Chapter 29

With the crown—The Crown of Life; the Divine nature.Wherewith His mother—The Sarah Covenant.Crowned Him—With glory and honor.In the day—Pentecost.Of His espousals—When the antitypical Eliezer was received by the antitypical Rebecca.And in the day—Now at hand, praise the Lord!Of the gladness of His heart—When the marriage of the Lamb takes place.“Blessed is he that is called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”4:1.Behold thou art fair—The Lord addresses His Bride anew.[pg 350]My love—“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.”Behold thou art fair—“So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty.”Thou hast dove's eyes—The Heavenly wisdom.Thy hair—Woman's hair was given her for a covering, and it is her glory. The righteousness of Christ is the Bride's covering, and it is her glory.Is as a flock of goats—Thick, luxuriant.That appear from Mt. Gilead—The flocks of goats on Mt. Gilead are of unusual size to this day.4:2.Thy teeth—Masticators, grinders, assimilators of spiritual food.Are like a flock—In glistening array.That are even shorn—When the lips are parted.Which come up from the washing—Cleansing by salivation.Whereof every one bear twine—Whereof they come forth in pairs.And none is barren—None is without its mate.Among them—The teeth are perfect in form and number, illustrating the Bride's ability to feed upon the strong meat which“belongeth to them that are of full age.”4:3.Thy lips—“O Lord open Thou my lips!”“My mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips.”Are like a thread of scarlet—As the scarlet thread of redemption runs through the Divine Word, so it is with you, and on your lips—the all-absorbing theme of life.And thy speech is comely—“My speech shall distil as the dew.”Thy temples are like—Thy mind, the mind of the New Creature, may be properly compared to.A piece of pomegranate—The pomegranate curiously combines the flavors of all fruits. It thus well illustrates the New Mind, which, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, brings to perfection the fruitage of love, the sum of all the Christian graces.Within thy locks—Behind thy veil; concealed by the veil of the flesh.4:4.Thy neck—Willingness to bear burdens.Is like the tower of David—David was a type of the Church militant.Builded for an armory—Designed to accommodate a great number.Whereon there hang a thousand—“One shall chase a thousand.”Bucklers of shields of mighty men—“I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.”[pg 351]4:5.Thy two breasts—“The breasts of her consolations, whereof ye may suck and be satisfied, milk out and be delighted.”Are like two young roes—The Scriptures, the Word of God, quick and powerful.That are twins—The Old and New Testament Scriptures are identical in origin, spirit and purpose.Which feed among the lilies—“The meek will He guide in judgment; the meek will He teach His way.”4:6.Until the Day—The Millennial Day. The Bride is the speaker.Break—Has fully dawned.And the shadows—Of the Valley of the Shadow of Death in which I now walk.Flee away—Are gone.I will get me—In spirit.To the mountain of myrrh—The Kingdom of Wisdom.And to the hill of frankincense—Praise, heart adoration.4:7.Thou art all fair—Blameless, faultless. The Lord responds.My love—His love is commended to us in that“while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly.”There is no spot—You have kept your garments unspotted from the world.In thee—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us.”4:8.Come with Me—To our Heavenly inheritance.From Lebanon—From your present unfinished condition. The typical temple was built, in part, of cedar and fir timbers from Lebanon; but they had to be hewn and finished before they could be used.My spouse—My espoused Bride.With Me from Lebanon—You are but following in the path I trod.Look from the top of Amana—The view from this peak is said to be indescribably grand. Look away to Heaven.From the top of Shenir—(Peak or pointed.) Look beyond the sharp experiences of the present.And Hermon—(Rugged or abrupt.) Look beyond the unkind words and deeds you now encounter.From the lions' dens—You are now in the lions' dens, but look beyond them. Satan goes about as a roaring lion; but no lion shall be there.From the mountains—Kingdoms of this world. Look beyond them.Of the leopards—Papacy and those of her spirit.“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard.”4:9.Thou hast ravished My heart—Taken it away.[pg 352]My sister, My spouse—The Bride of Christ is His sister. His Father is their Father. His mother, the Sarah covenant, is their mother.“We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the Promise.”With one of thine eyes—With thy singleness of vision.“If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be light.”