Song of the Bride, Parts 1-34 - Feasting at the King's Table

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It is not only a flock of sheep, but a flock of “ewes” which is a symbol of fruitfulness. None is bereaved (loses no offspring), all are twin-bearing, and in this way the flock is increasing continually. As the ewes become stronger and bring forth twins, so each virgin in the bride of the Lamb is made stronger and more beautiful by the teeth of faith, which God has provided for her. There is not only abundant fruit in her own life, as she uses her faith and feeds upon the bread from heaven, but through her faith she is in travail for other souls which are born into the Kingdom of heaven through her ministry and prayers of faith. PART TWENTY Newsletter No. 194 – June/July 2003 Song of Solomon 4:3, “Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy mouth is comely.” Lips signify expression. As our teeth receive and masticate food given by the Lord, so the lips express what has been received from Him. The Lord not only notes our spiritual perceptions, our dedication, and our food, but also our expression. The bride’s lips are described as a thread of scarlet, a symbol of the Blood, which must ever be over the door of our lives and upon the door of our lips, so that not a word shall come forth that is not acceptable unto God. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.” We should take heed to our words, in that God has provided a white fence to hold in the tongue and doors to keep closed and locked. “Set a watch, O God, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3. Leprosy is always the symbol of sin. With the leper, there is no feature that is so disfigured as the lips, which become thick, white and scurfy. At all times must the leper keep his mouth covered, and as soon as he hears footsteps he must cry “Unclean!” When corrupt (rotten, worthless) or idle words come forth, if we had spiritual vision we would see upon each other’s lips the sign of leprosy. “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer.” If our hearts prayerfully studied to see whether every answer was from God or from ourselves, whether it could come through our lips and neither mar their scarlet beauty, nor leave a trace of leprosy behind, how many words would be cut off, and changed. In James, we are told to be “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” But many are quick to speak and teach others; quick to strive and defend themselves, even when they are in the wrong; quick to wrath or irritability. They are slow only when it comes to being taught and hearing instruction. Prov. 1:7 says, “By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” We must take heed that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts are acceptable in the sight of our Beloved, and do not bring reproach upon His Name. “A thread of scarlet” has two aspects of truth. The first indicates redemption, as when Rahab bound the scarlet thread in her window (Joshua 2:21). The other aspect is that of authority, as in Mat. 27:28-29, “And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying Hail, King of the Jews.” In the verbal expression of the spouse there is evidence that her life has been cleansed (in redemption), and that her lips are under the authority of the King. How different is the speech from the lips of those who reject His authority and say, “With our tongue will we prevail: our lips are our own: who is lord over us? Psalm 12:4. Our lips need to experience the process of redemption by submission to the authority of the Lord. They must express the purity and virtue of the life of Christ. I’m sure we all have experienced speaking forth words that originated from the Spirit. At times we’d ask ourselves, “Now, why did I say that?” The past while I have been in touch with a young man here who sometimes helps me with my computer. At the conclusion of our visits, I find myself saying, “You’re going to be a success in life. I just know it!” (Even though I knew he had dropped out of school before finishing Grade 12). SONG OF THE BRIDE, Parts 1–34 [Elaine Cook] ~ BIBLE STUDY 30
