The Cherished Heart: Equipped to Love Jesus
I. REVIEW OF SONG 2:8-3:11
A. Jesus called the Bride out of the comfort zone to the mountain tops to experience more of Him. However, she does
not obey but tells Jesus to turn and go to the mountains without her.
8 He comes leaping upon the mountains…10 My Beloved said: "Rise up, My love…and come away…17 Turn, my
Beloved, and be like a gazelle…on the mountains. (Song 2:8-10, 17)
B. She experiences God’s loving discipline as He removes His manifest presence. She sought Him but did not find
Him. The Lord is not angry but jealously wants a deeper partnership (Hebrews 12:6)
1 By night on my bed I sought the One I love; I sought Him, but I did not find Him. (Song 3:1)
C. In Song 3:6-11, the Bride gained revelation of Jesus’ safe leadership as the Bridegroom King who could enable
her to walk in 100-fold obedience in facing the mountains. She sees Jesus as the King who desires her love. We can
crown Jesus with our love as King of our heart. The “wedding crown” of love makes Him glad. He desires that crown the
most.
11 Go forth, O daughters…and see King Solomon with the crown with which His mother crowned Him on the day of His
wedding, the day of the gladness of His heart (Song 3:11).
II. OVERVIEW OF SONG 4:1-8
1 Behold, you are fair, My love…you have dove's eyes…your hair is like a flock of goats…2 Your teeth are like shorn
sheep...3 Your lips are like…scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples…are like a piece of pomegranate. 4 Your
neck is like the tower of David…5 Your breasts are like fawns…6 I will go my way to the mountain…7 You are all fair, My
love, there is no spot in you. 8 Come with Me…My spouse…look from the top of Amana…from the mountains of the
leopards. (Song 4:1-8)
A. After a season of divine discipline, Jesus calls the Bride fair or beautiful while she was yet maturing in her
obedience and faith. In Song 4:1-5, Jesus prophetically affirms 8 "budding virtues" in the young Bride’s life. Jesus
equips us in our weakness by affirmations that overpower Satan's accusations against us (Revelation 12:10).
B. This passage outlines 8 character traits that God wants to come
forth in His Bride. The symbolism used here is developed through out the Scripture.
Dove's eyes: eyes of single-minded devotion and revelation
Hair like goats: dedication to God
Teeth like shorn sheep: chewing the meat of the Word
Lips like scarlet: speech that is redemptive
Kisses of the mouth: intimacy with God
Veiled temples (cheeks/countenance): emotions impacted by the grace of God
Neck like David’s tower: setting our will to obey God
Breasts like fawns: the power to edify and nurture others
III. SETTING OUR HEART ON JESUS
A. In Song 4:1-5, we see the cherishing heart of Jesus our Bridegroom King. She responds by setting her heart to
fully obey and believe His Word (Song 4:6-8).
B. Jesus washes and releases His glory in the Church by cherishing us.
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, 27 that He might present her to Himself
a glorious church…29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the
church. (Ephesians 5:26-29)
C. God’s primary method to change weak believers is to cause us to feel how much He cherishes us. In this way, He
removes the stain of our sin and shame from our heart. When we feel cherished, we become confident and bold in our
love for Jesus. The power of King David’s life was found in feeling loved by God. God’s cherishing heart is one of the
most prominent themes in the Song.
35 Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. (Psalm 18:35)
D. Jesus cherishes us by esteeming us as His Bride and by treating us with gentleness and affection as He affirms
the budding virtues in our lives (even in our weakness when we stumble).
E. Jesus does not define our life by our struggles. He sees more than our failure. He defines us by the seeds of virtue
that are in our heart and what we set our heart on, not only by what we attain. He sees a willing spirit in us (Mt. 26:41).
He defines us by our longings to love and obey Him.
F. Seeing how Jesus defines us determines how we think and feel about ourselves. He sees the seeds of character
in our life. He sees the end of our journey with clarity.
G. When Israel was being attacked by the mighty Midianites, Gideon hid in fear in the winepress (Judges 6). An angel
appeared to him and said, “O mighty man of valor.” The Lord saw in Gideon what he could not see in himself. The Lord
saw seeds of faith and courage that he was not yet operating in. The Lord named Gideon according to what he would
become in the future. Gideon went on to become one of Israel’s great military leaders.
H. Jesus called Peter the rock (the unmovable one; Matthew16:18) knowing that he would deny Him in his fear.
Peter outwardly looked like a compromiser. Peter’s instability was manifest again. The Lord saw the seeds of courage,
stability and faithfulness in Peter and named him the rock.