—Matt. 6:22.With one chain of thy neck—With thy one bond of servitude; consecration to the service of the Great King.4:10.How fair is thy love—How various and beautiful are its forms of expression.My sister, My spouse—My Father's Daughter, My espoused Bride.How much better is thy love—The ways in which you show your devotion to me.Than wine—Than thy doctrines, some of which, in the past, have been badly mixed.And the smell—The sweet fragrance.Of thine ointments—The anointing oil; the Holy Spirit.Than all spices—Than all other virtues.4:11.Thy lips, O My spouse—My beloved Bride to be.Drop as the honeycomb—Distil a dropping of pure honey; sweet and helpful words.And the smell—The sweet perfume.Of thy garments—The robe of Christ's righteousness.Is like the smell—The life-giving odors.Of Lebanon—The cedar and fir trees of Lebanon.4:12.A garden enclosed—A heart-garden, shut out of sight of all but its owners.Is My sister, My spouse—My Father's daughter, My espoused Bride.A spring shut up—“It shall be in you a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.”A fountain sealed—Sealed with the King's own signet, until the time comes that all the well springs are brought together in the first resurrection, to constitute the fountain from which will flow the River of the Water of Life.4:13.Thy plants are—The plants in your heart-garden are illustrated by.An orchard of pomegranates—The pomegranate curiously combines the flavors of all fruits and thus well represents love, the sum of all the Christian graces.With pleasant fruits—Pleasing characteristics.Camphire—Rest, trust, confidence.With spikenard—Fragrant devotion, as illustrated by Mary's alabaster box.4:14.Spikenard and saffron—Fragrant devotion and long-suffering.[pg 353]Calamus and cinnamon—Knowledge and understanding.With all trees of frankincense—Praise, heart adoration.Myrrh and aloes—Wisdom and patience.With all chief spices—All the remaining elements of Christian character.4:15.A fountain—In the midst.Of gardens—Beautiful, clear, sparkling, life-giving.A well of living waters—Invigorating the whole world in the New Age.“The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.”And streams from Lebanon—Pure, refreshing.4:16.Awake O North wind—Storms of adversity. The Bride speaks.And come thou South—Balmy breezes.“Some days are bright and sweet with praise, some with accepted pain.”Blow upon my garden—My heart-garden, in which I seek to develop the fruits most pleasing to my Lord.That the spices thereof—The aroma of good deeds, kind words and noble thoughts.May flow out—Manifest itself to the Lord and to others.Let my Beloved—Bridegroom, Christ.Come into His garden—Come into my heart.And eat—Appropriate to His use and pleasure.His pleasant fruits—The fruits of love, which He has cultivated within me.5:1.I am come—The Lord responds.Into My garden—I have accepted your invitation to come in and make My abode with you.My sister, My spouse—My Father's Daughter, My espoused Bride.I have gathered My myrrh—Wisdom; generally the result of bitter experience. Myrrh means bitter.With My spice—The fragrant and sweet ingredients of the Holy Spirit.I have eaten—Accepted, appropriated, consumed.My honeycomb—The sacrificers themselves.With My honey—With the sacrifices of praise which they offered.I have drunk My wine—Taken note of the doctrines you teach.With My milk—Noticed also the manner and spirit with which you present the milk of the Word to those not so far advanced.Eat, O friends—The Lord addresses the needy world.Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved—“He, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”[pg 354]5:2.I sleep—“While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.”The Foolish Virgin class is here represented as speaking.But my heart waketh—At heart the Foolish Virgins are loyal to the Lord.It is the voice of my Beloved—She recognizes the evidences of the Lord's Second Advent.That knocketh—“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”Saying Open to me—“If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him.”My sister, My love—The Foolish Virgins are children of the same Father, and are also born of the Sarah Covenant, but the Lord does not address them as His spouse.My dove, My undefiled—The Great Company class are pure in their hearts intentions.For My head—“As one who has vowed a vow of a Nazarite to separate himself unto Jehovah.”Is filled with dew—Freshness, vigor.“Thou hast the dew of Thy youth.”And My locks—“All the days of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head. Till the days be fulfilled in the which he separateth himself unto Jehovah, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”With the drops—Experiences.Of the night—My consecration to Jehovah has been steadfast throughout the world's dark night of sin.5:3.I have put off—Temporarily laid aside. The Foolish Virgins reply.My coat—The wedding robe which You provided.How shall I—How can I see to.Put it on—I am in the midst of the dark night of the Time of Trouble.I have washed my feet—I am a church member, in good and regular standing.How shall I defile them—Why should I leave my creed bed and obey Your call to come out of Babylon?5:4.My Beloved—In His great love and pity for me.Put in His hand—Exerted His mighty power.By the hole of the door—Rattled the time-lock.And my bowels—My heart.Were moved for Him—Was stirred to action, but too late to go in with Him to the wedding.5:5.I rose up—Roused myself to activity.To open to my Beloved—Just as the Harvest was past.And my hands—Holding the keys to the Bible, theStudies.Dropped with myrrh—Wisdom, gleaned from theScripture Studies, till then neglected.