“How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, Ο prince’s daughter.” The spouse of the King is again minutely surveyed, and addressed by a new title. “Ο prince’s daughter.” Her connection with royalty is now acknowledged. She is brought into the closest relationship with the King. This is manifest to all. When Messiah takes the throne, according to the plain and forcible language of the forty-fifth psalm, this will be her place. There we read, “Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir” When He enters the scene, and takes the throne of his father David, everything is changed in Israel. What a change for Jerusalem! What a change for the Jewish people! Jerusalem will have the first place, and all the cities of Judah shall own it. The earth’s blessing will also come in then through the exaltation of the Jews. “Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.”
And now, hear, as it were, his first address from the throne to His beloved people. “Hearken, Ο daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forgot also thine own people and thy father’s house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty; for He is thy Lord, and worship thou him.” It is no longer the glory of the fathers — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but the brighter glory of the true seed royal of the house of Judah. Christ is all in all. He who loves righteousness and hates wickedness, proves Himself fit to govern. In righteousness and in judgment, He has brought in the full triumph and glory of the Jewish people. He has led them on to victory over the heads of all their foes. He who led them into captivity, is now a captive in the bottomless pit. Christ is on the throne, and all his enemies are made His footstool. And now, the people are to look to Him, not to the fathers, in whom they have hitherto boasted. “We be Abraham’s seed,” was once their empty boast, to the lowly Jesus; but everything is changed now, Hence the emphatic word to the daughter of Zion; “Forget thine own people, and thy father’s house: so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.”
But has this beautiful address from the lips of Jesus, though as King of the Jews, no voice to thee, my soul; Is it only fit for Israel? Far from it, I would say. In spirit, and in principle, it is plainly applicable to all Christ’s disciples now. “Abide in me” — “Follow me,” are still deeper. No sooner is a soul converted to Jesus, than it should, in that sense, forget, and turn away from, all its old associations. Everything contrary to His will, or that would hinder us in carrying out His will, should be given up, and, as it were, forgotten. The application of the passage is easy, provided we are prepared to give up our hearts to Him. “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways,” is surely a fair demand, at all times, from Him who gave Himself for us. His devotedness to its is complete. He kept nothing back; He gave all. He loved us, and gave Himself for us. Not only His life, true and blessed as that is but He gave Himself. The cross, of course, is the strongest expression of His love that we can ever have. But in giving Himself, He gives all that He is, as the Man Christ Jesus — the Savior of sinners. Observe, especially, I pray thee, the greatness of this gift — HIMSELF! And also, the giver — HE, gave Himself. All His qualities — all His excellencies, are given in this gift. This is love — this is devotedness — this is consecration. He keeps back nothing from us. His love is perfect. He — Himself, is mine.
Now I have found a friend, Jesus is mine; His love shall never end, Jesus is mine.
We have a full Christ, adored and blessed be His name! May we allow nothing, that would diminish to the soul His fullness — may we count self, and all that belongs to it, as dross. His wisdom, His righteousness, His peace, His joy, His grace, His glory — in short, the perfection of His work, His more abundant life in resurrection, and the glory of His Person — all are the believer’s in the gift of Himself. Take one illustration of this marvelous truth, and see that thou fully understand this mystery of perfect love, Ο my soul. It is written, that He “made peace through the blood of his cross.” “Peace,” in this connection, means reconciliation. We are reconciled, our peace is made, according to the perfection of His work on the cross. But it is also written, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” Here, “peace” does not mean reconciliation, but Christ’s own peace. “My peace” — a peace answering to the glory of His Person, which He leaves to us as a legacy in this troubled scene. And He gives not as the world gives; the world gives a part, and keeps a part, but He, gives all. Oh, what blessing! What has love not done! Oh, what a ground of confidence for the heart in this unspeakable gift. To know that “Jesus is mine,” is to know the sweetness of full peace, and quiet rest, in His own blessed presence. But if there be such a ground for confidence in this gift, Oh, what a motive there is, for wholehearted devotedness — for entire consecration of body, soul, and spirit to the blessed Lord! May we know the confidence, and act from the motive. May our love be the fair reflection of His.
“Thine eye confiding — manifests the love,
A love producing love reciprocal,
Which overshadoweth Thy being’s course,
As face to face in water answereth —
Yea, as one passing by Bath-rabbim’s gate,
In Heshbon’s waveless mirrors may behold
The faithful transcript of o’erhanging skies.”
It is rather difficult to say, whether the first five verses of this chapter, are addressed to the Bride by the daughters of Jerusalem, or by the Bridegroom. The tone of the sixth verse, which is evidently His, appears to be deeper. In the fourth chapter, when speaking of her qualities He begins with the head. And in the fifth chapter, where the Bride gives a full length portrait of her Beloved, she also begins with the head. But here it is different, the description begins with the feet, and ends with the head. She appears to be looked at, in this passage, from earth’s point of view; as if the daughters of Jerusalem were first attracted by her walk. Besides, the portrait here given, is not so much her own personal, faultless beauty, which the Bridegroom so admires, and delights to dwell upon, as the circumstances and associations of royalty. Or, perhaps, more that which is national glory, than personal beauty. But we must bear in mind as we go along, that the spouse represents, for all Israel, great glory and blessing.
