"Because of the fragrance of your good ointments,
Your name is ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you"
Good ointments from the bible is expressed in Psalms 45:8
"All your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, ..."
1) Myrrh: Meekness
- Represents the bitter cup that Christ had to drink in suffering for our sins (sacrifice) and the healing for us that his death brings
- Attitude of meekness and willingness to suffer for God's kingdom sake.
2) Aloes: Dedication
- Heb "ahalim": Represents of the wilderness wanderings and trials of the children of Israel.
- It was used, along with myrrh, in the burial of Christ.
3) Cassia: Humility
- A tree whose bark, when stripped off, has the flavor and aroma of cinnamon.
- Heb "to bow down", thus signifying humility
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SS 1:4a (Shulamite woman)
" Draw me away!
Daughters of Jerusalem)
We will run after you."
John 6:44 indicates that the drawing from God is sovereign, which means that it is up to God whether to draw us to Him (obviously He wants to!!)
However the desire to be drawn away (or swept away) by God is 100% up to us.
When God draws us, we must be ready to run (pursue) to Him.
Notice at the beginning, only the Shulamite woman called out for God to draw her away.
But later we noticed that the rest (daughters of Jerusalem) also joined in.
--> This shows that one person receiving the touch of God can greatly influence others.
Can you make a difference in your cell group? Can you influence the people around you to love God more? The answer is Yes.
Leadership is always the problem everywhere and in every area of life BUT
LEADERSHIP IS ALSO THE SOLUTION.
Feel that something is lacking in your school? your cell group? your church?
Start taking ownership and leadership! Any by that I do not mean being bossy and claiming to be no 1, but to be a servant of all and lead by example!
Anybody can be a leader and all of us should be!
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SS 1:4b (Shulamite woman)
The king has brought me into his chambers...."
On a spiritual level, the "chambers" signify the inner recesses of God's truth --the deep things of the Spirit
A knowledge of the things of the kingdom is reserved for the children of the kingdom.
As the bridegroom would lead his new bride from chamber to chamber of his palace, to show her his wealth, to display his treasures, and to unlock his cabinet of most precious gifts, so does Christ delight to lead His people into all truth, and to reveal to us secrets like how we would share to our closest friends.
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SS 1:5 (Shulamite woman)
"I am dark, but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon"
Catching a glimpse of the Bridegroom in His magnificence causes us to be immediately aware of our own plainness and lowly background.
"dark" speaks of the sins and imperfection
--> The more aware we are of the Lord, the more conscious we are at our weaknesses.
The curtains seem to reflect the curtains of the tabernacle and temple which symbolize the righteousness of Christ with which He covers us.
Holiness is both a position (we come into holiness when we receive Christ), but also a PROCESS.
And the process is known as SANCTIFICATION.
The key is really to lay down every area of our lives to the Lord as what belongs to God is holy.
Whatever we put God first in and lay it at His feet will become holy and blessed.
The curtains (coverings) of God can cover us the moment we know God as our Lord and not just our Savior.
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SS 1:6 (Shulamite woman)
"Do not look upon me, because I am dark,
Because the sun has tanned me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me the keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard I have not kept"
The Shulamite woman caring for other vineyards, but neglecting her own symbolizes the believer who is rushing about here and there, in "service" to God and the "church", yet is neglecting his own personal spiritual life - personal prayer, devotion and rest in God.
The key in life is BALANCE. But there is no perfect formula for everyone.
Everyone has a different formula, which nobody excepts God and yourself knows.
You got to know what refreshes your soul, what doesn't and progress AT YOUR OWN PACE.
Who cares that newbie in church is rising up faster than you? Who cares that untalented guy is getting all the attention from your leader instead of you? Who cares that apple-licking colleague is getting the promotion instead of you?
Okay. You care. But it is time to STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE.
Stop making yourself miserable, stop making God miserable by doing this.
The key is to place your focus on what can be accomplished! (meaning the future!)
Dwelling on the past is simply for losers. *ahem*
THE HEART OF A MATTER IS OFTEN THE MATTER OF THE HEART
The vineyard is a type of the heart. Do not neglect your heart!
--> FACT: You can burn out and neglect your spiritual life (and heart)
You need to address what is bugging your heart and face the music!
Moving on...
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SS 1:14 (Shulamite Woman)
"My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms
In the vineyards of En Gedi
SS 1:15 (The Beloved)
Behold, you are fair, my love!
Behold, you are fair!
You have dove’s eyes. "
En Gedi -> David's fortress of strength
A Dove is a bird without gall. Gall in Heb. mererah which means bitterness.
Dove's eyes here represents seeing God without a hinge of bitterness.
The Bible says only those with a pure heart can see God. If we carry bitterness, how can we ever see God? We can only see God with dove's eyes.
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SS 2:4-7 (Shulamite Woman)
"He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love.
Sustain me with cakes of raisins,
Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.
His left hand is under my head,
And his right hand embraces me.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the does of the field,
Do not stir up nor awaken love
Until it pleases."
In this passage, the Shulamite pleaded with the daughters of Jerusalem not to force her to love the Beloved more than what she is capable of.
Love is honest. It is not hard.
It is not hard to love God. Not at all. In fact it is the easiest thing to do! We are created to do that!
But the pressures of the world, the stress to excel even in church often drives us to fake our love.
Loving God should be natural. Praying to God, spending time with Him should be natural. Worship should be natural. Praise should be natural. It shouldn't forced, it shouldn't be hard.
Don't fake it.
If you say you love God, it will come natural to you... praying, fellowshipping, ministry...
Do not reverse the sequence - serving first to prove your love to God.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO PROVE YOUR LOVE TO GOD (not even to anyone, including YOURSELF)
Love God First. Then the Rest.
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