Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The Song of Solomon is a very
allegorical and beautiful poem about the unshakable love of
a bridegroom for his bride and her responses to his overtures
of love. He is quite candid in his description
of this romantic love and attraction. The carnal aspect of this description
serves to emphasize the beauty of the pure love and desire which
is expressed by this bridegroom for the one who is the object
of his desire. The Lord has caused men to be
attracted to the opposite sex in this world for the purpose
of procreation, and has ordained the carnal sexual relationship
of a man and his wife as a pure expression of their enjoyment
and fulfillment with one another. As with all things which are
given to men for a pure purpose by God, men have taken and perverted
it and used it in ways not sanctioned by Him. Clearly, the scripture
teaches that this bond of sexual union is to be enjoyed only in
the confines of the marriage bond, between a man and a woman,
and is not given to mankind outside of that bond. When the Lord made
the woman, He made her to be perfectly desirable to the man,
and at the same time made the man desirable to her. The purpose
of God in all of His creation is the magnification of Jesus
Christ in the manifestation of His everlasting love for His
bride. For this primary end, he has ordained the attraction
of a man and a woman, even as he has ordained the marriage
of a man and a woman, as a demonstration of that perfect and sacrificial
love of the bridegroom for the bride. The bride of Christ has
beauty because he has bestowed it upon her. She is seen in his
eyes as having no imperfection at all, because he has imputed
his perfect righteousness to her and has removed any blemish
which could possibly be found in her. She has ever been perfect
unto him as he made her. For he has always beheld her
as this pure object of his desire and unwavering love, having hidden
her in his own bosom from before the foundation of the world.
This is the very basis of his election of her, and is that
which is described as his foreknowledge. Everything which the Lord would
take delight in, Christ does provide in her behalf. He takes
perfect delight in that one whom he has made spotless. She lacks
nothing which he requires, and he ever lives for her benefit.
According to this same delight, he has laid down his life in
her behalf, as he has made himself an offering for her sin. One
of the three gifts brought by the wise men of the East to lay
before the Lord Jesus at his birth was myrrh. Myrrh is a fragrant
gum rosin with a bitter taste. Its bitter taste describes the
effects of sin upon men. Sin promises so much, yet only
delivers sorrow and ultimately death. Christ is personally acquainted
with this bitter perfume, as he took upon himself the very
sin of his beloved spouse, drinking the cup of wrath which was due
unto her, draining its last dregs of condemnation, and paying the
price thereof with his own death on Calvary's cross. He has taken
that which is bitter and acrid, and made it into the most beautiful
of odors, which waft up even to the very throne of God. I
say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner
that repenteth. The Lord is nigh unto them that
are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
It is a place of true rejoicing as the Lord surveys that work
which he has accomplished, and that one whom he has purchased
with his own blood. He shall see of the travail of
his soul and shall be satisfied. Who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God." Another of those
gifts brought by the Magi to Christ was frankincense. Frankincense
is first mentioned in the Scriptures as one of the ingredients in
that holy anointing oil. which was only to be used in
the temple and upon the priest. This oil was given its odor by
the frankincense, and was reserved for the enjoyment of the Lord
alone. As such, it represents that one true worship which is
both desired and sought out by the Lord, even as he described
it to the woman of Samaria. But the hour cometh, and now
is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit
and in truth. For the Father seeketh such to
worship him. God is a spirit, and they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth. The Lord delights in the
pure and unadulterated worship of those whom he loves. This
is that pure worship which is alone given to those who are
the beloved of the Lord, who lean upon him, and he is pleased
to dwell with her and take his fill of love with her through
the ages to come. My beloved is mine, and I am
his. He feedeth among the lilies. Christ has come into the world
to save sinners, and he has accomplished exactly what he set out to do.
There is no shadow of turning in him, nor any failure to secure
that bride which he has loved and cherished from the beginning.
Do you delight in him who delights in the people of his choice? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.