1 00:00:01,272 --> 00:00:11,176 Well, let's pray once again. 2 00:00:11,176 --> 00:00:18,089 Father, we come to You, 3 00:00:18,089 --> 00:00:20,022 Lord, we thank You. 4 00:00:20,022 --> 00:00:24,553 Just singing these songs... 5 00:00:24,553 --> 00:00:27,454 the hope that we have as those 6 00:00:27,454 --> 00:00:31,928 who have been bought by the blood, 7 00:00:31,928 --> 00:00:35,385 You'll never, no never forsake. 8 00:00:35,385 --> 00:00:37,052 And we stand in that confidence 9 00:00:37,052 --> 00:00:40,444 that our sins have been washed. 10 00:00:40,444 --> 00:00:41,594 Lord, we recognize, 11 00:00:41,594 --> 00:00:44,223 we gather together here, 12 00:00:44,223 --> 00:00:46,692 2018, 13 00:00:46,692 --> 00:00:48,825 the east side of San Antonio. 14 00:00:48,825 --> 00:00:50,731 We're here. We're here collectively. 15 00:00:50,731 --> 00:00:52,011 We're here as a people 16 00:00:52,011 --> 00:00:54,538 because there is a Redeemer; 17 00:00:54,538 --> 00:00:56,386 because Christ came into the world; 18 00:00:56,386 --> 00:00:58,218 because He saved a people 19 00:00:58,218 --> 00:01:01,305 and is continuing to save a people. 20 00:01:01,305 --> 00:01:03,727 And it's real. Salvation is real. 21 00:01:03,727 --> 00:01:06,519 And we are the fruit of that. 22 00:01:06,519 --> 00:01:07,720 We thank You, Lord. 23 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,454 We thank You that there is such a thing as salvation. 24 00:01:10,454 --> 00:01:12,730 We thank You that we're not left 25 00:01:12,730 --> 00:01:14,032 like the demons; 26 00:01:14,032 --> 00:01:17,146 we're not left like the angels who fell with no hope; 27 00:01:17,146 --> 00:01:19,416 only the certainty of a lake of fire. 28 00:01:19,416 --> 00:01:22,794 But there is a promise of salvation 29 00:01:22,794 --> 00:01:24,743 to those who will flee to Christ, 30 00:01:24,743 --> 00:01:26,260 and we thank You that there is 31 00:01:26,260 --> 00:01:32,714 such a hope for the sons of man. 32 00:01:32,714 --> 00:01:35,371 We have our brother Matt here today, 33 00:01:35,371 --> 00:01:37,243 and the church in Saltillo 34 00:01:37,243 --> 00:01:39,818 is without their leader, and we pray, 35 00:01:39,818 --> 00:01:44,339 Father, may You encourage the brethren there 36 00:01:44,339 --> 00:01:48,929 and I imagine Ernesto is speaking. 37 00:01:48,929 --> 00:01:51,601 Lord, whoever it is, I pray 38 00:01:51,601 --> 00:01:56,193 that You would help down there. 39 00:01:56,193 --> 00:01:57,796 Brother Matt reminded us 40 00:01:57,796 --> 00:02:03,721 of our brethren in Poland. 41 00:02:03,721 --> 00:02:09,138 And Lord, we think about our brethren there fondly 42 00:02:09,138 --> 00:02:14,276 and remember our recent visit, 43 00:02:14,276 --> 00:02:16,492 and Adam and Alisa. 44 00:02:16,492 --> 00:02:19,863 Lord, we pray for that little work there. 45 00:02:19,863 --> 00:02:21,904 May Your hand be upon them for good. 46 00:02:21,904 --> 00:02:24,770 We want to see that church grow 47 00:02:24,770 --> 00:02:28,300 and be a real light and influence in Poland. 48 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:32,037 We remember our brother there in Manchester 49 00:02:32,037 --> 00:02:33,555 and the church. 50 00:02:33,555 --> 00:02:35,684 Lord, we have fond memories there too, 51 00:02:35,684 --> 00:02:42,136 and I pray for those brethren. 52 00:02:42,136 --> 00:02:44,502 Please do remember our brother Kevin 53 00:02:44,502 --> 00:02:46,790 as he's sick today. 54 00:02:46,790 --> 00:02:50,715 Father, I pray that You would give him rest. 55 00:02:50,715 --> 00:02:52,763 Rest for his physical body 56 00:02:52,763 --> 00:02:57,132 and rest for his soul. 57 00:02:57,132 --> 00:02:59,007 We pray that You would be with us now 58 00:02:59,007 --> 00:03:00,585 as we seek to open up the Word. 59 00:03:00,585 --> 00:03:05,664 I ask in Christ's name, Amen. 60 00:03:05,664 --> 00:03:09,050 Okay, brethren, Ephesians 3. 61 00:03:09,050 --> 00:03:11,761 We're just going to be there momentarily. 62 00:03:11,761 --> 00:03:16,725 We'll read the text that we've been looking at there 63 00:03:16,725 --> 00:03:21,311 over the past weeks. 64 00:03:26,094 --> 00:03:33,381 Ephesians 3:14, 65 00:03:33,381 --> 00:03:35,668 "For this reason..." 66 00:03:35,668 --> 00:03:37,699 Ephesians 3:14. 67 00:03:37,699 --> 00:03:39,251 The Apostle Paul speaking 68 00:03:39,251 --> 00:03:41,732 to the church at Ephesus. 69 00:03:41,732 --> 00:03:45,836 "For this reason..." 70 00:03:45,836 --> 00:03:48,484 Really, the reason is because these people 71 00:03:48,484 --> 00:03:51,788 are the chosen of God. 72 00:03:51,788 --> 00:03:55,327 They're the ones that God is at work in. 73 00:03:55,327 --> 00:03:57,348 They're the ones that Christ 74 00:03:57,348 --> 00:04:00,198 has brought near by His blood. 75 00:04:00,198 --> 00:04:02,257 Because of that, 76 00:04:02,257 --> 00:04:06,177 "I bow my knees before the Father 77 00:04:06,177 --> 00:04:08,309 from whom every family in heaven 78 00:04:08,309 --> 00:04:10,725 and on earth is named." 79 00:04:10,725 --> 00:04:13,953 Or "from whom the whole family..." 80 00:04:13,953 --> 00:04:17,643 I think the ESV is probably not best there. 81 00:04:17,643 --> 00:04:19,883 But the whole family in heaven - 82 00:04:19,883 --> 00:04:22,316 there's one family. 83 00:04:22,316 --> 00:04:27,848 There's one temple. There's one people. 84 00:04:27,848 --> 00:04:30,013 "That Christ might unite all things 85 00:04:30,013 --> 00:04:32,380 in heaven and earth" is how this book started 86 00:04:32,380 --> 00:04:34,418 back in chapter 1. 87 00:04:34,418 --> 00:04:36,120 "From whom the whole family 88 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,082 in heaven and on earth is named, 89 00:04:39,082 --> 00:04:43,882 that according to the riches of His glory, 90 00:04:43,882 --> 00:04:45,566 He may grant you to be strengthened 91 00:04:45,566 --> 00:04:48,535 with power through His Spirit 92 00:04:48,535 --> 00:04:50,615 in your inner being 93 00:04:50,615 --> 00:04:53,564 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, 94 00:04:53,564 --> 00:04:55,619 that you being rooted and grounded in love 95 00:04:55,619 --> 00:04:57,702 may have strength..." 96 00:04:57,702 --> 00:04:59,648 This is what we're dealing with. 97 00:04:59,648 --> 00:05:01,897 "...Strength to comprehend with all the saints 98 00:05:01,897 --> 00:05:03,484 what is the breadth and length 99 00:05:03,484 --> 00:05:05,938 and height and depth 100 00:05:05,938 --> 00:05:08,181 and to know the love of Christ 101 00:05:08,181 --> 00:05:11,199 that surpasses knowledge 102 00:05:11,199 --> 00:05:14,806 that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 103 00:05:14,806 --> 00:05:16,923 And I've been thinking, 104 00:05:16,923 --> 00:05:20,353 okay, how do we do this? 105 00:05:20,353 --> 00:05:22,656 Where are we going to go 106 00:05:22,656 --> 00:05:25,809 to try to span some of these depths 107 00:05:25,809 --> 00:05:28,267 of the love of Christ? 108 00:05:28,267 --> 00:05:32,690 And you know, as I've thought about it, 109 00:05:32,690 --> 00:05:36,250 as I've walked and prayed 110 00:05:36,250 --> 00:05:43,247 and just tried to contemplate this love of Christ, 111 00:05:43,247 --> 00:05:45,295 personally, I keep coming back. 112 00:05:45,295 --> 00:05:48,080 It's almost like the Lord is saying 113 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:49,942 take them to the Song of Solomon. 114 00:05:49,942 --> 00:05:52,149 Take them there. 115 00:05:52,149 --> 00:05:57,055 Brethren, if you look, if you just Google 116 00:05:57,055 --> 00:05:58,662 the love of Christ, 117 00:05:58,662 --> 00:06:01,439 probably what you will find - 118 00:06:01,439 --> 00:06:03,151 at least one thing you'll find 119 00:06:03,151 --> 00:06:06,821 is a sermon by Paul Washer. 120 00:06:06,821 --> 00:06:08,621 "The Love of Christ." 121 00:06:08,621 --> 00:06:12,775 Where could you imagine that he preached from? 122 00:06:12,775 --> 00:06:14,508 (incomplete thought) 123 00:06:14,508 --> 00:06:16,900 How many of you have listened to that message? 124 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:18,401 Yeah, a number of you. 125 00:06:18,401 --> 00:06:19,630 Song of Solomon. 126 00:06:19,630 --> 00:06:21,257 That's where he was. 127 00:06:21,257 --> 00:06:23,855 There's a Puritan paperback. 128 00:06:23,855 --> 00:06:28,104 Most of you know the Puritan paperback series? 129 00:06:28,104 --> 00:06:31,349 This is nice because you know, 130 00:06:31,349 --> 00:06:38,029 if you got the full John Owen set, 131 00:06:38,029 --> 00:06:39,443 it's big. 132 00:06:39,443 --> 00:06:42,206 Plus Hebrews - it's real big. 133 00:06:42,206 --> 00:06:46,102 This one is by Richard Sibbes. 134 00:06:46,102 --> 00:06:49,037 If you got everything that Richard Sibbes wrote, 135 00:06:49,037 --> 00:06:50,718 it's a lot. 136 00:06:50,718 --> 00:06:55,994 What's beautiful about the Puritan paperback series - 137 00:06:55,994 --> 00:06:59,055 Wendy, did you all buy the whole set 138 00:06:59,055 --> 00:07:02,010 for the women's Grace House? 139 00:07:02,010 --> 00:07:03,819 Do you have all of them? 140 00:07:03,819 --> 00:07:06,312 Yeah, the set's pretty wide, 141 00:07:06,312 --> 00:07:08,089 but the beauty of that set 142 00:07:08,089 --> 00:07:11,893 is it's all of the best known Puritans 143 00:07:11,893 --> 00:07:15,208 and their best-known writings. 144 00:07:15,208 --> 00:07:19,038 This one - a lot of you probably can't see it. 145 00:07:19,038 --> 00:07:20,913 The Puritan Richard Sibbes. 146 00:07:20,913 --> 00:07:24,560 It's called "The Love of Christ." 147 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,977 Now, just try to guess 148 00:07:28,977 --> 00:07:30,895 what book he was preaching from 149 00:07:30,895 --> 00:07:35,110 that became this book. 150 00:07:35,110 --> 00:07:37,599 Yes, the Song of Solomon. 151 00:07:37,599 --> 00:07:38,755 Listen to this. 152 00:07:38,755 --> 00:07:41,552 Listen to what it says on the back cover. 153 00:07:41,552 --> 00:07:42,948 I love this, 154 00:07:42,948 --> 00:07:46,424 because this is what I want for us. 155 00:07:46,424 --> 00:07:48,554 "The Song of Solomon 156 00:07:48,554 --> 00:07:53,383 does not simply mouth a doctrine. 157 00:07:53,383 --> 00:07:59,264 It's sensuous imagery sings its message. 158 00:07:59,264 --> 00:08:02,267 It is as if this love story 159 00:08:02,267 --> 00:08:05,517 is played on violins. 160 00:08:05,517 --> 00:08:07,707 The reader is thus brought 161 00:08:07,707 --> 00:08:09,969 not simply to understand, 162 00:08:09,969 --> 00:08:13,993 but to taste and share the delights 163 00:08:13,993 --> 00:08:16,145 of the lovers. 164 00:08:16,145 --> 00:08:21,093 This is precisely what Christ's people need 165 00:08:21,093 --> 00:08:22,613 as Sibbes knew. 166 00:08:22,613 --> 00:08:25,963 It's not enough to be aware of Christ's love. 167 00:08:25,963 --> 00:08:32,215 We must sense, grasp, and enjoy it. 168 00:08:32,215 --> 00:08:35,542 Only then will we truly love the Lord our God 169 00:08:35,542 --> 00:08:38,921 with all of our hearts." 