Isaiah 35
KingCommentsIsaiah 35:1
The Bride Described Again
When we look at the Lord Jesus, when our eye is only on Him, it is as if our gaze is too much for Him (Song of Solomon 6:5). When we are restored to fellowship with Him, our eyes are directed more on Him than before. They no longer roam away from Him to other objects. Then we see ‘Jesus alone’. It is as if this confuses Him. Thus, He can be amazed about the faith of a Canaanite woman. She believes with perseverance in His power to heal her daughter. This elicits from Him the statement: “O woman, your faith is great” (Matthew 15:28).
The groom is impressed by her renewed dedication. This leads him to describe her again because of what she means to him. He starts with “your hair”, which is the symbol of her dedication. He sees the same dedication to and dependence on him he described earlier (Song of Solomon 4:1b). It is a repetition, but he sees that the bride now experiences deeper what he says with it. This is also the case with the believer who, after a period of slackening in his relationship with the Lord, again comes to live in fellowship with Him.
Also what he says of the bride’s teeth is a repetition (Song of Solomon 6:6; Song of Solomon 4:2), but also not meaningless. Here too, the groom assumes a deeper feeling of the bride. The first time it is about “a flock of [newly] shorn ewes”. The emphasis is on ‘new shorn’. It indicates a fresh beginning. Here it is about is a “flock of ewes”, which indicates adulthood. It refers to the Lord Jesus observing a change that shows spiritual growth.
“Teeth” is about eating and grinding food so that it can be absorbed into the body. In a figurative sense, it is about the absorption and processing of spiritual food, as a result of which there is spiritual soundness. The “twins” indicate spiritual balance. The “young” indicate that the effect of balance in spiritual life will be fruit.
When we eat sound spiritual food, that is, when we read God’s Word, we know when to say something to encourage or exhort. We also know when to spend time with our family and when to go somewhere. In every area of our life, we will see the responsibilities in the proper perspective and fulfill them. The one is not at the expense of the other.
The groom also spoke earlier about the bride’s “temples” (Song of Solomon 6:7; Song of Solomon 4:3b). The temples refer to thinking, of thought life. This is “like a slice of a pomegranate”, indicating abundant fruit. This fruit can be seen in her dedication, of which her “veil” speaks.
If there is dedication to the Lord, thinking of Him will fill our thought life. The Lord knows our thoughts. He “understands my thoughts from afar” (Psalms 139:2). When two people love each other, they are always busy with each other in their thoughts. When love fades, also the thinking about each other fades away. This applies to our thinking of the Lord Jesus and also to our thinking of the husband or wife.
In my mind I always have to take into account what my wife thinks of something. Just as I stand before God, I stand before my wife. We are a unity. This also applies, for example, when the husband is at work and his wife at home. What the husband at work says to someone should be the same as if his wife was present. This is a protection of marriage and at the same time a deepening of it. In a relationship of love there are no secrets for each other.
Isaiah 35:2
The Bride Described Again
When we look at the Lord Jesus, when our eye is only on Him, it is as if our gaze is too much for Him (Song of Solomon 6:5). When we are restored to fellowship with Him, our eyes are directed more on Him than before. They no longer roam away from Him to other objects. Then we see ‘Jesus alone’. It is as if this confuses Him. Thus, He can be amazed about the faith of a Canaanite woman. She believes with perseverance in His power to heal her daughter. This elicits from Him the statement: “O woman, your faith is great” (Matthew 15:28).
The groom is impressed by her renewed dedication. This leads him to describe her again because of what she means to him. He starts with “your hair”, which is the symbol of her dedication. He sees the same dedication to and dependence on him he described earlier (Song of Solomon 4:1b). It is a repetition, but he sees that the bride now experiences deeper what he says with it. This is also the case with the believer who, after a period of slackening in his relationship with the Lord, again comes to live in fellowship with Him.
Also what he says of the bride’s teeth is a repetition (Song of Solomon 6:6; Song of Solomon 4:2), but also not meaningless. Here too, the groom assumes a deeper feeling of the bride. The first time it is about “a flock of [newly] shorn ewes”. The emphasis is on ‘new shorn’. It indicates a fresh beginning. Here it is about is a “flock of ewes”, which indicates adulthood. It refers to the Lord Jesus observing a change that shows spiritual growth.
“Teeth” is about eating and grinding food so that it can be absorbed into the body. In a figurative sense, it is about the absorption and processing of spiritual food, as a result of which there is spiritual soundness. The “twins” indicate spiritual balance. The “young” indicate that the effect of balance in spiritual life will be fruit.
