“The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” (Song of Solomon 3:3)

“It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.” (Song of Solomon 3:4)

Proverbs 19:21 says, “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” This is exactly what is happening to the Bride in Song of Solomon 3:1-4. She had first sought her Beloved on her bed, but she “found him not”; which was as it should be. However, when this did not work, instead of waiting on her Beloved to respond to her seeking, she said “I will rise now, and go about the city” to seek her Beloved. This is indicative of taking actions into her own hands, to try to do it in her own strength. However, this effort failed also. Of course, the lesson to learn here is to do it the right way, then be still and wait.

But all is not lost. Even though she has her own ideas and is trying it her way, the king has watchmen in the city to find his Bride. When she goes out on her own to find him, in spite of her not waiting on him, in spite of wasted energy in her flesh – the king had mercy on her and rescued her by his own watchmen, who he had placed in the city to find and guide his Bride in the right way.

In the spiritual sense, the Bride is instructed in God’s Word to seek sweet, sweet communion through prayer, confession, submission, and obedience; and then to be still and wait, depending upon God’s Will and Purpose as to the “When” of Him bringing His Bride to Him for sweet fellowship.

But many times, the Bride lacks patience, and she moves in her own strength to look for Him in the City. The “City” being the House of God, where the King dwells and where He is worshipped. The Bride is not wrong in going to the City. The error lies in not waiting for Christ to respond to her, having done as instructed by Him. Sweet communion with Christ is not, and has never been, in running to and fro in the City.

This is what is wrong with many people today in thinking that communion with Christ lies in “activity” in the City (the Church). You can be busy in God’s work and not be in sweet fellowship with Christ. The reason is because our activity, many times, leads us to depend upon our flesh (walking by sight) and not to depend on the Spirit (walking by faith). We get so busy serving God, we don’t have time to be still and worship Him.

Activity sometimes provides a shield from facing Christ and His all-seeing eye. He sees our inner man, the motives of our service, and the condition of our inner man. You can’t walk in hidden sins, compromises, etc. and come before God and say to Him, as David wrote:

 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” (Psalms 139:23)

How many Children of God come daily before God and say, “I lay myself bare before You”; “Search me … try me, and know my thoughts”? (Not many evidently.) So many Children of God resort to religious “service”; they stay busy to hide from God’s all-seeing eye. (So they think.)

But, praise God, He has a plan for those running to and fro in the City of God, thinking they are doing God a service. But really, many times, it is only to stay busy and want God to see their works instead of their hidden thoughts.

But God has a plan:

“The watchmen that go about the city found me:” The word “watchmen” indicates more than one. But in the institutional sense, this word stands for all watchmen of the City (and Cities) of God. The watchmen are defined as the Angels of the Churches, “…The seven stars are the angels (messengers) of the seven churches…” (Revelation 1:20b). The angels then being the men of God assigned by God to watch, warn (Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7), and instruct the citizens of His City (Ephesians 4:11-16). God ordained men to be called and installed in the office of Bishop / Elder, to watch for the souls (the members) of His City.

“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” (Hebrews 13:7)

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17)

They are to preach; teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:18-24; 2:1-4); baptize the confessed believers (Acts 8:26-40); and to rule and watch for their souls.

Of course the Holy Spirit is “The Watchman.” He is in control of all the stars (or angels) of the Churches (Revelation 1:20). He dwells in the Church (Acts 2:1-; Ephesians 3:21). Also He reveals His will to the Angels of the Churches.

Therefore, doing their task, the watchmen found the Bride. This means that they were watching for their souls (through watching over the Sheep; feeding the Sheep; listening to the Sheep; etc.). Thank God for truly God-called, God-sent, God-empowered, God-ordained, and God-assigned to a particular body of Christ, man of God; as he carries out his position as a “watcher.”

Note the first request of the Bride once she has been found:

“To whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” The Bride understands the role of the watchmen. Therefore, she reveals her mission in the city as she goes to and fro. She knows the watchmen will know where her Beloved is; so she asks, Have you seen my Beloved, whom my soul loveth? She wants the watchmen to know that her Beloved is whom her soul loves. She said, I don’t love another; He is my heart’s desire. I want him; I need him; please help me find him.