170 00:08:38,921 --> 00:08:43,935 I'm convinced of that. 171 00:08:43,935 --> 00:08:50,453 This book does not simply mouth a doctrine. 172 00:08:50,453 --> 00:08:55,335 It's sensuous imagery sings its message. 173 00:08:55,335 --> 00:08:57,641 See, that's what I want. 174 00:08:57,641 --> 00:08:59,564 Somehow to be able to speak to you 175 00:08:59,564 --> 00:09:02,255 in a way that you feel the love of Christ 176 00:09:02,255 --> 00:09:07,392 is being sung to you by Him, not from me. 177 00:09:07,392 --> 00:09:10,536 But through me, you would hear Him 178 00:09:10,536 --> 00:09:14,261 singing to you. 179 00:09:14,261 --> 00:09:19,679 The Song of Solomon. Let's go there. 180 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,096 And this is where I want to be 181 00:09:22,096 --> 00:09:27,541 for a number of weeks. 182 00:09:27,541 --> 00:09:30,981 The Song of Solomon. 183 00:09:30,981 --> 00:09:35,076 Obviously, it's in your Old Testaments. 184 00:09:35,076 --> 00:09:38,923 It's comes after the Psalms 185 00:09:38,923 --> 00:09:43,505 and the Proverbs. 186 00:09:43,505 --> 00:09:47,292 Ecclesiastes. 187 00:09:47,292 --> 00:09:56,572 It's right before the major prophet Isaiah. 188 00:09:56,572 --> 00:10:02,035 The Song of Solomon. 189 00:10:02,035 --> 00:10:09,081 I suspect that it is probably 190 00:10:09,081 --> 00:10:14,044 one of the least known, 191 00:10:14,044 --> 00:10:19,214 least traversed Old Testament books 192 00:10:19,214 --> 00:10:21,669 in our day. 193 00:10:21,669 --> 00:10:23,829 In fact, if there were a whole number of you 194 00:10:23,829 --> 00:10:26,697 that had never read the book through from end to end, 195 00:10:26,697 --> 00:10:29,474 that would not surprise me. 196 00:10:29,474 --> 00:10:31,869 The Song of Solomon. 197 00:10:31,869 --> 00:10:35,093 I just want to read the first seven verses. 198 00:10:35,093 --> 00:10:37,563 Let's read these together. 199 00:10:37,563 --> 00:10:40,270 "The Song of Songs 200 00:10:40,270 --> 00:10:43,219 which is Solomon's. 201 00:10:43,219 --> 00:10:47,850 Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, 202 00:10:47,850 --> 00:10:50,680 for Your love is better than wine. 203 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:54,185 Your anointing oils are fragrant. 204 00:10:54,185 --> 00:10:56,253 Your name is oil poured out. 205 00:10:56,253 --> 00:10:59,779 Therefore, virgins love You. 206 00:10:59,779 --> 00:11:02,371 Draw me after You. 207 00:11:02,371 --> 00:11:05,142 Let us run. 208 00:11:05,142 --> 00:11:09,433 The King has brought me into His chambers. 209 00:11:09,433 --> 00:11:11,651 We will exult and rejoice in You. 210 00:11:11,651 --> 00:11:14,625 We will extol Your love more than wine. 211 00:11:14,625 --> 00:11:18,218 Rightly do they love You. 212 00:11:18,218 --> 00:11:21,884 I am very dark, but lovely. 213 00:11:21,884 --> 00:11:23,619 O daughters of Jerusalem, 214 00:11:23,619 --> 00:11:25,417 like the tents of Kedar, 215 00:11:25,417 --> 00:11:28,082 like the curtains of Solomon, 216 00:11:28,082 --> 00:11:30,617 do not gaze at me because I am dark, 217 00:11:30,617 --> 00:11:32,749 because the sun has looked upon me. 218 00:11:32,749 --> 00:11:35,700 My mother's sons were angry with me. 219 00:11:35,700 --> 00:11:38,552 They made me keeper of the vineyards, 220 00:11:38,552 --> 00:11:41,885 but my own vineyard I have not kept. 221 00:11:41,885 --> 00:11:45,234 Tell me, You whom my soul loves, 222 00:11:45,234 --> 00:11:47,995 where You pasture Your flock? 223 00:11:47,995 --> 00:11:50,659 Where You make it lie down at noon? 224 00:11:50,659 --> 00:11:52,215 For why should I be like one 225 00:11:52,215 --> 00:11:55,128 who veils herself beside the flocks 226 00:11:55,128 --> 00:11:57,790 of your companions?" 227 00:11:57,790 --> 00:12:03,355 Now, I recognize that perhaps 228 00:12:03,355 --> 00:12:08,213 there's one obstacle for us to get past 229 00:12:08,213 --> 00:12:11,176 before I attempt to preach on Christ's love 230 00:12:11,176 --> 00:12:13,905 from this book. 231 00:12:13,905 --> 00:12:17,509 The question is this, 232 00:12:17,509 --> 00:12:25,109 is the Song of Solomon an allegory? 233 00:12:25,109 --> 00:12:28,369 Are we to believe that this book 234 00:12:28,369 --> 00:12:31,999 is symbolic? 235 00:12:32,014 --> 00:12:34,730 Are we to believe that? 236 00:12:34,730 --> 00:12:39,957 Where Solomon really isn't Solomon? 237 00:12:39,957 --> 00:12:41,892 But we're to look past Solomon 238 00:12:41,892 --> 00:12:43,609 and see Christ? 239 00:12:43,609 --> 00:12:52,004 And the bride is indeed the church? 240 00:12:52,004 --> 00:12:55,413 That's a good question. 241 00:12:55,413 --> 00:12:57,038 Because just recently, 242 00:12:57,038 --> 00:13:00,030 we were having a fellowship over at the women's Grace House, 243 00:13:00,030 --> 00:13:01,472 and one of the brothers 244 00:13:01,472 --> 00:13:03,619 asked me this question: 245 00:13:03,619 --> 00:13:05,248 (Kind of out of the blue) 246 00:13:05,248 --> 00:13:09,128 He said, "Song of Solomon. Is it allegory?" 247 00:13:09,128 --> 00:13:13,666 And I said yes. 248 00:13:13,666 --> 00:13:15,815 Not that I'm the authority on that, 249 00:13:15,815 --> 00:13:19,941 but that's my conviction. 250 00:13:19,941 --> 00:13:22,608 And I want to show you 251 00:13:22,608 --> 00:13:25,584 why over the next coming weeks, 252 00:13:25,584 --> 00:13:28,653 I am going to preach with such conviction 253 00:13:28,653 --> 00:13:32,224 and enthusiasm from this book, 254 00:13:32,224 --> 00:13:35,206 that this is indeed Christ's love 255 00:13:35,206 --> 00:13:39,972 for the church being exhibited here. 256 00:13:39,972 --> 00:13:44,485 And it shows us desires about the church as well. 257 00:13:44,485 --> 00:13:50,357 But I want to seek to convince you. 258 00:13:50,357 --> 00:13:53,102 Washer thinks so. 259 00:13:53,102 --> 00:13:56,115 Richard Sibbes thinks so. 260 00:13:56,115 --> 00:13:59,284 And let me just tell you a little bit historically. 261 00:13:59,284 --> 00:14:04,292 Spurgeon in his New Park Street pulpit 262 00:14:04,292 --> 00:14:08,067 and Metropolitan Tabernacle pulpit, 263 00:14:08,067 --> 00:14:11,620 he preaches 63 - that's interesting, 264 00:14:11,620 --> 00:14:14,098 because there's 63 volumes 265 00:14:14,098 --> 00:14:15,753 in that entire series. 266 00:14:15,753 --> 00:14:18,617 And in that 63 volume series, 267 00:14:18,617 --> 00:14:21,424 he preaches 63 sermons 268 00:14:21,424 --> 00:14:22,889 on the Song of Solomon. 269 00:14:22,889 --> 00:14:27,014 Every single one of them: Christ and the church. 270 00:14:27,014 --> 00:14:29,571 I know he's not the authority either, 271 00:14:29,571 --> 00:14:34,828 but we like to say what Spurgeon does, right? 272 00:14:34,828 --> 00:14:38,614 The well known missionary Hudson Taylor. 273 00:14:38,614 --> 00:14:39,920 He wrote a book called, 274 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:41,543 "Union and Communion" 275 00:14:41,543 --> 00:14:45,066 or "Thoughts on the Song of Solomon." 276 00:14:45,066 --> 00:14:48,946 He sees Christ and the church on every single page. 277 00:14:48,946 --> 00:14:51,968 The old Calvinistic Baptist John Gill 278 00:14:51,968 --> 00:14:55,352 wrote an exposition of the book of Solomon's Song. 279 00:14:55,352 --> 00:14:57,646 Again, he sees Christ everywhere. 280 00:14:57,646 --> 00:15:00,095 Now, here's something very interesting. 281 00:15:00,095 --> 00:15:03,982 Martin Luther - now see, Luther would not be 282 00:15:03,982 --> 00:15:07,453 the first guy that I would be thinking 283 00:15:07,453 --> 00:15:10,150 would take me to the Song of Solomon. 284 00:15:10,150 --> 00:15:12,364 But listen to this. 285 00:15:12,364 --> 00:15:16,340 When Martin Luther first explained - 286 00:15:16,340 --> 00:15:17,976 you remember where he was? 287 00:15:17,976 --> 00:15:19,507 He was in Romans actually. 288 00:15:19,507 --> 00:15:21,928 And I believe it was Romans 1:17. 289 00:15:21,928 --> 00:15:26,845 And he says it was like the doors of heaven were opened. 290 00:15:26,845 --> 00:15:32,067 And he saw and he embraced the doctrine 291 00:15:32,067 --> 00:15:35,508 of justification by faith in Christ. 292 00:15:35,508 --> 00:15:38,246 Justification by grace alone. 293 00:15:38,246 --> 00:15:39,910 And you know what? 294 00:15:39,910 --> 00:15:43,464 It was to the Song of Solomon 295 00:15:43,464 --> 00:15:47,813 that he turned for an illustration 296 00:15:47,813 --> 00:15:50,314 of the reality of this doctrine 297 00:15:50,314 --> 00:15:53,201 worked out in the life of Christians. 298 00:15:53,201 --> 00:15:58,288 You see, in medieval Roman Catholicism, 299 00:15:58,288 --> 00:16:02,261 Christ was a distant figure. 300 00:16:02,261 --> 00:16:05,379 Christ was not approachable. 301 00:16:05,379 --> 00:16:07,777 Mary was approachable. 302 00:16:07,777 --> 00:16:10,663 But you always needed mediators to get to Christ, 303 00:16:10,663 --> 00:16:16,591 whether it was priests, the saints, Mary. 304 00:16:16,591 --> 00:16:19,839 But for Luther, the understanding 305 00:16:19,839 --> 00:16:21,420 that the relationship between 306 00:16:21,420 --> 00:16:26,059 Christ and His people is a marital one. 307 00:16:26,059 --> 00:16:27,913 It changed everything for him. 308 00:16:27,913 --> 00:16:33,643 If Christ is the church's loving Bridegroom, 309 00:16:33,643 --> 00:16:36,176 what place is there for mediators? 310 00:16:36,176 --> 00:16:38,657 I mean, if that is indeed the imagery 311 00:16:38,657 --> 00:16:40,416 God wants us to have - 312 00:16:40,416 --> 00:16:42,077 husband and wife 313 00:16:42,077 --> 00:16:45,308 is Christ and the church. 314 00:16:45,308 --> 00:16:48,924 He saw right away. 315 00:16:48,924 --> 00:16:52,594 Luther got married. 316 00:16:52,594 --> 00:16:55,856 He married a former nun. 317 00:16:55,856 --> 00:16:58,162 He knew - he knew 318 00:16:58,162 --> 00:17:00,610 in the intimacy of husband and wife, 319 00:17:00,610 --> 00:17:06,133 there's no place for a mediator. 320 00:17:06,133 --> 00:17:07,520 In fact, listen to his words. 321 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,022 Here's a quote from him. 322 00:17:09,022 --> 00:17:12,612 "Let us often think of this nearness 323 00:17:12,612 --> 00:17:15,197 between Christ and us, 324 00:17:15,197 --> 00:17:18,822 and not be discouraged for any sin 325 00:17:18,822 --> 00:17:21,871 or unworthiness in us. 326 00:17:21,871 --> 00:17:24,747 Who sues a wife for debt 327 00:17:24,747 --> 00:17:26,578 when she's married? 328 00:17:26,578 --> 00:17:29,440 Therefore, answer all accusations thus. 329 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,350 If you have anything to say to me, 330 00:17:31,350 --> 00:17:36,088 go to my Husband." 331 00:17:36,088 --> 00:17:38,932 Jonathan Edwards argued 332 00:17:38,932 --> 00:17:44,213 that the very title was enough 333 00:17:44,213 --> 00:17:46,718 in his estimation to confirm 334 00:17:46,718 --> 00:17:48,579 that this is allegory. 335 00:17:48,579 --> 00:17:49,842 You say what do you mean? 336 00:17:49,842 --> 00:17:52,427 Probably a lot of you just looked down at the title. 