11 When Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain
men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew…fearing those of the
circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him…even Barnabas was carried away with their
hypocrisy. (Galatians 2:11-13)
I. We see the Lord’s “editing process” in Abraham’s life saying that he never wavered in his faith.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief… (Romans 4:20)
J. God’s testimony of David is that he did all of God’s will and fulfilled God’s purpose.
22 He raised up David…concerning whom He testified and said, “I have found David…a man after My heart, who will do all
My will…” 36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep… (Acts 13:22, 36; NAS)
K. The Lord calls sincere believers the disciples whom God loves (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20).
23 There was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. (John 13:23)
L. The Devil calls us hopeless hypocrites. The enemy wears down many with accusation and condemnation. He
wants us to feel like hopeless hypocrites so that we give up. He wants us to confuse immaturity with rebellion so that we
give up.
M. Many spend excessive emotional energy fighting the fires of condemnation and worthlessness. The baggage of
condemnation and rejection takes a lot of energy to manage. This prevents us from effectively walking with the Lord
because we are preoccupied with failure and shame.
N. Many focus on measuring their attainment of maturity instead of being focused on setting the intentions of their
heart to obey and believe. When we measure our attainment of maturity, we become vulnerable to two spiritual problems.
1. If we measure up good, we can feel proud and thus, criticize others who fail.
2. If we fail, then we feel condemned and thus, feel like quitting.
O. Our primary focus is to be on God’s emotions (beauty) and in setting the intention of our heart to fully love Him
(obey and believe His Word). He will work mature victory in us in His timing.
13 It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
P. Cherishing is the way a man changes his wife or children. All of God’s discipline occurs as He cherishes us.
Parents often do not rightly interpret the budding virtues in their children. They see failure instead of the budding seeds
of dedication and greatness.
IV. WE ARE BEAUTIFUL TO GOD EVEN IN OUR WEAKNESS
A. Immediately after the maiden’s season of discipline (Song 3:1-2), the Lord declares that she is beautiful to Him.
Jesus emphasizes the importance of this revelation of her beauty by repeating it two times. The Holy Spirit blasts this
divine trumpet before us, “Behold! You are beautiful and I love you. We are changed by the revelation that we are
beautiful and loved with affection.
1 Behold, you are fair (beautiful), My love! Behold, you are fair! (Song 4:1)
B. The revelation that a sincere believer is beautiful to God even in their weakness is foundational to growing in God’s
grace. The word fair is translated in most Bibles as beautiful. This is one of the primary themes in the Song
(Song 1:8, 15, 16; 2:10, 13, 14; 4:1 , 7, 10; 6:4, 10; 7:1).
C. The progression of the theme of our beauty through the Song of Solomon is important.
D. When we see Jesus as a King who is filled with gladness in loving us (Song 3:11) and who sees us as
beautiful then we will arise to embrace every sacrifice. This empowers us to ascend any mountain or to face any obstacle.
E. Next, Jesus affirms 8 "budding virtues" in her life (Song 4:1-5). Each characteristic starts out only in seed form
and then they need to be called forth with affirmation. Jesus equips us against Satan's accusations by affirming the
seeds of our love and obedience that He sees in our heart.
F. Jesus speaks blessing on 8 different aspects of her life. He gives us a new name so that we might grow up into
it. Every phrase is God’s poetic divine romance that aims at the heart in a specific way. These 8 virtues are reflections
of the Lord’s beauty imparted to us and they make Jesus glad as we love Him in these ways (Song 3:11). These eight
virtues will also make our heart glad.
G. The king spoke to her in agricultural language that she is familiar with since she tended goats and kept vineyards.
Each symbol is interpreted by the Scripture.
H. The King tells her to go to the mountain. Up to this point, she only said yes to arise to go to the city not the mountain
(Song 3:2). The Bride does not fully walk it out until Song 5-8. She has only said yes. The Lord values the yes, knowing
that she will mature in time.
I. Three things work together to cause us to come to 100% commitment to obey (Song 4:6). First, she receives divine
discipline (Song 3:1-2). Second, she receives fresh revelation of Jesus (Song 3:6-11). Third, she receives fresh
revelation of herself in Jesus’ eyes (Song 4:1-5).