[pg 355]With sweet smelling myrrh—A knowledge of all the precious things of Present Truth.Upon the handles—The lines of prophetical evidence.Of the lock—The time features of the Lord's Plan.5:6.I opened to my Beloved—After the Harvest work was finished.But my Beloved—True to His word.Had withdrawn Himself—“And they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage.”And was gone—And the door was shut.My soul failed when He spake—I lacked the love, faith and hope to obey promptly.I sought Him—“Many shall strive to enter in but shall not be able when once the Master of the House hath risen up and shut to the door.”But found Him not—“I am He that shutteth and no man openeth.”I called Him—“Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter in.”But He gave me no answer—No hope of being His Bride and Joint-heir.5:7.The watchmen—Watchmen in nominal Zion, the clergy of the nominal church.That went about the city—Christendom.Found me—Observed my course in accepting Present Truth and withdrawing from their systems.They smote me—“With arrows, even bitter words.”They wounded me—Wounded my reputation.The keepers—Civil authorities.Of the walls—The Governments, the bulwarks of Christendom.Took away my veil from me—Were instigated to destroy me, to cause me to pass into death.5:8.I charge you—The Foolish Virgin class continues.O daughters of Jerusalem—O all who profess to love Him.If ye find my Beloved—If you yourself expect to be of the Bride class.That ye tell Him—In my behalf.That I am sick of love—Hungering for His companionship, longing to see His face, despite the fact that I did not open to Him promptly.5:9.What is thy Beloved—The Lord's professed people, now in nominal Zion, speak.More than another beloved—Why is Christ any more to you than He is to me?O thou fairest among women—The Lord's professed people in nominal Zion begin to awake to the fact that the last of the spiritually-minded ones are leaving them.[pg 356]What is thy Beloved—To you.More than another beloved—To another.That thou dost so charge us—We would like to understand the reasons why you are so deeply concerned, and why you persist in saying,“The Harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”5:10.My Beloved is white—“Holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.”The Foolish Virgin class responds to the Lord's professed people in nominal Zion.And ruddy—A reference to His pierced side.“He was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood.”The chiefest—The standard-bearer or chieftain.Among ten thousand—Among ten thousand warriors.5:11.His head—“God gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is His Body, that in all things He might have the preeminence.”Is as the most fine gold—“Who only hath immortality.”His locks are bushy—His consecration is perfect and complete.And black as a raven—And He remained steadfast in it unto death.5:12.His eyes—Wisdom.Are as the eyes of doves—Pure, peaceable, gentle.By the rivers of waters—By the channels of truth.Washed with milk—Primary elements of the Truth.And fitly set—All in perfect harmony.5:13.His cheeks—His countenance towards me.Are as a bed of spices—The personification of every virtue and every grace.As sweet flowers—Towers of perfumes (margin), flowers trained upon trellises; shedding a beauty and fragrance compelling the attention of all.His lips like lilies—His speech modest, beautiful and sweet.“Never man spake like this Man.”Dropping sweet smelling myrrh—Distilling Heavenly wisdom.“My speech shall distil as the dew.”5:14.His hands—As in rolling or unrolling a scroll or parchment.Are as gold rings—Conform to the shape of the roll.“Thou art worthy to take the roll and to open the seals thereof.”Set with the beryl—Love of the Father. See page335.His belly—The word signifies the whole body, from shoulders to thighs.Is as bright ivory—A beautiful vision.Overlaid with sapphires—Faithfulness. See page334.“And they saw the God of Israel, and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone.”[pg 357]5:15.His legs—The members that have been carrying on the work of the Body.Are as pillars of marble—“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of My God.”Set upon sockets—Feet, the foot members.Of fine gold—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him!”His countenance—Smile of favor.Is as Lebanon—Pure, invigorating, refreshing.Excellent as the cedars—Everlasting life.5:16.His mouth—His Word.“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”Is most sweet—“All bare Him witness and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth.”Yea, He is altogether lovely—It is impossible to describe all His excellencies; He is the sum of all that is to be desired.This is my Beloved—This is the One I love supremely.And this is my Friend—“I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!”O daughters of Jerusalem—O you who are nominally His.6:1.Whither is thy Beloved gone—After the door is shut, those who have been nominally Christ's begin to give heed to the message of the Foolish Virgins.O thou fairest among women—O most spiritually-minded amongst us.Whither is thy Beloved turned aside—We realize that He has entirely withdrawn Himself from us.That we may seek Him with thee—Show us in the Word how He is now to be found.“All that a man hath will he give for his life.”6:2.My Beloved—The Foolish Virgin class, now thoroughly aroused to the facts, explain to the Lord's professed children in nominal Zion.Is gone down—His Second Advent is accomplished.Into His garden—He has taken His Bride to Himself.To the beds of spices—To accept from her heart-garden the fragrant and sweet ingredients of the Holy Spirit.To feed in the gardens—To receive to Himself the precious fruits love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control.And to gather lilies—To take the humble sweet ones home; to gather the wheat class into the Heavenly garner.6:3.I am my Beloved's—The Great Company can not forget that they are precious in the Lord's sight.And my Beloved is mine—“Fade, Fade, each earthly joy, Jesus is mine.”