The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

                                                                       Song of Solomon

 

Chapter 5

 

February 2, 2024

 

He

 I came to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk.

Others

Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love!

The Bride Searches for Her Beloved

She

 I slept, but my heart was awake.  A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” I had put off my garment; how could I put it on?  I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them?  My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.  I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.  I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone.  My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.  The watchmen found me as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me, they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls.
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem if you find my beloved,
that you tell him I am sick with love.

Others

What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women?  What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us?

The Bride Praises Her Beloved

She

My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand.
His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven.  His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool.  His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.
His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.  His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels.  His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires.  His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold.  His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.  His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

 

As the bride of Christ do you have the desires of the Shulammite lady for her lover?  She longed to spend time with him, she searched for him and she knew he loved her.  She also knew that he was the most valuable of men, and they were friends.

 

As a bride of Christ, you have so much more, you have a relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator and designer of your mind and body.  His love for you is unsearchable, and He calls you friend.  He also has a promise to never leave you are forsake you, that is a true lover.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice