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THE TRANSCENDENT BEAUTY OF JESUS
Song 5:10-16:
10 My Beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand
11 His head is like the finest gold; His locks are wavy, and black as a raven
12 His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters, washed with mil, and fitly set
13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices, banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh
14 His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires
15 His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the
cedars
16 His mouth is most sweet, yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my friend, O
daughters of Jerusalem.
I. OVERVIEW OF SONG 5:10-16
A. The young Bride in the midst of the ultimate two-fold test (5:6-7) gives one of the most powerful descriptions of Jesus
and one of the most outstanding expressions of worship in the Word of God. This is the one time in the Song where she
pours herself out in worship to the King. It is a magnificent, poetic unveiling of the splendor of Christ Jesus.
B. This is an outstanding statement of lvoe for God. I challenge you to take sufficient time to learn the language of
5:10-16.
1. It may seem a little awkward at first, but there is much insight to glean from each of these lines. This is written
in poetic language so that we could ever reach new depths of understanding of it.
2. This passage of Scripture is meant to equip our souls to effectively worship God in times of testing. That is the
principle of this session.
3. this is a "MUST" passage for us to master while on our journey to growing in mature bridal affections for Jesus.
This is especially true during times of testing. This is not a passage that we can be content to read without deep
meditation. This is one we must go through over and over and search out.
C. The Holy Spirit speaks in parables, as well as, poetically in order to give more to those whoa re hungry. The Scripture
interprets the Scriptures so as to provide a guide for this parabolic language.
"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do
they understand. "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: "Hearing you will hear and shall not
understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are
hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they
should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them." (Matthew 13:13-15)
1. God often speaks of deep things in the hidden language of parables in order to reveal more on the basis of
hunger.
2. He taught parables for two reasons, to make truth easy and also to make truth difficult. He taught that way to
make things simple and to make things difficult, so that only the hungry heart of love could experience them. This is a
love song; therefore, He speaks in the poetic language of love. this provides endless depths to enjoy. Poetry, in some
ways, is far deeper than the normal mode of teaching because it can go deeper in understanding.
D. In this passage the Holy Spirit uses metaphors of the human body to convey ten attributes of God's personality. The
full meaning is somewhat hidden in the language of romantic poetry. She gives a very poetic and dynamic statement of
the glory of Jesus. The Bride gives twelve descriptive statements of Jesus. The first one is a general statement, then
ten distinct attributes of God, and then the last statement is a summary one.
1. She describes ten attributes of Jesus, each of which have two descriptions.
a. There is much to add to these insights on the ten attributes. This is merely a seed of understanding that
you may water over the years through loving meditation. One practical way to grow in understanding of these ten
attributes and to effectively meditate on God's beauty is by speaking these truths back to God in worship and prayer.
b. Study books on the attributes of God. A. W. Tozer has an excellent work entitled, "The Knowledge of the
Holy". Also J. I. Packer "Knowing God; "The Nature of God" by A. W. Pink. "Pleasures of God" by John Piper.
E. The daughters asked, "How could you worship Him under such duress?" This gives us the knowledge she possessed
that equipped her to worship God. Knowledge of these ten attributes stabilizes us in the midst of the storms of life or the
"dark nights of the soul".
1. This is the knowledge of Jesus' beauty that empowered her to be an extravagant worshipper under severe
testing. Once we see such Divine beauty we can never draw back from Him.
2. She responds to her season of testing in perfect obedience with the heart cry, "Jesus is dazzling and chief
among 10,000" instead of being offended with God.
3. It is normal for an immature believer to be easily offended. Many find it easy to be preoccupied with feeling
that God mistreats them. She is focused on His majestic beauty instead of being preoccupied with her own pressures.
4. The Bride teaches others to be preoccupied with the splendor of His beauty. She overcomes her self-focus as
she offers this mature expression of worship.
5. These are the main twelve statements that she spoke back to God with understanding in her heart as "confessions
of faith" to strengthen her heart during the severe trial of Song 5:6-7.
6. These are the actual revelations that the Holy Spirit recorded for us as we seek to imitate the Bride's responses.
These are the ones He purposefully wants us to know in our journey to be a mature Bride. They were specifically
discerned in the heart of God and given to us to imitate Bridal love. This passage of scripture is meant to equip our
soul to hold on to God in the inevitable times of testing. In our private prayer life it is good to proclaim these attributes
back to God. Our soul will begin to grow in the knowledge of God as we consistently magnify Him according to His
excellencies and His perfections.
7. Each one of these twelve distinct statements brings healing. During times of personal dryness we can imitate
the wisdom of the Bride by recalling the excellencies of Jesus to revive our affections. Each aspect of His personality
has a particular ability to refresh and revive the soul under pressure.
8. She is fully able to give an in-depth answer as to why He is her consumign love. She is fully capable of speaking
from her heart with depth of insight. Our prayer is "Holy Spirit enlarge our capacity to receive from You".
F. Three purposes are accomplished in this passage.
1. She answers the maiden's question in Song 5:9.
2. She gives the answers that heal and strengthen her soul in the midst of pressure.
f3. She is moving the heart of God the whole time, even though she doesn't feel anything. She is answering the
maidens, her heart is being healed and she is moving the heart of Jesus in a way she cannot comprehend until He
breaks the silence in the next session and begins to speak to her after the great test.
G. The mystery of God's beauty must be sought with diligence.
"Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to Whom
be honor and everlasting power" (1Timothy 6:16)
1. God dwells in light that is unapproachable. The throne of God is cloaked in unapproachable light. He clothes
Himself in garments of light.
"Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment" (Psalm 104:2)
2. In what sense does God dwell in unapproachable light? In what way are we limited in how close we can get to Him?
a. The phrase "unapproachable light" seems totally opposite of the message of intimacy in the Song of Solomon.
b. He is not unapproachable because of His anger over our sin. We can come boldly to the Father in Jesus.
'Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time
of need" (Hebrews 4:16)
c. Nor is He unapproachable because of His lack of desire for intimacy with us.
d. We are limited in how close we can get to Him because our spiritual capacity to receive is so limited. He is
unapproachable in the sense that our human capacity is so small that we cannot yet receive of the fullness of God.
e. For example, it does not work to plug in a 110 volt machine into a million volt electrical current. Our human
spirit is unable to receive God's fullness. Our spiritual capacity increases in this age and even throughout eternity. The
Holy Spirit wants to enlarge our capacity so that God is more approachable to the ones He so dearly loves. So that He
can give more of Himself to us.
H. Jesus is the most majestic, indescribably lovely Person that the human heart can behold. Seeing His soul-satisfying
beauty is the greatest source for holy passion.