337 00:17:52,427 --> 00:17:54,450 I'll get to that in just a second. 338 00:17:54,450 --> 00:17:58,558 But first, before I get to that, 339 00:17:58,558 --> 00:18:00,754 I want to just have you think 340 00:18:00,754 --> 00:18:02,757 about a number of things. 341 00:18:02,757 --> 00:18:05,193 History aside. 342 00:18:05,193 --> 00:18:08,734 Yeah, I like the fact John Gill, 343 00:18:08,734 --> 00:18:10,912 Hudson Taylor, Charles Spurgeon, 344 00:18:10,912 --> 00:18:13,177 Paul Washer, Richard Sibbes, 345 00:18:13,177 --> 00:18:17,103 Martin Luther... 346 00:18:17,103 --> 00:18:19,498 I like that there is historical weight 347 00:18:19,498 --> 00:18:22,291 behind this interpretation. 348 00:18:22,291 --> 00:18:24,984 But history aside, I want to explain to you 349 00:18:24,984 --> 00:18:27,766 some of the reasons 350 00:18:27,766 --> 00:18:31,175 that I am going to preach this as an allegory. 351 00:18:31,175 --> 00:18:35,542 First, do you remember 352 00:18:35,542 --> 00:18:39,931 when Jesus was speaking to the Jews in John 5? 353 00:18:39,931 --> 00:18:43,447 You know, one of the things He said is this. 354 00:18:43,447 --> 00:18:48,926 He said, "You search the Scriptures 355 00:18:48,926 --> 00:18:51,355 because you think that in them 356 00:18:51,355 --> 00:18:52,649 you have eternal life..." 357 00:18:52,649 --> 00:18:56,956 But what did He say after that? 358 00:18:56,956 --> 00:18:59,859 "They testify of Me." 359 00:18:59,859 --> 00:19:01,479 Now here's the thing. 360 00:19:01,479 --> 00:19:02,449 Here's the thing. 361 00:19:02,449 --> 00:19:06,640 We're taught by our Lord Himself 362 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,532 to see Christ throughout Scripture. 363 00:19:09,532 --> 00:19:10,982 And you see, this is the thing 364 00:19:10,982 --> 00:19:12,512 that He was saying to the Jews. 365 00:19:12,512 --> 00:19:16,288 He said, "You search..." 366 00:19:16,288 --> 00:19:19,461 And you think you found certain things in here, 367 00:19:19,461 --> 00:19:21,550 but let Me tell you something, 368 00:19:21,550 --> 00:19:25,574 that if you have eyes to see, 369 00:19:25,574 --> 00:19:28,081 it speaks of Me. 370 00:19:28,081 --> 00:19:32,008 You should find Me everywhere. 371 00:19:32,008 --> 00:19:33,313 Do you remember the two 372 00:19:33,313 --> 00:19:35,436 on the road to Emmaus? 373 00:19:35,436 --> 00:19:38,694 You know when their hearts burned within them, 374 00:19:38,694 --> 00:19:41,168 what was it He was telling them? 375 00:19:41,168 --> 00:19:43,360 You know what He was telling them? 376 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:45,968 He was showing Himself 377 00:19:45,968 --> 00:19:49,969 all over the Old Testament Scriptures. 378 00:19:49,969 --> 00:19:52,474 That's what it says there in Luke's Gospel 379 00:19:52,474 --> 00:19:54,272 chapter 24. 380 00:19:54,272 --> 00:19:56,486 "Beginning with Moses and all the prophets 381 00:19:56,486 --> 00:19:59,024 He interpreted them in all the Scriptures 382 00:19:59,024 --> 00:20:03,972 things concerning Himself." 383 00:20:03,972 --> 00:20:09,219 Brethren, when you see Adam, 384 00:20:09,219 --> 00:20:12,096 you should see Christ. 385 00:20:12,096 --> 00:20:15,415 Not exactly - in some ways it's the anti-type, 386 00:20:15,415 --> 00:20:17,824 but the figures in the Old Testament, 387 00:20:17,824 --> 00:20:20,633 have you ever read in 1 Corinthians 15 388 00:20:20,633 --> 00:20:32,124 that Jesus is called "the last Adam"? 389 00:20:32,124 --> 00:20:35,052 Scriptural authors tell us 390 00:20:35,052 --> 00:20:39,843 Christ is the real Adam. 391 00:20:39,843 --> 00:20:43,525 Or, Christ is David. 392 00:20:43,525 --> 00:20:46,255 Now, not literally, but symbolically. 393 00:20:46,255 --> 00:20:47,827 Have you ever read in Ezekiel? 394 00:20:47,827 --> 00:20:49,224 Ezekiel was a prophet. 395 00:20:49,224 --> 00:20:53,431 He came along long after David was dead 396 00:20:53,431 --> 00:20:57,541 and yet listen to Ezekiel. 397 00:20:57,541 --> 00:21:00,523 "God says, 'I will set up over them 398 00:21:00,523 --> 00:21:03,033 (His people) one Shepherd.'" 399 00:21:03,033 --> 00:21:06,668 Who? "My servant David." 400 00:21:06,668 --> 00:21:09,807 Jesus is called David. 401 00:21:09,807 --> 00:21:12,184 Why? "He shall feed them. 402 00:21:12,184 --> 00:21:14,925 He shall feed them and be their Shepherd, 403 00:21:14,925 --> 00:21:16,943 and I the Lord will be their God 404 00:21:16,943 --> 00:21:20,122 and My servant David shall be prince among them. 405 00:21:20,122 --> 00:21:23,422 I am the Lord. I have spoken.'" 406 00:21:23,422 --> 00:21:26,915 See, brethren, if we have eyes to see, 407 00:21:26,915 --> 00:21:29,930 Abel, a righteous man. 408 00:21:29,930 --> 00:21:35,641 His blood is shed and the blood speaks. 409 00:21:35,641 --> 00:21:40,609 Christ is the true Abel who has blood that speaks. 410 00:21:40,609 --> 00:21:43,772 Or you think about Seth. 411 00:21:43,772 --> 00:21:48,160 You see, it was said that the seed of the woman, 412 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:53,494 and Seth is the idea of another seed - 413 00:21:53,494 --> 00:21:55,631 the replacement for Abel. 414 00:21:55,631 --> 00:21:59,458 Christ is the true seed of the woman. 415 00:21:59,458 --> 00:22:00,923 In Moses, what do you have? 416 00:22:00,923 --> 00:22:02,012 The lawgiver. 417 00:22:02,012 --> 00:22:03,982 Christ is the true lawgiver. 418 00:22:03,982 --> 00:22:06,003 In Joshua, the conqueror. 419 00:22:06,003 --> 00:22:08,708 But we are supposed to see Christ in there. 420 00:22:08,708 --> 00:22:10,031 Boaz. 421 00:22:10,031 --> 00:22:11,850 He is the kinsmen redeemer, 422 00:22:11,850 --> 00:22:14,856 but who is the truest kinsmen redeemer? 423 00:22:14,856 --> 00:22:17,062 Brethren, as you go through the books, 424 00:22:17,062 --> 00:22:20,130 you see Mordecai. You see Boaz. 425 00:22:20,130 --> 00:22:21,589 You know, you read these books 426 00:22:21,589 --> 00:22:24,339 and it's like some of them God isn't even mentioned. 427 00:22:24,339 --> 00:22:26,002 Why are they even in Scripture? 428 00:22:26,002 --> 00:22:27,365 What's the purpose? 429 00:22:27,365 --> 00:22:31,613 It's because you're supposed to find Christ there. 430 00:22:31,613 --> 00:22:34,363 Joseph. Who is Joseph? 431 00:22:34,363 --> 00:22:37,615 He was the one who was hated by his brothers 432 00:22:37,615 --> 00:22:41,732 and yet God raised him up to save his brothers. 433 00:22:41,732 --> 00:22:44,747 There is Christ if we have eyes to see. 434 00:22:44,747 --> 00:22:48,382 Jeremiah. A man of sorrows. Ever weeping. 435 00:22:48,382 --> 00:22:51,627 Was Christ not that Man of Sorrows? 436 00:22:51,627 --> 00:22:53,305 David. 437 00:22:53,305 --> 00:22:56,473 God calls Jesus David. 438 00:22:56,473 --> 00:22:58,459 King. 439 00:22:58,459 --> 00:23:00,525 Shepherd. 440 00:23:00,525 --> 00:23:02,569 Now think with me about Solomon. 441 00:23:02,569 --> 00:23:04,102 Because Solomon is the one 442 00:23:04,102 --> 00:23:07,579 that we have to do with in the Song of Solomon. 443 00:23:07,579 --> 00:23:08,936 And I'll have you turn here. 444 00:23:08,936 --> 00:23:11,086 Look at 2 Samuel. 445 00:23:11,086 --> 00:23:19,387 Turn to 2 Samuel 7. 446 00:23:19,387 --> 00:23:21,664 Or you think of Jonah. 447 00:23:21,664 --> 00:23:25,113 Jonah, three days and nights 448 00:23:25,113 --> 00:23:26,870 in the belly of the whale. 449 00:23:26,870 --> 00:23:30,852 Three days and nights in the darkness. 450 00:23:30,852 --> 00:23:32,987 Don't see Jonah. 451 00:23:32,987 --> 00:23:36,658 See one greater than Jonah. 452 00:23:36,658 --> 00:23:40,860 That's the intent of the Scriptures. 453 00:23:40,860 --> 00:23:44,245 It's like everywhere in Scriptures, arrows. 454 00:23:44,245 --> 00:23:47,122 And they're all pointing in the same direction: 455 00:23:47,122 --> 00:23:49,419 to Christ. 456 00:23:49,419 --> 00:23:50,365 Christ. 457 00:23:50,365 --> 00:23:52,003 Solomon. 458 00:23:52,003 --> 00:23:54,449 Are we to take Solomon as a type of Christ? 459 00:23:54,449 --> 00:23:58,283 Look at 2 Samuel 7:12. 460 00:23:58,283 --> 00:24:02,008 God says to David, 461 00:24:02,008 --> 00:24:03,754 "When your days are fulfilled 462 00:24:03,754 --> 00:24:07,015 and you lie down with your fathers, 463 00:24:07,015 --> 00:24:10,484 I will raise up your offspring after you." 464 00:24:10,484 --> 00:24:14,389 Now who would that be? 465 00:24:14,389 --> 00:24:17,618 "...Who shall come from your body." 466 00:24:17,618 --> 00:24:21,544 Going to be direct bloodline here. 467 00:24:21,544 --> 00:24:24,515 "And I will establish his kingdom. 468 00:24:24,515 --> 00:24:29,210 He shall build a house..." 469 00:24:29,210 --> 00:24:32,335 Who's going to build the temple? 470 00:24:32,335 --> 00:24:33,836 Who builds the temple? 471 00:24:33,836 --> 00:24:37,509 Who builds the true temple? 472 00:24:37,509 --> 00:24:39,608 "And I will establish the throne 473 00:24:39,608 --> 00:24:44,372 of his kingdom..." forever? 474 00:24:44,372 --> 00:24:50,162 That sounds not so much like Solomon. 475 00:24:50,162 --> 00:24:51,896 "I will be to him a Father, 476 00:24:51,896 --> 00:24:54,022 and he shall be to me a son." 477 00:24:54,022 --> 00:24:55,443 Now listen to this, 478 00:24:55,443 --> 00:24:58,729 "When he commits iniquity..." 479 00:24:58,729 --> 00:25:01,197 Now, that's not our Lord. 480 00:25:01,197 --> 00:25:02,758 That is Solomon. 481 00:25:02,758 --> 00:25:05,226 "I will discipline him with the rod of men, 482 00:25:05,226 --> 00:25:07,721 with the stripes of the sons of men, 483 00:25:07,721 --> 00:25:10,185 but my steadfast love will not depart from him 484 00:25:10,185 --> 00:25:11,584 as I took it from Saul, 485 00:25:11,584 --> 00:25:13,305 whom I put away from before you 486 00:25:13,305 --> 00:25:14,984 and your house and your kingdom 487 00:25:14,984 --> 00:25:17,697 shall be made sure forever before Me. 488 00:25:17,697 --> 00:25:20,879 Your throne shall be established forever." 489 00:25:20,879 --> 00:25:25,193 We can look at this and we can say 490 00:25:25,193 --> 00:25:28,150 God's going to raise up an offspring after David. 491 00:25:28,150 --> 00:25:30,299 Is this Christ or Solomon? 492 00:25:30,299 --> 00:25:31,642 Solomon? Yes. 493 00:25:31,642 --> 00:25:33,493 Christ never commits iniquity. 494 00:25:33,493 --> 00:25:35,523 But I will establish his throne 495 00:25:35,523 --> 00:25:37,519 of his kingdom forever? 496 00:25:37,519 --> 00:25:39,462 Are we to see Solomon here? 497 00:25:39,462 --> 00:25:41,589 Yes, we're to see Solomon, but our eyes 498 00:25:41,589 --> 00:25:43,603 are to go beyond it to One 499 00:25:43,603 --> 00:25:45,934 who's kingdom is established 500 00:25:45,934 --> 00:25:49,649 forever and forever and forever. 501 00:25:49,649 --> 00:25:52,523 David's son must build the house of God. 502 00:25:52,523 --> 00:25:54,044 The temple. 503 00:25:54,044 --> 00:25:57,067 But who builds the true temple? 504 00:25:57,067 --> 00:25:59,165 One who is greater than Solomon. 505 00:25:59,165 --> 00:26:02,327 One who is greater than the temple itself. 