When we eat sound spiritual food, that is, when we read God’s Word, we know when to say something to encourage or exhort. We also know when to spend time with our family and when to go somewhere. In every area of our life, we will see the responsibilities in the proper perspective and fulfill them. The one is not at the expense of the other.
The groom also spoke earlier about the bride’s “temples” (Song of Solomon 6:7; Song of Solomon 4:3b). The temples refer to thinking, of thought life. This is “like a slice of a pomegranate”, indicating abundant fruit. This fruit can be seen in her dedication, of which her “veil” speaks.
If there is dedication to the Lord, thinking of Him will fill our thought life. The Lord knows our thoughts. He “understands my thoughts from afar” (Psalms 139:2). When two people love each other, they are always busy with each other in their thoughts. When love fades, also the thinking about each other fades away. This applies to our thinking of the Lord Jesus and also to our thinking of the husband or wife.
In my mind I always have to take into account what my wife thinks of something. Just as I stand before God, I stand before my wife. We are a unity. This also applies, for example, when the husband is at work and his wife at home. What the husband at work says to someone should be the same as if his wife was present. This is a protection of marriage and at the same time a deepening of it. In a relationship of love there are no secrets for each other.
Isaiah 35:3
She Is the Only One
The groom, Solomon, says in these verses how unique the bride is to him. He has seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Of them he mentions here a selection of “sixty queens and eighty concubines” (Song of Solomon 6:8). They are probably more often in his environment than the other women. Then he also is surrounded by “maidens” in a quantity “without number”.
It is clear that Solomon literally goes against the institution of God, i.e. marriage as a union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:21-24). He also goes against the royal law (Deuteronomy 17:17). In this context, however, it is not about his wrong practice, but about the picture of a unique love. We can see this in the same sense that the Lord compares His coming with the coming of a thief. The comparison does not concern the bad character of the thief, but the unexpected, sudden and unwanted arrival of the thief.
Spiritually, the lesson of these verses is that the Lord wants to have a very intimate fellowship with every believer, and that all His love is directed toward us. The church is a whole, but at the same time it consists of individual believers who each have their own relationship with their Lord. In that relationship not every believer stands in the same degree of affection toward Him. These differences are reflected in the queens, concubines and girls.
This is also the case with the various relationships of love for the Lord, which is experienced differently by every believer. The believers of whom this beloved girl is a picture live in the Spirit. Christ sees in them the characteristics of a “dove” (Song of Solomon 6:9), a symbol of the Spirit. He sees a clear or simple eye in them, that is an eye that is only focused on Him. He also sees them as “perfect”, or that they are completely full of Him. Everything in their lives is about Him, they involve Him in all things.
Prophetically, in the one hundred and forty women and countless maidens, we can see the cities in the land to which the love of the Lord Jesus emanates. But one city transcends them all, and that is Jerusalem (cf. Proverbs 31:29). He has a special love for that city. Jerusalem is the only city because the Messiah is seen as born there (Psalms 87:2-3; 6; Zechariah 6:12). Jerusalem is “her mother’s only [daughter]”. The mother is Israel. All the cities of Israel and all the cities of the world will acknowledge this.
On that city He laid His glory and that makes her perfect (Ezekiel 16:14). So it is with every individual believer who is fully committed to Him: such a person is an ‘only’ one for Him. He is surrounded by others who love Him, but she is unique, the only one. That she is ‘the only one’ is expressed twice in this verse. By doing so, He underlines how unique she is to Him.
She is also “the pure [child] of the one who bore her”. Jerusalem came into being through the faithfulness of God. For a long time the city has been unfaithful, not purely in her relationship to God. When the Messiah comes to the city and declares her to be His bride, she will be “the pure”, the pure city. All her sins are put away. She has been cleansed by the judgment of evil and has become a city completely dedicated to Him.
All those who stand in a certain relationship to the Lord Jesus, but not in the way the bride stands in relation to Him, will recognize her in that relationship and praise her. In it we can see the twelve tribes and the cities that belong to them (cf. Nehemiah 11:1-2).
Similarly, there is a certain admiration for dedicated believers among persons who do not have the same dedication. They love the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus loves them. However, they lack the complete surrender that characterizes other believers. We cannot measure this by activities, but by the degree of fellowship that someone has with the Lord Jesus.
We see this difference with Martha and Maria. With Martha her activities for the Lord are paramount, with Mary the Lord Himself is paramount (Luke 10:38-42). After Martha has acknowledged this, she serves the Lord because of Who He is (John 12:2). Thus, every believer can grow to become an “only one” for the Lord Jesus.
