SOS 1:5,6 The Bride Viewed in Three Dimensions
preached: November 8, 1978 by James R. Reynolds, Sr.
These notes begin at minute 15 of the following recording:
Song of Solomon 1:5,6 — I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
I. The Spiritual View
She sees herself black, in an awful condition as conviction strikes but under submission to Him.
A. Conviction
I am black… because the sun hath looked upon me…"
The blackness is the effects of the sun while she was in the world as a sinner. She is recognizing that she is not like she should be. She had felt secure until the light shone upon her. A believer does not sense his need until the Spirit touches him. The Word as the searchlight of Heaven is shining upon her and the light exposes the blackness and the Spirit is bringing conviction. She is now under conviction and her eyes are opened.
John 16:8 — And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
- Laodecian — Lukewarm; a government by the people
The church of the Loadecians is not owned by the Lord. The government has been taken out of His hands.
Revelation 3:17, 18
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
The Lord wanted them to see how black they were.
Revelation 3:15, 16
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
The Bride needs to see in areas of her life where she lacks by the touch of the Spirit. (a) She is recognizing her need.
(b) She is recognizing what the light of truth is exposing.
(c) She is responding to the Spirit
B. Confession
Not only does the Bride realize the she has a need, but when she wants God to do something for her, she has to confess it. God knows your need, but God won't do anything for your need until you want Him to. When the Lord comes by and touches us, we see ourselves, and begin to not like ourselves
1 John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I am black,…as the tents of Kedar…"
The tents of Kedar were the Arabian type of tents that were made out of black goatskins. They were as black on the inside as on the outside.
She felt her need because the Spirit was touching her, showing up little crevices and corners in her life that need to be dealt with, and she confesses them.
God can give us the victory if we really want it.
C. Commitment
I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me…"
The sun has had an effect on the Bride. Even though you have come in out of the sun, you might carry the effect for weeks.
Commitment means that you turn it over. She realizes that she has a problem, but can't do anything with it unless He helps her.
Stay under the influence of the Son of Righteousness, and the old, blistering sun of sin won't have any more effect on you. Your color will change, and you won't be black any more.
Commitment is faith
Believing and obeying the Word of God while under the influence of the Sun of righteousness. “the sun hath looked upon me:” The things of this world won’t be having any effect on me any more..
She committed her need to Him. He takes away the blackness He takes away the effects of the world.
II. The Divine View
She now sees herself in relationship to the Bridegroom. Seeing from God’s view through His Son.
I am black, but comely…
- comely" Hebrew — 'nawveh': Suitable, or beautiful:- becometh, comely, seemly.
The Bride couldn't produce a change, but the Bridegroom has produced a change — beautiful in Jesus. The Revelation of being suitable for the one who is beautiful
A. Provision
- Taken out of sin and placed in Christ.
- Made as righteous as Christ
- Same person made a new creature in Christ
Isaiah 1:18 — Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
God sees us in Christ, and the only way you can stay in Christ is to walk in the light.
1 John 1:7 — But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Ephesians 1:6 — To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
B. Partakers
It is not enough to see the provision, but we must become partakers of it. Partaking of His Divine nature makes us beautifu
1John 2:6
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
1Peter 2:21
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Ephesians 4:1
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
2 Corinthians 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Partaking is not simply one experience, but it is a process and a progress.
Ephesians 4:22,24
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Romans 13:12,14
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
C. Perfection
I am black, but comely…as the curtains of Solomon."
Exodus 26:14
And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
Exodus 26:1
Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
Hebrews 8:5
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
The pure white linen- the spotless perfection of the humanity of Christ.
Purple- His royalty.
Deuteronomy 28:13
And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
Blue- His Heavenly character
Scarlet- sufferings
Hebrews 5:8
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Romans 8:17, 18
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Gold- His divine nature
Revelation 19:7, 8
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
-
"white" Greek — 'lampros': Radiant; by analogy limpid; figuratively magnificent or sumptuous (in appearance):- bright, clear, gay, goodly, gorgeous, white.
Matthew 17:1, 2
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Hebrews 6:1
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The Bride will attain to His Perfection The little Bride will have on the garment that He has provided clean and white. 1:5 “ as the curtains of Solomon”
I am like Him- she sees herself as He can make her.
God sees the end from the beginning
God shows us the complete state that we can arrive to. Romans 1 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Not just a process of going from one experience to another but an ultimate experience of perfection. John 1 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. Hebrews 6 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Peter 3 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Corinthians 3 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Arrive to the ultimate Ephesians 4 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Jesus knew what He was, who He was and where He was in the Spirit, but didn’t boast of it, We will be the same as Him if we remain in Him.
The process is still going on but we can know as we arrive.
It will take the outpouring of God’s Spirit to bring us to completion.
III. The Carnal View
The carnal vision of what she has done.
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem…"
A. The Saved (Daughters of Jerusalem)
2 Corinthians 3:2
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
The Bride is trying to help them see her, not as she was, but as she is in Christ.
B. The Baptized Believer (My Mother's Children)
my mother's children were angry with me…"
The little Bride has caught a vision of something better, and her mother's children are angry with her because of it.
A conversation to the daughters of Jerusalem 1:5 “O ye daughters of Jerusalem” Don’t look upon me from a carnal view or from the natural view Don’t look upon my past or from the natural view. See me in Him. I am comely now, beautiful in Him.
There will be many watching us from a carnal view. There is nothing we can do to change the fact that we have done wrong before but we can make a difference now in Christ.
WE ARE TO BE AN EXAMPLE IN CHRIST
1:6 my mother's children were angry with me; If you want something more, your mothers’ children will be angry with you and call you the dreamer. Don’t use any negative that people show, as an excuse to fail.
The church is the mother of the Bride.
Revelation 12:1, 2 &mash;And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
C. Herself
(Excuses to Neglect in our own Vineyard)
1:6 “ They made me the keeper of the vineyards” There is no excuse for neglect Hebrews 2 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 1:6 “Mine own vineyard have I not kept.” She confesses her own negligence her relaxing and begins to make excuses for herself. To busy Lack of prayer Lack of growth No pruning No reception of truth No cleansing and forgot about the purging that has been. II Pt. 1:9 Become relaxed about our own experience Excusing the neglect No witnessing or very little
- No faith - No works of Righteousness which He hath done.
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