Intimacy with GOD by Esher Shoshannah (the unexpected everything txt) 📖

result, she walks with a new spiritual balance of maturity. This then leads her into a deeper worship of His glorious person and her mind is becoming more and more the mind of her Beloved (pomegranates, temples - I Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5,6). She values His precious blood even more.

 

V.8 "There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number."

King Solomon was the most powerful of all the Hebrew kings, and foreign countries wanted to live in peace with Israel. In order to tangibly demonstrate their sincerity they would send to the King ladies who were members of the royal families as a guarantee. It is not our purpose to deal with what God allowed or with the near eastern customs concerning queens, concubines and maidens. Eliphaz, Gideon, Saul, David, Rehoboam, Abijah and Jacob all had concubines. There were biblical regulations concerning the status of concubines (Ex. 21:7-9; Deut. 21).

Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit wrote this wonderful Song of Songs! It is absolute spiritual purity at its best. A devotional thought for you - because of your deep love of the Beloved, He will send beautifully surrendered members of the bride of Christ into your life to share with you the breadth and length and height and depth of His love. Wow, what a gift of love to those who are truly intimate and fully in love with Him. The joy of being with others of like precious faith is indescribable.

 

V.9 "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her: yea, the queens and the concubines and they praised her."

Say in your heart and speak with your lips to Him dear reader, "I am my Beloved's!" and you will hear Him speak v. 9 to you in your spirit. O how blessed this scene is! The bride is standing there with all of those beautiful ladies along with the daughters of Jerusalem. Praise God, the Beloved is not ashamed to express His deepest thoughts about her publicly (vs. 4-7)! Just imagine how she must have felt to have those words spoken in the presence of all around her. Her past failure caused her to see only condemnation in herself when He had already cleansed her!

Then there were all of the beautiful women surrounding her. She thought, "Why doesn't He choose one of them?" No sooner had that guilt ridden, self-defeating thought passed through her mind, she felt her Beloved place His arms around her. He spoke in clear, rejoicing tones so that all may hear, "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one..., she is the choice one...!" That is said to you my dear surrendered friend! Receive it and rejoice! He sees you as undefiled! Only our Bridegroom, the I AM, the crucified and risen One could do that miracle! Hallelujah!

 

"My dove..."

Interestingly Jesus calls her His "dove". The Beloved publicly calls attention for all to look at her eyes, those "dove's" eyes whose gaze is locked on Him. Her eyes still belong to Him and the Beloved is thrilled beyond measure. The Bridegroom wants all to observe carefully what He desires from all who want an intimate, victorious relationship with Him. He asks, "Do you truly want to be a consistent overcomer? The answer is in her eyes!" The old hymn says it all, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." How many times have we read Heb. 12:1-3? Please take time and read it again and see what her dove’s eyes see! When attacked Mary of Bethany said nothing but kept her eyes riveted on Him (Lk10:38-42; Mk14:3-9). Oh, dear Bridegroom of my heart I love to hear You say to me “My dove; My undefiled”! What an awesome, intimate word!

 

"...my undefiled..."

To understand the impact of this statement consider the meaning of "undefiled" which in the Hebrew language means, "to be complete", "whole", "healthy", "to perform completely", "to be pure", "a finished product", and "wholehearted". This is true sanctification. She is absolutely set apart to her Beloved and for her Beloved. Holiness is real. She is no longer influenced by the sinful "little" foxes. There is no "minor" leaven to dull the relationship. The fervor of her heart is seen in the sparkle of her eyes. Her eyes continually say, "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul...." (Lam. 3:24). She "is" (present tense) not "will be" complete in Him (Col. 2:10)! Hallelujah! Oh how He sees the end from the beginning now!

 

"...she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her...."

In all the created universe the bride of Christ is unique! As a human being she was made a little lower than the angels (Psa. 8:5; Heb. 2:7,9), but now in Jesus she is exalted to sit with her Bridegroom in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). Not only is the corporate bride unique, but each one of His surrendered lilies is unique to Him. Individually to them He declares, "she is the only one...."! What a great Bridegroom we have who can make each one of us feel O so special to His heart.

It is the woman who gives birth to new life. The Lord uses the term "birth" to illustrate just exactly how we were brought into His spiritual family. In this world it is the husband's seed that begins new life in his wife. It is the seed of the Word that is placed in our heart that brings new birth. God Himself, the Holy Spirit placed the eternal seed in Mary, and Jesus came forth. The Holy Spirit places the eternal seed of Abba's Word in us (I Pet. 1:23-25) and the new life begins.