Isaiah 35:4
She Is the Only One
The groom, Solomon, says in these verses how unique the bride is to him. He has seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Of them he mentions here a selection of “sixty queens and eighty concubines” (Song of Solomon 6:8). They are probably more often in his environment than the other women. Then he also is surrounded by “maidens” in a quantity “without number”.
It is clear that Solomon literally goes against the institution of God, i.e. marriage as a union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:21-24). He also goes against the royal law (Deuteronomy 17:17). In this context, however, it is not about his wrong practice, but about the picture of a unique love. We can see this in the same sense that the Lord compares His coming with the coming of a thief. The comparison does not concern the bad character of the thief, but the unexpected, sudden and unwanted arrival of the thief.
Spiritually, the lesson of these verses is that the Lord wants to have a very intimate fellowship with every believer, and that all His love is directed toward us. The church is a whole, but at the same time it consists of individual believers who each have their own relationship with their Lord. In that relationship not every believer stands in the same degree of affection toward Him. These differences are reflected in the queens, concubines and girls.
This is also the case with the various relationships of love for the Lord, which is experienced differently by every believer. The believers of whom this beloved girl is a picture live in the Spirit. Christ sees in them the characteristics of a “dove” (Song of Solomon 6:9), a symbol of the Spirit. He sees a clear or simple eye in them, that is an eye that is only focused on Him. He also sees them as “perfect”, or that they are completely full of Him. Everything in their lives is about Him, they involve Him in all things.
Prophetically, in the one hundred and forty women and countless maidens, we can see the cities in the land to which the love of the Lord Jesus emanates. But one city transcends them all, and that is Jerusalem (cf. Proverbs 31:29). He has a special love for that city. Jerusalem is the only city because the Messiah is seen as born there (Psalms 87:2-3; 6; Zechariah 6:12). Jerusalem is “her mother’s only [daughter]”. The mother is Israel. All the cities of Israel and all the cities of the world will acknowledge this.
On that city He laid His glory and that makes her perfect (Ezekiel 16:14). So it is with every individual believer who is fully committed to Him: such a person is an ‘only’ one for Him. He is surrounded by others who love Him, but she is unique, the only one. That she is ‘the only one’ is expressed twice in this verse. By doing so, He underlines how unique she is to Him.
She is also “the pure [child] of the one who bore her”. Jerusalem came into being through the faithfulness of God. For a long time the city has been unfaithful, not purely in her relationship to God. When the Messiah comes to the city and declares her to be His bride, she will be “the pure”, the pure city. All her sins are put away. She has been cleansed by the judgment of evil and has become a city completely dedicated to Him.
All those who stand in a certain relationship to the Lord Jesus, but not in the way the bride stands in relation to Him, will recognize her in that relationship and praise her. In it we can see the twelve tribes and the cities that belong to them (cf. Nehemiah 11:1-2).
Similarly, there is a certain admiration for dedicated believers among persons who do not have the same dedication. They love the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus loves them. However, they lack the complete surrender that characterizes other believers. We cannot measure this by activities, but by the degree of fellowship that someone has with the Lord Jesus.
We see this difference with Martha and Maria. With Martha her activities for the Lord are paramount, with Mary the Lord Himself is paramount (Luke 10:38-42). After Martha has acknowledged this, she serves the Lord because of Who He is (John 12:2). Thus, every believer can grow to become an “only one” for the Lord Jesus.
Isaiah 35:5
Who Is She?
In this verse the Spirit speaks through a third person who asks a question about the bride. That may be the various groups of women from the previous verse. The question is: “Who is this” or “Who is she?” and is about the bride. The question has four parts, each of which draws attention to a particular aspect of her life with the groom. The different aspects represent different impressions the bride makes on the questioner.
The first aspect in her appearance is that she “grows like the dawn”. The dawn announces a new day or a new period. The experiences described above in the life of the bride in her relationship with the groom have led to a new period in her life. She has been restored in fellowship with the groom. That has changed and renewed her.
That’s how it goes in our life. We may have had a period of fading or perhaps even living in sin. This has not gone unnoticed by people around us. Then the Lord Jesus has brought us to the acknowledgment of the wrong and restored us to fellowship with Him. Then we look different. People around us notice that too. They see that a new day has dawned in our lives, as it were.
The dawn or daybreak indicates the new beginning in the life of the believer who is again committed to the Lord (cf. Genesis 32:24). The shadows have disappeared from his life and there is no darkness left in his relationship with the Lord. It is the start of life as a righteous person till the full day has come (Proverbs 4:18). That is the purpose of the believer’s life. It is the manifestation of Christ and nothing else.
A restored believer is “beautiful as the full moon”. The moon has no light in itself, but receives the light from the sun and passes it on. The believer still lives in the world, where it is night. In the darkness of the night, he may pass on the light of the Sun, that is Christ. In his life he may show the features of the Lord Jesus in the darkness of a world that only pursues its own fame and honor.
