Aspects of the Bride of Christ Part 6/6.

The characteristics of the Bride by Guest blogger Alex Smith.

Cant. 8:6 - 7 “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is as strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned (despised).”

Notice the paired OPPOSITES: Heart, Arm. But BOTH show forth “love”. Love in the heart, Love in Strength (e.g. “the arm of the Lord”) “Set me as a seal” indicates making it exclusive— like a seal on a letter or official document, ONLY opened by the one to whom it is addressed.Next phrase: Love is paired with Jealousy (Godly jealousy, II Corinthians 11:2)... as “death” and “grave” are paired together. “Love is stronger than Death”. but DEATH IS the strongest thing, EXCEPT Love— because in the New Testament it says that “the LAST enemy to be destroyed is death” and “death and hell will be thrown into the Lake of Fire”... So ‘Amor Vincit Omnia’ —only LOVE is stronger; so this is a parallel CONTRAST. Then coals/ coals of fire/ vehement flame are contrasted with Water/ Floods (in verse 7). Heat, fire, compared with Love, “cannot quench” (put out, like water does). If a man give all his substance for Love— it would be despised “Pah! What would I care about THAT: houses, and riches, etc. It doesn’t hold a candle to this Love!” J.P. Morgan I think it was, said, “I’d give all my wealth for one happy marriage!” (He was immensely rich, but went through several unhappy relationships). As The Song of Songs draws to its conclusion, we see the depth of maturity in the love from the Shulamite: it has deepened to the strongest commitment yet described. 

Cant. 8:8 - 10 The Shulamite’s brothers apparently speaking here: “We have a little sister, she has no breasts” — means, we have immature Christians with no means of “nourishing the young” (the new Christians)... “If she be a wall, we will build upon her palaces of silver. If she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.”

This is stating a problem, then a remedy to the problem. A Wall —a boundary that holds people out. This type of person has the improper boundaries in their life of restriction, stand-offishness, excluding others, not having the love and openness that the Lord says will exemplify the Christian “They will know that you are my disciples by your love.” (John 13:35) The remedy to this, is “palaces of silver”. Silver is the Price of Redemption (Judas and the 30 pieces of Silver), Palaces = dwelling place of the King. The brothers [close associates] of the Bride say of this type of immature Christian, that we will “advertise” that she IS the Dwelling place of the King who ransomed her, paying the price of Redemption for her! ! !If she be a door— improper boundaries of letting in people that shouldn’t be let in. There are some who let in anyone and anything: who in their immaturity are gullible and even “desperate”, and tend toward allowing Man and Man’s “winds of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14) infiltrate their lives. The brothers protectively say that we will ENCLOSE her (stop the gap) with “boards of cedar” Two things: cedar represents Humanity (wood = humanity) ...but it was ALSO what the INTERIOR of the Temple was made of: it was clad in cedar. So they are saying, “If this immature Christian has an Open Door where she oughtn’t —improper or lacking boundaries, we will erect the PROPER boundary of human counsel (humanity, cedar) AND that will be Godly counsel, but coming through humanity, just as the inside of the Temple of God was CLAD WITH CEDAR. (Proverb 11:14)

Abishag responds, “I am a Wall, and my breasts are like towers. Then was I as one that found favour in his sight.”

This is meaning, not a Wall as in a TOO private boundary, but just a PROPER boundary— and affirming that she DOES have the means to Nourish the Young (“breasts”). The phrase “like a tower” means that they are prominent, noticeable. The Bride’s ability to nourish the babes in Christ is noticeable by the Lord. Solomon (i.e. Jesus) sees this with favour. saying “Yeah, I like that... I REALLY REALLY like that.” Because that is what he is looking for... someone mature enough in him— in the security of belonging to him— to assert that they have these characteristics.

The characteristics of The Bride are:

·        Seeing one’s deficiencies, yet seeing one’s self as the Lord sees (“I am black, yet comely”)

·        Being as a common “flower” hidden in amongst society, yet giving forth a sweet fragrance unto the Lord (“Lily of the valleys”)

·        Knowing when, according to the Times and Seasons of the Lord, is the appropriate time to “stir up love”. We should ALWAYS be developing a deeper love and commitment to the Lord, yet there are times when this shall be more openly seen and displayed— and times when it is hidden except from Him. A plant can have a small blossom, yet a deep root.

·        Paying heed in one’s heart to seemingly small matters of sin, that may have devastating spiritual consequences. (“the little foxes that spoil the vine”).