506 00:26:02,327 --> 00:26:05,996 From my Hebrew lexicon, listen to this: 507 00:26:05,996 --> 00:26:10,066 Solomon - the meaning. 508 00:26:10,066 --> 00:26:13,241 I know many of you know that it means peace, 509 00:26:13,241 --> 00:26:16,833 but much more than the mere absence of war. 510 00:26:16,833 --> 00:26:18,690 It means completeness, 511 00:26:18,690 --> 00:26:21,233 wholeness, harmony, fulfillment. 512 00:26:21,233 --> 00:26:24,681 Listen to this: "implicit in shalom..." 513 00:26:24,681 --> 00:26:26,093 which is the word, 514 00:26:26,093 --> 00:26:31,711 "is the idea of unimpaired relationships with others." 515 00:26:31,711 --> 00:26:35,233 And I think to have Solomon, 516 00:26:35,233 --> 00:26:39,900 "the king of peace" is what that means. 517 00:26:39,900 --> 00:26:43,984 Christ is the true Prince of Peace. 518 00:26:43,984 --> 00:26:48,425 And to really focus in on that: 519 00:26:48,425 --> 00:26:51,697 "unimpaired relationships with others." 520 00:26:51,697 --> 00:26:54,782 What is the Song of Solomon about? 521 00:26:54,782 --> 00:26:58,448 It is about moving in the direction 522 00:26:58,448 --> 00:27:03,418 of an entirely unimpaired relationship 523 00:27:03,418 --> 00:27:06,639 between God's people and Christ. 524 00:27:06,639 --> 00:27:11,666 That's what we're going to find in the letter. 525 00:27:11,666 --> 00:27:14,039 Do you know if you go to the book of Revelation 526 00:27:14,039 --> 00:27:17,728 you find that Jesus Christ is portrayed 527 00:27:17,728 --> 00:27:21,278 as a Lamb who was slain. 528 00:27:21,278 --> 00:27:22,775 And He has horns. 529 00:27:22,775 --> 00:27:26,338 Do you remember how many horns He has? 530 00:27:26,338 --> 00:27:29,597 He has seven horns. 531 00:27:29,597 --> 00:27:32,391 That's kind of strange imagery, 532 00:27:32,391 --> 00:27:34,591 but it's not strange if you recognize 533 00:27:34,591 --> 00:27:37,661 that the number seven has significance. 534 00:27:37,661 --> 00:27:39,306 It means perfection. 535 00:27:39,306 --> 00:27:40,862 It means fulfillment. 536 00:27:40,862 --> 00:27:42,332 It means completion. 537 00:27:42,332 --> 00:27:45,442 He has seven horns. 538 00:27:45,442 --> 00:27:48,327 And do you remember what else He has seven of? 539 00:27:48,327 --> 00:27:49,983 Eyes. 540 00:27:49,983 --> 00:27:51,751 Seven eyes. 541 00:27:51,751 --> 00:27:54,096 That's the idea of all-seeing, 542 00:27:54,096 --> 00:27:55,611 perfect vision. 543 00:27:55,611 --> 00:28:00,571 Which it goes on to say the seven spirits of God. 544 00:28:00,571 --> 00:28:03,760 Seven is symbolic. 545 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:05,781 Could anybody take a wild guess 546 00:28:05,781 --> 00:28:08,971 at how many times the name Solomon 547 00:28:08,971 --> 00:28:12,684 shows up in the Song of Solomon? 548 00:28:12,684 --> 00:28:14,793 Guess. 549 00:28:14,793 --> 00:28:17,133 Maybe seven? 550 00:28:17,133 --> 00:28:18,956 And then, here's another thing. 551 00:28:18,956 --> 00:28:21,318 You know, the New Testament authors 552 00:28:21,318 --> 00:28:25,653 seem to draw on this allegory. 553 00:28:25,653 --> 00:28:27,573 And we could go to a number of places, 554 00:28:27,573 --> 00:28:29,842 even here in Ephesians where we started. 555 00:28:29,842 --> 00:28:32,293 But you just listen to John the Baptist. 556 00:28:32,293 --> 00:28:34,296 Do you remember these words in John 3? 557 00:28:34,296 --> 00:28:41,890 He said, "The One who has the bride 558 00:28:41,890 --> 00:28:44,979 is the Bridegroom." 559 00:28:44,979 --> 00:28:48,479 "The One who has the bride is the Bridegroom." 560 00:28:48,479 --> 00:28:50,895 He's referring to Christ and His people. 561 00:28:50,895 --> 00:28:54,548 Or you think of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11. 562 00:28:54,548 --> 00:28:56,490 He says this to the Corinthians, 563 00:28:56,490 --> 00:29:01,100 "I betrothed you to one Husband 564 00:29:01,100 --> 00:29:06,326 to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." 565 00:29:06,326 --> 00:29:07,987 Again, we have this imagery. 566 00:29:07,987 --> 00:29:12,236 You are the virgins. 567 00:29:12,236 --> 00:29:15,585 What Paul was doing in his ministry 568 00:29:15,585 --> 00:29:20,846 is what we do in our ministry today. 569 00:29:20,846 --> 00:29:25,904 It's to present you as pure virgins to Christ. 570 00:29:25,904 --> 00:29:29,440 That's the imagery. 571 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,059 Or you have it in Revelation: 572 00:29:31,059 --> 00:29:34,751 "The marriage of the Lamb has come 573 00:29:34,751 --> 00:29:39,341 and His bride has made herself ready." 574 00:29:39,341 --> 00:29:45,484 Now also think about this. 575 00:29:45,484 --> 00:29:48,314 Don't turn here, but just listen to this. 576 00:29:48,314 --> 00:29:50,166 In 1 Kings 11, 577 00:29:50,166 --> 00:29:58,753 "Now King Solomon loved many foreign women." 578 00:29:58,753 --> 00:30:01,328 That's bad. 579 00:30:01,328 --> 00:30:04,830 "Along with the daughter of Pharaoh, 580 00:30:04,830 --> 00:30:09,101 he loved Moabites, Ammonites, 581 00:30:09,101 --> 00:30:13,768 Edomites, Sidonian, and Hittite women 582 00:30:13,768 --> 00:30:17,937 from the nations concerning which 583 00:30:17,937 --> 00:30:20,342 the Lord had said to the people of Israel, 584 00:30:20,342 --> 00:30:23,303 'You shall not enter into marriage with them. 585 00:30:23,303 --> 00:30:25,792 Neither shall they with you, for surely, 586 00:30:25,792 --> 00:30:28,196 they will turn your heart away 587 00:30:28,196 --> 00:30:31,610 after their gods.' 588 00:30:31,610 --> 00:30:33,735 Solomon clung to these in love. 589 00:30:33,735 --> 00:30:36,181 He had 700 wives who were princesses 590 00:30:36,181 --> 00:30:38,039 and 300 who were concubines, 591 00:30:38,039 --> 00:30:45,035 and his wives his turned his heart away." 592 00:30:45,035 --> 00:30:47,739 Now, here's the thing. 593 00:30:47,739 --> 00:30:50,564 I find it hard to believe 594 00:30:50,564 --> 00:30:53,798 that God would set forth Solomon 595 00:30:53,798 --> 00:30:59,292 to lecture me on the love I should have for my wife. 596 00:30:59,292 --> 00:31:01,355 I can much more easily accept 597 00:31:01,355 --> 00:31:04,580 that the Holy Spirit has used Solomon 598 00:31:04,580 --> 00:31:08,941 in inspired fashion to write not of himself 599 00:31:08,941 --> 00:31:13,273 and his intimacy with one of his harem. 600 00:31:13,273 --> 00:31:15,561 But rather that he's writing of another - 601 00:31:15,561 --> 00:31:19,747 a greater than Solomon. 602 00:31:19,747 --> 00:31:24,987 This is just kind of a practical little aside point. 603 00:31:24,987 --> 00:31:30,302 But you know, if you actually had 1,000 wives 604 00:31:30,302 --> 00:31:33,349 and you wrote a song indicating you preferred 605 00:31:33,349 --> 00:31:35,683 one above all the rest, 606 00:31:35,683 --> 00:31:41,199 you're going to have 999 other people 607 00:31:41,199 --> 00:31:45,959 that you probably just alienated. 608 00:31:45,959 --> 00:31:49,552 But here's the thing about the letter as well, 609 00:31:49,552 --> 00:31:54,239 there's certain aspects about the Song of Solomon 610 00:31:54,239 --> 00:31:57,975 that you'd be really hard pressed 611 00:31:57,975 --> 00:32:01,930 to make true of King Solomon himself. 612 00:32:01,930 --> 00:32:03,423 You say, what do you mean? 613 00:32:03,423 --> 00:32:05,752 Just this - look at the letter. 614 00:32:05,752 --> 00:32:09,454 If you turned with me to 2 Samuel, 615 00:32:09,454 --> 00:32:12,997 go back to the Song of Solomon. 616 00:32:12,997 --> 00:32:15,538 Just park yourself in the Song of Solomon 617 00:32:15,538 --> 00:32:21,457 for the rest of the sermon today. 618 00:32:21,457 --> 00:32:25,857 But I want to show you something. 619 00:32:25,857 --> 00:32:31,115 In Song of Solomon 1:7, 620 00:32:31,115 --> 00:32:34,579 we're going to find a recurring theme 621 00:32:34,579 --> 00:32:37,176 show up for the first time. 622 00:32:37,176 --> 00:32:40,404 What is that? Namely this: 623 00:32:40,404 --> 00:32:44,323 The repeated references to the fact 624 00:32:44,323 --> 00:32:47,370 that whoever this King Solomon is, 625 00:32:47,370 --> 00:32:50,285 he is a shepherd. 626 00:32:50,285 --> 00:32:55,059 Do you know you find nothing at all 627 00:32:55,059 --> 00:32:58,114 about Solomon being a shepherd? 628 00:32:58,114 --> 00:32:59,777 David? Yes. 629 00:32:59,777 --> 00:33:02,105 But never Solomon. 630 00:33:02,105 --> 00:33:04,986 Solomon was not a shepherd. 631 00:33:04,986 --> 00:33:08,187 But listen, Solomon 1:7, 632 00:33:08,187 --> 00:33:09,787 "Tell me..." 633 00:33:09,787 --> 00:33:12,438 This is the bride. This is the church. 634 00:33:12,438 --> 00:33:14,199 "...You who my soul loves, 635 00:33:14,199 --> 00:33:18,474 where You pasture Your flock, 636 00:33:18,474 --> 00:33:21,713 where You make it lie down at noon?" 637 00:33:21,713 --> 00:33:26,133 Now here's another thing that's interesting. 638 00:33:26,133 --> 00:33:30,106 Notice 1:4, 639 00:33:30,106 --> 00:33:33,831 "Draw me after You..." 640 00:33:33,831 --> 00:33:37,571 It doesn't say, "let me run." 641 00:33:37,571 --> 00:33:43,318 "Let us run." 642 00:33:43,318 --> 00:33:44,569 But keep reading. 643 00:33:44,569 --> 00:33:48,120 "The King has brought me into His chambers. 644 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:54,916 We will exalt and rejoice in You." 645 00:33:54,916 --> 00:33:58,614 This would be very, very odd language 646 00:33:58,614 --> 00:34:00,109 if we were talking simply 647 00:34:00,109 --> 00:34:02,508 about a man and a woman 648 00:34:02,508 --> 00:34:05,482 and marital intimacies here, 649 00:34:05,482 --> 00:34:11,030 because they're bringing the crowd in. 650 00:34:11,030 --> 00:34:16,213 And that happens repeatedly through this letter. 651 00:34:16,213 --> 00:34:18,694 I mean, notice verse 3. 652 00:34:18,694 --> 00:34:20,164 Go one verse before this. 653 00:34:20,164 --> 00:34:22,098 "Your anointing oils are fragrant. 654 00:34:22,098 --> 00:34:24,751 Your name is oil poured out, therefore..." 655 00:34:24,751 --> 00:34:27,745 Now, this is the bride. 656 00:34:27,745 --> 00:34:29,706 Brides, let me ask you this. 657 00:34:29,706 --> 00:34:36,130 Would you extol your husband this way? 658 00:34:36,130 --> 00:34:38,581 Would you extol your husband as one 659 00:34:38,581 --> 00:34:41,133 who the virgins love? 660 00:34:41,133 --> 00:34:43,416 I mean would that be something 661 00:34:43,416 --> 00:34:48,888 that I don't think you would find a good thing, 662 00:34:48,888 --> 00:34:50,589 if a bunch of young ladies 663 00:34:50,589 --> 00:34:54,107 were desiring your husband. 664 00:34:54,107 --> 00:34:58,339 Song of Solomon 6:1, 665 00:34:58,339 --> 00:35:03,155 "Where has your Beloved gone?" 666 00:35:03,155 --> 00:35:04,689 Yeah, go over there. 667 00:35:04,689 --> 00:35:09,319 This is from a group of women. 668 00:35:09,319 --> 00:35:11,297 "Where has your Beloved gone, 669 00:35:11,297 --> 00:35:13,223 O most beautiful among women? 