The light is also “as pure as the sun”. The light of the sun transmitted by the moon does not lose any of its purity. The moon passes it on as it receives it. The light is ‘pure’ or glowing, meaning that it takes away or consumes what is wrong, which stands in the way of the purity of light. If, for example, an unclean thought arises, it is immediately judged.
Finally, a restored believer is also “awesome as an army with banners”. He is in victory, symbolized by the banners. This causes awe to those who want to silence him, so that he does not testify anymore. The following story is a nice illustration of this.
A man arrested for his faith appears in court. The judge threatens that if he does not renounce his faith, he will take everything he possesses from him. The man ‘raises his banners’ and says: ‘Then you need a long ladder, because everything I possess is stored in heaven.’ The judge tries again. Even more threatening he says that he will take his life away from him, let him be killed. The man ‘raises his banners’ again and says: ‘That is not possible, because my life is hidden in God with Christ.’
Such testimonies frighten the enemies, although they often don’t show it. People like Lot, the worldly-minded man, don’t cause awe. His defense against the men of Sodom to do no harm to his guests is answered by the threat to do harm to him (Genesis 19:5-9). His testimony of the judgment that comes on Sodom is considered one of his jokes (Genesis 19:14). Opposite to that we see Abraham, the heavenly man. He causes awe to the armies of various kings with an army of three hundred and eighteen men. He defeats those armies and delivers his cousin Lot (Genesis 14:8-16).
Prophetically, the dawn indicates the coming of the Lord Jesus as “the sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2) to illuminate Jerusalem with His glory (Isaiah 60:1). When He appears, a new day, a new period, begins for Jerusalem. That new day is the time of the kingdom of peace, of which David prophetically speaks as “a morning without clouds” (2 Samuel 23:4). The shadows of death, the threats of death enemies, are gone. The shadow over the relationship with the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, has also disappeared. There is nothing left between Jerusalem and Him that causes separation.
The change this implies for Jerusalem is noticed by all nations. When Jerusalem was destroyed, the people asked: “Is this the city of which they said, ‘The perfection of beauty, a joy to all the earth’?” (Lamentations 2:15b)? After her restoration she will again be the perfection of beauty and a joy to all the earth. This will also lead to surprise with the question: Who is she? Is this the city that had become a mess? God’s restorative work will raise admiring questions because of the enormous change in her circumstances. Former disaster, now glory.
Just before the dawn, before the rising of the Sun of righteousness, we who belong to the church first see the morning star appear (2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 2:28; Revelation 22:16). We wait for Him as the rising of the morning star. We will not experience the dawn of the day for the people of God and for Jerusalem in particular on earth, but from heaven. Then the Lord Jesus comes with us, His heavenly bride, to the earth to reign with her. Then for Jerusalem and the remnant the time of glory begins.
Jerusalem will be “beautiful” “like the full moon”. It is the full light of the moon. It is not primarily about the position of the moon, but about its brilliance. Then Israel will be clothed with the sun (Revelation 12:1). Israel will have the highest authority worldwide and spread blessing. The sun and moon are in the sky the witnesses of the faithfulness of God (Psalms 89:36-37). There is nothing that darkens the sun, there is only heavenly light.
Jerusalem, the earthly bride, is also “as awesome as an army with banners” (cf. Song of Solomon 6:4). There are still enemies at the beginning of the kingdom of peace. The Divine light that she will spread will make her strong in battle. God will give her the strength to defeat the remaining enemies (Zechariah 12:6).
Isaiah 35:6
The Groom Went Down
Here the groom is speaking again. He now compares his bride to “the orchard of nut trees” (Song of Solomon 6:11), which also contains fruit trees. There he “went down”. This is always the way of the Lord Jesus when He comes to His people. He bows down to them, He comes to their level. He comes to them to see if there are any signs that the fruit can be eaten soon.
A nut can only be consumed when the shell is hard and can be broken. This must also be done with care, otherwise the fruit will be broken together with the shell. Sometimes believers live in such a shell. They close themselves off from their surroundings and take a tough stance toward the outside world. Care is needed to break through the shell and come to the fruit.
The Lord Jesus sees the fruit, we often only see the hard exterior. He does not come to orchard of nut trees to see if there is already fruit, but if there are signs that fruit is coming. He comes ”to see the blossoms of the valley”. The blossoms indicate that fruit is coming, that the process of fruit formation has begun. It happens in the valley, i.e. in the depth. This refers to deep, spiritual exercises that are necessary to come to bear fruit for Him (Hebrews 12:11).