V. EYES: SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING AND REVELATION (SONG 4:1)
1 You have dove's eyes behind your veil. (Song 4:1)
A. Eyes speak of spiritual insight. Paul spoke of the eyes of our understanding (Ephesians 1:18). Seeing was Paul's
first priority because seeing is the doorway to growing spiritually (Philippians 3:8-10; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Obedience
flows out of perceiving. When we see differently then we feel differently.
B. Dove's eyes speak of purity and loyalty. The Holy Spirit is pictured as a dove. A dove never mates again when
their partner dies. They are known for their loyalty. Dove's eyes can not focus on two things and has no peripheral
vision. This speaks of singleness of mind. Instead of being dedicated and secure in God’s love one moment then
compromising or feeling condemned the next, she was single-minded. Her eyes are fixed upon Him instead of on
lusts, failure or success.
C. She has humility in her revelation. She "hides" behind her veil or holds back some aspects of what God tells. Her
secret life in God or her life behind her veil is private. Abundant revelation tempted Paul to pride (2 Cor.12:7-9).
Paul taught that knowledge often led to pride (1 Corinthians 8:1).
VI. HAIR: DEDICATION TO JESUS (SONG 4:1)
A. The Bride’s hair spoke of her dedication to God. The hair of the Nazirite was an outward sign of their consecration
or dedication (Numbers 6). Anyone who took a Nazirite vow was not permitted to cut their hair. Samson cut his hair and
thus broke his vow of dedication and therefore lost his power. Hair also speaks of the beauty of submission to God.
Paul spoke of a woman’s hair as showing forth her glory and dedication to God’s authority (1 Corinthians 11:5, 6, 15).
1 Your hair is like a flock of goats, going down from Mount Gilead. (Song 4:1)
B. The maiden has a majestic and stately walk as represented by a flock of goats.
29 There are three things which are majestic in pace, yes, four which are stately in walk…31 a male goat also, and a
king whose troops are with him. (Proverbs 30:29-31)
C. We walk out our dedication with stateliness or as coming from godly wisdom with dignity. It is common for our
dedication to be tainted with fleshly zeal that draws attention to self.
D. Her stately hair or dedication is the result of being well fed (on Scripture). The goats on Mount Gilead were
abundantly fed. It was a fertile area with bountiful places where goats were known to eat in abundance. She was well
fed on the love of God and the Word of God.
VII. TEETH: HER LIFE IN THE WORD (SONG 4:2)
2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep, which have come up from the washing, every one of which bears twins, and
none is barren among them. (Song 4:2)
A. Teeth speak of the ability to chew meat and thus to receive nourishment. Infants have no teeth to chew meat.
Babes in Christ can not receive the meat of the Word (1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14). This virtue refers to her
ability to receive the meat of God's Word. This 4-part description of her teeth is from an agricultural perspective. Her
teeth are strong, abundant and effective.
B. The wool of an unshaven sheep grows unevenly (unbalanced). Uneven wool speaks of fleshly zeal. The priests
of Zadok had to wear linen garments and were forbidden to wear wool because it made them sweat (Ezekiel 44:15-18).
Our fleshly zeal must be under control of the Holy Spirit.
C. To come up from the washing speaks of being cleansed from the dirt. As we eat the Word of God our teeth are
like sheep that came up from the washing. The word washes us (Ephesians 5:26).
D. Diligence in the Word results in an abundant impact on others. Her teeth were like a flock of shorn sheep in which
every one bore twins and none is barren. Her ministry impact is fruitful without spiritual barrenness. To bear twins speaks
of abundant fruitfulness. By meditating on the Word, we can keep our lives as clean as sheep who just emerged from the
washing. This cleanliness of teeth speaks of her commitment to meditate on God’s Word (1 Timothy 4:6-16). Song 4:1-2
describes her eyes, hair, teeth and temple as does Song 6:5-6.
VIII. LIPS: GODLY AND ANOINTED SPEECH (SONG 4:3)
3 Your lips are like a strand of scarlet… (Song 4:3a)
A. Her lips speak of her speech. Her words being like scarlet speak of words that bring redemption to others. The
scarlet strand pictures God’s redemption from the blood of Jesus. When the spies came to Jericho, Rahab placed the
scarlet ribbon in her window to receive redemption (Joshua 2:21). Moses took the blood of calves with scarlet wool to
sprinkle the people (Hebrews 9:19).
B. The scarlet strand must impact our lips as we speak in an edifying way (Colossians 4:6). Wholesome speech is
an indication of the grace of God on our lives (Ephesians 4:29; James 2:3).