1. Jesus' full beauty is incomprehensible. It is impossible to fully comprehend or communicate His beauty with the
limitation of the five natural senses. The Holy Spirit uses the word, "like" when referring to Jesus' splendor, because
nothing is adequately comparable to it. The three main metaphors in creation depicting the splendor of Christ Jesus
are the mountains, the sky and the sea.
2. Any metaphor used is inadequate and significantly deficient in conveying the beauty of Christ Jesus. His beauty
far exceeds any metaphor used by the Holy Spirit from the natural created order.
3. Jesus has no rival in the affections of people who think accurately of Him. He is so compelling in His beauty,
that even when He draws back His Presence, those that have seen even dim, brief glimpses of His splendor are loyal
to Him through the desert seasons (5:6)
4. Jesus is not anxious about His Bride during this two-fold test, because He knows the power of the revelation
of His beauty on her heart will keep her loyal through the difficult times.
I> The specifics of Jesus' beauty are not easily discerned by the natural mind. The depths of God are communicated
by the Holy Spirit to spiritually hungry people.
"But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things
of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows
the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received ... the Spirit ... that we might know the things that have
been freely given to us by God. These things ... the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But
the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:10-14)
1. There is nothing more vital to the soul of a believer than to more fully discern the depths of God's personality.
Therefore the Bride used the revelation of God's personality as a means to awaken others to maturity.
2. The Holy Spirit arranged this meeting with the daughters so she could witness Christ in depth. This caused her
to refocus her soul on His indescribably beauty, which reinforced her affection for Him. The enemy was seeking to make
her forget the excellencies of Christ, and focus on her mistreatment. This occasion to speak of Christ brought pleasure
to her soul in the midst of great trial and affliction. A heart that enjoys the Lord is significantly protected against offense
towards God and added temptation.
J. The splendor of Christ Jesus brings significant pleasure and delight through meditation. This is why David said in
Psalm 145:5, "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works".
K. The Bride is describing Jesus, using the imagery of the temple with gold, precious stones, ivory and the cedars of
Lebanon. The Holy Spirit is portraying the majesty of Jesus Christ in the language of the time. The Bride is describing
Jesus, using the imagery of the temple and the imagery of the human body, etc. Why? These were symbols that people
of her day would have been familiar with.
1. The Holy Spirit uses these metaphors in other parts of Scripture so that we can interpret them according to His
intention. Remember, the Holy Spirit is describing the beauty of Christ's personality, not His physical features. The
context of this passage is the excellency of Jesus as being "above all other beloveds". (Song 5:9)
2. Compare Revelation 1:12-18 and the Revelation 2-3 description of Jesus with this passage to find many
comparable attributes.
I. In Song 6:4-10, He answers her with a statement as dramatic as this statement of the Bride. Being who He is, He
speaks with even greater extravagance about her.
Verse by verse study of Song 5:10-16
She starts with a general statement of His beauty in Song 5:10, which she thoroughly develops in Song 5:11-15.
Then she sums up His beauty again in a general way in Song 5:`6. The following ten attributes of His personality illustrate
the truth that He is chief among ten thousand. Each of the ten attributes has two descriptions.
II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF JESUS (5:10)
A. She maintains her adoration of His excellence throught the recent seasons of testing.
"My beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand" (5:10)
1. The daughters of Jerusalem asked, "Why do you love Him so much? Look at what you are going through.
"Who is your Beloved?" Song 5:9. She wants them to know His magnificence.
2. Jesus is her beloved. She is lovesick for Him.
"If you find my Beloved ... tell Him I am lovesick! (Song 5:8)
a. She maintains her love for Jesus through the recent season of testing. She is not offended at Him.
b. She is not saying, "the Judge of my soul", she is saying, "my Beloved". She maintains the position of a
lover of God in the midst of the most severe testing.
3. There are seasons of testing where it is difficult to say, "my Beloved". Rather it is easier to complain, "My heart
is hurt. I don't trust You anymore." In her first confession, she starts right off stating where her heart is, "My beloved".
There is no offense in her heart. She has this spiritual reality. She postures her soul in this way. She is not offended
or stumbling over Him.
"And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Matthew 11:6)
a. In other words Jesus is saying, "Blessed is the one that is not offended at me when I don't do what they
think I should do". She is blessed because she is not stumbling.
b. Instead, our relationship with God can become wounded in the sense that we become offended at God;
because we can not see that everything works together for good.
c. God wants us to open our spirit to Him in the midst of trials without being guarded toward Him. If our trust
in Him is wounded in a trial, then our relationship with God becomes wounded. The devil is called the accuser. He lies
to us about God's power, love, and wisdom.
d. She calls Him "my Beloved" which reveals that her relationship with Him is not wounded. It is not a small
thing that she starts with, "my Beloved". She already has the victory.
4. "He is white" or as the NIV translates "He is radiant". NAS translates "He is dazzling"; other versions translate
"He is brilliant".
a. The Hebrew word translated as white means either radiant, dazzling, brilliant or "shining white".
b. The idea is that Jesus is stunning and dazzling to her, being "brilliant in His loveliness" or "radiant in His
splendor", abounding with unapproachable light that dwells around His throne.
c. She is talking about the dazzling splendor of His person. She is emphasizing the "dazzling splendor" of
God's Person. The very colors, lights, fragrances, power, sounds, and music expresses splendor that surrounds His
Person.
d. The house of an interior decorator has a certain excellence and symmetry. Every color is set in proper
contrasts. God is the ultimate interior decorator. His throne is the ultimate place of excellence. The ambiance around
God's throne is perfect. His city is dazzling like a celestial diamond shining with brilliance.
B. Revelation 4:3 describes the Father's throne as being like a sardius and a jasper stone. A jasper stone is a
transparent green gem. A sardius is a deep red gem. There is also an emerald rainbow encircling the throne. It is
good to study the brilliant, fantastic colors associated with the person of God. Jesus' fragrances are real and not just
metaphors (2 Corinthians 2:15). The Throne of God is drenched with His lovely fragrances. These awesome fragrances
fill the eternal city. The whole city of God is filled with these fragrances. The power of God's energy releases an invisible
but discernible feeling of His manifest Presence. God's discernible power flows form His Throne. The sounds around
the Throne of God are also majestic and wonderful. The sounds include musical instruments and voices as well as
thunder, the sound of many waters, citywide applause with prophetic proclamations, choruses, and mighty winds, etc.