670 00:35:13,223 --> 00:35:14,985 Where has your Beloved turned 671 00:35:14,985 --> 00:35:20,740 that we may seek Him with you?" 672 00:35:20,740 --> 00:35:22,955 Now, see, this makes lots of sense 673 00:35:22,955 --> 00:35:29,040 if this is your relationship with Christ. 674 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:35,422 And you're saying, "draw me," "let us run." 675 00:35:35,422 --> 00:35:42,870 If we collectively are the virgins that are here 676 00:35:42,870 --> 00:35:46,768 and the virgins love Him. 677 00:35:46,768 --> 00:35:51,482 See, that's imagery of 2 Corinthians 11:2 678 00:35:51,482 --> 00:35:53,297 that I read for you. 679 00:35:53,297 --> 00:35:57,869 We are the virgins - all of us collectively. 680 00:35:57,869 --> 00:36:00,132 You see, the beauty of this 681 00:36:00,132 --> 00:36:04,029 is it takes us each personally 682 00:36:04,029 --> 00:36:07,230 into this relationship with Christ, 683 00:36:07,230 --> 00:36:10,038 but it's constantly looking up 684 00:36:10,038 --> 00:36:13,214 and wanting to draw the others in as well. 685 00:36:13,214 --> 00:36:16,176 Wanting the others to pursue Him as well. 686 00:36:16,176 --> 00:36:21,528 Wanting the other virgins to love Him as well. 687 00:36:21,528 --> 00:36:26,932 Also, you have this: 688 00:36:26,932 --> 00:36:28,893 Some of these things written in here, 689 00:36:28,893 --> 00:36:30,913 could you imagine that they would have 690 00:36:30,913 --> 00:36:33,290 actually been true of one of Solomon's wives? 691 00:36:33,290 --> 00:36:35,008 I mean, I'll just go to one of them. 692 00:36:35,008 --> 00:36:36,416 There's various things here, 693 00:36:36,416 --> 00:36:40,494 but Song of Solomon 5:7, 694 00:36:40,494 --> 00:36:42,720 "The watchman found me. 695 00:36:42,720 --> 00:36:45,319 As they went about in the city 696 00:36:45,319 --> 00:36:48,312 they beat me, they bruised me." 697 00:36:48,312 --> 00:36:51,643 Could you imagine one of the watchman, 698 00:36:51,643 --> 00:36:53,035 one of the guards, 699 00:36:53,035 --> 00:36:56,516 one of the military entourages 700 00:36:56,516 --> 00:37:02,874 in Solomon's day beating one of his wives? 701 00:37:02,874 --> 00:37:07,024 That probably wouldn't be a good thing to do. 702 00:37:07,024 --> 00:37:09,169 And then there's this repeatedly. 703 00:37:09,169 --> 00:37:16,171 If you look at chapter 4:9, 704 00:37:16,172 --> 00:37:18,034 you can find this over and over, 705 00:37:18,034 --> 00:37:20,298 maybe six different times 706 00:37:20,298 --> 00:37:23,554 throughout this book, but He says, 707 00:37:23,554 --> 00:37:25,522 "you have captivated My heart, 708 00:37:25,522 --> 00:37:29,579 My sister, My bride." 709 00:37:29,579 --> 00:37:33,219 Now, see that would be an odd thing for him to say as well. 710 00:37:33,219 --> 00:37:37,400 "My sister." 711 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,945 But then, let's go to what really convinced 712 00:37:40,945 --> 00:37:45,193 Jonathan Edwards - the title of this book. 713 00:37:45,193 --> 00:37:49,183 The Song of Songs - now think with me here. 714 00:37:49,183 --> 00:37:52,978 Think with me of the places in Scripture 715 00:37:52,978 --> 00:37:57,856 where we have this kind of language. 716 00:37:57,856 --> 00:38:01,818 The holy of holies. 717 00:38:01,818 --> 00:38:05,532 The King of kings. 718 00:38:05,532 --> 00:38:09,136 The Lord of lords. 719 00:38:09,136 --> 00:38:12,185 The Song of Songs. 720 00:38:12,185 --> 00:38:15,086 Think about when Scripture uses 721 00:38:15,086 --> 00:38:16,719 that kind of terminology. 722 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:21,401 For one, just put it in the category 723 00:38:21,401 --> 00:38:24,759 with those other realities 724 00:38:24,759 --> 00:38:26,302 where Scripture would say 725 00:38:26,302 --> 00:38:36,636 something is "the" holy of holies. 726 00:38:36,636 --> 00:38:39,548 The Song of Songs. 727 00:38:39,548 --> 00:38:44,630 The song of all songs is what's being said. 728 00:38:44,630 --> 00:38:47,080 And at first glance, that may not mean much to you. 729 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:49,904 But consider this in light of another verse. 730 00:38:49,904 --> 00:38:51,844 Listen very carefully. 731 00:38:51,844 --> 00:38:56,140 In 1 Kings 4, it says this about Solomon, 732 00:38:56,140 --> 00:38:58,209 "Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom 733 00:38:58,209 --> 00:38:59,944 of all the people of the east 734 00:38:59,944 --> 00:39:02,807 and all the wisdom of Egypt. 735 00:39:02,807 --> 00:39:05,163 For he was wiser than all other men. 736 00:39:05,163 --> 00:39:08,821 Wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, 737 00:39:08,821 --> 00:39:12,727 and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, 738 00:39:12,727 --> 00:39:14,809 the sons of Mahal, 739 00:39:14,809 --> 00:39:18,688 and his fame was in all the surrounding nations." 740 00:39:18,688 --> 00:39:20,109 And listen to this, 741 00:39:20,109 --> 00:39:23,183 "He also spoke 3,000 proverbs." 742 00:39:23,183 --> 00:39:24,935 Now we know about his proverbs. 743 00:39:24,935 --> 00:39:26,551 We have a book called "Proverbs." 744 00:39:26,551 --> 00:39:30,488 But listen to this - this sometimes goes unnoticed. 745 00:39:30,488 --> 00:39:39,579 "And his songs were 1,005." 746 00:39:39,579 --> 00:39:41,747 Scripture records for us that he had 747 00:39:41,747 --> 00:39:46,551 over a thousand songs. 748 00:39:46,551 --> 00:39:49,463 But of all those songs, 749 00:39:49,463 --> 00:39:55,122 this is the Song of Songs. 750 00:39:55,122 --> 00:39:58,027 What do we mean when we say the holy of holies? 751 00:39:58,027 --> 00:39:59,399 Or the Lord of lords? 752 00:39:59,399 --> 00:40:01,989 You know what Solomon is saying? 753 00:40:01,989 --> 00:40:07,870 This is the greatest song of all. 754 00:40:07,870 --> 00:40:10,827 Now, I'll tell you this, 755 00:40:10,827 --> 00:40:12,749 that alone ought to confirm to us 756 00:40:12,749 --> 00:40:15,213 that this is more than an ordinary love song. 757 00:40:15,213 --> 00:40:20,220 Listen, if this is simply about Solomon 758 00:40:20,220 --> 00:40:24,338 and one of his harem, 759 00:40:24,338 --> 00:40:27,369 that's not a very impressive song. 760 00:40:27,369 --> 00:40:31,343 But if this is meant to take us beyond - 761 00:40:31,343 --> 00:40:34,927 listen, if this is a book that shows us 762 00:40:34,927 --> 00:40:39,466 the closest intimacies with Christ and His church, 763 00:40:39,466 --> 00:40:43,454 that is a song above all other songs. 764 00:40:43,454 --> 00:40:44,989 Listen, it doesn't just say: 765 00:40:44,989 --> 00:40:55,662 "Song of Songs" in some secular writing. 766 00:40:55,662 --> 00:40:58,652 It says that in the Bible. 767 00:40:58,652 --> 00:41:00,652 (incomplete thought) 768 00:41:00,652 --> 00:41:02,396 This is inspired. 769 00:41:02,396 --> 00:41:04,435 What God is telling us - 770 00:41:04,435 --> 00:41:06,269 it's not just Solomon saying, 771 00:41:06,269 --> 00:41:08,927 you know of all the 1,005 songs I wrote, 772 00:41:08,927 --> 00:41:10,564 this is the best one. 773 00:41:10,564 --> 00:41:12,334 It's God saying, 774 00:41:12,334 --> 00:41:17,765 this is the chief song. 775 00:41:17,765 --> 00:41:20,424 And if this is about a king 776 00:41:20,424 --> 00:41:27,631 who wrongly and sinfully took a thousand wives 777 00:41:27,631 --> 00:41:30,738 from all sorts of pagan nations, 778 00:41:30,738 --> 00:41:32,571 that is not an impressive song. 779 00:41:32,571 --> 00:41:36,426 That is not a song above all songs. 780 00:41:36,426 --> 00:41:41,169 That drives the thing home. 781 00:41:41,169 --> 00:41:42,739 And here's the thing, 782 00:41:42,739 --> 00:41:45,044 if you're in Song of Solomon, 783 00:41:45,044 --> 00:41:47,124 just let your eyes go back 784 00:41:47,124 --> 00:41:50,569 to the book right before this. 785 00:41:50,569 --> 00:41:55,671 Look at the last chapter of Ecclesiastes v. 8. 786 00:41:55,671 --> 00:41:57,254 Just right before this. 787 00:41:57,254 --> 00:41:58,853 Probably most of you, you can see 788 00:41:58,853 --> 00:42:00,510 the beginning of where it says, 789 00:42:00,510 --> 00:42:02,345 the Song of Songs, 790 00:42:02,345 --> 00:42:07,288 and you can go back to Ecclesiastes 12:8 791 00:42:07,288 --> 00:42:10,356 and notice how that verse starts. 792 00:42:10,356 --> 00:42:13,784 What does it say? 793 00:42:13,784 --> 00:42:15,663 What does it say? 794 00:42:15,663 --> 00:42:18,299 Vanity of vanities. 795 00:42:18,299 --> 00:42:20,591 And now just turn back in Ecclesiastes 796 00:42:20,591 --> 00:42:22,839 to chapter 2. 797 00:42:22,839 --> 00:42:24,659 Because I want you to see something. 798 00:42:24,659 --> 00:42:28,923 This ought to convince everybody. 799 00:42:28,923 --> 00:42:32,472 Look at v. 1. 800 00:42:32,472 --> 00:42:33,903 Solomon says this, 801 00:42:33,903 --> 00:42:35,285 "I said in my heart, 802 00:42:35,285 --> 00:42:39,097 come now, I will test you with pleasure." 803 00:42:39,097 --> 00:42:41,048 You know what some of the pleasures were 804 00:42:41,048 --> 00:42:42,223 he tested himself with? 805 00:42:42,223 --> 00:42:44,329 Having a thousand wives. 806 00:42:44,329 --> 00:42:46,574 He tested his pleasure with women. 807 00:42:46,574 --> 00:42:48,139 You say, how do you know that? 808 00:42:48,139 --> 00:42:50,818 Just look down in v. 8. 809 00:42:50,818 --> 00:42:54,982 Yes, silver, gold, treasure. 810 00:42:54,982 --> 00:42:57,483 Singers - yep. 811 00:42:57,483 --> 00:42:59,694 Many concubines, 812 00:42:59,694 --> 00:43:02,343 the delight of the children of man. 813 00:43:02,343 --> 00:43:06,611 He's saying I gave myself to all that. 814 00:43:06,611 --> 00:43:08,941 V. 10, "Whatever my eyes desired, 815 00:43:08,941 --> 00:43:10,697 I did not keep from them. 816 00:43:10,697 --> 00:43:13,684 I kept my heart from no pleasure." 817 00:43:13,684 --> 00:43:15,542 Including this one: the concubines, 818 00:43:15,542 --> 00:43:16,485 the women. 819 00:43:16,485 --> 00:43:19,044 "For my heart found pleasure in all my toil 820 00:43:19,044 --> 00:43:21,391 and this was my reward for all my toil. 821 00:43:21,391 --> 00:43:23,674 Then I considered all that my hands had done 822 00:43:23,674 --> 00:43:25,943 and the toil I had expended in doing it. 823 00:43:25,943 --> 00:43:29,293 Behold, all was vanity." 824 00:43:29,293 --> 00:43:34,338 Now for him to say, you know what, 825 00:43:34,338 --> 00:43:37,564 I gave myself to love. 826 00:43:37,564 --> 00:43:40,018 I gave myself to sensuality. 827 00:43:40,018 --> 00:43:43,032 I gave myself to women. 828 00:43:43,032 --> 00:43:45,750 And in the end, it was vanity of vanities. 829 00:43:45,750 --> 00:43:46,758 All is vanity. 830 00:43:46,758 --> 00:43:48,641 For him to now turn around 831 00:43:48,641 --> 00:43:51,104 and describe a relationship with a woman 832 00:43:51,104 --> 00:44:00,564 and say, but, this is the song of all songs. 833 00:44:00,564 --> 00:44:03,158 It would be a contradiction if he's saying, 834 00:44:03,158 --> 00:44:06,819 oh, but, there was one thing out of all of it 835 00:44:06,819 --> 00:44:08,342 that wasn't vanity of vanities. 