[pg 358]He feedeth among the lilies—“The meek will He guide in judgment; the meek will He teach His way.”6:4.Thou art beautiful—At heart. The Lord again addresses His Bride.O My love—“Love one another as I have loved you.”As Tirzah—A delight.Comely as Jerusalem—“The City of the Great King.”Terrible—In the conquest of evil.As an army with banners—To an opposing host.6:5.Turn away thine eyes from Me—Observe the Lord's modesty and humility.For they have overcome Me—How the Lord delights to express His appreciation of the virtues of His Bride, despite the fact that they are all but feeble reflections of His own!Thy hair—Righteousness. Woman's hair was given her for a covering, and it is her glory. The righteousness of Christ is the Bride's covering, and it is her glory.Is as a flock of goats—Thick, luxuriant.That appear from Mt. Gilead—The flocks of goats on Mt. Gilead are of unusual size to this day.6:6.Thy teeth—Masticators, grinders, assimilators of spiritual food.Are as a flock—In glistening array.Which go up from the washing—Cleansing by salivation.Whereof every one bear twins—They come forth in pairs.And there is not one barren—None is without its mate.Among them—The teeth are perfect in form and number, illustrating the Bride's ability to feed upon the strong meat which“belongeth to them that are of full age.”6:7.As a piece of pomegranate—The pomegranate curiously combines the flavors of all fruits. It thus well illustrates the New Mind, which, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, brings to perfection the fruitage of love, the sum of all the Christian graces.Are thy temples—Thy mind, the mind of the New Creature.Within thy locks—Behind thy veil; concealed by the veil of the flesh.6:8.There are threescore queens—Nominal church organizations openly joined to earthly heads.And fourscore concubines—Even more are secretly violating their pledges of spiritual virginity. Altogether the census shows about 150 sects. See page160, where all the principal sects are enumerated.And virgins without number—Foolish Virgins, really pure at heart.[pg 359]6:9.My dove, My undefiled—The Virgin Bride of Christ.Is but one—“That they may be one, as We are.”The only one—To share the glory, honor and immortality of Christ.Of her mother—The Oath-bound Covenant.She is the choice one—The specially favored one.Of her that bore her—The antitypical Sarah.The daughters—Professed children of God.Saw her—Discerned her, at the time of the manifestation of the Sons of God.And blessed her—Called her blessed.Yea the queens—Those openly affiliated with worldly churches in union with worldly governments.And the concubines—Those secretly thus affiliated.And they praised her—Acknowledged, in the end, that her course was right and her exaltation merited.6:10.Who is she—The Bride.That looketh forth—Beams resplendent.As the morning—The Millennial Morning.Fair—Pure, just, holy, good.As the moon—“The law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.”Clear—Glorious, light-giving.As the Sun—“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”And terrible—In the conquest of evil.As an army with banners—To an opposing host.6:11.I went down—Following the exaltation of the Bride. Christ speaks.Into the garden of nuts—The heart-gardens of the Foolish Virgin class. A garden of nuts does not as quickly yield its treasures as a garden of spices, to which the Bride's heart garden is likened.To see the fruits of the valley—Of the class that had not risen with the Bride to the Pisgah heights of faith and hope and love.And to see whether—As a result of their experiences in the Time of Trouble.The vine flourished—Their characters had been properly affected.And the pomegranates budded—To see whether there is promise of the fruits of the Spirit coming to perfection.6:12.Or ever I was aware—I knew not how it was.My soul—Filled with love and pity for them.Made me like the chariots—Swiftly speeding to them to bless and help them in their hour of extremity.Of Amminadib—Of My willing people, the Bride.[pg 360]6:13.Return, return—“Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.”O Shulamite—(Uneven one), you who have been uneven in your love, hope and faith.Return, return, that We—My Father and I.May look upon thee—Smile upon thee; bestow blessings.“With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the King's palace.”What will ye see—You who study the matter.In the Shulamite—The Foolish Virgin class. The answer is that you will see.As it were the company—The Great Company.Of two armies—“A great multitude which no man can number.”7:1.How beautiful are thy feet—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace.”The Lord again addresses His Bride.With shoes—“Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.”O Prince's daughter—Daughter of the King, Jehovah.The joints—“The whole Body, fitly joined together and compacted with that which every joint supplieth.”Of thy thighs—(Softness) gentleness, tenderness.Are like jewels—“They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels.”The work of the hands—“For we are His workmanship.”