"From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices" (Revelation 4:5). Thunder and lightning and voices
and sounds come out of the throne of God. They are probably terrifying as well as sweet and beautiful. These
fragrances and sounds are associated with the idea of Jesus being dazzling and stunning. We can feel the presence
of God discernibly in this age, but think of the kind of energy we will feel in the very court of God.
C. the Bride cries out that "He is ruddy". Ruddy means a red complexion. King David was ruddy in appearance.
This spoke of his reddish hair and reddish complexion. When somebody is healthy on the inside, their cheeks are
ruddy and their appearance appears healthy. David's ruddy complexion indicated that he possessed internal health.
1. The combination of everything inside of Jesus' personality is healthy. The combinations of Jesus' attributes
are in spiritual balance. She is saying, "All of His attributes are working together in harmony".
2. The combinations of all of Jesus' attributes are in healthy balance.
3. Ruddy does not refer to one characteristic, but rather a combination of the ten attributes that form His "spiritual
complexion".
4. He is dazzling and He is ruddy. He possesses brilliant splendor and yet his complete balance and perfect health
in His inward qualities. In the fullest sense of the word, He is the only WHOLE person who ever walked the earth. He
has perfect balance in every attribute.
a. The point emphasized is His perfectly balanced personality, making Him incomparable to all others. For
example, Jesus has a perfect balance of mercy and judgment.
b. He is not ruddy because of the perfect unity of all His parts. But He is balanced because of His absence
of parts. He possesses each of His attributes 100%. He is 100% righteous and 100% merciful. It is the "absence of
parts" that distinguishes Him.
D. White and ruddy, are the two different colors that she highlights in Song 5:10. There are five colors in the overall
description.
E. A secondary meaning of white and ruddy is that He is fully God and fully man. The white speaks of His Divine nature.
He is fully God. The ruddy speaks of His blood or His human nature. As a human high priest, He offered His blood.
He is fully man.
1. His glory is so unique because He combines both Divine and human attributes. He is the Only One in heaven
or on earth that has (at the same time) the fullness of humanity and the fullness of Deity. God the Father is not like that,
neither are the angels, or any apostles. He is the Only One. He stands completely unique. There will never be another
that is the full combination of both, except for Him. He is in His own category.
2. His beauty springs forth from the balance of the two. He is both the lion and the lamb at the exact same time.
He perfectly expresses all the elements of His personality without any contradiction. He serves in the meekness of a
lamb and He roars in the authority of a lion. We are limited human beings. We do not have the capacity to be the lion
and the lamb at the same time. His capacity is infinite. He perfectly expresses both as He gives His heart to His Bride.
F. "Chief among ten thousand"
1. Chief - is translated "distinguished" in the margin of NKJV meaning a "banner that distinguishes". He is lifted up
as a banner or is "distinguished as a banner among a multitude". He is the One that stands out among the masses. He
is the center of attention as a large banner (flag) in a marching army. He is incomparable superior to all people. He is so
excellent He could be instantly distinguished when compared to all other of the created order. He is the One carrying the
banner that you can instantly recognize in a crowd. It would take no discernment to figure out He is the greatest of all.
2. The phrase ten thousand means incomparable greatness. The number 10,000 is not to be understood as
literal. It means an extremely large number. Chief among 10,000 is a metpahor saying He is the greatest of all. He
has no rival. The point is that nobody else could compare to Him. God has given Him the preeminence above all things.
"And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all
things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
III. HIS HEAD - HIS SOVEREIGN LEADERSHIP OVER ALL
"His head is like the finest gold" (5:11)
A. The head is the most prominent part of the body. It is what sets the direction. The head speaks of two different
things. No. It speaks of His Father and it speaks of His personal sovereignty.
1. His Father - head of Christ is God.
"But I want you to know that ... the head of Christ is God" (1 Corinthians 11:3)
a. The head of Jesus is God the Father and His relationship to the Father
b. The head can speak of the trinity. This also implies the relationship of the Trinity in perfect affection
and unity.
2. Jesus' sovereignty speaks of His headship over all creation (Ephesians 1:10-21)
a. The head of gold on the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dreams spoke of "sovereignty" (Daniel 2:32-38)
b. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about the future of four worldwide kingdoms. The statue had
four parts to it. The first part was a head like gold; it spoke of his kingdom. It meant that he would have sovereignty
over the whole world.
B. "Gold" speaks of Divine nature or Deity. Gold is the material of the highest value and the highest quality Gold is
the most valuable of all building material, therefore the streets of the eternal city are of gold (Revelation 21:1)
1. It is more than gold; it is "finest gold". It is a rare kind of gold. Only a very small percentage of gold was finest
gold. It was refined in a very intricate process that was expensive. Finest gold is the highest description of superlative
quality.
2. His relationship to His head, God the Father is of the finest quality imaginable.
3. Jesus' leadership is valuable to His people. She said, "His leadership is so excellent, it is of the finest gold
imaginable. It is perfect, Divinely inspired wisdom". Finest gold speaks of the highest excellence without mixture.
There is no impurity in His leadership.
4. The eternal city is made secure and happy because of the excellency of His golden headship. She has no
more fitting illustration of Jesus' headship than "finest gold".
C. Total power totally corrupts in the human arena. A man with total power will eventually be corrupted by it. However,
total authority does not corrupt. Jesus Christ because His head is finest gold. Nothing can be added to His leadership.
It cannot be improved.
D. She speaks her first confession in her trial that His perfect leadership is of the highest quality. "He was not
overlooking anything when He turned His face from me."
IV. HIS LOCKS - HIS DEDICATION TO GOD AND THE CHURCH
A. His hair speaks of His dedication to God and to His people.
"His locks are wavy and black as a raven" (5:11)
1. NIV translates "His locks" as "His hair". The hair speaks of the Nazarite vow of dedication. The Nararite vow of
consecration forbids the cutting of ones hair.
a. Samson and the prophet Samuel made Nazarite vows. They could not cut their hair.
b. When Samson cut his hair it meant that he violated his dedication to God.
d. Hair enhances the beauty of one's head. Jesus' dedication enhances His beauty to God and to His
people.
2. NIV translates "wavy" hair as "bushy" hair. She understands that Jesus' hair is thick and wavy. Bushy or wavy
hair is thick.
a. Thick, wavy hair is the hair of a young man in the prime of life, as contrasted to an old man whose hair has
lost its vitality and fullness. Baldness is the opposite of wavy hair.
b. She understands His dedication as wavy hair full of vigor. His dedication to God and the church has vigor
in it. God does not have bad moods. We never have to be concerned if it is a good time to approach God. Children
want to know if their parents are in a good mood before they approach them.