·        People with the Heart of the Bride know and revel in the SECURITY of the relationship that they share with the Lord— yet are keenly aware of the longing for His return, well-knowing the sense of separation. They have a resolve to be separate from the World, and to be joined heart-to-heart with Jesus.

·        Again, will “receive the compliment” from the Lord that “there is no spot in thee”. That does not mean “pretending that we do not sin” (I John 1:8, 10), but freely accepting the way that God sees us! One must have spiritual faith to grab ahold of this. Please DO !

·        Accepting both trials (“Awake, O north wind”) and blessings (“and come, thou south”), recognising that God uses both in our lives.

·        Having “living water” pour forth out of the core of our being, toward others; and simultaneously, having such depth of worship to the Lord, that it is like “liquor” to Him! And the result will be that any that are Saved through us, shall be like “wheat”: that is, we will not make shallow converts for the Lord, but truly teach the young in the Way, that they will not be turned aside.

·        Having an undivided, exclusive love and commitment to the King of Glory.

·        Having proper boundaries, balanced with proper giving.

THIRD POINT: “The Battles of The Bride”. 

Song of Solomon 5:6 - 9 After having sleepily delayed responding to her love, the King— whereupon he left her, disappointed by her lack of response, all in a panic she went out into the streets to look for him. 

“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! 

I charge you, O Daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him that I am love-sick!”

“What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, that thou dost charge us so?”

This is SERIOUS ! The watchmen, “the keepers of the walls”, that is, those who are on the lookout for enemies, those who keep established proper boundaries (“walls”)... the very ones that should be able to DISCERN what is, and is not of God; what is a real spiritual truth (true spiritual love in this case) and false counterfeits of demons— pseudo-love— make the grave mistake of THINKING THAT SHE IS A NIGHT-WALKING PROSTITUTE ! ! !     

They rough her up, and strip away her veil! In other words, they are saying “You are not worthy to be clothed in modest apparel, as a REAL modest woman would be— you’re just a whore! We will strip off that ‘veil’... we will EXPOSE you! You vile wretch!” (See I Timothy 2:9 - 10)

There are very real spiritual counterfeits in the Church today; and they do need to be exposed. But BE CAREFUL that you are not “pulling up the Wheat along with the Tares” (as in the Parable in Matthew 13:24 - 30... tares are a weed called “Darnel” that looks just like Wheat). 

If you are a “watchman”, then BE SO CAREFUL! Ezekiel 33:1 - 6 adjures us to Watch, Warn, and deliver our souls. But do not mistake those with the Heart of the Bride for those who are compromising the Gospel with unclean counterfeit spirits that mimic the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between those who do have the Heart of the Bride, and yet have errors (“Abishag”), and those who are actually delving into demonic counterfeits and won’t listen to correction. It can be tricky. They can be pretty close in appearance at times.

In the Canticle here, the Bride is “searching for her Love”— but finds no help from the Watchmen, NOR from the Daughters of Jerusalem. Those who keep watch for enemies, PLUS those who serve in the King’s Court... are useless to her, and even detrimental. In fact, there are those Christians who do not, and will not understand the depth of love some have for Jesus! They think that going to church is okay, and that speaker was interesting, and the songs were all right; they do have a commitment to the Lord... but when one tries to describe the passion of their own heart to them, they simply can’t relate! 

But, it isn’t for us to judge anyone’s heart. Sometimes we can feel a sense of futility at trying to communicate this love to other Christians... but we must leave judgements of their hearts in the hands of the only One Who can truly see.

I myself relate to this passage. I have found it a struggle to communicate what my relationship with the Lord is really like, even to other Christians, who “ought to understand”... but they frequently don’t, or I sense that if I did try to tell them, they just wouldn’t relate, so I don’t bother; and then I feel very stymied and frustrated.

Now we diverge from The Song of Solomon, to the prologue found in I Kings 1 and 2.

Here we find that as elderly King David was on his death-bed, his son Adonijah (in I Kings 1) set himself to be king. But word came to David, and he proclaimed Solomon to be king, as he had done earlier. Solomon was then installed, and those who had sided with Adonijah backed away. He clung to the “horns of the Altar” (a gesture of seeking amnesty, continued into our recent history by fleeing for sanctuary into a church or Cathedral), whereupon Solomon pardoned him with a warning that he should behave himself honourably, on the pain of death.

The story picks up in I Kings 2. Solomon is now enthroned; Adonijah asks Solomon’s mother Bathsheba to go before the King on his behalf, asking a favour.

“Adonijah’s ‘Favour’ Leads To His Death” 

-I Kings 2:13 - 25

“And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, ‘Comest thou peaceably?’ 