836 00:44:08,342 --> 00:44:10,366 I did find one woman 837 00:44:10,366 --> 00:44:20,821 who actually... no, you don't want to buy into that. 838 00:44:20,821 --> 00:44:24,950 John Gill discovered where the ancient Jews - 839 00:44:24,950 --> 00:44:27,672 the ancient Jews tried to reckon with this book too. 840 00:44:27,672 --> 00:44:29,677 What is this all about? 841 00:44:29,677 --> 00:44:34,258 John Gill found that the ancient Jews said this: 842 00:44:34,258 --> 00:44:36,756 "They saw in this song 843 00:44:36,756 --> 00:44:39,536 their redemption..." 844 00:44:39,536 --> 00:44:42,178 They actually saw in this song 845 00:44:42,178 --> 00:44:45,428 the resurrection of the dead. 846 00:44:45,428 --> 00:44:47,798 "...The Sabbath of the Lord 847 00:44:47,798 --> 00:44:49,521 which is and which was 848 00:44:49,521 --> 00:44:52,410 and which is to come." 849 00:44:52,410 --> 00:44:56,093 That's perceptive - the Sabbath, the rest. 850 00:44:56,093 --> 00:44:58,164 Our rest in Christ. 851 00:44:58,164 --> 00:45:01,803 That's even what the ancient Jews saw. 852 00:45:01,803 --> 00:45:08,346 This, in other words, is the greatest song 853 00:45:08,346 --> 00:45:10,604 that could be sung to you. 854 00:45:10,604 --> 00:45:16,818 This is the song of all songs. 855 00:45:16,818 --> 00:45:18,792 This is inspired language. 856 00:45:18,792 --> 00:45:20,560 It's like God is saying, 857 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:23,267 "Not even I can give you a song 858 00:45:23,267 --> 00:45:26,646 that trumps this song." 859 00:45:26,646 --> 00:45:31,910 And it is the love that Christ has for you. 860 00:45:31,910 --> 00:45:35,718 It's the love that God has for you. 861 00:45:35,718 --> 00:45:38,644 It doesn't get any better than this. 862 00:45:38,644 --> 00:45:41,643 This is the highest. 863 00:45:41,643 --> 00:45:44,174 Let's look at it just briefly 864 00:45:44,174 --> 00:45:47,731 before we wrap up today. 865 00:45:47,731 --> 00:45:54,957 Now, if you have an ESV like I do 866 00:45:54,957 --> 00:45:59,349 you're going to notice right after v. 1, 867 00:45:59,349 --> 00:46:04,599 I have a title. 868 00:46:04,599 --> 00:46:07,230 There's a heading there that says, 869 00:46:07,230 --> 00:46:10,452 "The Bride Confesses Her Love." 870 00:46:10,452 --> 00:46:12,867 How many of you have that in your Bible? 871 00:46:12,867 --> 00:46:14,163 Yeah, quite a bit of you. 872 00:46:14,163 --> 00:46:15,407 I bet some of you don't. 873 00:46:15,407 --> 00:46:18,889 If you don't have it, don't worry about it. 874 00:46:18,889 --> 00:46:21,114 I know that's not inspired. 875 00:46:21,114 --> 00:46:23,251 I know that the ESV folks 876 00:46:23,251 --> 00:46:25,025 that put this Bible together, 877 00:46:25,025 --> 00:46:26,237 they stuck that in there, 878 00:46:26,237 --> 00:46:28,272 but I just want to mention that perhaps 879 00:46:28,272 --> 00:46:30,700 that's not the best expression 880 00:46:30,700 --> 00:46:34,524 for describing these next six verses. 881 00:46:34,524 --> 00:46:39,702 Is the church really expressing her love here? 882 00:46:39,702 --> 00:46:41,089 I mean, don't miss me here. 883 00:46:41,089 --> 00:46:42,899 There's obviously love involved, 884 00:46:42,899 --> 00:46:45,044 but is this really the best way to express 885 00:46:45,044 --> 00:46:46,354 what's happening here? 886 00:46:46,354 --> 00:46:50,536 It seems to me that what the bride 887 00:46:50,536 --> 00:46:53,488 is expressing most of all 888 00:46:53,488 --> 00:46:59,670 is her desire, not her love. 889 00:46:59,670 --> 00:47:02,164 She's saying, not, "I love You." 890 00:47:02,164 --> 00:47:06,691 She's saying, "I want You." 891 00:47:06,691 --> 00:47:09,740 "Let me have You." 892 00:47:09,740 --> 00:47:13,041 It's not just that I love Him, I want Him. 893 00:47:13,041 --> 00:47:15,134 Draw me - you see that in verse 4. 894 00:47:15,134 --> 00:47:17,233 Draw me. 895 00:47:17,233 --> 00:47:18,592 You see verse 2: 896 00:47:18,592 --> 00:47:21,890 "...Kiss me with the kisses of His mouth." 897 00:47:21,890 --> 00:47:24,584 Let me drink of that love 898 00:47:24,584 --> 00:47:26,174 which is better than wine. 899 00:47:26,174 --> 00:47:28,043 She isn't so much saying, "I love You," 900 00:47:28,043 --> 00:47:30,579 as much as she's saying to the one she loves, 901 00:47:30,579 --> 00:47:35,126 "Give Yourself to me." 902 00:47:35,126 --> 00:47:38,292 That's what the Christian wants. 903 00:47:38,292 --> 00:47:43,503 Yes, she loves Him, but she greatly, greatly desires Him. 904 00:47:43,503 --> 00:47:46,487 Brethren, you know what I find here? 905 00:47:46,487 --> 00:47:48,771 You know what I find in those words right there? 906 00:47:48,771 --> 00:47:53,585 "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth." 907 00:47:53,585 --> 00:47:57,426 What I find there is God telling us 908 00:47:57,426 --> 00:48:07,096 it's okay to be discontent 909 00:48:07,096 --> 00:48:11,137 if you're not experiencing His kisses. 910 00:48:11,137 --> 00:48:16,440 It's okay to want not just like Sibbes was talking about, 911 00:48:16,440 --> 00:48:18,561 not just theory, 912 00:48:18,561 --> 00:48:20,298 not just doctrine. 913 00:48:20,298 --> 00:48:22,791 You want to experience it. 914 00:48:22,791 --> 00:48:25,816 You want sensible manifestations 915 00:48:25,816 --> 00:48:28,031 of His presence, but more than that, 916 00:48:28,031 --> 00:48:32,425 of His love to you as an individual. 917 00:48:32,425 --> 00:48:35,601 Not enough that He loves this church collectively. 918 00:48:35,601 --> 00:48:39,202 Not enough that He died for others here 919 00:48:39,202 --> 00:48:41,029 or even that He died for you - 920 00:48:41,029 --> 00:48:44,911 you don't just want forgiveness. 921 00:48:44,911 --> 00:48:47,484 You want more than that. 922 00:48:47,484 --> 00:48:49,649 Lord, don't just forgive us 923 00:48:49,649 --> 00:48:51,390 and then be at a distance. 924 00:48:51,390 --> 00:48:52,807 We want You to come to us. 925 00:48:52,807 --> 00:48:54,229 We want You to be close. 926 00:48:54,229 --> 00:48:55,667 And we want to feel that. 927 00:48:55,667 --> 00:48:56,910 We want You to speak. 928 00:48:56,910 --> 00:48:58,511 We want You to come to our ears 929 00:48:58,511 --> 00:49:00,146 over and over and over again 930 00:49:00,146 --> 00:49:04,574 and say, "I have forgiven you and I love you," 931 00:49:04,574 --> 00:49:06,266 and to feel His embrace. 932 00:49:06,266 --> 00:49:08,727 Oh, do you remember, some of you? 933 00:49:08,727 --> 00:49:11,992 Martyn Lloyd-Jones would describe the Christian life - 934 00:49:11,992 --> 00:49:15,965 this wasn't so much of a bride and the Groom 935 00:49:15,965 --> 00:49:18,766 as much as the Father and a child. 936 00:49:18,766 --> 00:49:21,503 And he said so often the Christian life is like this. 937 00:49:21,503 --> 00:49:23,766 He said you know how a father can walk 938 00:49:23,766 --> 00:49:25,911 with the child and be holding the hand 939 00:49:25,911 --> 00:49:27,245 and they're walking along, 940 00:49:27,245 --> 00:49:28,601 and every once in a while, 941 00:49:28,601 --> 00:49:31,291 the father reaches down and he pulls the child 942 00:49:31,291 --> 00:49:36,402 up into his arms and he gives him a great big embrace. 943 00:49:36,402 --> 00:49:39,537 That's what we want. 944 00:49:39,537 --> 00:49:42,126 Who wants dead, dry religion? 945 00:49:42,126 --> 00:49:44,324 And what this does, brethren, is it gives us 946 00:49:44,324 --> 00:49:47,571 a warrant to say it's okay to be 947 00:49:47,571 --> 00:49:52,942 discontent if I'm not experiencing 948 00:49:52,942 --> 00:49:55,790 as much of Him as I want. 949 00:49:55,790 --> 00:49:58,555 It's okay. 950 00:49:58,555 --> 00:50:04,286 It's okay to desire heartfelt experiential 951 00:50:04,286 --> 00:50:08,922 communications of Christ's love. 952 00:50:08,922 --> 00:50:10,739 You know what, some people may say, 953 00:50:10,739 --> 00:50:12,588 that sounds fanatical. 954 00:50:12,588 --> 00:50:14,661 That sounds so mystical. 955 00:50:14,661 --> 00:50:17,320 You're just looking for an experience. 956 00:50:17,320 --> 00:50:19,592 You know what this says? 957 00:50:19,592 --> 00:50:21,619 It's okay to look at that person and say, 958 00:50:21,619 --> 00:50:24,351 yes, you're exactly right. 959 00:50:24,351 --> 00:50:26,750 That is what I want. 960 00:50:26,750 --> 00:50:30,198 I don't want dry doctrine alone. 961 00:50:30,198 --> 00:50:35,491 I want the doctrine to so explode. 962 00:50:35,491 --> 00:50:38,283 You don't want doctrine-less Christianity 963 00:50:38,283 --> 00:50:42,151 because whatever experiences come there, be careful. 964 00:50:42,151 --> 00:50:48,767 You want Christ to break forth from truth 965 00:50:48,767 --> 00:50:52,633 and to ravish your soul. 966 00:50:52,633 --> 00:50:55,501 It's okay. 967 00:50:55,501 --> 00:50:57,696 But you know another thing that I find 968 00:50:57,696 --> 00:51:00,147 about this letter? 969 00:51:00,147 --> 00:51:02,645 It brings out one of the great realities - 970 00:51:02,645 --> 00:51:04,936 maybe even we could call it 971 00:51:04,936 --> 00:51:08,036 one of the great frustrations of the Christian life. 972 00:51:08,036 --> 00:51:10,699 And it's basically this: 973 00:51:10,699 --> 00:51:21,411 He is not always with her. 974 00:51:21,411 --> 00:51:24,603 What I mean - look, He promised 975 00:51:24,603 --> 00:51:26,867 never to leave us or forsake us. 976 00:51:26,867 --> 00:51:30,008 I'm not talking about 977 00:51:30,008 --> 00:51:34,591 whether His presence is ever removed. 978 00:51:34,591 --> 00:51:36,704 That's not what I'm talking about. 979 00:51:36,704 --> 00:51:41,393 I am talking about His sensible presence. 980 00:51:41,393 --> 00:51:46,351 I'm talking about feeling His presence. 981 00:51:46,351 --> 00:51:49,232 Experiencing His presence. 982 00:51:49,232 --> 00:51:53,824 And the truth is in that way, 983 00:51:53,824 --> 00:51:57,678 He's not always with her. 984 00:51:57,678 --> 00:52:02,525 What we find here is she's often looking. 985 00:52:02,525 --> 00:52:07,168 She's often aching. 986 00:52:07,168 --> 00:52:13,531 Look at Song of Solomon 3:1. 987 00:52:13,531 --> 00:52:17,376 "On my bed by night, 988 00:52:17,376 --> 00:52:22,317 I sought Him whom my soul loves. 989 00:52:22,317 --> 00:52:28,013 I sought Him, but found Him not." 990 00:52:28,013 --> 00:52:35,893 Or you go over to chapter 5:6. 991 00:52:35,893 --> 00:52:39,015 "I opened to my Beloved, 992 00:52:39,015 --> 00:52:42,195 but my Beloved had turned and gone. 993 00:52:42,195 --> 00:52:45,005 My soul failed me when He spoke. 994 00:52:45,005 --> 00:52:49,210 I sought Him, but found Him not. 995 00:52:49,210 --> 00:52:56,289 I called Him, but He gave no answer." 996 00:52:56,289 --> 00:52:59,904 Or look at chapter 1:7. 997 00:52:59,904 --> 00:53:01,349 That's closer to home; 998 00:53:01,349 --> 00:53:06,924 closer to where we're at right now. 999 00:53:06,924 --> 00:53:08,815 This again is the bride, 1000 00:53:08,815 --> 00:53:15,449 and she's speaking to her Groom. 