Vineyard Days – Illumination

He had never stopped speaking to her. Nor would He. But time and life had brought the  Bride to a critical point. Now it was hers to hear and answer.

It meant awakening to the Bridegroom’s higher purpose for redeeming her life, without which neither of them would be satisfied.

It was not His intention that the House of Wine become the final resting place in her spiritual journey. Once established in her life, though, it would provide a lasting foundation for all that was to come.

In the meantime, here she rested – in the Selah between verses 2:7 and 2:8.

As I pondered before writing this post, my thoughts were drawn back to Genesis and the beginning. While reading, Holy Spirit opened my eyes to a pattern that landed deeply in my understanding regarding The Bride. It was another piece of the blueprint…

The same pause that exists between Song of Songs 2:7 & 8 existed between Genesis 1:2 & 3 –

…and the earth being without form and empty, and darkness on the face of the deep,
and the Spirit of God moving gently on the face of the waters,
then God said, Let light be! And there was light.  (Literal Version)

Holy Spirit, Who hovered over the darkness on the face of the deep in the beginning, is the same Holy Spirit who broods over the darkness on the face of our deep. Gently He moves on the face of our wellsprings – in ways I confess I  do not always understand. I just know that He does and I see the evidence of it in others as well as in myself.

When Elohiym speaks, “Let there be light!” – there is an illumination by and of His Spirit. His Presence is never so palpable as when the Light of understanding is imparted into our human spirit.

[Roaring] deep calls to [roaring] deep at the thunder of Your waterspouts;
all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me.

Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime,
and in the night His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
(Psalm 42:7-8 AMP)

Like the Shulamite, each of us believers – whether born from above a few months or an entire lifetime – is brought by His brooding Spirit to this pause between Songs 2:7 and 8 and Psalm 42:7 and 8. When that is for some is of far different timing for others. To be known of the Lord means being singly seen.

Some fellow branches will be satisfied to remain where they are – in verse 7 – having been brought under His banner of love, His shadow of protection and provision. To rest in the finished work of Christ (seven means  completion, finished) is His gift of grace and love. The choice is ours; and to be clear, the Shulamite’s picture of the Bridal journey is not a question of our salvation. Her journey, however, entails much more  and in doing so, addresses the issue of refusing Him who speaks. (Hebrews 12:22-29)

Having been created (qualified, to cut down a wood*, select, and feed as formative processes) male and female, in Elohiym’s image – resembling Him – He blessed them and instructed them. He has never lifted that blessing and still instructs today through the Living Word of the New Covenant.

So it is at verse 8 (new beginnings), when the pause ends and the next note is struck, that the journey takes on a new indwelling of the Person and presence and revealing of Christ in us. It now has everything to do with Holy Spirit’s illumination leading to our sanctification (purification, consecration) and transformation (renovation, conversion) into the Bride of Christ who will have no stain, blemish, or disgrace; being found faultless and unblameable.

This  is the cry of Elohiym in Paul, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you–“ (Galatians 4:19)

This  is the message of Songs 2:8 and beyond…

Created; being formed ~ Gracefully Free

By the way, the final piece to the pattern will be realized again at Revelation 21:1 and 2 …

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. (NASB)

I encourage you to read all of Revelation 21. It is the blueprint completed, including what will not  be found resident in His wife.

Only His glory, the Bride’s brilliance.

 

*Later in the Song of Songs we will read of trees and wood; don’t let this confuse or distract you. Just let it simmer…

Breakers Photo Credit: rkramer62 via photopin

Shammahs Field LLC/Shammah Ministries is the biblical counseling, life coaching, and spiritual growth ministry entrusted to Wayne & Nancy Bentz. You can learn more about the resources they have to offer at shammahsfield.com and nancybentz.com.