Having examined with some care, when meditating on chapters 4, 5, each feature therein described, we would now do little more than endeavor to point out the most obvious bearing of the present comparisons.
The expression, “How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, Ο prince’s daughter,” conveys to the mind, more the idea of majestic footsteps — stately goings, than of the general walk. “The joints,” being like jewels, giving freedom to the step, strengthens this view of the passage. Her gait is noble, majestic, suited to royalty. “A round goblet which wanteth not liquor......an heap of wheat set about with lilies” surely denote an abundance of that which cheers and sustains; and yet, these are surrounded with grace and humility. A fence of lilies forbids the approach of none to come and partake of the king’s munificence; but sweetly invites, as it were, in the words of wisdom, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.”
Such will be the fullness and character of earthly blessing, under the peaceful reign of the true King Solomon. An abundance of corn and wine, fenced off with lilies. What an idea these beautiful and significant symbols give of millennial blessing! An overflowing abundance with true lowliness of mind. What must be the beauty and fragrance, the peace and security, of that land, whose border defenses are the lilies of the valley! What must be the impression produced on those who come up to Jerusalem! Jesus is there! The King of Salem reigns, He is having everything His own way. That explains all.
The twin roes may point out the unity, harmony, and great family likeness, which shall then characterize the people of the land. Referring to their blessing under the new covenant in the future day, the word says, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers: and ye shall be my people and I will be your God. (Eze. 36:25-28.) The apostle, in applying these promises to Israel, notwithstanding their present dispersion, says, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me from the least to the greatest.” (Heb. 8:11, 12.) Who could doubt, with such texts before them, the full restoration of Israel, the reality and uniformity of their blessing?
The “tower of ivory,” would suggest the thought of great riches and exaltation. It would also bespeak national glory, if not national purity — ivory being snowy white. “The fish-pools of Heshhon,” that which is calm, deep, clear, and reflective. If the “tower of ivory,” bespeak Israel’s national riches, may not “the fish-pools of Heshbon,” bespeak their national character. What so beautiful or suggestive, as the calm, full, bright eye? Besides, it is said of Israel, “Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord.” (Psalm 25) This will be singleness of eye. Lord, hasten it in thy time!
“Serene as Heshbon’s tranquil lake,
Thy meditative eyes forsake
The world’s distracting joys.”
“The tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus,” suggests the idea of strength, security, supremacy. The Jews, once so persecuted as a people spread over the earth, and so frequently invaded as a nation, especially by the Syrians, can now look out on Syria, and on all the surrounding nations, in tower-like strength. All the nations of the earth are at their feet. The tower, looketh toward Damascus “the capital of their once restless and powerful foe.” For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin.” A tower on the heights of Lebanon looks out on all, and is seen by all. It will then be known, that the power of Jehovah-Jesus dwells in the midst of His beloved people. This will be their national supremacy.
“Thine head upon thee is like Carmel.” “Carmel,” in scripture, is the type of fruitfulness. It was famous for its vineyards, gardens, and rich herbage. “ Thine head upon thee,’“ would seem to point out a head ornament, not the head of the body. The reference may be to a crown, or wreath of laurels, presenting “the excellency of Carmel,” and emblematic of the land’s fruitfulness — national abundance. Israel is crowned with goodness. They are blessed with all earthly blessings in Emmanuel’s land. But glorious as that will be (and glorious it shall be), still, it is but the contrast, divinely drawn, of the Church’s blessings, even while she wanders a pilgrim in this world. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” This is the character and measure of the Christian’s blessing, if measured it can be. And here, note, my soul, for thy deepest and loftiest meditations, the three things spoken of in this wonderful verse: 1. “All spiritual blessings” Not one is wanting. And, observe, they are spiritual, adapted to our new nature. 2. “In heavenly places.” The highest sphere — the best of places — not earthly places, like Israel’s in the land of Canaan, blessed as theirs will be. 3. “In Christ — in the most blessed and excellent way that God could give them. Here, we can draw no comparison; we can only worship and adore. Oh! to enter more fully into that which is already ours, in Christ, according to the love of God our Father; that we may be holy and without blame before Him in love.
“And the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.” “Purple” is the emblem of royalty. The eye rising from the beautiful shoes, to the bridal coronet, finds all perfect. The fair spouse of the King is faultless. And the comparisons are suggestive of true national greatness and glory. The King is overcome by her attractions. He is bound, as it were, by her comeliness — the comeliness which He has put upon her. “She is all glorious within the ivory palaces; her clothing is of wrought gold; she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework.” “The King is held in the galleries.” He cannot leave His royal Bride. Wondrous love! wondrous grace! Oh, to know the heart of Jesus!
“The glorious and majestic One,
Whom death nor hell could e’er detain,
Is by thy powerful graces won,
And tied as with a mighty chain.
Strange loveliness it is that sways
The Sovereign Regent of the skies;
Constraining Him to stay and gaze,
The charms do so attract His eyes.
Faith’s efforts bold o’ercome the King;
How happy they the conquest share,
Who to His sacred courts Him win,
And then have power to hold Him there!