Song of Solomon 4:8-9

The Beloved’s Request: “Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.” (Song of Solomon 4:8)

Here the Beloved is giving his Bride another command. In 2:10-11, his command was to “come away.” That is, to come away from all things, and come to my banqueting house, where my bed is.

But here is the second step of coming away, “Come with me from Lebanon.” This is after consummation. (The “top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon,” depict the peak of the consummation process.) Come away with me now in daily fellowship; walking in my love, in my holiness, in my peace, in my power, and in my righteousness. I will carry you through my power living in you; as you go through the sanctification (or being separated) process.

The Beloved’s Remembrance: “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.” (Song of Solomon 4:9)

The word “ravished” in the English language also means “to overcome with emotion and especially with joy or delight” (Webster’s second definition); or to “carry away,” to “transport.” (See Proverbs 5:19.) The Beloved was saying that the Bride had carried him away to a “prepared place” of oneness and fellowship in the bedchamber.

This is a great mystery when relating this to Christ and His Bride. It is so deep that I fear to even speak on what happens in Christ when He and His Bride are at One in communion in Truth; but to say “Thou hast ravished my heart.”

To have the Spirit of God reveal this to Christ’s Bride is humbling beyond words. It also is a great incentive to be conformed to His Image. It is hard to shift the physical type to the full spiritual meaning, because Christ uses a physical consummation between a husband and his wife to type out, not a physical consummation (which is absolutely absurd), but a spiritual oneness in full unity in truth. Therefore, it is not only humbling, but it also fills His Bride with great expectation and with great anticipation; and it produces a determined driving force in her to be with Christ in Truth.

In Song of Solomon 4:7-9, the Beloved commands his Bride to come with him; to come past the bedchamber. Now that we have had this glorious experience in the banqueting house, “come with me”; live daily in this same expression of love. The Beloved based his command on “Thou hast ravished my heart”; you have carried me away with your love. Then the beloved tells her how she ravished his heart:

1. “With one of thine eyes” (verse 9c); he has already said she had “doves’ eyes” (verse 1:15; 4:1). This depicts singleness, faithfulness and peace. The Beloved said, I see your singleness and faithfulness to me. I see you are single-eyed to me.
2. “With one chain of thy neck” (verse 9d); which reveals her confession to all that she is proud to wear his name, his signet.
3. “How much better is thy love than wine!” (verse 10b); the good effects of wine (happiness and joy) fade away; whereas the effects of her love never fade away.
4. “And the smell of thine ointments than all spices!” (verse 10c); her perfume is better than all others.
5. “Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb:” (verse 11a); they are so sweet to his mind as he is stirred when their lips touch in passion.
6. “Honey and milk are under thy tongue;” (verse 11b); her sweet words are words of nourishment.
7. “And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon” (verse 11c). The smell of the cedar tree speaks of preservation, for its preserving qualities.

Here the beloved is using:

1. His Bride’s faithfulness to him;
2. Her outward confession of the submission to him to wear his chain, or his name;
3. The effects are not temporary, but eternal;
4. Her perfume was better than any other;
5. Her lips spoke sweet words;
6. As her tongue was founded upon sweetness and sustenance;
7. Her clothing smelled of the trees of cedar, or fir trees.

So in the spiritual sense, Christ is revealing how she, His Bride, “ravished” His heart:

1. “With one of thine eyes” (verse 9c); He speaks of the Bride’s faithfulness to Him; being single-eyed to Him and to Him alone.
2. “With one chain of thy neck” (verse 9d); speaks of her desire to wear His Name unashamedly; all can see the “chain” around her neck. All can see she is a servant of righteousness; in full submission to Him.
3. “How much better is thy love than wine!” (verse 10b); the effects of her love are everlasting, not temporary; because the love she has is His Love, and His Love is eternal.
4. “And the smell of thine ointments than all spices!” (verse 10c); the perfume of the Bride of Christ is the smell of Love. Her fragrance is the dedication of her mind to Christ; her determination to reveal her inner person to Him; and her design to allure Him to see who she is in Christ.
5. “Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb:” (verse 11a); the words she speaks to Him are words of truth. The reason being…
6. “Honey and milk are under thy tongue;” (verse 11b); the sounds of her words are formed by her tongue; and these sounds are founded and formed upon the sweetness of her spirit; made so by the implantation of His Love in her spirit by the Holy Ghost in regeneration (Romans 5:5); and substance of Truth, the milk of the Word.
7. “And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon” (verse 11c); the smell of her outer garments, her works (that which is seen by all). Her works are by faith (James 2:14-26); her works are preserved (“remain”). These works of faith have the fragrance of cedar trees; which is indicative of the preserving of garments stored in and around the wood of the cedar tree. So it speaks of her perseverance and preservation in Christ. “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Also see Romans 8:29-39 for the security of the foreknown ones in the Love of Christ. Nothing can ever, now, or in eternity, separate Christ’s Bride from Him.