IX. MOUTH: HER INTIMACY WITH GOD (SONG 4:3)
3 Your mouth is lovely. (Song 4:3b)
A. In Song 1:2, the mouth was introduced in the Song in context to the kisses of His mouth which refers to intimacy with
God. Our communion with Jesus is lovely to Him. In the Song of Solomon, the lips speak of speech as the mouth speaks
of intimacy. The king is not being repetitive or redundant in this affirmation to the maiden.
B. When we give our love to Jesus, it often seems weak. However, God declares that it is lovely to Him, even in our
immaturity. The Lord delights in the communion He has with us.
X. TEMPLE: HER EMOTIONAL MAKE-UP (SONG 4:3)
3 Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate. (Song 4:3c, d)
A. The temples (cheeks or countenance) reveal one’s emotions. The Hebrew word translated as temples can be
translated as countenance or cheeks. Several translations use the cheeks instead of temples. Our emotions are
expressed by our countenance or cheeks. We can see anger, joy, gladness, and sadness on the cheeks or
countenance. They are windows into one’s emotions.
B. Her godly emotions were like a piece of sweet pomegranate. They were sweet to God. The pomegranate was a
common fruit in Israel that was very sweet. They were represented on the gown of the high priest or on the ephod.
C. When pomegranates are broken they are red. Red speaks of her modesty, her propensity for blushing in the
presence of shameful things.
D. A prostitute does not blush when acting immodestly. A red countenance speaks of one sensitive to shameful things
(red from blushing). Behind her veil speaks of her hidden life in God as being modest. It is genuine and not just a show.
There is a hidden life of modesty and tenderness.
XI. NECK: HER RESOLUTE WILL (SONG 4:4)
4 Your neck is like the tower of David, built for an armory, on which hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
(Song 4:4)
A. In Scripture, the neck often speaks of the will that can be stiff necked (resistant) or submissive. When one put
his foot on the neck of a conquered enemy it symbolized their submission.
B. The Bride's will is like the heart of David who set his heart steadfastly before God (Psalm 57:6). This is in contrast
to being double-minded.
C. David’s towers were strong and high to make them effective in defending the city of Jerusalem. Her choices were
strong like the tower of David.
D. An armory stored weapons for war (Nehemiah 3:19, 25). A resolute will to obey God is like a storehouse of weapons
against Satan's kingdom. A buckler was a small, round shield often worn on the arm. 1,000 shields spoke of abundant
protection against the enemy. Her will was like the shields of 1,000 skilled warriors which were proven in battle. They
provided protection from the enemy. This refers to the shield of faith which is used to protect us (Ephesians 6:16).
E. Our unwavering resolution to obey Jesus is an essential aspect in our spiritual victory. There is no substitute for
exercising our will to say yes to God. The Lord will not violate His own boundary lines of redemption by forcing us to say
yes to Him.
XII. BREASTS: ABILITY TO NURTURE OTHERS (SONG 4:5)
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, which feed among the lilies. (Song 4:5)
A. Breasts speak of nurturing others as a mother nourishes her babies. Fawns are youthful animals. Her breasts are l
ike two fawns which are twins. This speaks of a double portion, or a double ability to nurture others in giving them the
milk of the Word. Breasts like fawns speak of the milk of a young mother that does not run dry. This is in contrast to an
aging woman.
B. The maiden’s ministry is likened to fawns which feed among the lilies which speak of purity. He promised to make
her an ornament of silver or to be equipped in ministry (Song 1:10).
XIII. HER COMMITMENT IS FOUNDATIONAL FOR SPIRITUAL MATURITY (SONG 4:6)
6 Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.
(Song 4:6)
A. She responds to these affirmations of her beauty by embracing the cross or committing to go to the mountain of
myrrh. The mountain refers to obstacles that hinder her obedience (Song 2:8-9).
B. Myrrh is a burial spice that is costly yet has a great fragrance. It speaks of Jesus’ death. It is only a burial spice to
our flesh but it as fragrance to our spirit. It is a mountain of myrrh (not comfort). It is mountain not a small hill. Jesus
ascended the mountain of myrrh in His own life when He went to the cross. We take up our cross to deny ourselves
(Luke 9:26) to ascend the mountain.
C. Frankincense or incense throughout Scripture speaks of prayer (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8). We ascend the
hill of frankincense to receive strength to ascend the mountain of myrrh. Jesus exhorted Peter to pray to receive strength
to face temptation (Matthew 26:40-41). The mountain of myrrh is too difficult to ascend without living on the hill of
frankincense. Our prayer life empowers our heart to embrace the cross with self denial. We can only embrace the
mountain of self denial to the measure that we go up the hill of prayer.
