THE CHASE Part II

THE CHASE

Part II

       I. THE SONG

1.      An Allegory

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

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

c.                   The Facts

·         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.

·         This song illustrates the relationship between Jesus and the corporate church (Rev.19: 7-9, 21:9; Eph. 5:23-25; 2 Cor. 11:1-2).

·         This book details many of the God uses to draw us to himself.

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

2.      The Characters

a.       King Solomon is depicted in the allegorical interpretation as a type of the 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 Shulamite woman is depicted as a type or a picture of the Bride of Christ who eventually experiences full spiritual maturity.

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. They are most characterized by a spiritual dullness and passivity and yet they clearly possess an inquisitive and sincere spirit to seek Jesus.

3.      Blown Away  

Song 1:2-3

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—For your love is better than wine.

·         Cry for deeper

·         He is better than the best this world has

4.      The Request

Song 1:4

                  Draw me, we will run after thee:

5.     The Revelation of Weakness

Song 1:5-6

⁵ I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. ⁶ Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.

6.      The Desire to be with Him

Song 1:7

Tell me, O you whom I love, where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon. For why should I be as one who veils herself By the flocks of your companions?

7.      The Season of Affirmation

Song 1:8-11

If you do not know, O fairest among women, Follow in the footsteps of the flock, And feed your little goats Beside the shepherds’ tents. ⁹           I have compared you, my love, To my filly among Pharaoh’s chariots. ¹⁰   Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with chains of gold. ¹¹We will make you ornaments of gold With studs of silver.

8.      Settling of Identity

Song 1:12

¹² While the king is at his table, My spikenard sends forth its fragrance.

9.     The Bliss of Encountering the Love of God

Song 2:1-7

I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys… ³Like 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… ⁷ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.

II. THE IMPLICATIONS OF A SETTLED IDENTITY

1.     Provision

2.     Protection

3.     Healing

4.     Revelation

5.     Authority

6.     Access

7.     Success

8.     Jealousy

  III. IDENTITY TESTED

The human tendency is to settle in Identity and simply embrace the comfort. Once the longing of every human heart is satisfied we cease striving. If not careful we will not fulfill our mandate. Jesus won’t let us settle there. He will challenge us to rise up and take territories in his name.

1.     Challenging the place of Comfort

Song 2:8-17

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. 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.     Rejection due to weakness

Song 2:16-17

¹⁶ My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. ¹⁷Until 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.

 IV. STRATEGIES FOR INTENTIONAL MATURING

1.     A step back

Song 3:1-2

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.

2.     Renewed motivation to pursue

Song 3:3-5

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, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who conceived me. ⁵ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.

    V. REVELATION OF A TRUSTWORTHY SAVIOR

1.     He’s strong and capable

Song 3:6-11

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…¹¹ Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And see King Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him On the day of his wedding, The day of the gladness of his heart.

2.     Prophetic 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 (Strength) is like a flock of goats, Going down from Mount Gilead. ² Your teeth (Ability to assimilate the Word) are like a flock of shorn sheep Which have come up from the washing, Every one of which bears twins, And none is barren among them. ³ Your lips are like a strand of scarlet, And your mouth (Speech) 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, On which hang a thousand bucklers, All shields of mighty men. ⁵ Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle, Which feed among the lilies.

3.      Taking Courage

⁶ Until the daybreaks And the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of frankincense. ⁷ You are all fair, my love, And there is no spot in you. 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.

 VI. THE OVERWHELMED GOD

1.     Our affections touch him

Song 4:9-10

⁹ You have ravished my heart, My sister, my spouse; You have ravished my heart With one look of your eyes, With one link of your necklace. ¹⁰ How fair is your love, My sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, And the scent of your perfumes Than all spices! ¹¹ Your lips, O my spouse, Drip as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under your tongue; And the fragrance of your garments Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

2.     The deeper commitment

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.

3.     God’s deeper ownership

Song 5:1

I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved ones!

VII. PROOF OF HER MATURITY

1.     The test that reveals her affection

Song 5:2-8

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, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night.” ³ I have taken off my robe; How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; How can I defile them?  ⁴My beloved put his hand By the latch of the door, And my heart yearned for him. ⁵ I arose to open for my beloved, And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock. ⁶ I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 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. ⁸ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick! 

VIII. DECLARATION OF HER AFFIRMATION

1.     Oh My

Song 5:9-16

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? ¹⁰ My beloved is white and ruddy, Chief among ten thousand. ¹¹ His head is like the finest gold; His locks are wavy, And black as a raven. ¹² His eyes are like doves By the rivers of waters, Washed with milk, And fitly set. ¹³            His cheeks are like a bed of spices, Banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, Dripping liquid myrrh. ¹⁴            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!

2.     The witness

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?

  IX. THE SEAL

1.     The fiery Seal of Divine Love

Song 8:5-7

⁵ Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. ⁶           Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame. ⁷ Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.