Who is our mother who gives us spiritual birth? It is the dear Holy Spirit (metaphorically speaking). In our case, He gives the spiritual seed and spiritually births us. We are born of the Spirit (John 3:5). For example, wisdom in Proverbs is called "she" but spiritually speaking it is actually representing the Lord Himself (Col. 2:3).

The Holy Spirit and His seed brought us forth. As the corporate bride we are the "only one" ever or will ever be born of the Holy Spirit! Be humbled with this thought, in all of God's vast creation we are matchless! We are one with Jesus as He is with the Father (John 17:22)! That is true family! That is true marriage! We are the choice one! The Father gave us to His Son through the Holy Spirit (John 10:29)! There is nothing in all of God's creative universe that compares with us! Not angels! Not Cherubim! Not Seraphim! "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (Eph. 1:4)! Read I Thess. 2:13. You, with all the other believers are His unique bride! Nothing higher or greater, nothing more exquisite or beautiful has ever been created, not even the universe itself!

Can it truly be I am all of that to Him? "The heavens declare the glory of God...." (Psa. 19:1) how much more His bride! Think of it, since we are one with Jesus and Jesus is one with His Father, then we will have His glory radiating throughout the new Jerusalem through us. "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was....And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17:5,22)! O the glory that is manifested in us when we are fully His!

 

"...the daughters saw her, and blessed her: yea, the queens and the concubines and they praised her."

Why do the beautiful women want to bless her? It is what they "see" in her! In v.10 it says that this bride "looketh forth"! She is to be blessed and praised because she looks like Him! What a joy it is to see Jesus in our brothers and sisters. Many Christians are skilled in talking Christianity but O what a blessing to see someone walking and displaying a living, vibrant Christianity! She is the Ruth of the Old Testament and the Mary of Bethany of the New Testament. Both these ladies were totally committed to God (Ruth 1:16,17; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 10:38-42).

Wonder of wonders! Is this the one who lived in the tents of Kedar (1:5) and now resides in the King's palace? Is this the one who was treated as a nobody by her brothers (1:6) and now is showered with accolades of blessing and praise from the royal household? Can this be the one who considered herself a common desert flower (2:1), yet now is told that she is a priceless, exquisite flower of unsurpassed, unequaled beauty and perfection? Glory to the Lord, Yes! O the joy of giving to Him our bodies as holy, living sacrifices! O the joy of speaking with our lips from the depths of our will, "I am my Beloved's!" Oh the purity that is felt! O the fullness that is experienced! O the divine health that is received in spirit, soul, and body! Stunned, they looked at each other in bewilderment. One asked, "This is not the same person we saw on the street just a while ago is it? We are looking at a miracle of infinite, transforming proportions." Questions fill their minds...

 

V.10 "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning (dawn), fair (beautiful, lovely) as the moon, clear (bright, pure) as the sun, and terrible (fearful) as an army with banners?"

This bride had just gone through great suffering and shame because of the sin of hesitation. Her appearance had been anything but lovely. But Oh, when she stepped into the presence of her Beloved (v.3), with her will now totally submerged into His will, a burst of His glorious light radiates from her! The ladies look and are awestruck! This astounding transformation causes them to ask,

 

"Who is she that looketh forth as the morning..."

Yes, she is like the morning! The Bride is like her Beloved. He is the bright and morning Star! She had just returned to Him, transformed into His likeness! The glory of the surrendered life is beginning to appear like the glow just before sunrise. There is the freshness of a new day in her look, in her eyes, in her ways! The dark shadows of self had engulfed her, but now, a new day in her life was dawning!

Is this true in your life? Each morning there will be a refreshing spiritual newness in your life. You will proclaim with Holy Spirit excitement, "This is the day which the Lord hath made" ; (I) will rejoice and be glad in it."! (Psa. 118:24). When you awake, immediately the gentle, loving Holy Spirit will witness with your spirit that the Lord's purpose and plan is already at work in you, preparing you for a new day and new battles already won by the Lord Himself (Psa. 46:5)! In the morning your soul will feel enfolded by His lovingkindness (Psa. 59:16). His joy (Psa. 30:5), compassion and mercy (Lam.3:23) will rise like the dawn in you. There will be a refreshing quiet confidence that His glorious light will shine through you brighter and brighter as the day unfolds (Prov. 4:18).

There is a spiritual freshness for the new day, knowing you are enwrapped in His arms and "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper...." (Isa. 54:17). You will rejoice because He has made this day for you. You will walk by faith and not by sight. So you are glad in it, knowing He is in total