And he said, ‘Peaceably.’ He said moreover, ‘I have something to say unto thee.’ 

And she said, ‘Say on.’ 

And he said, ‘Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom is turned about and has become my brother’s— for it was his from the LORD. And now I ask one petition of me: deny me not.’

And she said unto him, ‘Say on.’

And he said, ‘Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the King (for he will not tell thee no) — that he give me Abishag the Shulamite for my wife!’

And Bathsheba said, ‘Well, I will speak for thee unto the King.’ 

Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right hand.

Then she said, ‘I desire one small petition of thee: say thee not nay [don’t say ‘no’].’

And the king said unto her, ‘Ask on, my mother, for I will not say thee nay.’ [I will not say no.]

And she said, ‘Let Abishag the Shulamite be given to thy brother Adonijah for his wife.”

And the king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, ‘And WHY dost thou ask for Abishag the Shulamite for Adonijah??? Ask for him the KINGDOM also— for he is mine elder brother, even for him, and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!’

Then King Solomon swore by YHWH saying, ‘God do so unto me and more also, if Adonijah had not spoken this word against his own life! Now, therefore, as YHWH liveth, Who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and Who has made me a house [a dynasty] as He promised—ADONIJAH SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH, THIS DAY! ! !’

And King Solomon sent, by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoida: and he fell upon him, that he died.”

We have a historical occurrence. But as Paul wrote that these things happened for our admonition, as examples (I Corinthians 10:11), we feel compelled to see overlays of meaning and significance embedded in these accounts.  They are not mere events: they contain representational figures as well as the literal ones.

Already, due to Matthew 12:42 we know that Jesus is represented by King Solomon “...a greater than Solomon is here.” 

Who is it that wants to USURP the throne of Jesus? None other than Satan, who said (while he was yet an angel of YHWH in the heavenly realm, in ancient times) “I will exalt MY THRONE above the stars of God... I will be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:13 - 14)

Who is it that, in the End Times, will be manifested to the world, sitting in the Temple AS GOD, [or, as a god] proclaiming that he IS God [or, is a god]? (II Thessalonians 2:4.)

The phrase “as a god” is according to Greek grammar: the anarthrous noun, or, that is, a noun without a Definite Article [‘the’] can be rendered in Greek as one with an Indefinite Article in English. In other words, if there is no Greek word for “the” in the text, it CAN be translated with our “a” (they don’t have a corresponding word).

In any case, the answer is CLEAR:

It’s the upcoming AntiChrist who will either proclaim that he IS God, or that he is a god. Blasphemy either way: but many WILL BE CONVINCED of it.

The Hebrew name “Adonijah” MEANS “YHWH is Lord”, from ‘Adon’, which means “lord/ master/ owner/ possessor” and ‘Jah’, (pronounced ‘Yah’), shortened version of YHWH. But here in this passage (I Kings 2:13 - 25) we see enacted the false counterfeit of the man’s name. 

Adonijah’s request (by Bathsheba) was a scheme to not only take the Jewel of Solomon’s Heart, the beautiful peerless Bride... but it was also a scheme take the kingdom by subterfuge from Solomon: to marry a dead king’s wife (David’s legal wife) was, according to the oriental custom, to claim the Rights of the Kingship. (II Samuel 12:8 -God talking to David about Saul’s wives; II Samuel 16:21 - 22 -where Absalom tries to disgrace his father David and lay claim to the kingdom, in an open show of it.)

That’s why Solomon exploded with anger: (my paraphrase here) “WHAT !? He wants ABISHAG? He might as well have asked for the KINGDOM! ! !” —And he had him KILLED for that.

In the great Tribulation and the days leading up to it— the attack of the devil will become more ferocious than ever before: more persecution, certainly; but more DECEPTION, trying to entice God’s CHRISTIANS (as well as the unsaved) into thinking that HIS counterfeits are REAL! Already we see false prophecy abounding, false so-called prophets and false so-called apostles; when I was young we would read in the Bible of these things, and say “Well, Lord, we’ll believe it, because it’s in there— but we don’t see anyone even claiming to BE a prophet, or an apostle! Much less any false ones!” And now... they are all over the place!

The devil, embodied in the AntiChrist, and the spirit of antiChrist pervading the ranks of the deceived, is TRYING TO TAKE THE BRIDE for his own!

Christians who love the Lord on this deep a level... are being sought out by the ‘anti’ [‘opposite, like in a mirror: looking real but not real’; i.e. false, fake, counterfeit] ‘christos’ [anointed one, or anointing].