1001 00:53:15,449 --> 00:53:20,693 "Tell me, You who my soul loves..." 1002 00:53:20,693 --> 00:53:23,715 She's basically asking, "where are You?" 1003 00:53:23,715 --> 00:53:27,253 Where are You with Your flock? 1004 00:53:27,253 --> 00:53:29,342 "...Where You pasture Your flock? 1005 00:53:29,342 --> 00:53:31,269 Where You make it lie down at noon?" 1006 00:53:31,269 --> 00:53:32,597 Now notice this, 1007 00:53:32,597 --> 00:53:36,823 "For why should I be like one 1008 00:53:36,823 --> 00:53:39,618 who veils herself beside the flock 1009 00:53:39,618 --> 00:53:41,434 of Your companions?" 1010 00:53:41,434 --> 00:53:44,369 Now listen, in that day, 1011 00:53:44,369 --> 00:53:48,631 if you search through the Old Testament Scriptures 1012 00:53:48,631 --> 00:53:53,135 and you just look for that concept of veiling, 1013 00:53:53,135 --> 00:53:55,902 we know something about veiling. 1014 00:53:55,902 --> 00:54:00,720 Do you know why people veil themselves? 1015 00:54:00,720 --> 00:54:04,380 In Scripture, you can find 1016 00:54:04,380 --> 00:54:11,053 that those who are harlots might veil themselves. 1017 00:54:11,053 --> 00:54:13,065 Those who are mourning 1018 00:54:13,065 --> 00:54:17,248 might veil themselves. 1019 00:54:17,248 --> 00:54:23,194 But the thing about a veil is it hides. 1020 00:54:23,194 --> 00:54:26,285 It basically hides somebody; 1021 00:54:26,285 --> 00:54:28,548 makes them unknown. 1022 00:54:28,548 --> 00:54:34,673 The truth is that whichever one, 1023 00:54:34,673 --> 00:54:38,175 whatever the meaning here, 1024 00:54:38,175 --> 00:54:40,721 they all imply estrangement 1025 00:54:40,721 --> 00:54:44,881 from the Bridegroom. 1026 00:54:44,881 --> 00:54:47,192 I mean, for somebody to be veiled 1027 00:54:47,192 --> 00:54:49,557 and seem like a harlot, 1028 00:54:49,557 --> 00:54:52,222 that's somebody who seems as though 1029 00:54:52,222 --> 00:54:55,951 they have no husband. 1030 00:54:55,951 --> 00:54:57,742 For somebody to be veiled 1031 00:54:57,742 --> 00:55:01,217 and be seen as a mourner, 1032 00:55:01,217 --> 00:55:06,655 that's like somebody who's lost a husband. 1033 00:55:06,655 --> 00:55:09,231 For somebody just to be veiled 1034 00:55:09,231 --> 00:55:14,696 in the sense of veiling where they're unknown - 1035 00:55:14,696 --> 00:55:17,444 she's saying, "Why?" 1036 00:55:17,444 --> 00:55:21,749 "Why should I be like one who veils herself 1037 00:55:21,749 --> 00:55:24,436 beside the flock of Your companions?" 1038 00:55:24,436 --> 00:55:26,933 You notice v. 4. 1039 00:55:26,933 --> 00:55:29,761 "The King has brought me into His chambers." 1040 00:55:29,761 --> 00:55:33,461 I take that as salvation. 1041 00:55:33,461 --> 00:55:34,794 This is it. 1042 00:55:34,794 --> 00:55:38,409 Lord, You saved us. 1043 00:55:38,409 --> 00:55:41,064 Why should we be like one 1044 00:55:41,064 --> 00:55:44,468 who has to wear a veil. 1045 00:55:44,468 --> 00:55:47,771 Why, Lord? Why? 1046 00:55:47,771 --> 00:55:51,097 When You've saved us. 1047 00:55:51,097 --> 00:55:56,727 Why? 1048 00:55:56,727 --> 00:55:59,151 Can you see the true Christian? 1049 00:55:59,151 --> 00:56:01,845 Look, there are many people in this world 1050 00:56:01,845 --> 00:56:05,797 who simply say, you know what? 1051 00:56:05,797 --> 00:56:08,296 I just want to be forgiven. 1052 00:56:08,296 --> 00:56:10,225 I just want to figure out how to 1053 00:56:10,225 --> 00:56:15,655 get away from this hell thing. 1054 00:56:15,655 --> 00:56:19,629 But they're quite content 1055 00:56:19,629 --> 00:56:22,570 that Christ's presence be absent. 1056 00:56:22,570 --> 00:56:28,333 All they really want is a ticket out of the fire. 1057 00:56:28,333 --> 00:56:29,878 Other company, 1058 00:56:29,878 --> 00:56:33,449 other preoccupations, they suffice. 1059 00:56:33,449 --> 00:56:35,498 But you know what? Not for the Christian. 1060 00:56:35,498 --> 00:56:37,299 Not for the true Christian. 1061 00:56:37,299 --> 00:56:40,159 Not for the one who knows 1062 00:56:40,159 --> 00:56:42,753 that they have been swept up in the arms of Christ 1063 00:56:42,753 --> 00:56:48,515 and taken in to His chambers. 1064 00:56:48,515 --> 00:56:52,034 It's like Lord, I am thankful there's no hell. 1065 00:56:52,034 --> 00:56:58,718 I am thankful to be forgiven. 1066 00:56:58,718 --> 00:57:03,575 But what? Shall I be then like one 1067 00:57:03,575 --> 00:57:06,250 who has to go about wearing a veil? 1068 00:57:06,250 --> 00:57:08,513 One who's estranged? One who's far off? 1069 00:57:08,513 --> 00:57:11,428 Tell me where You are. 1070 00:57:11,428 --> 00:57:14,725 Where do You pasture Your flocks? 1071 00:57:14,725 --> 00:57:17,000 I want to be there. 1072 00:57:17,000 --> 00:57:21,151 I want to be where You are. 1073 00:57:21,151 --> 00:57:24,484 The world can never be to such a person 1074 00:57:24,484 --> 00:57:26,231 what it once was. 1075 00:57:26,231 --> 00:57:28,202 No other society can compare 1076 00:57:28,202 --> 00:57:31,132 to the kisses of His lips, His love. 1077 00:57:31,132 --> 00:57:32,423 You see what it says there? 1078 00:57:32,423 --> 00:57:40,511 "His love (v. 2) is better than wine." 1079 00:57:40,511 --> 00:57:42,095 What's wine? 1080 00:57:42,095 --> 00:57:45,729 I mean, wine is a picture of just the good 1081 00:57:45,729 --> 00:57:49,074 and joyful things of this world. 1082 00:57:49,074 --> 00:57:52,343 Better than wine. 1083 00:57:52,343 --> 00:57:54,837 Wine is a Scriptural emblem 1084 00:57:54,837 --> 00:57:57,648 for the richest earthly joys. 1085 00:57:57,648 --> 00:58:00,240 His love is better. 1086 00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:05,259 And like her, once you've tasted these things 1087 00:58:05,259 --> 00:58:08,001 it creates such a discontent. 1088 00:58:08,001 --> 00:58:09,508 Before you ever tasted it, 1089 00:58:09,508 --> 00:58:15,236 when you were content with His absence, 1090 00:58:15,236 --> 00:58:17,288 you remember how things used to satisfy? 1091 00:58:17,288 --> 00:58:19,346 They really didn't. There was an emptiness. 1092 00:58:19,346 --> 00:58:21,181 But boy, you were just so convinced, 1093 00:58:21,181 --> 00:58:25,852 and we chased after these things. 1094 00:58:25,852 --> 00:58:28,324 But now there's such a hollowness in all of it. 1095 00:58:28,324 --> 00:58:29,984 And notice v. 2. 1096 00:58:29,984 --> 00:58:35,068 I was telling one of the brothers just recently. 1097 00:58:35,068 --> 00:58:38,229 We should always when we're reading Scripture 1098 00:58:38,229 --> 00:58:42,059 have other translations - English translations, 1099 00:58:42,059 --> 00:58:43,758 cross referencing. 1100 00:58:43,758 --> 00:58:47,156 I highly encourage you all to have 1101 00:58:47,156 --> 00:58:49,252 an old King James, a New King James, 1102 00:58:49,252 --> 00:58:50,941 a New American Standard, 1103 00:58:50,941 --> 00:58:54,150 maybe even a Holman Christian, an ESV, 1104 00:58:54,150 --> 00:58:56,220 and cross reference. 1105 00:58:56,220 --> 00:58:59,689 I often cross reference the old Tyndale, 1106 00:58:59,689 --> 00:59:02,416 the old Geneva, the NIV, 1107 00:59:02,416 --> 00:59:04,216 the New English translation, 1108 00:59:04,216 --> 00:59:06,004 Holman Christian. 1109 00:59:06,004 --> 00:59:08,949 But one of them that is one of my favorites 1110 00:59:08,949 --> 00:59:13,394 to cross reference is Young's Literal Translation. 1111 00:59:13,394 --> 00:59:17,840 The YLT. 1112 00:59:17,840 --> 00:59:21,258 He doesn't so much go for making it 1113 00:59:21,258 --> 00:59:24,127 the most readable translation, 1114 00:59:24,127 --> 00:59:26,786 but he tries to give you the words 1115 00:59:26,786 --> 00:59:29,104 in close to the order they're found 1116 00:59:29,104 --> 00:59:30,998 in the original. 1117 00:59:30,998 --> 00:59:33,048 And he tends to translate things 1118 00:59:33,048 --> 00:59:36,572 more accurately. 1119 00:59:36,572 --> 00:59:40,233 You can't see this in any English translation 1120 00:59:40,233 --> 00:59:43,906 that I looked at except his. 1121 00:59:43,906 --> 00:59:46,612 You see there in v. 2 where it says, 1122 00:59:46,612 --> 00:59:50,491 "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth"? 1123 00:59:50,491 --> 00:59:54,146 (incomplete thought) 1124 00:59:54,146 --> 00:59:56,894 Well, I was reading it from Young's. 1125 00:59:56,894 --> 00:59:59,139 "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth. 1126 00:59:59,139 --> 01:00:01,718 For Your love is better than wine." 1127 01:00:01,718 --> 01:00:04,658 In the original, this is the way 1128 01:00:04,658 --> 01:00:06,890 that Young's Literal Translation - 1129 01:00:06,890 --> 01:00:12,283 "for better are Thy loves..." 1130 01:00:12,283 --> 01:00:14,920 "S" on the end. It's plural. 1131 01:00:14,920 --> 01:00:16,944 And that is the way it is in the Hebrew. 1132 01:00:16,944 --> 01:00:21,214 It's plural. "Thy loves." 1133 01:00:21,214 --> 01:00:24,166 "...are better than wine." 1134 01:00:24,166 --> 01:00:25,726 Christ's love is plural. 1135 01:00:25,726 --> 01:00:27,374 I mean, why could we imagine - 1136 01:00:27,374 --> 01:00:28,705 it's easy to imagine. 1137 01:00:28,705 --> 01:00:31,666 Why? Because He manifests His love towards us 1138 01:00:31,666 --> 01:00:33,592 in so many different ways. 1139 01:00:33,592 --> 01:00:36,640 I mean, we're just starting this series now. 1140 01:00:36,640 --> 01:00:38,218 That's what we want to look at 1141 01:00:38,218 --> 01:00:40,516 is all the ways. 1142 01:00:40,516 --> 01:00:43,929 But you just think, eternally He manifested it. 1143 01:00:43,929 --> 01:00:46,279 We were chosen. He set His love on us 1144 01:00:46,279 --> 01:00:50,714 in eternity past. 1145 01:00:50,714 --> 01:00:55,930 We come to think of His redemptive love towards us. 1146 01:00:55,930 --> 01:00:58,567 Brethren, you just start thinking about the cross. 1147 01:00:58,567 --> 01:01:01,841 He's borne our griefs, 1148 01:01:01,841 --> 01:01:03,403 carried our sorrows. 1149 01:01:03,403 --> 01:01:05,400 Stricken, smitten by God, afflicted, 1150 01:01:05,400 --> 01:01:08,025 pierced for our transgressions. 1151 01:01:08,025 --> 01:01:11,288 He loved us so that when we looked up 1152 01:01:11,288 --> 01:01:14,139 and we beheld Him crucified, 1153 01:01:14,139 --> 01:01:16,203 those wounds... 1154 01:01:16,203 --> 01:01:19,892 I mean, the blood washed us. 1155 01:01:19,892 --> 01:01:21,598 What love there is in that! 1156 01:01:21,598 --> 01:01:23,433 Your conscience. 1157 01:01:23,433 --> 01:01:26,102 Remember, Scripture talks about 1158 01:01:26,102 --> 01:01:28,785 that cleansing of the conscience. 1159 01:01:28,785 --> 01:01:31,524 But there's His love. 1160 01:01:31,524 --> 01:01:33,939 The incarnational love. 1161 01:01:33,939 --> 01:01:36,863 Humbling Himself and becoming a man. 1162 01:01:36,863 --> 01:01:40,398 Enduring. 1163 01:01:40,398 --> 01:01:45,948 You think about, He mediates for us. 1164 01:01:45,948 --> 01:01:47,354 He speaks to us: 1165 01:01:47,354 --> 01:01:50,359 "My sheep, they know My voice." 