“Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.” (Song of Solomon 6:1)

“My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.” (Song of Solomon 6:2)

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.” (Song of Solomon 6:3)

The question asked by the Daughters of Jerusalem in verse 1 is, “Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women?” The Beloved has already told the Bride the answer to this question in Song of Solomon 5:1, “I am come into my garden.” This “garden” he then identifies as, “my sister, my spouse.” The Beloved also has further described his Bride as “a garden inclosed… a spring shut up, a fountain sealed… a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon” (Song of Solomon 4:12, 15).

In Song of Solomon 6:2, the Bride answers the Daughters of Jerusalem’s question by saying, “My beloved is gone down into his garden.” And then she adds, “he feedeth among the lilies” (verse 3). Note that the lilies are representative of His Bride (Song of Solomon 2:2; 16b).

Therefore, the answer is very plain, the Beloved has turned aside to his Bride, his lily, his spouse, “my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled… my dove, my undefiled is but one” (5:2; 6:9).

In the spiritual sense, the Beloved (Christ) has come into His Bride (the Church, the Bride of Christ). (Read Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:1-21; 5:21-33; John 14:18; Acts 2:1-; Revelation 21:9; etc.) Christ was very plain that the Kingdom of God is spiritual, or within the believers (Luke 17:21). Paul confirms this (Ephesians 2:19-22; 3:1-21; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 4:20; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 12:12-13; Colossians 1:13). And John also writes of this (Revelation 21, 22).

Even the Greek word for Church, “ekklēsia,” brings to light that it is not a building, or something physical; but it is a spiritual entity manifested by physical assembly together in a specific place (1 Corinthians 1:2a), and by the fruits which are borne by those who assemble in the Name of Jesus Christ (Galatians 5:22-23). This is shown in many verses in the New Testament such as:

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17)

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” (Ephesians 2:19)

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20)

“In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:” (Ephesians 2:21)

“In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22)

So the problem is not where He (Christ) is, for He is in His Body, the Church; this is His Throne on earth (Ephesians 3:21).

The problem is not why and what He is doing in His garden; for the Bride gives these answers in Song of Solomon 6:

“…to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies” (verse 2)

“… he feedeth among the lilies.” (verse 3)

“…to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.” (verse 11)

As we have seen previously (Song of Solomon 1:7-8) when Christ “feeds,” He is feeding His Sheep the Word of God. This is so they would be edified (Ephesians 4:12-16); be made free (John 8:32); be sanctified (John 17:17, 19); be taught (John 16:13-15); have perfect fellowship (Song of Solomon 2:4-6); and be brought to Oneness in Christ (John 14:3; 17:21-24).

The Bride’s problem is two-fold:

First, she must be in the right attitude (mental state). When Christ comes to feed His Bride in the garden, the Bride must be ready in her spirit to receive Him. This comes from confession of sins; repentance, a change in direction; complete submission to His Word; being still and waiting upon His movement. The Bride knows where He is and what He is doing while He is there. But is the Bride ready and prepared to receive Him? Has her fruit come to maturity, ready for harvest?

I wonder how many in the churches today are “back-seat sitters” in the assembly? How many are “hiding” (or trying to cover up) their unpreparedness in their “business” (or “busyness”) for Christ?

It seems strange to me that in Song of Solomon 5:8, the Bride could not find her Beloved. And she even charged the Daughters of Jerusalem, “…if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.” Then in Song of Solomon 5:10-16, the Bride answers the Daughters of Jerusalem’s question “What is thy beloved more than another beloved…” (verse 5:9). Then in Song of Solomon 6:1, the Daughters of Jerusalem ask the Bride, Where do you think your Beloved is? The Bride is quick to answer, “My beloved is gone down into his garden…” (verse 2).

My question is, why did she (the Bride) ask the Daughters of Jerusalem to find her Beloved, when she knew where He was and exactly what he was doing? (He had gone to His garden to feed and to gather the lilies.)

This brings to light the second part of her problem. She knew where her Beloved was and what He was doing. Then why ask the Daughters of Jerusalem to find Him?

The answer can only be, to cause the Daughters of Jerusalem to seek Him with her – “that we may seek him with thee” (Song of Solomon 6:1c). This is shown in the Bride’s reason, that she was “sick in love” (5:8). This is also seen in her giving the Daughters of Jerusalem the answer as to why her Beloved was “more than” any other beloved; He is “chiefest among ten thousand”; with the description of the beauty of His body parts (verses 5:10-16a). And then she states, “he is altogether lovely” (verse 16b).

All of this is being said by the Bride to lead the Daughters of Jerusalem to come and seek Him with her; to bring the Daughters of Jerusalem to the banqueting house with her. Then she (the Bride) added another reason:

“My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.” (Song of Solomon 6:2)

And then to conclude she added the last reason:

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine…” (Song of Solomon 6:3)

That is, we are one.

The Bride evidently desired the Daughters of Jerusalem to come to regeneration and full communion as part of His Bride. She said, but Christ (my Beloved) is only in “His garden,” for “he feedeth among the lilies.” She is saying: you must be counted as a “lily”; you must be part of His Body, the Church, His Bride; you must come to “His garden.” This can only be through Regeneration, or being baptized into His Body by the Spirit in the process of Regeneration (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:1-7).

Men cannot effect regeneration on another person; only God can do this (John 3:3-8, 27, 1:12). However, the Bride has a responsibility to give her testimony of the Beauty of her Beloved. God uses the Publishers (preachers, witnesses, and ambassadors) to publish His Gospel of Jesus Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 2:1-4; 1:18, 21, 24; Romans 1:1-3, 15-17; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Acts 9:15-17; Galatians 1:13-16; etc.).

The Church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth, and God calls men from the Body to go and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. (See 2 Peter 1:8-10; 2 Timothy 2:1-4; etc.) The preachers are to preach the unsearchable Riches of Christ; to present the Beauty of His Glory, His Holiness, His Righteousness; to preach of His Salvation, whereby men that are quickened by the Holy Spirit, being drawn and taught, are able to receive the Truth:

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

 

Thereby being loosed from their grave clothes, and set free in Power and Perception.

This is what is happening in Song of Solomon 5:8-16; 6:1-3. The Bride pointed the Daughters of Jerusalem to His Church, His Dwelling Place, His Feeding Place; where the beds of spices are, and where the lilies are (speaking of the Born-Again Children of God).

Reader, if you are in Christ, this is also your responsibility. It is the responsibility of all the saved: to beautify Christ in word and in deeds before men, that they also may glorify the Father! Amen and Amen!

Note: Then Song of Solomon 6:4-13; 7:1-8 is Christ’s confirmation of His Beauty in His Born-Again Bride.