We can also observe this in the lives of young people. With some we notice that they want to live with the Lord. The first signs of spiritual fruit appear. We hear that they tell problems at school at home, but also discuss them with the Lord themselves. They are present in the meetings of the believers and help with all kinds of activities.
Fruit bearing we cannot force. Even if we sometimes notice a ‘shell’, we don’t have to want to break through it. Then the fruit is nipped in the bud and can be thrown away. Young believers are delicate plants, which we should accompany carefully. We can learn from the care of the Lord Jesus, from His careful looking to the process of growth.
Then we will not impose our ideas about growth on them, but as He descend to their level. We can do this simply by showing interest in their daily activities, their capacities, their plans. We can share with them how the Lord has shaped us and tell of His patience with us.
What the Lord Jesus then looks at is “whether the vine had budded”. The vine speaks of joy. Are there indications in our life that we find our joy in the Lord? He looks at that. That joy is connected with fellowship with Him and with the Father (1 John 1:3-4). When there are signs of fellowship with the Father and the Son, ‘the vine buds’.
As a result, we see “the pomegranate had bloomed’. This speaks of an abundance of fruit. That abundant fruit is worked by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The Lord Jesus looks to see if the Holy Spirit can work. The work of the Spirit is seen everywhere where the Lord Jesus is the center. Then His features become visible in that life. That is what He is looking for, that is what He wants to work on.
Then we hear in Song of Solomon 6:12, in response to His visit to the orchard of nuts, an exclamation of surprise. He says: “Before I was aware, my soul set me [over] the chariots of my noble people.” The believer with whom the fruit is emerging for Him will give Him the place of honor in his life and will willingly serve him.
This spontaneous willingness is, as it were, a surprise to Him, something He did not count on. It is certainly the result of His own work in the heart of the believer. Yet He says it this way. With this he shows His great, joyful appreciation for the voluntarism to submit to His authority.
Prophetically, this describes an expectant descent from the Lord Jesus to His people. The reaction of His people happens to Him, so to speak, before He has any awareness of it. He did not see it coming, so to speak. The Lord Jesus says this as Man (cf. Mark 13:32). When He comes to His people, He finds a willing people driving Him around in honor.
We also see this in Psalms 110, where there is a willing people and a new dawn (Psalms 110:2-3). Noble, or willing, is voluntary, unforced, as also in the voluntary sacrifices. It is not the whole people, but a remnant. So, even today, not all professing Christianity is dedicated to Him, but only those who really love Him.
This is a completely different people than He found at His first coming to earth. Then they did not want Him and He was rejected under the constant crying “crucify Him” (Matthew 27:22-23). When He comes back, they will say: “BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!” (Matthew 23:38-39; Psalms 118:26).
A new part of the book begins with Song of Solomon 6:13. The previous section ends in Song of Solomon 6:12 with the arrival of the Bridegroom for Jerusalem and how the city receives Him. In Song of Solomon 6:13 there is a call to Shulammite to come back. It is said four times. Here the bride is addressed with her name for the first time. This is now possible because she has grown in her relationship with the groom. That is why she can now be called that way. Shulam is related to Solomon. Both words have the meaning of ‘peace’. Her name makes it clear that she suits him.
The daughters of Jerusalem ask her to come back so they can see what happened to her. Their interest in her has been aroused by the change they have noticed in her. They see the peace in which she now finds herself through her connection with the groom. They want to know more about that, to see more about how it came about.
It may also happen to us that people see that there is peace in our life, while there is discontent throughout the world. We can also apply this to peace in a local church. One can ask us questions about this, how it is that we live with peace in our heart. They want to know more about that.
In Song of Solomon 6:13b the groom responds to the call of the daughters of Jerusalem. He first asks why they should gaze at Shulammite, what makes them long to see her well. Why do they want that? He then answers by saying who she is: “A dance of two companies.”
The answer shows that there are two aspects to her peace. The first is that of joy, which is expressed in the “dance”. This dance is an expression of joy at the occasion of deliverance and victory (Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 18:6). The second is that of unity between “two companies”. Here we can think of the restoration of unity in the kingdom of peace between the two and the ten tribes who have lived divided for so long (Ezekiel 37:16-28).
The complete restoration of the unity of the church will take place at the coming of the Lord Jesus. But even now, every restoration of unity is a testimony. It is to be desired that we also show more of this unity and that pure human divisions are made undone (cf. Psalms 133:1).
Isaiah 35:7
The Groom Went Down
Here the groom is speaking again. He now compares his bride to “the orchard of nut trees” (Song of Solomon 6:11), which also contains fruit trees. There he “went down”. This is always the way of the Lord Jesus when He comes to His people. He bows down to them, He comes to their level. He comes to them to see if there are any signs that the fruit can be eaten soon.
