SHE IS THE ONLY ONE
Song 6:4 Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. 5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. 6 Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them. 7 As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks. 8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. 9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
Although there are numerous individuals (represented by the queens, concubines, and virgins) who have always been involved with religion, there is but one Bride, one true church of believers. Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen. We know by the parable of the sower that this verse is most certainly true. There were four soil types, representing the four types of hearts into which the gospel seed is sown. There are the wayside hearers, the stony ground hearers, the thorny ground hearers, and lastly the good ground hearers. And without the effectual, sovereign call of the Holy Spirit, trials and tribulations, riches and cares of this world will eliminate those who, at the first, even received the word with joy. (Matthew 13:20).
And it is those first three hearers who make up the ones who travel in religion’s broad way, and not in the Spirit’s narrow way, with the strait gate! Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Psalm 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
And just as there is no other name given among men for their salvation, other than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is but one Bride of Christ. As the Apostle Paul informs us, she is made up of a diversity of members, but she is the one Bride for the one Lord Jesus! 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.
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
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;
There were many queens. But queen’s can be Jezebel’s! She was a worshiper of Baal, but queen in Israel. And there can be many more concubines. But concubines can be violated! Genesis 35:22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: Genesis 49:3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
And we know that virgins can all be asleep. (Matthew 25:5). And when awakened, some can be without any oil of the Spirit! – But not so with the Bride! (Notice that the closer you get to the king, the fewer is the number of each group. There are 60 queens, but 80 concubines, and virgins without number. So there were 5000 that were fed by the loaves and fishes; 120 in the upper room; 70 sent forth two by two,; 12 disciples; 3 on the mount with the Lord; and but one at Calvary and on Patmos to receive his Revelation!)
We must take note of the one thing which is said of her in our above passage that sets her into a different category than all the rest: she is said to have a birth! And without this spiritual birth, no one can either see, nor enter the spiritual kingdom of God! 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 it states that she is the choice one of her that bare her. And just who is that? Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. The heavenly city/bride, inhabited by the Spirit, births the Bride! For God’s true salvation goes from faith to faith. 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.
And that faith, being once delivered to the saints, and being the gift of God, shall abide throughout time, ever blossoming into the more excellent way! Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 Corinthians 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Then we come to see in our verse five, listed above, that she has the only ‘weapon,’ and is the only ‘army’ which can ‘overcome’ the Lord! For she is said to be as an army in verse four. And in verse five, we are told her weapon which overcomes the Lord is her eye of faith! The church’s weapons are said to be ‘mighty!’ 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
But without this God-granted faith he cannot even be pleased, much less be overcome! Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
For this gift of faith comes “with power.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: The church’s faith pleases God. And therefore, their prayer of faith both saves the sick and promotes the absolute sovereignty of God in the directing of Providence! James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. The power of Calvary – the fire of the altar – is co-mingled with the prayers of all saints, and is cast out into the realm of providence, in order to accomplish Gods sovereign will for all mankind! The angel (messenger) with the golden censor represents Christ and the Holy Spirit, our mediators! Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Our Lord said that it is that faith – that belief in him, – which brings such love from the Father as to alter mediation in prayer. The true church, His Bride, has never had to go through ‘the virgin’ Mary, nor the Apostle Peter, nor any other ‘saint’ with their petitions! And our Lord has provided his Bride with direct access to the Father, by their faith! John 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
The power of Christ, our Great High Priest, comes from his authoring faith by his obedience to the Father in his life, death and resurrection. And his reigning with the power of an ‘endless life,’ grants us the privilege of drawing near to God! Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
And he has, by this attainment, and by his oneness with his Bride, made the individual believer priests in their own right! Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Therefore they should never tolerate, much less bow under any form of priestcraft in religion! Pastors and teachers are to be servants of men’s souls, not lords over God’s heritage! 1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. Matthew 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. Beware, dear Soul, of any who would bind your conscious, denying you your God-granted liberty to worship Christ in the Spirit!
Then also in verse five he speaks of her hair. For directly above her eyes which overcome him, is her hair, which is her crowning glory. For the Apostle Paul states that her long hair is her glory! 1 Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
What he is speaking of is the chain of submission throughout the church. For Christ, our Head, is in submission to God the Father. John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. And the man is under submission to Christ. The wife renders submission to the husband, and the children to her. Therefore the glory of the church is her submissive spirit which covers everything she thinks and does. No one in the true church is out from under submission to higher authority.
Then he mentions her teeth. For the true church, like her master, has meat to eat that the world knows nothing of! John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Unlike the worldly religious, who’s grinders cease because they are few, (Eccles. 12:3), the true church has perfect spiritual teeth for her consumption of the strong meat of the gospel!
Pastor Gene Breed
January 27, 2017