3. Ravens have black hair as in contrast to the gray hair of old men. Black hair speaks of His youthful energetic
zeal which is opposite of decay and lack of vigor.
a. His dedication to us is eternally vigorous. Jesus forever flourishes as in His prime. His youthfulness and
vigilant dedication contines forever.
b. Jesus' hair is also described as white, which speaks of eternity, or of His eternal nature (Revelation 1:12).
The Father's head is also described as white (Daniel 7:9).
"The Ancient of Days was seated; his garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire" (Daniel 7:9)
B. Summary: His dedication never grows old. It is always wavy and vigorous. His hair is always wavy and black which
speaks of His dedication to God and the church being always filled with the energetic zeal of youthfulness. God never
grows emotionally weary (Isaiah 40:28). He never changes (Hebrews 13:8). All other "beloveds" decay and eventually
die. He never grows old. His Bride is secure because she has no fear that His dedication will grow old or will die. His
hair is eternally black. His dedication is fresh, as well as, vigorously beautiful. His dedication is vigilant, youthful, and
continues to flourish through all eternity. He is forever in His prime. He is always at the ighest place of His love and
passion and dedication.
1. This is her second confession when His presence was lifted from her. She knows that He has not changed the
way He feels. She says, "impossible. His dedication is black, it is way. He is fully energetic". That is what she would say
to her own soul as well as what she said to the daughters of Jerusalem. The Lord Himself heard her and it moved His
heart. She would not receive the accusations that He was no longer dedicated to her in the way that He said He would
always be.
2. We don't ever imagine that He is not dedicated to God, but it is a wonderful thing to be able to speak in prayer
and confess back to God, "Your Son is dedicated to me forever". The security of the eternal city is this quality of
relationship. His dedication never grows old. It is always vigorous, energetic, the zeal of youthfulness. We never have
to concern ourselves that He is losing His heart for His people. This is a very healing confession of faith to say when
we are going through the dark night of the soul.
3. When our heart is cold and circumstances are disappointing we are vulnerable to the accuser. We need to
speak to our own soul and to God and to the devil, "It is written. His hair is as black as a raven. He is eternally vigilant
in His dedication to me." The Holy Spirit will give us more as we use this truth.
V. "HIS EYES" - HIS OMNISCIENCE
A. His eyes speak of His omniscience.
"His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters washed with milk, and fitly set" (5:12)
1. Eyes speak of the ability to see or discern. His eyes speak of His omniscience, which is His ability to know everything. Omniscience
means perfect knowledge and perfect wisdom.
2. He has total clarity and fullness of insight into every dark secret. Every thing is totally clear and discernible to the
Lord. The all-seeing eye of God discerns both our negative and positive qualities. His eyes see the yes in our spirit
when we fail, even more clearly than we do. God sees the cry in our heart to obey Him.
"No creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must
give an account" 9Hebrews 4:13)
"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3)
"For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21)
"The Son of God has eyes like a flame of fire" (Revelation 2:18)
"All shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts" (Revelation 2:23)
3. "His eyes are like doves" speaks of His singleness of vision. He rejects everything displeasing to His Father.
He gave her the same affirmation in verses 1:15 and 4:1. He had those loyal eyes of a dove. His eyes were loyal to
God the Father. His eyes are loyal to His bride.
4. His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters. This is speaking of the waters where the doves bathe themselves
and become clean. They go to the water by the rivers and bathe themselves. Doves are clean after washing (bathing)
themselves by the rivers. His eyes view things through the cleanness of His heart.
5. Jesus' eyes are not just all seeing, but they are pure and innocent like clean doves that have just bathed. He
interprets knowledge through the cleanness of His heart. A judge may know all the facts about a case. But if he has
an unclean heart, he will misinterpret the information. The interpretation of what Jesus sees has no distortion. Jesus'
yes are clean like a dove bathed by the waters of milk. His interpretation of what He sees is not like a wounded,
dysfunctional, sinful judge. His ability to interpret His information is through the cleanness of His heart. His vision is
completely clean. He has doves' eyes. He has pure, loving motives.
6. His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters washed with milk. Milk means pure, white and clean. This speaks
of the purity of His discernment. Obviously, there is no such thing as rivers that have milk in them. This is a poetic
phrase. This speaks of purity of discernment. Milk is the simplicity and the innocence of childlikeness. He is not childish,
but He has that ability to be infinitely complex while maintaining the simplicity and the innocence of childlikeness.
7. His eyes are "fitly set". This metaphor refers to a jewel that is fitly set by the most skillful artist who is
constructing a very expensive piece of jewelry. An artist skillfully sets a diamond in a necklace. It is unique and
costly to fitly set a gem into a necklace.
8. Eyes fitly set means there is no deformity in them. His eyes are perfectly set. They are not set too deeply,
nor do they protrude in an unlovely way. There is no exaggeration. This speaks of beauty and order in His discernment
instead of deformity with exaggeration. His eyes are perfectly set. There is no exaggeration, but rather absolutely
perfect discernment. They were set perfectly, not too much, not too little. With the skill of God, He discerns perfectly
with great skill and understanding.
2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself
strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."
9. The Lord carefully takes notice of His friends as well as His enemies. This aspect of His personality is hated
by the ungodly, but is exceedingly pleasing to those who are sincerely His. He is always watching us and calling us
beautiful. He can see the sincerity of our heart through each stage in our progression to holy passion.
B. In John 21:17 Peter had to say this healing statement that broke the power of shame in his life when the Lord asked
him three times, "Do you love me?" Every time he answered, "You know I love you". "Lord, you know everything and
you know that I love you". The thing that Peter was appealing to was the omniscience of Jesus. He knew that though
he denied Jesus, there was a love that was not observable to the others, but it was truly real in his heart.
1. Our knowledge of His omniscience persuades us against evil because it is vain to attempt to hide evil before
the eyes of our omniscient King. God sees our every private act of righteousness. He sees when we endure trials
without giving up. He not only sees the negative, but He sees the positive.
a. Paul teaches us that we can't fully see our own sincerity in the way God does. God will give us praise
on the last day for things that we don't see about ourselves now. (1 Corinthians 4:5)
b. He rewards every small act of obedience especially those hidden from the eyes of others (Matthew 6:1-6,
16-18). He remembers and rewards all because He sees all (Hebrews 6:10). Even small acts, as giving a cup of cold
water, do not go unnoticed by the Lord. (Matthew 10:42).
2. One of the unique strengths in King David's life was his knowledge that God understood him. When we have
revelation of "His eyes", then we don't have to tell our own glory stories. Many people feel that no one understands
them or their pressures. He alone knows our frame and the way we feel great pressures.
