NEXT GEN IV

“Journey to Radical Abandonment”

I.                   TWO MAIN INTERPRETATIONS

1.      Natural Interpretation – depicts a love story between King Solomon and His Bride.

2.      Allegorical Interpretation – symbolic story that illustrates the love relationship we have with the Messiah.  (Galatians 4)

II.                A FEW FACTS ABOUT SONG OF SOLOMON

1.      More commentaries have been written on the Song of Solomon throughout church history than any other book in the Bible, except the book of Romans.

2.      This song illustrates the relationship between Jesus and the corporate church (Revelations.19:7-9, 21:9; Ephesians  5:23-25; 2 Corinthians  11:1-2).

3.      As an allegorical love song this book details many of the steps of development to passion for Jesus as well a spiritual maturity.

4.      The Song of Solomon is the greatest song ever written.

5.      The THREE main characters of the book

A.      King Solomon is depicted in the allegorical interpretation as a type of triumphant resurrected Jesus Christ who is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Jesus is the real king. Solomon is only the type.

B.      The Shula mite woman is depicted as a type or a picture of the Bride of Christ who eventually experiences full spiritual maturity and passion for Jesus.

C.      The “daughters of Jerusalem” are a group that appears regularly throughout the SONG. They are never clearly identified or defined. However, when we study what they say and do throughout the SONG, we learn that they love Jesus, yet never attain to the same degree of intimacy and maturity as the Bride.

III.             SONG REVEALS GOD’S PLAN TO BRING US TO RADICAL ABANDONMENT

1.      God wants all of our affection

Luke 14:26-27

²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Phil 3:7-11

⁷ But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ …¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

2.      He aims to “woo” us and “win” us drawing us to a place of abandonment

IV.              REVELATION OF THE SONG

1^st STANZA – The Awakening

1.     Awakening by the bride to the splendor of Jesus

Song 1:2-3

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—For your love is better than wine. ³ Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you.

2.     The Brides Prayer

Song 1:4

Draw me away! We will run after you...

                   2^nd STANZA – The Crisis

1.     Spiritual Crisis

Song 1:5-6

I am dark, but lovely… Do not look upon me because I am dark…My own vineyard I have not kept.

2.     Divine Affirmation

Song 2:2-7

² Like a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

³ Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. ⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. ⁵ Sustain me with cakes of raisins; Refresh me with apples, for I am lovesick.

           

                  3^rd STANZA – Shaking the Nest

1.      Challenging the Comfort Zone

Song 2:8-13

⁸ The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills. ⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice. ¹⁰ My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. ¹¹   For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. ¹² The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.¹³ The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!

2.      The Bride’s Compromise

Song 2:15-17

¹⁵ Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes. ¹⁶            My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. ¹⁷ Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountains of Bether.

      4^th STANZA – Making Her Rise Up

1.      Divine Chastisement

Song 3:1-3

By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. ² “I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. ³ The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” ⁴ Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go…

2.      A New Perspective of Jesus as Trustworthy

Song 3:6-8

⁶ Who is this coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the merchant’s fragrant powders? ⁷ Behold, it is Solomon’s couch, with sixty valiant men around it, of the valiant of Israel. ⁸ They all hold swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night.

3.      More Divine Affirmation

Song 4:1-8

Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats…³ your lips are like a strand of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate. ⁴ Your neck is like the tower of David, Built for an armory…

                 5^th STANZA – The Bride Rises Up, The Bridegroom is enthralled

1.      She Trusts Him enough to give more

Song 4:6-8

⁶ Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of frankincense…⁸ Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, With me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

2.      Ravished Heart of the Bridegroom

Song 4:9-12

You have ravished my heart…My spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes…How fair is your love…My spouse! How much better than wine is your love, and the scent of your perfumes than all spices!... ¹²        A garden enclosed Is my sister, my spouse, A spring shut up, A fountain sealed.

3.      The Brides Heartfelt Prayer

Song 4:16

¹⁶ Awake, O north wind, And come, O south! Blow upon my garden that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its pleasant fruits.

            6^th STANZA – The Test

1.      The Withdrawal of Nearness

Song 5:2-6

² I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, and my perfect one; for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”…⁵ I arose to open for my beloved…⁶    I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone ,,,I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

2.      Persecution from the Saints

Song 5:7-8

⁷ The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls Took my veil away from me.

3.      The Brides amazing Declaration in the Midst of Trial

Song 5:8

⁸ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am lovesick.

4.      Daughters of Jerusalem were “trippin” at her response

Song 5:9

⁹ What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, that you so charge us?

5.      The Brides Declaration of Her Savior

Song 5:10-16

¹⁰ My beloved is pure and ruddy, chief among ten thousand. ¹¹ His head is like the finest gold; His locks are wavy… ¹² His eyes are like doves By the rivers of waters…His cheeks are like a bed of spices…His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl. His body is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires. ¹⁵ His legs are pillars of marble Set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars. ¹⁶ His mouth is most sweet, Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

6.      Daughters of Jerusalem want Him too

Song 6:1

Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with you?

            7^th STANZA – Maturity

1.      Vindication of the Persecuted Bride. Song 6:11-7:9

2.      The Bride grows more in her commitment to Him Song 7:9B-8:4

3.      The Bride is Sealed with Divine Love

Song 8:5-7

Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved? Set me as a seal upon your heart… its flames are flames of fire…Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it.