Read Song of Songs 4:1–7
Questions from the Scripture text: What does the Bridegroom say to His bride (Song of Songs 4:1a)? How many times (verse 1b)? What does He compliment in verse 1c? And in verse 1d–e? And in Song of Songs 4:2? What does He say about them? And in Song of Songs 4:3a? What does He say about them? And in verse 3b? And verse 3c–d? What does He say about them? And in Song of Songs 4:4? What does He say about it? And in Song of Songs 4:5? What does He say about them? Where does He say that He will go (Song of Songs 4:6c–d, cf. Song of Songs 3:6)? Until when (Song of Songs 4:6a–b)? What does He say about her in Song of Songs 4:7 (cf. Ephesians 5:27)?
How beautiful is the church on her wedding day? Song of Songs 4:1–7 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, on their wedding day, the Lord will have made His church faultlessly beautiful with His own beauty.
Song of Songs 4:1–5:1 take us into the conversation between the Bridegroom and the bride on their wedding day. In these seven verses, He praises her and declares His intentions to her, leading up to the invitation in Song of Songs 4:8. The inclusio in Song of Songs 4:1a–b and Song of Songs 4:7 declares her beauty. It is to the latter verse that Ephesians 5:27 refers, when describing the end goal of all Christ’s work in His bride. In Song of Songs 4:1-5, He focuses on many aspects of this beauty that He is producing in the church. The dove’s eyes (Song of Songs 4:1c) we have seen already in Song of Songs 1:15, signifying Spirit-given innocence, especially in seeing and knowing the Lord Jesus. The hair (Song of Songs 4:1d–e) being most indicative of adornment, with respect to the church must especially refer to her good works and godliness, as the apostles understood (cf. 1 Timothy 2:9–10; 1 Peter 3:3–4). The teeth (Song of Songs 4:2) have reference especially to feeding, and in the church’s case, especially the faith by which we take Christ and receive and appropriate Him to ourselves; in this case, the bride’s faith is eager (verse 2a) and clean (verse 2b) and fruitful (verse 2c–d). The lips for speaking (Song of Songs 4:3a), and the mouth for singing and kissing (verse 3b), refer to the church’s beautiful communications to her Bridegroom, which she does with the beautiful modesty and humility of one who blushes appropriately (verse 3c–d). Song of Songs 4:4 makes its own elaboration upon the neck, focusing upon its strength, strong necks being indicative of nobility and royalty. The breasts (Song of Songs 4:5) are part of the loveliness of a wife to her husband, on this her wedding day—their beauty being especially the promise of nourishing their children. Here is the church’s aptness to edify, giving the pure spiritual milk of the Word (cf. 1 Peter 2:2). This capacity for edification is obtained from her Beloved, the Shepherd, as He feeds His flock (Song of Songs 4:5c, cf. Song of Songs 2:16b). He has beautified her, and overcome the distance between them, answering her prayer (Song of Songs 4:6a–b, cf. Song of Songs 2:17). The mountains are now the mountains of her likeness to Him (Song of Songs 4:6c–d, cf. Song of Songs 3:6c–d). Her great beauty is her likeness to Him, and He will delight in her forever!
What is beautiful to Christ? How can you obtain it and grow in it? What may you look forward to by it?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for loving us and giving yourself up for us, to cleanse us by the washing of water of Your Word. Continue Your Work in us, until You present us faultless to Yourself on the last day, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP45B “Daughter, Incline Your Ear” or TPH471 “The Sands of Time Are Sinking”
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