C. SUMMARY: Jesus' perspective is pure like a dove bathed by waters of milk. His eyes see skillfully and His vision is
perfect, being neither farsighted nor nearsighted. Jesus knows all the strategies of the enemy. He knows all things that
are important to His people. Our knowledge of "Jesus' eyes" is a source of security in times of trial. We say, "Oh, God,
Your eyes are fitly set, they discern all things perfectly". Part of the confession she can say back to the Lord is, "Lord,
Your eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters". She is saying, "You have not overlooked me. You have skillful
discernment to know where I am. It is very important to know His omniscience. This keeps us form sin, but it also
encourages us in times of tribulation and trials. She knows that His discernment about her frame and her makeup
of what she needs is absolutely perfect.
VI.. "HIS CHEEKS - HIS DIVERSE EMOTIONAL MAKE-UP"
A. His cheeks reveal His emotional beauty. This is the fourth attribute.
"His cheeks are like a bed of spices, like banks of scented herbs" (5:13)
1. His cheeks reflect the countenance of the face that reveals the emotional makeup. The cheeks are the
windows to the emotions. The cheeks enable us to discern whether a person is joyful or sad.
2. When you meet a person you can tell by the cheeks if they are mad, sad, or glad. It reveals the internal
emotional state of a person unless of course they are hiding it.
B. Jesus' emotional life is like the garden beds of beautiful fragrant spices.
"They are like beds of spices"
1. As a garden filled with delightful fragrances, so is the condition of Jesus' emotional life. His affections are
fragrant and refreshing to our soul as long as we can discern them. We have to have a right image of God. We
need to see the pleasures and passions in His heart for us. A bed of spices brings a tremendous fragrance to those
that are near.
2. The delights of God are as abundant and diverse as banks of sweet smelling herbs (spices). "Like banks of
scented herbs" speaks of the extravagant fragrance in Jesus' affections. His cheeks are not just like beds of spices;
they are like banks, like heaps of scented herbs. It is an extravagant amount and diverse in all different types of
scented herbs.
3. There are so many different types of emotions that are fragrant, that are pleasing to us. A lot of people think
the only emotion God has is joy when they get saved, which is followed by anger and wrath. But His emotions are
heaps of diverse, sweet fragrances to us.
a. Jesus' emotional makeup is filled with passion, delight and longing for you. Jesus also has passion for His
Father, His creation, His holiness, His kingdom, His truth, His angels' etc.
b. His inward emotional state is like a bed of spices. There is a diversity of passions, pleasures and delights.
c. His emotions are tremendous and dignified yet also with effervescent joy coming out of Him in the smile on His
face. He is the most pleasnt person you could ever be around.
d. He is the chief among ten thousand. There is no one else like Him. He was the one that the children wanted
to be with. He is the one that the crowds wanted to hear, not just for His miracles, but because of the kind of person that
He was. He was called the friend of sinners in Matthew 11:19. Sinners wanted to be in His presence before they ever
saw His miracles. They wanted to see what was going on and invite Him to their homes to feast with Him.
e. It says in Luke 15:20 that He runs towards the son and embraces him and kisses him. These are the scented
herbs in the emotional makeup of God.
C. SUMMARY - His cheeks speak of His inner beauty that is revealed through His emotions. Jesus' inner beauty is like
fragrant spices. His emotions are sweet like scented herbs. His affections are fragrant and refreshing to those who can
discern His personality.
VII. "HIS LIPS" - HIS WORD
"His lips are lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh" (5:13)
A. His lips speak of the power of His words. This is the fifth attribute she is talking about. There are two different features
of the lips that are highlighted.
1. "His lips" speak of the power of His words. This includes the Scriptures as well as the words spoken directly to
our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Jesus has unique ability to speak gracefully and precisly to the need of our hearts. Jesus
also praised the Bride's lips or words (4:3, 11).
2. His lips speak of His speech or His word. This can refer to either the logos, which is the scriptures, or to the
prophetic word the Holy Spirit speaks. This prophetic word can be spoken directly to us, or it can come through someone
else. His speech comes in the prophetic ministry as well as in the ultimate prophetic ministry, which is the written word
of God.
"You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever"
(Psalm 45:2)
"So all bore witness to Him and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth"
(Luke 4:22)
"The officers answered, 'No man ever spoke like this Man!" (John 7:46)
"The words I speak to you are spirit and life' (John 6:63)
"The Lord God has given Him the tongue of the learned, that He should know how to speak a word in
season to him who is weary" (Isaiah 50:4)
3. His lips are like lilies; they are sweet and satisfying.
a. Lilies speak of fragrance, innocence and purity. Jesus' affirming words are tender and sweet like a lily.
The words of most people are harsh, undermining and filled with anger.
b. The Bible is alive and His speech (Word ) is affirming when we have the intention to obey Him. If we
have no intention to obey Him, His word loses it's sweetness to our ears.
4. They are "dripping liquid myrrh". He knows how to speak tough love as well. There are no lilies in nature that
literally drip myrrh.
a. "Myrrh" is a burial spice that speaks of suffering and embracing death to self. There is nobody who speaks
with the kind of tenderness and kindness as Jesus. Yet, at the same time, He is at total war against that which hinders
our life growing in love. He speaks directly to areas that need correction.
b. "Dripping" refers to consistent, small quantities that eventually lead to abundance. For example, a beehive
that drips honey eventually fills the entire jar with an abundance of honey.
c. "Liquid myrrh" - the phrase "dripping liquid myrrh" is also used in 5:5 saying the Bride's hands drip with
liquid myrrh.
B. SUMMARY - "His lips" speak of the power of His word. His word is sweet and satisfying like lilies. Strong meditation
on the Word leads to strong affection for Jesus, which leads to strong obedience. Weak meditation on the Word leads
to weak affection and obedience. How many people are unfamiliar with the words of His lips, causing their soul to be
weighed down with added temptation, distractions and pains? We must deeply value the "lips of Jesus", the words from
His lips. His words have the fragrance of lilies, but it also has the dripping myrrh. When we greatly value His word, our
souls will be filled with the honey of His word. We also fight the fight of faith by the written Word of God (Matthew 4:4).
When they say to her, "He has abandoned you, life has no pleasure, no meaning," she would say, "His lips are sweet,
Yes, the Word of God is dripping with liquid myrrh."
VIII. "HIS HANDS" - HIS DIVINE ACTIVITY
A. This refers to His activities and the way He accomplishes His work.
"His hands are rods of gold set with beryl" (5:14)
1. His hands or arms refer to the way He accomplishes His work. This hands the NIV translates as His arms. His
hands are skillful in doing everything good with perfect power. He is omnipotent, possessing the ability to accomplish
anything He pleases, both in the natural creation and in the spiritual realm.