With the crown—The Crown of Life; the Divine nature.

Wherewith His mother—The Sarah Covenant.

Crowned Him—With glory and honor.

In the day—Pentecost.

Of His espousals—When the antitypical Eliezer was received by the antitypical Rebecca.

And in the day—Now at hand, praise the Lord!

Of the gladness of His heart—When the marriage of the Lamb takes place.“Blessed is he that is called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

4:1.Behold thou art fair—The Lord addresses His Bride anew.

My love—“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.”

Behold thou art fair—“So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty.”

Thou hast dove's eyes—The Heavenly wisdom.

Thy hair—Woman's hair was given her for a covering, and it is her glory. The righteousness of Christ is the Bride's covering, and it is her glory.

Is as a flock of goats—Thick, luxuriant.

That appear from Mt. Gilead—The flocks of goats on Mt. Gilead are of unusual size to this day.

4:2.Thy teeth—Masticators, grinders, assimilators of spiritual food.

Are like a flock—In glistening array.

That are even shorn—When the lips are parted.

Which come up from the washing—Cleansing by salivation.

Whereof every one bear twine—Whereof they come forth in pairs.

And none is barren—None is without its mate.

Among them—The teeth are perfect in form and number, illustrating the Bride's ability to feed upon the strong meat which“belongeth to them that are of full age.”

4:3.Thy lips—“O Lord open Thou my lips!”“My mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips.”

Are like a thread of scarlet—As the scarlet thread of redemption runs through the Divine Word, so it is with you, and on your lips—the all-absorbing theme of life.

And thy speech is comely—“My speech shall distil as the dew.”

Thy temples are like—Thy mind, the mind of the New Creature, may be properly compared to.

A piece of pomegranate—The pomegranate curiously combines the flavors of all fruits. It thus well illustrates the New Mind, which, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, brings to perfection the fruitage of love, the sum of all the Christian graces.

Within thy locks—Behind thy veil; concealed by the veil of the flesh.

4:4.Thy neck—Willingness to bear burdens.

Is like the tower of David—David was a type of the Church militant.

Builded for an armory—Designed to accommodate a great number.

Whereon there hang a thousand—“One shall chase a thousand.”

Bucklers of shields of mighty men—“I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.”

4:5.Thy two breasts—“The breasts of her consolations, whereof ye may suck and be satisfied, milk out and be delighted.”

Are like two young roes—The Scriptures, the Word of God, quick and powerful.

That are twins—The Old and New Testament Scriptures are identical in origin, spirit and purpose.

Which feed among the lilies—“The meek will He guide in judgment; the meek will He teach His way.”

4:6.Until the Day—The Millennial Day. The Bride is the speaker.

Break—Has fully dawned.

And the shadows—Of the Valley of the Shadow of Death in which I now walk.

Flee away—Are gone.

I will get me—In spirit.

To the mountain of myrrh—The Kingdom of Wisdom.

And to the hill of frankincense—Praise, heart adoration.

4:7.Thou art all fair—Blameless, faultless. The Lord responds.

My love—His love is commended to us in that“while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly.”

There is no spot—You have kept your garments unspotted from the world.

In thee—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us.”

4:8.Come with Me—To our Heavenly inheritance.

From Lebanon—From your present unfinished condition. The typical temple was built, in part, of cedar and fir timbers from Lebanon; but they had to be hewn and finished before they could be used.

My spouse—My espoused Bride.

With Me from Lebanon—You are but following in the path I trod.

Look from the top of Amana—The view from this peak is said to be indescribably grand. Look away to Heaven.

From the top of Shenir—(Peak or pointed.) Look beyond the sharp experiences of the present.

And Hermon—(Rugged or abrupt.) Look beyond the unkind words and deeds you now encounter.

From the lions' dens—You are now in the lions' dens, but look beyond them. Satan goes about as a roaring lion; but no lion shall be there.

From the mountains—Kingdoms of this world. Look beyond them.

Of the leopards—Papacy and those of her spirit.“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard.”

4:9.Thou hast ravished My heart—Taken it away.

My sister, My spouse—The Bride of Christ is His sister. His Father is their Father. His mother, the Sarah covenant, is their mother.“We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the Promise.”

With one of thine eyes—With thy singleness of vision.“If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be light.”—Matt. 6:22.

With one chain of thy neck—With thy one bond of servitude; consecration to the service of the Great King.

4:10.How fair is thy love—How various and beautiful are its forms of expression.

My sister, My spouse—My Father's Daughter, My espoused Bride.

How much better is thy love—The ways in which you show your devotion to me.

Than wine—Than thy doctrines, some of which, in the past, have been badly mixed.

And the smell—The sweet fragrance.

Of thine ointments—The anointing oil; the Holy Spirit.

Than all spices—Than all other virtues.

4:11.Thy lips, O My spouse—My beloved Bride to be.

Drop as the honeycomb—Distil a dropping of pure honey; sweet and helpful words.

And the smell—The sweet perfume.

Of thy garments—The robe of Christ's righteousness.

