Vineyard Days – Like Stately Pillars, Part 2

Who or what is this [she asked] that comes gliding out of the wilderness like stately pillars of smoke … ?

[Someone answered] Behold, it is the traveling litter (the bridal car) of Solomon. Sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

They all handle the sword and are expert in war; every man has his sword upon his thigh, that fear be not excited in the night.

Song of Songs 3:6-8 (Amplified)

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Everything about Christ the Word is significant. Solomon, in his God-given wisdom, portrayed the very Word of God by that which he set his hand to do and his mind to know. Even the numbers of those with which he surrounded himself bore the Word’s depth of meaning that issues from the heart of Elohiym.

As the traveling litter came into view, the beauty and magnificence of the Owner of this conveyance was evident – as was the power, might and strength at his ready command. Sixty mighty men of Israel surrounded him, each an expert (practiced and proficient) in war, trained to handle well the sword.

To illuminate the significance of the Word, each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical equivalent. The number sixty is the equivalent of Samech, the 15th letter of the Hebraic alphabet. Samech or Sixty means ‘support’, ‘to lean upon’, or ‘to uphold’.

It is further symbolic that the 15th book of the Bible is Ezra, whose name means helper. Even the shape of the written letter is in the form of a shield. Indeed the Word is alive and sharper than a two-edged sword. There is not one insignificant detail in the Word of God or the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As chapter three of the Song continues toward its segue, an important scene unfolds in preparation for the next scene in chapter four. How often has that been true in our own life? One chapter is drawing to a close (at times without our cognizant understanding but with a sense of stirring within) while all along the Lord has been orchestrating the ways and means of unfolding the next chapter yet to be revealed. Step by step He faithfully leads on those whose hearts are being wedded to His.

It has not been that long in the narrative since the Shulamite was confronted by fear in the night that drove her to find the One whom her soul loves. If only soul comfort and trust meant the same thing …

Once again the Shulamite holds up the mirror by which we can gauge our own reactions. We can receive momentary comfort to soothe the soul and not trust the Soother as far as we can throw Him. We may take all the comfort He has to give and then some.  Or we may dig in our heels, throw down the gauntlet, and challenge Him to ‘just make me’ so we don’t have to make the real choice to trust Him.

Then there are the weary ones who finally choose to let go of acting as independent as a hog on ice and reach out for His help. Still others come to distinguish that He is, above all else, the trustworthy One. The issue for the Bride at any stage is, ‘if she does not come to trust Him, then who can she trust?’

Like the Shulamite, we may be somewhere on the continuum between our first confession of love and our second deeper one, whereby our trust of Him begins to gain strength. May the Spirit bear witness, and continue to draw us on to the fulfillment of our third and purest confession of love.

This Lover of our soul does not disappoint. In spite of and because of our inability to yet fully trust Him, in His loving-kindness He put on display what the eyes of the Shulamite’s – and our – heart needs to see.

The ‘bridal car of Solomon’ (the King’s transport) came into view and with it, eyes that were opened to see – just like Elisha’s servant in II Kings 6:15-17 – that ‘those with us are more than those with them.’

Fear need not remain. In fact, it pales in the face of His strength and majesty and those with Him armed to the teeth, prepared and ready for the sure victory. Full of grace and truth, in Him we may rest in trust.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,
and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said,
‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'”
For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John 1:14-17 NASB

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You’re welcome to join me next time for one more look into chapter three – and the King’s chair.

Like stately pillars –

Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
Psalm 89:14 NASB

~ Gracefully Free

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