2. "His hands are rods of gold" which speak of Divine character accomplishing His work. Gold often speaks of
Divine character. All His work is accomplished with the strength of Godliness and purity. The works of Jesus in our
personal lives, throughout all history, in natural creation and spiritual creation, are skillful and filled with Divine power,
purity, and wisdom.
B. "Set with beryl". Beryl is a jewel. A specific, designed activity is required when something is "set". Being deliberately
"set" by the hand of God is in contrast to arbitrary activities. All His works are skillfully set like beautiful jewels on gold.
The work of the Cross was done with infinite skill. The Eternal City shines brilliantly like diamonds (Revelation 21).
Throughout eternity, we will magnify the excellence and skill of all His kind activities (Ephesians 2:7).
1. The works of Jesus in our lives and in all creation throughout all of history are skillful, precise, and filled with
Divine power, purity and wisdom. Her confession, again, could be that "what He is doing is for my own good."
(Romans 8:28). "It is not accidental. He didn't forget me. No, He is deliberately allowing this to happen. He is
skillfully bringing forth my heart in bridal love. He is doing it with great wisdom. His hands are like gold. Divine
wisdom, set with great strategy and the skill of a great artist. He is not forsaking me."
2. She trusted in the invisible work of God. She said, "All of His actions are rods of gold set with beryl". That was
the confession of her heart. I will be more mature in love and more humble, leaning on my beloved in a greater way
at the end of this dark trial". What a confession to say in the midst of a trial. The daughters of Jerusalem were awed.
C. SUMMARY _ the combination of His full power and skill results in goodness for His people. She had the ability to see
His works as rods of gold. The Bride has the grace to speak with discernment and affection, about the wisdom, skill
and beauty of His works.
1. Discerning the beauty of His activity is refreshing to the soul of the mature. Young believers must become
more familiar with His abilities.
2. When there is revelation of His activity, there will be affection for Him. Revelation 15:4 says, "Great and
marvelous are Thy works, Lord, God Almighty". Jesus is praised by His servants for His works of judgment (Revelation
19:1-6). The ability to see His works as beautiful and lovely is a sign of maturity. Wherever there is lack of discernment
of His activity, there will be lack of affection for Him. Unbelievers at the end of the age, blaspheme God's works of
judgment instead of rejoicing in Him (Revelation 16:7, 9, 11, 21).
IX. 'HIS BODY" - HIS TENDER COMPASSION
A. She is magnifying God's tender mercy towards weak, sinful people. This speaks of His tender compassion.
"His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires" (5:14)
1. "His body" - KJV translates "His belly". The belly speaks of tender compassion. The Hebrew word used here
communicates the idea of yearning or compassion. We find it here in the passages that say, "Where are the yearnings
of your heart?" It is the same word as 'His body" or "His belly" or "His deep tender compassion". The same Hebrew
word is used and is translated "heart yearned" in the following passages.
a. "The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me" (Isaiah 63:15)
` b. J"My heart yearns for him" (Ophraim); I will surely have mercy on him, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 31:20)
c. "My heart yearned for Him" (Song 5:4)
2. Some of the greatest distinguishing features of Jesus are His feelings towards those whoa re weak, sinful, and
incompetent. He has such feelings of compassion. Compassion is more than just His emotion in general. It is specifically
the yearning of His heart towards weak people. It is natural for the kings of the earth to be intolerant with the sins and
weakness of their subjects. In the midst of their important tasks, they have impatience with the incompetence and impure
motives of their subjects (disloyalty). They have a natural impatience with incompetence. But our king is so totally
different than all other kings. They kill or punish such subjects. However, the King of kings delights and rejoices in mercy
towards His people (Micah 7:18).
a. God has extravagant compassion in His dealing with His people (Psalm 103:10-14)
b. The Lord is merciful ... longsuffering, and abounding in goodness ... keeping mercy for thousands,
forgiving ... sin (Exodus 34:6).
3. "His body is carved ivory". KJV translates "bright ivory"; NIV translates "polished ivory". Ivory is clean and white,
yet expensive because it is rare. Carved and polished ivory is even more unique. His compassion and patience is
described as rare and expensive like ivory.
a. "The greatest of all is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). How remarkably true this is of the personality of God.
Carved ivory is but a dim shadow of the uniqueness of the compassion of God.
b. God's ways of mercy is as high above man's as the heavens are above the earth (Isaiah 55:7-8). There is
no one on the earth that forgives weak people like God does. His ways of forgiving weakness are as high above man's
as the heavens are above the earth.
4. "Inlaid with sapphires"
a. "Sapphires" - a stone in Aaron's breastplate and the foundation of the New Jerusalem (Revelations 21:19).
The way sapphires are used in God's design reveal the extent of their beauty and how precious the stone.
b. "Inlaid" - mounting inlaid jewels, like sapphire stones, in ivory takes great skill, creativity and precision. He
has great discernment in the administration of His compassion (Philippians 1:9, 10). He possesses a skillful mercy that
brings us to purity and wisdom. This mercy is not an unsanctified mercy, but one that has godly fruit. Jesus' compassion
is not arbitrary or random, but it is skillfully manifest like ivory inlaid with sapphires.
c. The compassion of God is very lovely to look upon, as ivory inlaid with sapphires would be. Many of the
great revivals in history were centered around this truth of the deep mercies of God.
5. We need a new paradigm to understand this aspect of God's personality. It is so unique, that nothing on the
earth compares.
a. Paul taught that the love of Christ passes our knowledge (Ephesians 3:19. This love passes our knowledge
in the sense that it is "beyond our ability" to fully comprehend. Also, often this love bypasses our knowledge in the sense
that it is "overlooked".
b. We are exhorted to behold the depth of the Father's love (1 John 3:1). Jesus desires to more fully release
the revelation of His heart to His people. This is the revelation of the ravished heart of God. The ravished heart of God
is restated in this verse as "His body is carved with ivory inlaid with sapphires".
B. SUMMARY - It is as strategic, skillful and purposeful as the process of mounting inlaid jewels. He has great tender
compassion, yes, but He also has the skill of putting the sapphires in the ivory. He has that kind of discernment and skill
in His mercy. The Lord forgives things in a skillful way that produces righteousness in our hearts. In other words, He
forgives that which is repented of and He breaks our heart with it. His tender passion is rare and expensive like that of
carved and polished ivory. It is also skillfully inlaid with sapphires. He is very, very precise in His compassion. God's
affections are pure, rare, precious and creative. Nothing reveals His beauty like His tender kindness to fallen people.