1166 01:01:50,359 --> 01:01:52,343 And He speaks to us. 1167 01:01:52,343 --> 01:01:54,422 He made the Word alive for us. 1168 01:01:54,422 --> 01:01:58,841 He sent the Spirit of God for us. 1169 01:01:58,841 --> 01:02:01,240 He actually lets us take part 1170 01:02:01,240 --> 01:02:03,478 like Matt talked about. 1171 01:02:03,478 --> 01:02:06,029 The Lord could have caught all those fish by Himself. 1172 01:02:06,029 --> 01:02:08,101 He let Peter catch them. 1173 01:02:08,101 --> 01:02:10,657 It's not just that we have a duty. 1174 01:02:10,657 --> 01:02:12,956 He is letting us enter in 1175 01:02:12,956 --> 01:02:16,700 to the very workings of His Kingdom. 1176 01:02:16,700 --> 01:02:20,973 And we're His bride. 1177 01:02:20,973 --> 01:02:23,493 And He's going to take us to be with Him. 1178 01:02:23,493 --> 01:02:25,775 And there's going to be the love 1179 01:02:25,775 --> 01:02:28,128 that He's going to transform our lowly bodies 1180 01:02:28,128 --> 01:02:31,953 to be like His glorified body. 1181 01:02:31,953 --> 01:02:33,363 Loves. 1182 01:02:33,363 --> 01:02:35,961 You can write that right in your Bible. 1183 01:02:35,961 --> 01:02:37,314 Just put it's plural. 1184 01:02:37,314 --> 01:02:40,473 Draw an arrow to it. "Loves." 1185 01:02:40,473 --> 01:02:42,632 So that every time you read that from now on, 1186 01:02:42,632 --> 01:02:45,098 it will just jump out at you. 1187 01:02:45,098 --> 01:02:47,401 That's better than wine. 1188 01:02:47,401 --> 01:02:50,716 Wouldn't you say? 1189 01:02:50,716 --> 01:02:52,690 His name. 1190 01:02:52,690 --> 01:02:56,700 V. 3, "Your anointing oils are fragrant. 1191 01:02:56,700 --> 01:02:59,337 Your name is oil poured out, 1192 01:02:59,337 --> 01:03:02,374 therefore virgins love You." 1193 01:03:02,374 --> 01:03:04,852 If you think about even what "Christ" means, 1194 01:03:04,852 --> 01:03:07,743 it's the idea of oil poured out. 1195 01:03:07,743 --> 01:03:11,019 Anointing with oil. 1196 01:03:11,019 --> 01:03:13,133 That's what Messiah means. 1197 01:03:13,133 --> 01:03:16,263 It conjures the image of oil. 1198 01:03:16,263 --> 01:03:18,566 Therefore do the virgins love Thee. 1199 01:03:18,566 --> 01:03:20,529 Why? I mean, certainly, 1200 01:03:20,529 --> 01:03:22,778 because of the preciousness of His person. 1201 01:03:22,778 --> 01:03:24,418 That's the reality. 1202 01:03:24,418 --> 01:03:25,812 And it says there, 1203 01:03:25,812 --> 01:03:28,394 "...anointing oils are fragrant." 1204 01:03:28,394 --> 01:03:31,823 To be in His presence - 1205 01:03:31,823 --> 01:03:34,886 that word that Bunyan uses: "delectable." 1206 01:03:34,886 --> 01:03:36,334 The delectable mounts. 1207 01:03:36,334 --> 01:03:40,219 To be in His presence, it smells good! 1208 01:03:40,219 --> 01:03:42,054 That's the issue. 1209 01:03:42,054 --> 01:03:45,186 It's desirable. 1210 01:03:45,186 --> 01:03:49,670 "The virgins love You." 1211 01:03:49,670 --> 01:03:53,414 And there we are. 1212 01:03:53,414 --> 01:03:55,096 "I betrothed you to one Husband, 1213 01:03:55,096 --> 01:04:00,556 to present you as a pure virgin to Christ." 1214 01:04:00,556 --> 01:04:04,350 And I just want to end with this today. 1215 01:04:04,350 --> 01:04:07,332 Look at verse 4. 1216 01:04:07,332 --> 01:04:15,015 "Draw me after You. Let us run." 1217 01:04:15,015 --> 01:04:16,744 The KJV says, 1218 01:04:16,744 --> 01:04:19,017 "We will run after You." 1219 01:04:19,017 --> 01:04:27,421 "Draw me and we will run after You." 1220 01:04:27,421 --> 01:04:28,789 You know what? 1221 01:04:28,789 --> 01:04:31,874 This verse right here, 1222 01:04:31,874 --> 01:04:37,128 I came across it as a young believer. 1223 01:04:37,128 --> 01:04:42,202 Of all of the things that are said in the Song of Solomon, 1224 01:04:42,202 --> 01:04:47,281 this verse is most indelibly inscribed in my mind. 1225 01:04:47,281 --> 01:04:52,226 I pray this verse on a regular basis. 1226 01:04:52,226 --> 01:04:54,934 I feel this one. 1227 01:04:54,934 --> 01:04:57,235 It means more to me than I think any other. 1228 01:04:57,235 --> 01:05:00,174 Now if we go through this book that may change. 1229 01:05:00,174 --> 01:05:01,357 But you know what? 1230 01:05:01,357 --> 01:05:05,349 This is a different sort of cry 1231 01:05:05,349 --> 01:05:07,292 than what you have in v. 2. 1232 01:05:07,292 --> 01:05:09,677 When you say, "Let Him kiss me..." 1233 01:05:09,677 --> 01:05:13,162 that's different than saying, 1234 01:05:13,162 --> 01:05:16,284 "Draw me." 1235 01:05:16,284 --> 01:05:20,674 You feel the difference? 1236 01:05:20,674 --> 01:05:25,249 I mean, when all your heart aches for Him 1237 01:05:25,249 --> 01:05:28,174 and aches for some experiential manifestation 1238 01:05:28,174 --> 01:05:29,960 of His kisses, 1239 01:05:29,960 --> 01:05:31,943 you don't need to be drawn. 1240 01:05:31,943 --> 01:05:36,096 (incomplete thought) 1241 01:05:36,096 --> 01:05:39,131 There are times that's not our cry. 1242 01:05:39,131 --> 01:05:42,599 We're not saying Lord, draw me. 1243 01:05:42,599 --> 01:05:46,413 We sang it: Prone to wander, 1244 01:05:46,413 --> 01:05:48,639 Lord, I feel it. 1245 01:05:48,639 --> 01:05:52,210 You know what? It's when you feel that. 1246 01:05:52,210 --> 01:05:56,807 Lord, I don't ache for You enough. 1247 01:05:56,807 --> 01:06:00,428 I don't ache for manifestations of Your love 1248 01:06:00,428 --> 01:06:02,859 to the degree that I should. 1249 01:06:02,859 --> 01:06:05,894 I find my heart cool. 1250 01:06:05,894 --> 01:06:09,127 My first love has faded. 1251 01:06:09,127 --> 01:06:12,395 That's when you cry that. 1252 01:06:12,395 --> 01:06:14,187 You see, you cry "let Him kiss me 1253 01:06:14,187 --> 01:06:16,696 with the kisses of His mouth" 1254 01:06:16,696 --> 01:06:23,233 when your heart is very much aching for Him. 1255 01:06:23,233 --> 01:06:26,343 When it wants Him, you cry "draw me." 1256 01:06:26,343 --> 01:06:28,081 When you want it to ache for Him 1257 01:06:28,081 --> 01:06:32,077 and you know that it doesn't ache for Him. 1258 01:06:32,077 --> 01:06:35,125 This is so like us. 1259 01:06:35,125 --> 01:06:37,844 Like the ever changing tide. 1260 01:06:37,844 --> 01:06:39,798 The experience of the bride here is one 1261 01:06:39,798 --> 01:06:42,685 that ebbs and flows. 1262 01:06:42,685 --> 01:06:44,802 Do you know what? 1263 01:06:44,802 --> 01:06:49,092 There are times He kisses us with His mouth 1264 01:06:49,092 --> 01:06:50,870 and it is satisfying. 1265 01:06:50,870 --> 01:06:55,470 In fact, it can actually be overwhelming. 1266 01:06:55,470 --> 01:06:59,898 Like Lord... 1267 01:06:59,898 --> 01:07:02,635 I don't know if I can contain all this. 1268 01:07:02,635 --> 01:07:05,620 There's other times when that's not the case, 1269 01:07:05,620 --> 01:07:10,078 but the ache, the panting after the water brooks, 1270 01:07:10,078 --> 01:07:13,390 the hunger, the thirst is so strong 1271 01:07:13,390 --> 01:07:21,094 that you're looking for Him: Where is He? 1272 01:07:21,094 --> 01:07:23,078 So you say let Him kiss me. 1273 01:07:23,078 --> 01:07:25,886 Let Him embrace me. Let Him come. 1274 01:07:25,886 --> 01:07:28,235 Then there's other times where it's: 1275 01:07:28,235 --> 01:07:34,751 Lord, I've got my feet too muddied with the world. 1276 01:07:34,751 --> 01:07:37,741 I've been distracted. 1277 01:07:37,741 --> 01:07:41,108 My ache in my heart has cooled for You. 1278 01:07:41,108 --> 01:07:44,834 Please, Lord, draw me. 1279 01:07:44,834 --> 01:07:50,292 If You draw, Lord, we - we'll run! 1280 01:07:50,292 --> 01:07:54,169 All of us. We'll go. 1281 01:07:54,175 --> 01:07:57,734 Please draw us. 1282 01:07:57,734 --> 01:08:01,123 Lord, draw us. 1283 01:08:01,123 --> 01:08:03,535 Draw our hearts to You, Lord. 1284 01:08:03,535 --> 01:08:07,074 Draw us. We'll run. 1285 01:08:07,074 --> 01:08:08,977 We'll run - not the other way! 1286 01:08:08,977 --> 01:08:10,895 We're going to run to Him. 1287 01:08:10,895 --> 01:08:12,409 We're going to run to find Him. 1288 01:08:12,409 --> 01:08:14,691 We're going to be like the bride here. 1289 01:08:14,691 --> 01:08:16,188 We'll run. 1290 01:08:16,188 --> 01:08:19,107 This is an allegory. 1291 01:08:19,107 --> 01:08:23,441 Lord, draw me. 1292 01:08:23,441 --> 01:08:31,238 And let all of us run. 1293 01:08:31,238 --> 01:08:33,737 No one says that 1294 01:08:33,737 --> 01:08:38,091 about an earthly husband. 1295 01:08:38,091 --> 01:08:40,582 No wife says to the husband, 1296 01:08:40,582 --> 01:08:43,769 "Draw me... 1297 01:08:43,769 --> 01:08:48,291 and then a bunch of people are going to run after you." 1298 01:08:48,291 --> 01:08:52,876 But of Christ, it's perfect. 1299 01:08:52,876 --> 01:08:55,773 Of Christ, it's obvious. 1300 01:08:55,773 --> 01:09:01,744 Of Christ it makes sense. 1301 01:09:01,744 --> 01:09:03,802 Let's pray. 1302 01:09:03,802 --> 01:09:06,854 Father, this is the cry, 1303 01:09:06,854 --> 01:09:08,798 as we're looking at Your love. 1304 01:09:08,798 --> 01:09:11,838 Lord, we want to ache for it. We want it. 1305 01:09:11,838 --> 01:09:16,892 We want what the old Puritans said. 1306 01:09:16,892 --> 01:09:20,564 We don't simply want to mouth the doctrine 1307 01:09:20,564 --> 01:09:22,027 of the love of Christ. 1308 01:09:22,027 --> 01:09:24,540 We don't want that to happen. 1309 01:09:24,540 --> 01:09:28,160 We want such imagery that sings its message. 1310 01:09:28,160 --> 01:09:34,193 He said it's like a song being played on violins. 1311 01:09:34,193 --> 01:09:35,805 Lord, we don't want it to be dry. 1312 01:09:35,805 --> 01:09:37,498 We want it to be a song 1313 01:09:37,498 --> 01:09:41,218 as one sung on the most beautiful of instruments. 1314 01:09:41,218 --> 01:09:43,315 We want it to resonate in our souls. 1315 01:09:43,315 --> 01:09:45,884 Lord, I pray that You would do such things 1316 01:09:45,884 --> 01:09:48,240 as we go through this series 1317 01:09:48,240 --> 01:09:50,232 that would make us - 1318 01:09:50,232 --> 01:09:54,915 Lord, make us despise this world 1319 01:09:54,915 --> 01:09:56,471 and the things of this world, 1320 01:09:56,471 --> 01:09:58,826 and not to love the things of this world, 1321 01:09:58,826 --> 01:10:03,250 but to be very much enamored 1322 01:10:03,250 --> 01:10:06,347 and seeking and aching for the love of Christ. 1323 01:10:06,347 --> 01:10:09,800 May it be so. Lord, draw us, 1324 01:10:09,800 --> 01:10:11,732 and we will run after You. 1325 01:10:11,732 --> 01:10:15,242 Draw me. Draw my brothers. Draw my sisters. 1326 01:10:15,242 --> 01:10:16,845 And we will run. 1327 01:10:16,845 --> 01:10:23,431 Lord, why should we be like one who wears a veil - 1328 01:10:23,431 --> 01:10:25,660 like mourners - 1329 01:10:25,660 --> 01:10:28,626 when we are the very bride 1330 01:10:28,626 --> 01:10:30,651 of the Bridegroom Himself. 1331 01:10:30,651 --> 01:10:33,468 The Song of all songs. 1332 01:10:33,468 --> 01:10:40,458 The joy of all joys. 1333 01:10:40,458 --> 01:10:43,366 Lord, we pray that it should be so. 1334 01:10:43,366 --> 01:10:44,728 We pray it in Your name. 1335 01:10:44,728 --> 01:10:49,789 We pray it according to Your blood. 1336 01:10:49,789 --> 01:10:51,269 Amen.