Is like the smell—The life-giving odors.

Of Lebanon—The cedar and fir trees of Lebanon.

4:12.A garden enclosed—A heart-garden, shut out of sight of all but its owners.

Is My sister, My spouse—My Father's daughter, My espoused Bride.

A spring shut up—“It shall be in you a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.”

A fountain sealed—Sealed with the King's own signet, until the time comes that all the well springs are brought together in the first resurrection, to constitute the fountain from which will flow the River of the Water of Life.

4:13.Thy plants are—The plants in your heart-garden are illustrated by.

An orchard of pomegranates—The pomegranate curiously combines the flavors of all fruits and thus well represents love, the sum of all the Christian graces.

With pleasant fruits—Pleasing characteristics.

Camphire—Rest, trust, confidence.

With spikenard—Fragrant devotion, as illustrated by Mary's alabaster box.

4:14.Spikenard and saffron—Fragrant devotion and long-suffering.

Calamus and cinnamon—Knowledge and understanding.

With all trees of frankincense—Praise, heart adoration.

Myrrh and aloes—Wisdom and patience.

With all chief spices—All the remaining elements of Christian character.

4:15.A fountain—In the midst.

Of gardens—Beautiful, clear, sparkling, life-giving.

A well of living waters—Invigorating the whole world in the New Age.“The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.”

And streams from Lebanon—Pure, refreshing.

4:16.Awake O North wind—Storms of adversity. The Bride speaks.

And come thou South—Balmy breezes.“Some days are bright and sweet with praise, some with accepted pain.”

Blow upon my garden—My heart-garden, in which I seek to develop the fruits most pleasing to my Lord.

That the spices thereof—The aroma of good deeds, kind words and noble thoughts.

May flow out—Manifest itself to the Lord and to others.

Let my Beloved—Bridegroom, Christ.

Come into His garden—Come into my heart.

And eat—Appropriate to His use and pleasure.

His pleasant fruits—The fruits of love, which He has cultivated within me.

5:1.I am come—The Lord responds.

Into My garden—I have accepted your invitation to come in and make My abode with you.

My sister, My spouse—My Father's Daughter, My espoused Bride.

I have gathered My myrrh—Wisdom; generally the result of bitter experience. Myrrh means bitter.

With My spice—The fragrant and sweet ingredients of the Holy Spirit.

I have eaten—Accepted, appropriated, consumed.

My honeycomb—The sacrificers themselves.

With My honey—With the sacrifices of praise which they offered.

I have drunk My wine—Taken note of the doctrines you teach.

With My milk—Noticed also the manner and spirit with which you present the milk of the Word to those not so far advanced.

Eat, O friends—The Lord addresses the needy world.

Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved—“He, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

5:2.I sleep—“While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.”The Foolish Virgin class is here represented as speaking.

But my heart waketh—At heart the Foolish Virgins are loyal to the Lord.

It is the voice of my Beloved—She recognizes the evidences of the Lord's Second Advent.

That knocketh—“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

Saying Open to me—“If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him.”

My sister, My love—The Foolish Virgins are children of the same Father, and are also born of the Sarah Covenant, but the Lord does not address them as His spouse.

My dove, My undefiled—The Great Company class are pure in their hearts intentions.

For My head—“As one who has vowed a vow of a Nazarite to separate himself unto Jehovah.”

Is filled with dew—Freshness, vigor.“Thou hast the dew of Thy youth.”

And My locks—“All the days of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head. Till the days be fulfilled in the which he separateth himself unto Jehovah, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”

With the drops—Experiences.

Of the night—My consecration to Jehovah has been steadfast throughout the world's dark night of sin.

5:3.I have put off—Temporarily laid aside. The Foolish Virgins reply.

My coat—The wedding robe which You provided.

How shall I—How can I see to.

Put it on—I am in the midst of the dark night of the Time of Trouble.

I have washed my feet—I am a church member, in good and regular standing.

How shall I defile them—Why should I leave my creed bed and obey Your call to come out of Babylon?

5:4.My Beloved—In His great love and pity for me.

Put in His hand—Exerted His mighty power.

By the hole of the door—Rattled the time-lock.

And my bowels—My heart.

Were moved for Him—Was stirred to action, but too late to go in with Him to the wedding.

5:5.I rose up—Roused myself to activity.

To open to my Beloved—Just as the Harvest was past.

And my hands—Holding the keys to the Bible, theStudies.

Dropped with myrrh—Wisdom, gleaned from theScripture Studies, till then neglected.

With sweet smelling myrrh—A knowledge of all the precious things of Present Truth.

Upon the handles—The lines of prophetical evidence.

Of the lock—The time features of the Lord's Plan.

5:6.I opened to my Beloved—After the Harvest work was finished.

But my Beloved—True to His word.

