HEARING AND HASTING
Song 8:13 ¶ Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. 14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
In this first verse Solomon, representing the Heavenly Husband, our Lord Jesus Christ, speaks to his Bride, a picture of the true, spiritual church. She has endured down across the ages as dwelling in the Lord’s various gardens, the local churches. And then he states that her spiritual influence is of an edifying effect among her religious companions. Lastly, he tells her not to forget to be instant in prayer, allowing him to hear her voice. And these are the last recorded words in this Song from Solomon to her.
Then in the second verse we have the Bride, representing Christ’s true spiritual church, speaking to Solomon. In the Amplified Bible it reads, “Make haste, my beloved, and come quickly, like a gazelle or a young hart [take me to our waiting home] upon the mountains of spices.”
We hear her same voice again in the Book of the Revelation. Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
We learn from these parting words that the Husband must go away, and that the Bride is in full agreement, but encourages him to complete his task quickly in order to return to her. And we have this laid out for us in our Lord’s words, recorded by Matthew. Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
Then the actual occurrence of this scene, depicted so long ago by Solomon’s song, is recorded in the Book of Acts, chapter one, verses one through eleven. There we also see that the separation of Christ from the church did not occur until the final words were spoken. Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
But the communion did not cease there. For he has said to her, cause me to hear it – that is, thy voice. So the true Bride communes with Christ through her prayers. And that which she prays for, he assures her that his hearing her voice, will bring forth her requests. 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
And her prayers are from the Spirit, unto God. They are not like the religionists’ to be heard for the praise of men! Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
She was taught from the beginning to pray for his coming kingdom. Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
For in the resuming of the joining of their physical presence with one another, is of great comfort to her. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
And it is to those alone who look for him that he shall appear, without farther provision of sin, and unto their eternal salvation. Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
All prayers shall be ended and replaced by eternal praise! Revelation 4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
All mediation shall then be forever ceased, for then we shall see Him face to face! 1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And then their spiritual oneness shall be established in the highest glorified state. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
For the Holy Spirit is in all true believers in sanctifying grace. But then he shall be in us in glorifying oneness to Christ! This is what our Lord requested to be accomplished at his cross! John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 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.
In sanctification, Christ is in all. Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. But when Christ’s and the Holy Spirit’s work of mediation is ended, then the Trinity, with the church shall be eternally one! 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
But why did the Husband have to go away? The Lord said it was “expedient!” John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
He is the entirety of the Godhead in a body! Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And that body had accomplished the redemption for which it was given. Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Therefore it was now the time for the Holy Spirit to come and make application of the accomplished redemption. He would recover and restore in the last Adam, more than was lost in the first Adam! Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Even the work that our Lord did physical in the very sight of his disciples was not understood until he left and sent the Spirit. John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. John 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
They could not even understand his kingdom aright until then. For they were still looking for a King David and King Solomon, literal, earthly kingdom! Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
His kingdom was IN the world, but not OF the world! It is a spiritual kingdom in a physical world. John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And no one can either see it, or enter into it, except by a spiritual birth from the Holy Spirit! John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
And that is the reason why there is so much error and confusion concerning Christ’s kingdom in religion today. It is because we have so many unregenerate church members! They cannot distinguish between the physical Israel and that Israel of God! Galatians 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Then we see in that last verse of our text that she looks forward to him taking them to his mountains (plural) of spices (plural). That is, all the “spices” of the individuality of all the members of Christ’s body, (the church), shall be gathered from their beds of spices, (Song 6:2), that is, the individual churches down through the ages, into one glorious body in his eternal presence. Revelation 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
For his redemption accomplished by his blood, shall be applied by the Holy Spirit to gather them from every nation, and people, and kindred and language! Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Unfading glory – Forever!
Pastor GENE BREED
MARCH 25, 2017