Sometimes His love does not appear to our darkened minds as ivory inlaid with sapphires. The Bride had a Holy Spirit
given ability to see Jesus' compassion and mercy in a greater measure. This gave her new passion in and confidence
in spite of her failures.
X. "HIS LEGS" - HIS WALK AND ADMINISTRATION OF HIS PURPOSES
"His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold." (5:15)
A. God's plans are executed with strength, dignity and order. This is the eighth attribute.
1. "Legs" - speak of the way to walk forward in order to fulfill one's purposes. Psalm 147:10 says the Lord takes no
pleasure in the legs of a man. Man's legs speak of his strength to fulfill his activities.
"The Lord revealed His ways to Moses" (Psalm 103:7)
"How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways are past finding out!" (Romans 11:33)
"As you do not know the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb, so you do not know the works
of God who makes everything." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
2. "Are pillars of marble" - God's ways are strong, lovely, permanent, orderly, durable, God's ways do not fail or
vacillate. He does not waiver. Revelation 2:19 says His feet are like fine brass, this is similar to feet like marble.
a. "Pillars" speaks of great strength, dignity, and orderliness or endurance under pressure. Pillars of silver
are mentioned in relationship to the gospel (3:10)
b. "Marble" is a strong, beautiful and permanent type of building material. It is a beautiful type of rock. His
strong legs are like marble (rock) which cannot be manipulated or overpowered. They are sure and can be counted on.
Moses said, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice" (Deuteronomy 32:4)
3. "Set on bases of fine gold" - gold speaks of Divine character. Fine gold is the most pure and valuable because
it has been refined by fire. These pillars are set on bases of most fine gold. The ways and the activity of God are
portrayed as setting on refined gold (divine character). The Lord's way in the midst of His people is always refined like
pure gold. His ways are just and true (Revelation 15:3). All the paths of the Lord are truth (Psalm 25:10)
B. SUMMARY - God's plans are executed with strength, dignity and order. They have endurance. They do not fail under
pressure. How He proceeds forth or administrates His sovereign will is like pillars of marble. God's plans are executed
with strength, dignity, and order. They have endurance. They do not fail under pressure. His head (5:11). His hands
(5:14), and His legs (5:15), are of fine gold. God's legs, head and feet in unity in His personality. His character is golden
from head to toe. God never suspends one attribute to exercise another. He can never ignore one feature of His
personality to manifest another feature. Psalm 2 describes how foolish it is to stand against the way of the Lord.
Revelation 6:17 asks who can endure standing int he way of the Lord?
XI. "HIS COUNTENANCE" - HIS IMPARTATION TO HIS PEOPLE
"His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars" (5:15)
A. His countenance - speaks of the impartation of God to His people. David prayed, "Lrod, lift up the light of Your
countenance upon us" (Psalm 4:6). This prayer is for a "discernible impartation" of God's light to shine upon His people.
This is a payer that God would intervene with the impartation of discernible manifestations of Himself to His people.
When the light of God shines on the human heart, God is imparting things into the heart. Peter spoke of the "times
of refreshing" that come from the manifest Presence of God (Acts 3:19)
1. The Father wants to impart the graces of godliness. He has an infinite power to impart to you godly traits like wisdom,
purity, and passion. He especially wants to impart His affection for Jesus. He wants us to love Jesus like He does. The
wonderful power of the countenance of God on our souls is satisfying, excellent and pleasurable.
a. Only God has the unique ability to leave a godly deposti in the core of the human heart.
b. We cannot impart anything unless the Holy Spirit moves. The devil cannot impart holy thins to us. Nor can
we impart them to other people.
2. "Like Lebanon" - speaks of being pleasing and strong. Lebanon is symbolic of that which is glorious, stately, and
honorable.
3. "Excellent as the cedars" - cedars are tall, strong trees with excellent fragrance (4:11). The pleasure and power,
which comes from the countenance of God, is as strong and excellent as the cedars.
B. SUMMARY - When God shines His countenance on your heart, He is imparting His manifest Presence. There is
nothing more satisfying and pleasurable to the human makeup as the release of the countenance of God on the soul.
The devil cannot impart divine and holy things. We can't even impart them. Only the countenance of God can actually
release something into the center of somebody's heart. It is a very powerful and unique thing that only God can do in
terms of righteousness. Obviously, the devil can release torment, anxiety and fear, but the impartation of God is "like
that fragrant cedars of Lebanon" that are "excellent as the cedars". His impartations are always good.
XII. "HIS MOUTH" - INTIMACY WITH HIM
"His mouth is most sweet" (5:16)
A. "His mouth" speaks of the communication of intimacy. His mouth does not refer to His words or His speech as signified
by His lips in verse 13.
1. His mouth speaks of the intimate communication because she longed for the kisses of the mouth. Mouth
was defined at the very beginning of the book as related to the kisses of intimacy.
2. Lips are related to speech and communication of words. She is not being redundant.
B. "His mouth is most sweet" - He wants to enlarge our capacity to receive more of God. This is the tenth and final
attribute that she is extolling here. Tis is a statement of her desire for intimacy with Him, being greater than everything
else.
C. His mouth is first defined at the very beginning of the Song. "Let me know the kisses of His mouth" speaks of the
communication of the deepest things that He has. The lips speak of His word to us but in the language of the Song.
The mouth is initially defined as related to the kisses, the giving of the deepest things, that God has. This statement
parallels her earlier cry in 1:2, where she asks for kisses from the mouth because "His love is better than wine".
1. "His mouth" - speaks of intimate communication with Him as in "the kisses of the mouth" not the kisses of the lips
(1:2). The mouth is the vehicle of kissing as expressed in the Song. His mouth does not refer to Jesus' words as signified
by His lips in the Song (5:13). The expressing of His desires for spiritual intimacy is associated with the mouth.
2. "Is most sweet" - such a manifest union of our hearts with Christ, is the sweetest, most pleasing experience to the
human makeup. Nothing delights her soul more than spiritual intimacy with Him. It is literally the "most sweet" experience
that we can have. She says, "Intimacy with you is the sweetest thing in the human experience." When the Spirit touches
our human spirit, it is more powerful than physical, emotional and mental pleasures. The Spirit of God causes us to cry
out like David, "It is sweeter than honey" (Psalm 19:10). It is not an accident that this comes right after the countenance
being like the cedars of Lebanon. "When You impart Your heart to me," she said, "It is the sweetest thing".