A nut can only be consumed when the shell is hard and can be broken. This must also be done with care, otherwise the fruit will be broken together with the shell. Sometimes believers live in such a shell. They close themselves off from their surroundings and take a tough stance toward the outside world. Care is needed to break through the shell and come to the fruit.
The Lord Jesus sees the fruit, we often only see the hard exterior. He does not come to orchard of nut trees to see if there is already fruit, but if there are signs that fruit is coming. He comes ”to see the blossoms of the valley”. The blossoms indicate that fruit is coming, that the process of fruit formation has begun. It happens in the valley, i.e. in the depth. This refers to deep, spiritual exercises that are necessary to come to bear fruit for Him (Hebrews 12:11).
We can also observe this in the lives of young people. With some we notice that they want to live with the Lord. The first signs of spiritual fruit appear. We hear that they tell problems at school at home, but also discuss them with the Lord themselves. They are present in the meetings of the believers and help with all kinds of activities.
Fruit bearing we cannot force. Even if we sometimes notice a ‘shell’, we don’t have to want to break through it. Then the fruit is nipped in the bud and can be thrown away. Young believers are delicate plants, which we should accompany carefully. We can learn from the care of the Lord Jesus, from His careful looking to the process of growth.
Then we will not impose our ideas about growth on them, but as He descend to their level. We can do this simply by showing interest in their daily activities, their capacities, their plans. We can share with them how the Lord has shaped us and tell of His patience with us.
What the Lord Jesus then looks at is “whether the vine had budded”. The vine speaks of joy. Are there indications in our life that we find our joy in the Lord? He looks at that. That joy is connected with fellowship with Him and with the Father (1 John 1:3-4). When there are signs of fellowship with the Father and the Son, ‘the vine buds’.
As a result, we see “the pomegranate had bloomed’. This speaks of an abundance of fruit. That abundant fruit is worked by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The Lord Jesus looks to see if the Holy Spirit can work. The work of the Spirit is seen everywhere where the Lord Jesus is the center. Then His features become visible in that life. That is what He is looking for, that is what He wants to work on.
Then we hear in Song of Solomon 6:12, in response to His visit to the orchard of nuts, an exclamation of surprise. He says: “Before I was aware, my soul set me [over] the chariots of my noble people.” The believer with whom the fruit is emerging for Him will give Him the place of honor in his life and will willingly serve him.
This spontaneous willingness is, as it were, a surprise to Him, something He did not count on. It is certainly the result of His own work in the heart of the believer. Yet He says it this way. With this he shows His great, joyful appreciation for the voluntarism to submit to His authority.
Prophetically, this describes an expectant descent from the Lord Jesus to His people. The reaction of His people happens to Him, so to speak, before He has any awareness of it. He did not see it coming, so to speak. The Lord Jesus says this as Man (cf. Mark 13:32). When He comes to His people, He finds a willing people driving Him around in honor.
We also see this in Psalms 110, where there is a willing people and a new dawn (Psalms 110:2-3). Noble, or willing, is voluntary, unforced, as also in the voluntary sacrifices. It is not the whole people, but a remnant. So, even today, not all professing Christianity is dedicated to Him, but only those who really love Him.
This is a completely different people than He found at His first coming to earth. Then they did not want Him and He was rejected under the constant crying “crucify Him” (Matthew 27:22-23). When He comes back, they will say: “BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!” (Matthew 23:38-39; Psalms 118:26).
A new part of the book begins with Song of Solomon 6:13. The previous section ends in Song of Solomon 6:12 with the arrival of the Bridegroom for Jerusalem and how the city receives Him. In Song of Solomon 6:13 there is a call to Shulammite to come back. It is said four times. Here the bride is addressed with her name for the first time. This is now possible because she has grown in her relationship with the groom. That is why she can now be called that way. Shulam is related to Solomon. Both words have the meaning of ‘peace’. Her name makes it clear that she suits him.
The daughters of Jerusalem ask her to come back so they can see what happened to her. Their interest in her has been aroused by the change they have noticed in her. They see the peace in which she now finds herself through her connection with the groom. They want to know more about that, to see more about how it came about.
It may also happen to us that people see that there is peace in our life, while there is discontent throughout the world. We can also apply this to peace in a local church. One can ask us questions about this, how it is that we live with peace in our heart. They want to know more about that.
In Song of Solomon 6:13b the groom responds to the call of the daughters of Jerusalem. He first asks why they should gaze at Shulammite, what makes them long to see her well. Why do they want that? He then answers by saying who she is: “A dance of two companies.”
