“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm…” (Song of Solomon 8:6a)

The Beloved tells His Bride to “set me as a seal upon thine heart.”

In common terms, “seal” is to close or make secure an opening. For example: you seal the mouth of a cave or well, or you seal an envelope. Another meaning is a device having a raised design that can be stamped to prove authority. For example: the seal of a king is his stamp to show all that he secures this opening, or it proves the contents of this letter are from him. Another meaning is an ensign, or symbol, or sign, of one who is in authority. An example of this is found in Numbers 2:2, “Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house…”

In the spiritual sense, Christ was The Seal of God. That is, He was God in the Flesh (John 1:1-14; 1 Timothy 3:16). Also in Him, we see the Glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:6). Hebrews 1:3a says, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person…”

Here in Song of Solomon 8:6, the Beloved (Christ) tells the Bride (the Church) to “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm…” This statement refers to the inner man, the spirit. The Bride was to set her Beloved as a seal upon her heart (her spirit, her inner man).

A. Upon Thine Heart

What does it mean to “set me as a seal upon thine heart”?

First, it means for the Bride to acknowledge, or confess, or proclaim, to herself that Christ lives in her. (See Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:5-6; John 15:1-10; Romans 8:9-13; Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19.) Let it be settled that Christ dwells in those Born from Above from the point of Regeneration. When the Believer in Christ comes to fully realize that Christ lives in him (1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9-11), then he comes to see three things:

zz The first thing he sees is that he is not his own any longer; he has been bought and paid for by Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20). Therefore, now he is no longer a bond-slave to unrighteousness; but a bond-slave of righteousness. (Read Romans 6:1-22).

And second, he also realizes:

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)

He is now a “new creature”:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The “old man” has been crucified (Romans 6:4-11; 8:2); and the “new man” has now been installed in him (Ephesians 4:17-24; Colossians 3:1-25).

And third, he knows that he is now holy; and he is to walk in Holiness, even as Christ walked (1 Peter 1:13-16; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 2:4-6). He is to come out from this world in attitude, action, and attire; and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). It is now impossible for him to be ruled by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17); because the Love of God has been shed abroad in his heart (Romans 5:5; 8:2). Therefore, he loves God and the Brethren; and he has the assurance that he is a Child of God (1 John 4:7-21; 3:24; 5:20). And he acts accordingly (John 13:34-35); which proves he is a disciple of Christ.

Second, to “set me as a seal upon thine heart” means the Bride is to walk by faith, or in the Power of Christ:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

That is, the Bride is to obey (perform); not in word only, but also in deed (James 1:22-25; 2:14-26; 1 John 3:18).

Third, to “set me as a seal upon thine heart” means that she has vowed to endure by His Grace and Mercy. She has said: I will not go back. I will love Thee now, today, tomorrow, forever, and always. No, I will never stop loving You; because You live in me, and You are working Your will in me:

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

Fourth, to “set me as a seal upon thine heart” means that the Bride confesses that she is where Christ is:

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:21)

“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” (John 17:22)

“I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” (John 17:23)

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)

She is in the Position of the Knowledge of her Oneness in Christ (His Perfection, Preeminence, and Perception) and of her Oneness in His Love (His Power to Perform as His Ambassador on earth); as she beholds His Glory; of which she was ordained to see (His Glory; Romans 9:23-24).

B. Upon Thine Arm

Next the writer says, “…as a seal upon thine arm.” This is a public testimony of whose “army” she is in. In the US Army, a soldier is identified as an American soldier by the insignia on his uniform.

So it is with a Born from Above Child of God. The Seal that has been set upon his heart is revealed in his Walk of Faith. As he walks on this earth, he bears the fruit of the Spirit:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

The greatest fruit is Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8; 13). When he walks in love, he proves he is a Disciple of Christ (John 13:34-35), and that the Spirit dwells in him (1 John 4:7-21).

The questions to be answered by every Child of God are: Have you set Christ “as a seal upon thine heart”? Can others see and know that you are His and He is yours? Is He “as a seal upon thine arm”?

That is – have you made a vow to serve Christ; whenever, wherever, and however long it takes? Have you given Him your body, soul, and spirit? Have you said, “Here am I; send me”?

This means you have left the Wilderness and crossed Jordan to go over and claim your inheritance in Christ, as Caleb and Joshua did. Then you have come to say as Joshua said:

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

It means you love Him more than you love yourself (Luke 14:26-33).

It means you have brought your body and your spirit into subjection to God and to His Will in His Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 9:24-27; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Therefore, you have separated yourself from this world in attitude, action, and attire (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Colossians 3:1-3).

It means you cannot turn back, for you have made your commitment to God, forever and always.