3. In a long dry season our times of waiting on God in prayer and fasting and denying the lusts of the flesh by
going "without" some of the stimulus that is so prevalent in the western world. We're so stimulus driven. Turn the music
off. Put the food away. Take the phone off the hook. We are in isolation and quietness. You will be surprised. You will
soon discover His mouth is most sweet". Our lives are kept stimulated by so many good things. We're afraid of raw
silence and isolation. All alone with nothing beside the Word to listen to, or to eat, look at, read or to make us feel good,
if we will just persevere then we begin to discover what the saints through history found, His mouth is most sweet.
D. How blessed is the one to whom God chooses to draw near to (Psalm 65:4). Blessed is the one to whom God releases
the nearness of God. Oh, those seasons that make our hearts tender when he draws near! How precious to have
tenderness for God on our soul. It is wonderful! It is sweet. We always have legal access to the throne of Grace but
this speaks of prayer times when we experience the nearness of God.
E. She is ending it with this crescendo of saying, "Intimacy with God is the most sweet thing I can know." That is how
she ends her description of His attributes. The sweetness of Christ is communicated directly to the heart of the believer.
It is called the kisses of the mouth. It is not called the kisses of the lips. It is called the kisses of the mouth specifically.
She says, "Your mouth is most sweet". There's nothing that delights her soul more than ntimacy with Him. This was like
a rocket statement shot right back to satan's heart when they said, "He is left you." She said, "Even the remembrance
of former communion, even the remembrance of it stabilizes my soul. His mouth is most sweet. Thus says the Lord; His
mouth is most sweet. I will not deny Him because I'm in a difficult time. I will not go for immediate carnal, false comforts
and pleasures to satisfy my heart or to attempt to in a false way. His mouth is most sweet. There's nothing else that I'm
going to give into under the pressure of this great trial that I'm under". She was remembering former times of intimacy
because at this hour the presence of God had lifted from her, the discernible presence. She was speaking of her
remembrance of it. Even the remembrance of it held her steady and that was her confession.
F. SUMMARY - The most immediate response to His countenance shining on the soul is desiring the kisses of His
mouth. The more a person feels the countenance of God on their soul, the more they desire the sweet kisses of His
mouth. The sweetness of Christ communicated to our hearts, is the most powerful experience a human being can have.
There is nothing more powerfully penetrating than when God allows the human spirit to see even a dim view of Himself.
There's nothing more pleasurable than when the Spirit releases revelation of God to the human spirit. It is most sweet.
XIII. "HE IS ALTOGETHER LOVELY" - HIS COMPREHENSIVE BEAUTY
"Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my friend. O daughters of Jerusalem!" (5:16)
A. The Jesus depicted by the religious world is to different that the Jesus depicted by the Bride. She has given ten
attributes of His beauty and now she offers her final summary statement.
B. All of His attributes flow together in perfect unity comprising the loveliest person imaginable.
"Yes, He is altogether lovely"
1. This is who Jesus is in reality. The Jesus depicted by the religious world is so different than the Jesus depicted
by the bride. It is impossible to fully comprehend His matchless beauty.
2. We desire to see all of Jesus' different faces; He is affectionate, silent, awesome, terrifying, humorous, playful,
happy, grinning, aggressive, aloof, parabolic, etc.
3. She magnifies Christ after the question, "What is your beloved?" (5:9)
"This is my Beloved"
a. With overflowing gladness she presented Him as the glorious answer to their question. In essence, she
says, this is the One that you asked about and I have described Him for you. You can now see why I am not offended
at Him in times of difficulty. She ends with "my beloved", which is the same way she began, "my beloved". "I am not
offended. I love Him". She magnified Jesus Christ after the questions of verse 9 when they said, "Who is He? Where is
He? What is He?" She says, "This is my beloved".
b. She answers: my Beloved is dazzling. He is outstanding. He is totally balanced. His leadership is like finest
gold. His dedication is eternal vigorous. His knowledge is perfect with no deformity. His emotions are like banks of
scented herbs. His word has the sweetness of lilies and yet it woos me out of a life of self-absorbed carnality. His
actions are golden. His tender yearnings are like carved ivory, rare and expensive. The way He operates His eternal
plan and the way He fulfills His Divine purpose are durable and stable and beautiful like pillars of marble. His countenance
is so important because it releases the impartation of God. Above everything, there is nothing sweeter than His mouth in
intimacy with Him. This is my Beloved. This is why I want Him This is why I'm lovesick and I'm not taking anything less
than Him as a substitute. No substitute will answer the cry of my spirit."
4. "And this is my friend" - He is not only infinitely magnificent as the sovereign God, but He condescends to
embrace us as friends (John 15:14). Blessed is the person whose friend is the Lord. The relationship of "my beloved"
and "my friend" are never unrelated relational realities. They always go together, friend and beloved. She said, "He is
my husband, He is my lover and He is my good friend."
5. "Oh" - She is speaking of Him with great passion, urgency and feeling.
C. "Daughters of Jerusalem!" - The daughters asked her a question (5:9) and she has completed her answer from
5:10-1. This is the answer she gives to the daughters of Jerusalem. The daughters asked her a question in verse 9
and she has now completed her answer. She does not point out the carnality of the daughters, but rather she focuses
on how beautiful Jesus is as the way to awaken them. There's no condemnation. She doesn't look at them and say:
"Who are you to ask me a question like this?" She just gives this beautiful expose of the loveliness of Christ Jesus and
that is her strategy to awaken the daughters. Of course, then we know the daughters in 6:1 say, "Where is He that we
might seek Him with you?" It is totally effective.
D. SUMMARY - She personalizes her relationship to Him by saying, He is my Beloved and my friend. Jesus is both clearly
beloved and faithful friend. Blessed is the person whose friend is the Lord. The relationship of "my beloved" and "my
friend" are never unrelated. You cannot be one without the other with Jesus. Any other friend that you trust in will
disappoint on occasion except for Him. He is the only reliable friend. She has given bold statements of His loveliness.
She does not point out that carnality, but rather focuses on how beautiful He is as the way to awaken them. There is no
condemnation or accusation in this approach. In Philippians 3:8, Paul stated that the knowledge of the excellency of
Jesus was the most powerful motivation for his life of total obedience, sacrifice and hardship.
E. The daughters of Jerusalem say 6:1 "Where is He? We ant to know Him too."
F. I believe this to be one of the most magnificent descriptions of Jesus in the Word of God. It is a mini-manual of
worship. Statements of faith to speak back to the enemy when He says, "Just curse Go and die". Statements of faith
when we're wavering, thinking of getting substitute stimulus that is out of the will of God, we live by the Word of God
not by other things.