D. The hill of frankincense is smaller than the mountain of myrrh. A small amount of prayer is sufficient to prepare us
for a higher mountain. The impact of our prayer exceeds our efforts on the mountains. Short prayers go a long way. We
get more than we deserve from our prayer life.
E. The maiden makes a firm decision to leave the comfort zone to go up the mountain or to walk in all God’s will
without fear. “I will go!” How glorious these words are to God!
F. She refers to it as "my way". We must follow the unique path God has chosen for us. God calls each of us on our
own tailor-made journey. Our unique way to the mountain of myrrh involves difficulties unique to God’s purpose in our life.
G. She commits to continue on the mountain of myrrh until all compromise is gone or until the day breaks and the
shadows flee away. The shadows speak of the areas of weakness or compromise, like the little foxes (Song 2:15). The
morning light brings a new day, or a new season of victory after struggling through the night. It speaks of both the day of
eternity when we will live in the full presence of God and it speaks of a time of victory where we live in greater light on the earth.
XIV. JESUS' FRESH WORD OF AFFIRMATION (SONG 4:7)
7 You are all fair (beautiful), My love, and there is no spot in you. (Song 4:7)
A. He calls her "beautiful" 13 times throughout the Song. He has called her "beautiful or fair" 8 times up to this point
in the Song. "All fair" is translated "altogether beautiful" in the NAS. He adds the word “all” for the first time in the Song.
This is because she set her heart to go to the mountain. She had only said yes. She had not yet gone to the mountain.
He sees no spot in her or no area in which she consciously resists His leadership.
B. She does not go up the mountain until she faces the 2-fold test (Song 5:2-8). He sees her willingness to embrace the
Cross. The Lord defines her in terms of her willing spirit, not in terms of her weak flesh or her maturity.
XV. THE CALL TO SPIRITUAL WARFARE (SONG 4:8)
8 Come with Me from Lebanon, My spouse, with Me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir
and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards. (Song 4:8)
A. The king calls her his spouse or bride for the first time in the Song. With her new commitment to go to the
mountain, she is now living from her heart like the Bride. She now carries her heart as a loyal Bride. For the next 4
chapters in the Song, we see her development into mature love.
B. Jesus’ inheritance is an eternal companion that is an affection-filled Bride that will be equally yoked to Him in love.
The Cross is not an end in itself. It provides Jesus with His Bride and the Father His family. The Church will live with a
bridal identity in loving obedience (Revelation 22:17).
C. Jesus invites her to come with Him from the mountains of Lebanon of spiritual warfare to follow Him wherever He
was to go. He calls her to follow Him to Gethsemane (Song 5:2-7).
D. She now obeys the original challenge given to go to the mountain (Song 2:10, 13). Solomon called his bride to his
house in the forests in the mountain range of Lebanon in northern Israel. Lebanon is filled with fragrant flowers (4:11;
Hosea 14:6). Its glory is mentioned in Isaiah 35:2.
E. Lebanon is both a geographical area and a mountain range. Senir and Hermon are two different mountain peaks
within the mountain range of Lebanon. Mt. Hermon is on the east side of the Jordan River. It was also called Mt. Senir
by the Amorites (Deuteronomy 3:8-9). Mt. Amana is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible, but is believed to be next to
Mt. Senir and Hermon (Deuteronomy 3:9; 4:48; I Chronicles 5:23) which are both a part of the Hermon mountain range.
F. She is to look from the top of Amana, Senir and Hermon" or from His point of view (heavenly perspective). If we
see difficulties from only a natural point of view, then we lose heart. We must look from His point of view to prevail in
spiritual warfare.
G. After Israel conquered the Ammonites on the east side of the Jordan River, they climbed to the top of these
eastern mountains to see the Promise Land on the west side of the Jordan River. Israel had to defeat two Amorite kings
(Og and Sihon) before they could climb this mountain (Deuteronomy 3:1-11). She is a warring Bride engaged in
spiritual warfare and seated in heavenly places.
H. There are lions and leopards on the mountaintops. She must war against lions and leopards, which are animals
that devour humans. Satan is a roaring lion who seeks to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). This speaks of spiritual warfare
(Ephesians 6:10-12).
I. The "mountains of prey" had wild animals that stalked the people of Israel (Psalm 76:4). Habakkuk wrote of
plundering the beasts on the mountains of Lebanon that made Israel afraid (Habakkuk 2:17).