The last time I said that, I asked the Lord why I kept telling him that, and He told me it was because he had suffered in his life and the Lord was going to raise him up. The next time we talked on the phone, I felt to tell him this and it opened up a fountain of words from his heart. He said he’d been in deep depression, very close to insanity, but now he was almost all better and would go back to school in the fall. I said, “That would draw you close to the Lord, wouldn’t it?” He agreed heartily and began sharing all that the Lord had done for him and for different members of his family. We had a precious time of sharing and he said he realized this suffering had changed his attitude toward people, and, yes, he felt he would be a success in his life! It was then I felt that my bride’s mouth was indeed “comely.” PART TWENTY-ONE Newsletter No. 195 – Aug./Sept. 2003 Song of Solomon 4:3, “thy temples are like a piece of pomegranate behind thy veil.” The “temple” is defined as the flattened part on either side of the forehead. Do you not think it strange that some part of our body should be called a “temple”? A temple is broadly designated as “a building used for the service or worship of a god or gods.” We surely are a temple “not made with hands” whose Maker and Builder is God! Our temples enclose the mind, the place of ruling. The red and white center of the pomegranate with its seeds, which give forth a red fluid, is a symbol of the blood. The pulp shows red mixed with white, a precious emblem of the modesty of the bride covered with His spotless garment. “…behind the veil”: The face of the bride is more beautiful by being shaded and protected by the locks of her separation unto God. The colors of red and white are a sign of her modesty and chastity. It is this deep separation that clothes her within with the incorruptible apparel so desired by her Bridegroom. She does not expose her beauty to the world nor does she strive for its approval. She is content to have the Lord bring forth His mind in her in secret as He makes her His temple, a place fit for His habitation! 4:4 “Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armory, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all the shields of the mighty men.” Why should our neck be compared to a storehouse of weapons? It is because the neck represents man’s will. If we are determined to have our own way, God calls us “stiff-necked.” The neck of the spouse represents a will in submission to the will of the Lord. “Thy neck like a tower” tells us that her neck is now upright. She is no longer bound as the woman Jesus healed who was so bent over that all she could see was the earth, for Satan had bound her for 18 years. God’s spouse has been set free and made straight and is no longer fettered. She no longer looks to the world for her satisfaction. A neck like a tower also symbolizes steadfastness and upwardness of outlook. It shows she has been established on solid spiritual ground and Satan can “find no place in her.” The bride’s neck is not compared to just any tower where weapons were kept. No, it was David’s tower to which she is compared. David was a man after God’s own heart, who did all God’s will (Acts 13:22). The will of the bride has been brought into such complete obedience that it has become a strong defense against enemy attack. Her will is fixed in God and is a strong tower in times of danger. In order that believers yield not to the enemy of their souls, they are made like the tower of David, a man whose purpose was always to do the will of God. I heard of a young man, a main-line addict, who had come to the Lord and was learning to walk softly before Him. The day came when the temptation to find a pusher and buy some drugs was almost irresistible. A friend had given him $80.00 that day to deposit in the bank for him. As he walked toward the bank, he felt he would use that money and buy some cocaine—just this once! SONG OF THE BRIDE, Parts 1–34 [Elaine Cook] ~ BIBLE STUDY 31
Page 1 and 2: SONG OF THE BRIDE BY: ELAINE COOK P
Page 3 and 4: 1:4 "Draw me and we will run after
Page 5 and 6: of the vineyard that she neglects h
Page 7 and 8: of the myrrh is perceptible to othe
Page 9 and 10: trees but they do not bear fruit. T
Page 11 and 12: the Voice of the Lord who promised
Page 13 and 14: who do not accept the Atonement and
Page 15 and 16: This shining way is not an easy one
Page 17 and 18: With the coming of the reality of t
Page 19 and 20: gates of the city where the citizen
Page 21 and 22: PART TWELVE Newsletter No. 185 - Ju
Page 23 and 24: PART FOURTEEN Newsletter No. 187 -
Page 25 and 26: As a cedar must be cut down before
Page 27 and 28: For some years, the Lord has been s
Page 29: Song of Solomon 4:2, “Thy teeth a
Page 33 and 34: eastplate. Only when the bride’s
Page 35 and 36: and frankincense were but small dro
Page 37 and 38: This chain about her neck was not o
Page 39 and 40: glorified.” All her beauty of spi
Page 41 and 42: acknowledges the right of God’s S
Page 43 and 44: In the early part of the Song, the
Page 45 and 46: He had continued knocking at the do
Page 47: of the nails in His hands and feet,

Song of the Bride, Parts 1-34 - Feasting at the King's Table

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