He is “asking the Prince of Peace for them”. PEACE, in Hebrew, is ‘Shalom’ — Solomon; ‘Shulamith’ is the feminine version of the word. The bride takes the name of her Groom, in a female version of it. Jesus IS the Prince of ‘Shalom’, (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you: that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not...” (Luke 22:31 - 32a)

Satan knows that his judgement is coming; but he wants to drag away as many as he possibly can with him, for his ultimate revenge. Indeed, the apostasy that Paul warns of in II Thessalonians 2:3 is echoed in Revelation 12:4 where in this scenario, John writes that “his tail drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven and did cast them to the earth.” (“Stars” representing saints, as in I Corinthians 15:41 – 42). This is a prophetic literary device known as ‘heterosis’ —stating a future happening as so sure, as if it has already occurred. You can bet that the Bride of Christ is at the top of his target list!

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:24 that because of LYING signs and wonders, “IF it was possible, they shall deceive the very Chosen Ones— the very elect.”

But when Adonijah, the usurper king, asked for Abishag, “the choice one of her mother”, that jewel of a beauty queen, the fury of the TRUE King was levied against him— to his death.

And no less shall be the Wrath of the Righteous Son of God against the one who would seek to take His Bride away into the darkness of deception!

Great will be the fury against the devil, and great will be his final doom!

But these two passages, the first in Song of Solomon 5:6 - 9, and the second in I Kings 2:13 - 25 show the Battles of the Bride:

INTERNALLY:

·        A battle within the ranks of Christendom; the very people that should be adept at watching for enemies (the devil, demons, deception, counterfeits, false prophets, false teachers, etc.) mistake her (and OUR) genuine love, dedication, and passion for Jesus as something fake: ascribing it to spiritual prostitution, that is, reckoning it to be unclean when in fact it is PURE.

·        And even when those with the Heart of the Bride go to others in the Body of Christ (the “Daughters of Jerusalem” sort)... they are misunderstood, and don’t receive the help or spiritual support that they are looking for.

EXTERNALLY:

·        The AntiChrist, that is, the counterfeit anointing with lying signs and wonders, will seek to entice those with the Heart of the Bride away from the true King of Kings, into a false Christianity; but as the enraged Solomon had Adonijah executed for his covetous infamy, so JESUS WILL SAVE THOSE who continue to trust in him. (Nahum 1:7)

                                                       *    

My brothers and sisters in the Lord— I believe that my calling is at least in part, to help mature the sons of God; and also in conjunction with this, to call forth those with the Heart of the Bride.

I hope that this study was not only theologically helpful; I sincerely hope that this has helped spur in you the vision for the place in the Lord which we all may occupy, if we but seek Him with our whole hearts (Deuteronomy 4:29). If we press in, and seek to develop our hearts in a greater depth of love to Him, we shall lay hold on those great and mighty promises that He has so graciously made available to us: to HAVE and POSSESS the relationship with Him that He has always desired!

God created us for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11): namely, for fellowship with His heart. And as the servant of Abraham went to the east into Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor, to seek a bride for Isaac, so the servants of the Lord seek a Bride for the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus. And in Genesis 24:58 after the servant had spoken of his errand, they said, “We will ask her if she will go with you.” And when they had asked her, Rebekah said, “I WILL GO.” 

Now the Lord is calling in these Last Days, if you will come to the Wedding Feast of His own dear Son.

You can come as a guest... OR, you can come AS THE BRIDE. The choice is yours on how CLOSE you want to be to his heart. You can be as close as you want to be.

The closing words of that great canticle, the love-poem that, of all Solomon’s one thousand and five songs he wrote, was preserved in its greatness and beauty for our instruction through the ages, leaves the ending UNFINISHED.

Abishag the Shulamite, in one interpretation, is looking longingly down the dusty road leading from her country village of Shulem... driving south toward Jerusalem goes Solomon in his royal chariot and entourage, promising to come back and fetch her for the Royal Wedding.

There is no proper ending to this book; it finishes with her plaintive cry:

“Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.” (Song of Solomon 8:14)

In Matthew 25:6 Jesus said, “And at MIDNIGHT there was a cry made: ‘BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH: Go ye out to meet Him.’ ”

And in Revelation 22:17 we see those with the Heart of the Bride joining cry unto cry with the very Spirit of the Living God: 

“And the Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come!’ 

And let him that heareth, say ‘Come!’

And let him that is athirst come.

And whosoever will [wants to], let him take of the Water of Life freely.”

Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies of these things saith ‘Surely, I come quickly.’ —Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Amen.”

L. Alex Smith

29 February, 2020

West Lothian, Scotland