COME, MY BELOVED
Song 7:10 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me. 11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. 12 Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. 13 The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
What a bold thing to say! … and his desire is toward me. What a bold assumption for the church to think she can speak as to that which is the very desire of the heart of God! But she does. And she can. For the Spirit of God, brings the love, which is God (1 John 4:8,16), into the individual believers hearts. John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
And as she speaks, she does so from the indwelling Spirit! 1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Therefore the Lord Christ is recorded as stating in Luke 10:16, He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
The Apostle Paul boldly declares that he speaks “in Christ’s stead!” 2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
And what a glorious thing for the true church to state. She does not speak as does the Harlot church of our day, braggingly saying, “He’s going to take me to heaven to walk on streets of gold!” No! The true church, Christ’s Bride, speaks of the intimate relationship she shares with the Person of God! She speaks from the same Spirit of his heart revealing his inner desire to be focused on her!
And how did she arrive at this assurance? For in her first appearance in this book she feels blackened by sin, wishing no one to look upon her. Song 1:5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 6 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.
Yet she arrives at this assurance just after the king, her lover, has let her see herself through his eyes. In the verses immediately preceding our text we read of his listing her individual characteristics of grace. He has spoken of her feet and shoes to reveal his pleasure in her walking with him. (Song 7:1 with Amos 3:3, Ephesians 6:15). He has spoken of her navel as pouring forth rivers of living water. (Song 7:2 with John 7:38). Then after these individual listings he sums it all up by referring to “This thy stature,” in Song 7:7. Therefore, as previously stated, she has been able to know herself, and in so doing come to know him, by this seeing of herself through his eyes. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: 2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And we understand that the Lord knows and deals individually with each and every believer. For he knows his sheep and calls them all by name! (John 10:3). Yet he has in mind to bring them all into a oneness, with the fitting of Himself upon this collective body, as their Head! Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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: 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Every individual member in Christ’s body is different. But they all, without exception have the exact same faith, hope, and Lord! Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Their difference is in the diversity of functions, but none in faith! 1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Therefore having seen herself as individually loved, very devotedly by the king, and having seen herself as a member of the full stature, fitting perfectly in the body of Christ, she comes to assuredly state, I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.
And until the damage that has been done down through the centuries by the angel of light (Satan), and his divisive forces of darkness, have been reversed, and the true church comes back as it was in the very beginning, in the one faith as it was meant to be, there will never be this confident voice of the Bride sounding forth the desires of the very heart of God! Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Then, in this oneness of faith, she will be enabled to “speak the truth in love.”
Like God’s revelation to Ezekiel (Ez.37:1-11), that Israel was a scattered pile of individual dry bones, so the sectarianism of our day must be recognized and dealt with by the Holy Spirit. For there are even true, elect believers within the walls of whorish Babylon! Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
For unto both the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia God speaks of there being within them, the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:8-9; 3:7,9). The vast number of antichrists (1 John 2:18; 2 John 7), who are in the world have found them seats of honor within the churches of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
For there any number of ‘popes’ within all religious groups. And there are vast numbers of uncalled, and even unregenerate ‘preachers’ filling pulpits, practicing priestcraft upon their members! That is, ruling over God’s heritage for their own gain, controlling members by guilt and pity, rather then being servants to the souls of the Lord’s people! 1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
And it is assuredly a hard task for the true believer to remain spiritually sound under the ministry of a false preacher! Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
There is hardly left in our land an example of a servant of the Lord’s people’s souls in our pulpits! Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. We have many ‘Pharaoh’ pastors to afflict for their own private ends, but not many ‘Moses’ pastors to lead the people out of the bondage of sin.
And as long as Satan – the angel of light – rules religion, substituting inordinate affection for the unction of the Holy Spirit, there can be no ‘washing of water’ to cleanse, but only the spewing out of the waters of lies to deceive! Revelation 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
The Lord clearly informs us that he shall come back for a glorious church. And this shall only be accomplished by the return of the pure gospel of Christ, cleansing her from spot and stain! Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
And we must realize that these “spots,” are people! They are the tares which have become entangled with the wheat! Jude 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Let us always remember that Satan rules over all forms of religion throughout the world. He has many heads! Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Yet the true church has but one Head, which is Christ! Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
And let us never forget to take notice as to where Satan’s crown are located. For we read in these verses that in one, (12:3), the crowns are upon his heads. Therefore he is imitating Christ as the Head of the true church. And in this we see him as the angel of light to deceive. 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Then in the other verse (13:1), we find the crowns are upon his horns. And in this we find him to be the roaring lion to devour! 1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: For when those he deceives come to be identified as the great whore (Rev. 17:1), he will turn on her, moving his crowns from his heads, having already deceived her, placing them on his horns to destroy her. Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
And always rest assured that Satan can do none of this without the sovereign Lord Christ reigning over him, accomplishing His purposes! 1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Pastor Gene Breed
February 11, 2017