Had withdrawn Himself—“And they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage.”

And was gone—And the door was shut.

My soul failed when He spake—I lacked the love, faith and hope to obey promptly.

I sought Him—“Many shall strive to enter in but shall not be able when once the Master of the House hath risen up and shut to the door.”

But found Him not—“I am He that shutteth and no man openeth.”

I called Him—“Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter in.”

But He gave me no answer—No hope of being His Bride and Joint-heir.

5:7.The watchmen—Watchmen in nominal Zion, the clergy of the nominal church.

That went about the city—Christendom.

Found me—Observed my course in accepting Present Truth and withdrawing from their systems.

They smote me—“With arrows, even bitter words.”

They wounded me—Wounded my reputation.

The keepers—Civil authorities.

Of the walls—The Governments, the bulwarks of Christendom.

Took away my veil from me—Were instigated to destroy me, to cause me to pass into death.

5:8.I charge you—The Foolish Virgin class continues.

O daughters of Jerusalem—O all who profess to love Him.

If ye find my Beloved—If you yourself expect to be of the Bride class.

That ye tell Him—In my behalf.

That I am sick of love—Hungering for His companionship, longing to see His face, despite the fact that I did not open to Him promptly.

5:9.What is thy Beloved—The Lord's professed people, now in nominal Zion, speak.

More than another beloved—Why is Christ any more to you than He is to me?

O thou fairest among women—The Lord's professed people in nominal Zion begin to awake to the fact that the last of the spiritually-minded ones are leaving them.

What is thy Beloved—To you.

More than another beloved—To another.

That thou dost so charge us—We would like to understand the reasons why you are so deeply concerned, and why you persist in saying,“The Harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

5:10.My Beloved is white—“Holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.”The Foolish Virgin class responds to the Lord's professed people in nominal Zion.

And ruddy—A reference to His pierced side.“He was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood.”

The chiefest—The standard-bearer or chieftain.

Among ten thousand—Among ten thousand warriors.

5:11.His head—“God gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is His Body, that in all things He might have the preeminence.”

Is as the most fine gold—“Who only hath immortality.”

His locks are bushy—His consecration is perfect and complete.

And black as a raven—And He remained steadfast in it unto death.

5:12.His eyes—Wisdom.

Are as the eyes of doves—Pure, peaceable, gentle.

By the rivers of waters—By the channels of truth.

Washed with milk—Primary elements of the Truth.

And fitly set—All in perfect harmony.

5:13.His cheeks—His countenance towards me.

Are as a bed of spices—The personification of every virtue and every grace.

As sweet flowers—Towers of perfumes (margin), flowers trained upon trellises; shedding a beauty and fragrance compelling the attention of all.

His lips like lilies—His speech modest, beautiful and sweet.“Never man spake like this Man.”

Dropping sweet smelling myrrh—Distilling Heavenly wisdom.“My speech shall distil as the dew.”

5:14.His hands—As in rolling or unrolling a scroll or parchment.

Are as gold rings—Conform to the shape of the roll.“Thou art worthy to take the roll and to open the seals thereof.”

Set with the beryl—Love of the Father. See page335.

His belly—The word signifies the whole body, from shoulders to thighs.

Is as bright ivory—A beautiful vision.

Overlaid with sapphires—Faithfulness. See page334.“And they saw the God of Israel, and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone.”

5:15.His legs—The members that have been carrying on the work of the Body.

Are as pillars of marble—“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of My God.”

Set upon sockets—Feet, the foot members.

Of fine gold—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him!”

His countenance—Smile of favor.

Is as Lebanon—Pure, invigorating, refreshing.

Excellent as the cedars—Everlasting life.

5:16.His mouth—His Word.“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Is most sweet—“All bare Him witness and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth.”

Yea, He is altogether lovely—It is impossible to describe all His excellencies; He is the sum of all that is to be desired.

This is my Beloved—This is the One I love supremely.

And this is my Friend—“I've found a Friend, O such a Friend!”

O daughters of Jerusalem—O you who are nominally His.

6:1.Whither is thy Beloved gone—After the door is shut, those who have been nominally Christ's begin to give heed to the message of the Foolish Virgins.

O thou fairest among women—O most spiritually-minded amongst us.

Whither is thy Beloved turned aside—We realize that He has entirely withdrawn Himself from us.

That we may seek Him with thee—Show us in the Word how He is now to be found.“All that a man hath will he give for his life.”

6:2.My Beloved—The Foolish Virgin class, now thoroughly aroused to the facts, explain to the Lord's professed children in nominal Zion.

Is gone down—His Second Advent is accomplished.

Into His garden—He has taken His Bride to Himself.

To the beds of spices—To accept from her heart-garden the fragrant and sweet ingredients of the Holy Spirit.

