Draw Me Away! Pt.6

Song of Solomon Chapter 6 “Having Our Own Oil”

If you remember in chapter 5 the Shulamite had a crushing, hurtful experience. It was difficult for her and the Beloved. She chose her own comfort over spending time with the Beloved, despite His earnest plea. He visited her in the early morning.

“Open for me, my sister, my love,
My dove, my perfect one;
For my head is covered with dew,
My locks with the drops of the night.” (v.2b)

She responded by saying she was clean and comfortable and didn’t want to get up. When she finally arose to open the door he was gone. Her decision had caused pain for the Beloved. Let us not think our selfish choices will not hurt our Beloved, Jesus. The Shulamite went about the city to find him but was only met by the watchman who struck her and took her veil away. At this point the Daughters of Jerusalem, who represent the lukewarm Christian, chime in.

“What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
O fairest among women?
What is your beloved
More than another beloved,
That you so charge us?” (v.9)

The Shulamite responds with a long, beautiful description of the Beloved. It was clear that the Shulamite was finally coming to know Him in an intimate, personal way, despite her obvious continued issue with being self-centered. She could now describe him in such detail like

“My beloved is white and ruddy,
Chief among ten thousand.
His head is like the finest gold;
His locks are wavy,
And black as a raven.” (vv.10-11)

Now, starting chapter 6, the Daughters of Jerusalem are stirred at her description and ask:

“Where has your beloved gone,
O fairest among women?
Where has your beloved turned aside,
That we may seek him with you?” (v.1)

The same will happen to use who come to know Jesus in that personal, intimate way. We will be able to describe Him in great detail. Think for a second about a loved one of yours. I think of my wife and can say she has dirty blond hair. She has a wonderful round face, with the softest of skin. She has deep, hazel green eyes. I could go on and on but you get the picture. And when we are able to describe our Beloved with such beautiful detail it will cause envy to arise in the Daughters, who know not that level of intimacy. I think of what the Apostle Paul said

“If by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.” (Romans 11:14)

Not only did she provoke jealousy to the Daughters she has greatly caught the attention of the Beloved.

“Turn your eyes away from me,
For they have overcome me.” (v.5a)

I think the statement from the Beloved was a vulnerable declaration. He was, at least how I perceive it, saying, “I see your eye toward me. I see your devotion towards me and it is overcoming me. I want more than anything else to be near to you but I also know I must be cautious. I know there is still deep-rooted self-centeredness in you and I know I must be careful.”

Despite her weaknesses the Shulamite has stolen the heart of the Beloved. Even a look in his direction from her moves His heart. That is us my friends! Now it is the point where he shows her just how special she is to Him.

“There are sixty queens
And eighty concubines,
And virgins without number.” (v.8)

The sixty queens, eighty concubines and virgins without number represent those like the Daughters of Jerusalem. They have the favor of the Beloved but he is a stranger to them. Likewise, many today in the church are saved and under God’s grace. But they do not have an intimate relationship with Him. They know a lot about Him but do not have a personal relationship with Him. We too, like the Shulamite, can take those steps toward Him, responding to His call to “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.” (Song of Solomon 2:10)

If for some reason you think this is unfair consider the The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Jesus made a distinction between the 5 foolish and 5 wise. In the parable all 10 virgins fell asleep waiting to meet the bridegroom. The wise virgins, when awakened, arose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish hadn’t even brought their own oil. The foolish said to the wise “‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” (Matthew 25:8b) The foolish virgins didn’t have their own oil. This represents those in the church who rely on the oil (Holy Spirit) of other people. Since they don’t have their own personal relationship they rely on revelation and the daily bread of others. God’s grace has permitted this for now but this simply will not cut it in the hard days ahead.

Jesus makes it abundantly clear what the purpose of the parable was. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:11-12) We all have a choice which of the camps of virgins we will find ourselves in. The good news is that if you find yourself to be in the foolish camp you can always respond to the call from the Beloved to rise up and come away.

As we respond to the call to an intimate walk with the Beloved we will be changed. You cannot spend time with Jesus and not be transformed. Others will take notice.

“The daughters saw her
And called her blessed,
The queens and the concubines,
And they praised her.
Who is she who looks forth as the morning,
Fair as the moon,
Clear as the sun,
Awesome as an army with banners?” (Song of Solomon 6:8b-10)

The daughters (of Jerusalem) saw (took notice) and called her blessed. Those on the outside will take notice of our intimate walk with the Beloved and want it for themselves. Is anything better than being a walking billboard for an intimate walk with God? We will convince people simply by our close walk.