (John 5:25,) Thus the soul is brought into the closest connection with the Son of the living God, in heaven; and finding that all the springs of its blessing are there, it rises to Him, like water to its level! “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine,” becomes the true expression of its admiring faith.