SOS 1:7 From the Uttermost to Uttermost

Preached: November 15, 1978 by James R. Reynolds, Sr.

 

Song of Solomon 1:7 — Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

INTRODUCTION

When we relax it is so easy to make excuse. "they made me the keeper of the vineyards;" It is because we REALLY are not that enthused about it and therefore we are caught neglecting our vineyard. Be as busy as you can, but do not neglect your own. Never use the excuse, "I was so busy helping others, I did not have time to take care of my own."

From Her uttermost to His Uttermost. The little bride finds herself longing, hungering, thirsting to be with her lover. From her great hunger she craves for His Uttermost for all that He has and all that He is. She is longing to be in His presence. She has not yet come to the place where she is enjoying what her heart longs for.

There is a vast difference between those that hunger and those that are unconcerned. There are multitudes of people that are unconcerned.

I. In the Title Employed

1. It is Personal — "Thou" — "My"

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth,

John 11:3

Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

1:3 "The Virgins love Thee."

1:4 "The Upright love Thee"

1:7 "My soul loveth Thee"

There is no mention of others here. Before, it was loving Him amongst the multitude, fellowship and communion with friends. Then it is stepping out of the crowd, to now all alone, loving Him. Finding a inner place with Him.

Luke 10:1

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Luke 9:1

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

Matthew 17:1

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

John 21:20

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

Personal union now attached to Him.

Thou and My

The closer you get the more hungry you get.A hunger within the Bride that wants to be in His presence, nothing in life will satisfy her but Him. She has tasted something that has satisfied her inner being.

Philippians 3:8

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Philippians 3:10

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

2. It is Profound — "Soul"

Song of Solomon 1:7a

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth,..

We must learn to live by faith. It is something in the inner being; It is my soul speaking out. This is not the flesh speaking out but is a cry from the depths of the soul.

The soul is effected either by the flesh or by the Spirit. Lean towards God and loose the effects of the flesh

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.

By that which we Know; that which is in the Spirit beyond the flesh. The soul, the inner part, is involved.

Song of Solomon 1:7

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth,

(This is more than an expression of words)

John 14:15

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

This is a cry in the soul beyond the consciousness of the flesh. Not a put on, a longing , not a front, but a sincere "I want more of God."

Psalm 42:2

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:

Can't be satisfied by anything else or anything less but our soul has got to have Him.

3. It is Intimate — "Loveth"

Song of Solomon. 1:7

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth,…

Showing involvement of deep feeling. Having fellowship and communion with Him not just with God's people. Filled up with His presence and His Person, all alone with Jesus.

Paul expresses himself in relationship to the Bride's feeling.

Philippians 3:8

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Romans 7:15

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Romans 7:19-24

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 8:1-4

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Paul has moved on into a deeper realm. Running for the goal, letting Him build things up. The devil does not care how much truth you have as long as you have a mixture. The devil gets people get off just enough, but not too far lest they expose themselves.

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

He is trying to get into the church, but the church won't listen because she has been sidetracked.

Mary Magdalene at Jesus' feet is a picture of the Bride. She was black as black could be, but when Christ was done with her she was as white as Solomon's curtains. He put something in her soul that her love for Him seemed to surpass the love of others.

Luke 8:2

And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

Luke 7:37,38

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Luke 7:45-47

Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

At the garden scene her soul was crushed. (Where were all the disciples? Where was Peter? But here we find Mary weeping.)

John 20:15

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

If it is something that you have to put on, it will not last long. "Where is He?"

II. In the Opinion Expressed

Song of Solomon 1:7a

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon:..

1. The Good Shepherd

"Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest,"

There are a lot of wiles of the adversary we must face, but if we have been feeding where He feeds then we have that which will give us backbone. You can't tell the difference between wheat and chaff by looking at it, but with the movement of wind comes a showing of the difference. She knew He was feeding and that He has the best there is.

Ephesians 4:14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Psalm 23:1,2

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Matthew 24:28

For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Eagles do not eat last week's food. That will give you backbone. It makes life worth living. We are eating eagle's food! God is feeding people because He wants a people for His glory.

There is no question in her mind if He is good. She just wants to know where it is that He is feeding. She had to have already fed there once or she would not be this hungry now. She is hungry for the real thing, for that hidden manna. He has some feeding places.

Revelation 12:14

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Revelation 2:17

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

I Corinthians 2:9,10

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

2. The Satisfying Shepherd

"rest"

You do not find sheep resting until they are full, satisfied. This is an experience where we rest. It is not works, but it is through faith in Jesus. This place of rest is in the presence of Jesus.

Psalm 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

The Christian life is a paradox: we can laugh when we are crying and cry when we are laughing!

3. The Defending Shepherd

"rest at noon"

It is one thing to have rest in the coolness of the morning or evening, but how about in the midst of the noon hour when the heat is turned up? Yet, in the noontime He is able to give you rest. He is our defense!

Daniel 3:19

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

Jeremiah 29:13

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

III. In the Intensity of Her Request

Song of Solomon 1:7b — … for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?<

1. Her Recognized Weakness

Song of Solomon 1:7

…for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

I Corinthians 10:12

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

I don't want to be turned aside. I want to walk in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. It is only as you go in the green pastures and besides the still waters and you get your needs met that you will be able to walk in the paths of righteousness. The Christian life is not difficult or hard, but is impossible (without God's help).

"One week without prayer makes one weak."

2. Her Revealed Insight

3. Her Unwavering Confidence