The answer shows that there are two aspects to her peace. The first is that of joy, which is expressed in the “dance”. This dance is an expression of joy at the occasion of deliverance and victory (Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 18:6). The second is that of unity between “two companies”. Here we can think of the restoration of unity in the kingdom of peace between the two and the ten tribes who have lived divided for so long (Ezekiel 37:16-28).
The complete restoration of the unity of the church will take place at the coming of the Lord Jesus. But even now, every restoration of unity is a testimony. It is to be desired that we also show more of this unity and that pure human divisions are made undone (cf. Psalms 133:1).
Isaiah 35:8
The Groom Went Down
Here the groom is speaking again. He now compares his bride to “the orchard of nut trees” (Song of Solomon 6:11), which also contains fruit trees. There he “went down”. This is always the way of the Lord Jesus when He comes to His people. He bows down to them, He comes to their level. He comes to them to see if there are any signs that the fruit can be eaten soon.
A nut can only be consumed when the shell is hard and can be broken. This must also be done with care, otherwise the fruit will be broken together with the shell. Sometimes believers live in such a shell. They close themselves off from their surroundings and take a tough stance toward the outside world. Care is needed to break through the shell and come to the fruit.
The Lord Jesus sees the fruit, we often only see the hard exterior. He does not come to orchard of nut trees to see if there is already fruit, but if there are signs that fruit is coming. He comes ”to see the blossoms of the valley”. The blossoms indicate that fruit is coming, that the process of fruit formation has begun. It happens in the valley, i.e. in the depth. This refers to deep, spiritual exercises that are necessary to come to bear fruit for Him (Hebrews 12:11).
We can also observe this in the lives of young people. With some we notice that they want to live with the Lord. The first signs of spiritual fruit appear. We hear that they tell problems at school at home, but also discuss them with the Lord themselves. They are present in the meetings of the believers and help with all kinds of activities.
Fruit bearing we cannot force. Even if we sometimes notice a ‘shell’, we don’t have to want to break through it. Then the fruit is nipped in the bud and can be thrown away. Young believers are delicate plants, which we should accompany carefully. We can learn from the care of the Lord Jesus, from His careful looking to the process of growth.
Then we will not impose our ideas about growth on them, but as He descend to their level. We can do this simply by showing interest in their daily activities, their capacities, their plans. We can share with them how the Lord has shaped us and tell of His patience with us.
What the Lord Jesus then looks at is “whether the vine had budded”. The vine speaks of joy. Are there indications in our life that we find our joy in the Lord? He looks at that. That joy is connected with fellowship with Him and with the Father (1 John 1:3-4). When there are signs of fellowship with the Father and the Son, ‘the vine buds’.
As a result, we see “the pomegranate had bloomed’. This speaks of an abundance of fruit. That abundant fruit is worked by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The Lord Jesus looks to see if the Holy Spirit can work. The work of the Spirit is seen everywhere where the Lord Jesus is the center. Then His features become visible in that life. That is what He is looking for, that is what He wants to work on.
Then we hear in Song of Solomon 6:12, in response to His visit to the orchard of nuts, an exclamation of surprise. He says: “Before I was aware, my soul set me [over] the chariots of my noble people.” The believer with whom the fruit is emerging for Him will give Him the place of honor in his life and will willingly serve him.
This spontaneous willingness is, as it were, a surprise to Him, something He did not count on. It is certainly the result of His own work in the heart of the believer. Yet He says it this way. With this he shows His great, joyful appreciation for the voluntarism to submit to His authority.
Prophetically, this describes an expectant descent from the Lord Jesus to His people. The reaction of His people happens to Him, so to speak, before He has any awareness of it. He did not see it coming, so to speak. The Lord Jesus says this as Man (cf. Mark 13:32). When He comes to His people, He finds a willing people driving Him around in honor.
We also see this in Psalms 110, where there is a willing people and a new dawn (Psalms 110:2-3). Noble, or willing, is voluntary, unforced, as also in the voluntary sacrifices. It is not the whole people, but a remnant. So, even today, not all professing Christianity is dedicated to Him, but only those who really love Him.
This is a completely different people than He found at His first coming to earth. Then they did not want Him and He was rejected under the constant crying “crucify Him” (Matthew 27:22-23). When He comes back, they will say: “BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!” (Matthew 23:38-39; Psalms 118:26).
A new part of the book begins with Song of Solomon 6:13. The previous section ends in Song of Solomon 6:12 with the arrival of the Bridegroom for Jerusalem and how the city receives Him. In Song of Solomon 6:13 there is a call to Shulammite to come back. It is said four times. Here the bride is addressed with her name for the first time. This is now possible because she has grown in her relationship with the groom. That is why she can now be called that way. Shulam is related to Solomon. Both words have the meaning of ‘peace’. Her name makes it clear that she suits him.