Then the watchman (men) did perform his assigned role to instruct the sheep (Ephesians 4:12-16).

Then relief came as soon as she obeyed the watchman’s word of instruction:

“It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth…” (verse 4a). Praise God it is not in the instrument; but just past the watchman (men), she found Christ, whom “my soul loveth.”

It is very important, in a world of religion built upon men and their hierarchy, to know that men ordained as Elders in the Churches are men saved by the Grace of God as all of His Sheep are. The hope is not in them, the fellowship is not in them. Yes, praise God, He ordained the positions, and He places men in these positions to be links of example and instruction. But Christ is whom these watchmen represent. The watchmen are only tools, or instruments, in the Hand of God to teach, preach, baptize, etc. in His City. (And these are very important positions in the city.) But, God forbid, that any man would say that you must go through him to receive absolution of sins, or to receive mercy, grace, salvation, or even access to Christ.

But the true watchman is God-ordained, God-called, and God-installed to rule and watch and warn and teach the citizens of His City. The Sheep have a responsibility to follow his leadership and his teaching of God’s Word; for he watches for their souls. It will be profitable to those that do follow the watchman (Hebrews 13:17; Song of Solomon 3:4a). The reward will be great.

Now the Bride has found him, “… I held him, and would not let him go…” (verse 4b).

We see the intense action of the Bride; when she finally found her Beloved, “I held him, and would not let him go.” This intense action indicates that the waiting period was over. And this period of waiting had accomplished its design; for she was now prepared to hold him, to be in his presence. She had determined not to let him go. His absence from her presence had caused her to vow not to let him go. She states, I will not turn my attention to anything but him. I will not try in my own strength to find him. I know now that my works are futile, unless they are blessed by God. I know I must learn to be patient, to follow His instructions; and then be still and wait on my Beloved.

In the spiritual sense, so it was with Jacob in the Old Testament on his way back from his 20 year stay with his Uncle Laban. (Read Genesis 32; especially verses 22-32.)

Jacob said, “…I will not let thee go, except thou bless me” (verse 26b).

Jacob’s name was changed to Israel:“… for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (verse 28c). “…And he (God) blessed him there” (verse 29c).

God gave Jacob a limp in one of Jacob’s legs for the rest of his life. But this limp was a token of God’s blessing; it was not a curse.

Song of Solomon 3:1-4 reveals a great, great truth of God’s movement in His Secret Will to hide Himself to prepare His Bride for the greatest of all intimate communion with Him. This action of Christ causes the deepest of desires to find Him, to forsake all others, even her own life (Luke 14:33). He gives her a “token” of His blessings, which will not be forgotten. In the flesh it will be a limp; but in the spirit, it will cause true loyalty and faithfulness for the rest of the journey.

Plus it leads the Beloved and the Bride to the most intimation communion:

“…Until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me” (verse 4c)

In the physical, the Bride is speaking of the bed chamber; even the act of consummation.

In the spiritual, it speaks of the Church’s submission to be One with Christ, as she is brought to the Place where His is and brought to Behold His Glory. Here she is given knowledge of His Perfection, Preeminence, and Perception; as she is One in Him; and of His Love, and the Power to Perform His Law of Love.

When Christ brings a person to where He is (John 17:21-24), then He has prepared His Bride through regeneration by the Spirit of God; wherein she knows Who He is, “Abba, Father”; and who she is, a Child of God. She knows He is hers and she is His.

His Bride has also had her spiritual eyes enlightened to see:

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” (Ephesians 1:17)

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:18)

“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,” (Ephesians 1:19)

“Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:23)

That is, to Behold His Glory and to know she is a joint-heir with Christ. It also brings her to be immersed in His Love. And it causes her to experience the precious and joyful and satisfying completeness of being One with Him.

“This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5:32)

O how sweet and precious and delightful communion is with Christ, our Husband, our Head.