The daughters of Jerusalem ask her to come back so they can see what happened to her. Their interest in her has been aroused by the change they have noticed in her. They see the peace in which she now finds herself through her connection with the groom. They want to know more about that, to see more about how it came about.
It may also happen to us that people see that there is peace in our life, while there is discontent throughout the world. We can also apply this to peace in a local church. One can ask us questions about this, how it is that we live with peace in our heart. They want to know more about that.
In Song of Solomon 6:13b the groom responds to the call of the daughters of Jerusalem. He first asks why they should gaze at Shulammite, what makes them long to see her well. Why do they want that? He then answers by saying who she is: “A dance of two companies.”
The answer shows that there are two aspects to her peace. The first is that of joy, which is expressed in the “dance”. This dance is an expression of joy at the occasion of deliverance and victory (Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 18:6). The second is that of unity between “two companies”. Here we can think of the restoration of unity in the kingdom of peace between the two and the ten tribes who have lived divided for so long (Ezekiel 37:16-28).
The complete restoration of the unity of the church will take place at the coming of the Lord Jesus. But even now, every restoration of unity is a testimony. It is to be desired that we also show more of this unity and that pure human divisions are made undone (cf. Psalms 133:1).
Isaiah 35:10
The Work of the Hands of an Artist
In Song of Solomon 7:1-5 follows a new description of the bride. In the groom’s earlier description of the bride (Song of Solomon 4:1-14), he says what she means for him. There he starts the description with her head. This new description he starts with her feet, her way of walking. The first description is done from the point of view of love. The second is from the point of view of her public action, which is also seen by others.
The bride is described in the royal glory she possesses and which is perceived by others. Although she has received that glory of the groom, it is not clear whether the description comes from the mouth of the groom or from the mouth of the daughters of Jerusalem. Because of the public character of the description, it is quite conceivable that the testimony about her is given by the daughters of Jerusalem.
The name “prince’s daughter” (cf. Psalms 45:13), with which she is addressed, is in keeping with this public testimony. We hear no names like ‘bride’ and ‘beloved’ as in Song of Songs 4. It is not a description of the intimate love relationship between groom and bride, but of the formal connection between king and queen.
As said, the description begins with the feet. It is said that they are “beautiful”. She stands out because of her elegant way of walking. There is no hurry, it radiates peace and dignity. She moves full of elegance. She takes her steps in her “sandals”. Whoever goes into captivity goes barefoot (Isaiah 20:4; cf. 2 Samuel 15:30). The father gives the prodigal son “sandals on his feet” when he returns home (Luke 15:22).
In the spiritual sense, the description teaches about our “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). We are not ‘children of the King’, but we do have royal dignity. This means that, in addition to having a relationship of love with the Lord Jesus, we also have a testimony in the world. It is the desire of every believer who loves the Lord Jesus to also respond to what is said here of the bride. Can the Lord Jesus and the people around us give this testimony of us that is given here of the bride?
Our feet are said to be shod “with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). The meaning is not that we should be prepared to proclaim the gospel – however important that may be. It means that in our walk it is visible that we live from peace. We have peace in every circumstance in which God brings us. People see that we go our way with the peace of God in our hearts, even when it is difficult. This is only possible if we look at the Lord Jesus, Who is the example in this (Matthew 11:25-30).
Then her “hips” are described. In the hips is the power for walking. After God has disrupted Jacob’s thigh or hip, he goes limping through life (Genesis 32:25; 31). There is talk of “the curves” of the bride’s hips. This indicates that there are no sharp or angular edges in her walk. We can sometimes be ‘angular’ or ‘sharp’. The Lord is working to remove those sharp sides. But He sees us as round.
Then the curves of the hips are compared to “jewels”. Her walk is graceful as a jewel. We don’t walk with long faces and heads hung low. If we have bent our necks before the Lord, it is seen in our walk. Then we listen to His directions and do His will (cf. Proverbs 3:21-22; Proverbs 25:12). This is how He is seen in our lives, so that we will be a blessing to those with whom we come into contact. Sharp words will not be spoken and angular or uncontrolled action will not take place.
We do not have such elegant and graceful behavior by nature. It takes “the hands of an artist” to show this behavior. The Spirit of God is that Artist. The Spirit works this behavior in us as God’s workmanship, as a new creation. Own effort or all kinds of therapies for behavioral change are connected with the old man and always fail. It will only be possible if we give the Spirit the opportunity to guide our lives.