To feed in the gardens—To receive to Himself the precious fruits love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control.

And to gather lilies—To take the humble sweet ones home; to gather the wheat class into the Heavenly garner.

6:3.I am my Beloved's—The Great Company can not forget that they are precious in the Lord's sight.

And my Beloved is mine—“Fade, Fade, each earthly joy, Jesus is mine.”

He feedeth among the lilies—“The meek will He guide in judgment; the meek will He teach His way.”

6:4.Thou art beautiful—At heart. The Lord again addresses His Bride.

O My love—“Love one another as I have loved you.”

As Tirzah—A delight.

Comely as Jerusalem—“The City of the Great King.”

Terrible—In the conquest of evil.

As an army with banners—To an opposing host.

6:5.Turn away thine eyes from Me—Observe the Lord's modesty and humility.

For they have overcome Me—How the Lord delights to express His appreciation of the virtues of His Bride, despite the fact that they are all but feeble reflections of His own!

Thy hair—Righteousness. Woman's hair was given her for a covering, and it is her glory. The righteousness of Christ is the Bride's covering, and it is her glory.

Is as a flock of goats—Thick, luxuriant.

That appear from Mt. Gilead—The flocks of goats on Mt. Gilead are of unusual size to this day.

6:6.Thy teeth—Masticators, grinders, assimilators of spiritual food.

Are as a flock—In glistening array.

Which go up from the washing—Cleansing by salivation.

Whereof every one bear twins—They come forth in pairs.

And there is not one barren—None is without its mate.

Among them—The teeth are perfect in form and number, illustrating the Bride's ability to feed upon the strong meat which“belongeth to them that are of full age.”

6:7.As a piece of pomegranate—The pomegranate curiously combines the flavors of all fruits. It thus well illustrates the New Mind, which, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, brings to perfection the fruitage of love, the sum of all the Christian graces.

Are thy temples—Thy mind, the mind of the New Creature.

Within thy locks—Behind thy veil; concealed by the veil of the flesh.

6:8.There are threescore queens—Nominal church organizations openly joined to earthly heads.

And fourscore concubines—Even more are secretly violating their pledges of spiritual virginity. Altogether the census shows about 150 sects. See page160, where all the principal sects are enumerated.

And virgins without number—Foolish Virgins, really pure at heart.

6:9.My dove, My undefiled—The Virgin Bride of Christ.

Is but one—“That they may be one, as We are.”

The only one—To share the glory, honor and immortality of Christ.

Of her mother—The Oath-bound Covenant.

She is the choice one—The specially favored one.

Of her that bore her—The antitypical Sarah.

The daughters—Professed children of God.

Saw her—Discerned her, at the time of the manifestation of the Sons of God.

And blessed her—Called her blessed.

Yea the queens—Those openly affiliated with worldly churches in union with worldly governments.

And the concubines—Those secretly thus affiliated.

And they praised her—Acknowledged, in the end, that her course was right and her exaltation merited.

6:10.Who is she—The Bride.

That looketh forth—Beams resplendent.

As the morning—The Millennial Morning.

Fair—Pure, just, holy, good.

As the moon—“The law is fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.”

Clear—Glorious, light-giving.

As the Sun—“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”“Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

And terrible—In the conquest of evil.

As an army with banners—To an opposing host.

6:11.I went down—Following the exaltation of the Bride. Christ speaks.

Into the garden of nuts—The heart-gardens of the Foolish Virgin class. A garden of nuts does not as quickly yield its treasures as a garden of spices, to which the Bride's heart garden is likened.

To see the fruits of the valley—Of the class that had not risen with the Bride to the Pisgah heights of faith and hope and love.

And to see whether—As a result of their experiences in the Time of Trouble.

The vine flourished—Their characters had been properly affected.

And the pomegranates budded—To see whether there is promise of the fruits of the Spirit coming to perfection.

6:12.Or ever I was aware—I knew not how it was.

My soul—Filled with love and pity for them.

Made me like the chariots—Swiftly speeding to them to bless and help them in their hour of extremity.

Of Amminadib—Of My willing people, the Bride.

6:13.Return, return—“Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.”

O Shulamite—(Uneven one), you who have been uneven in your love, hope and faith.

Return, return, that We—My Father and I.

May look upon thee—Smile upon thee; bestow blessings.“With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the King's palace.”

What will ye see—You who study the matter.

In the Shulamite—The Foolish Virgin class. The answer is that you will see.

As it were the company—The Great Company.

Of two armies—“A great multitude which no man can number.”

7:1.How beautiful are thy feet—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace.”The Lord again addresses His Bride.

With shoes—“Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.”

O Prince's daughter—Daughter of the King, Jehovah.

The joints—“The whole Body, fitly joined together and compacted with that which every joint supplieth.”

Of thy thighs—(Softness) gentleness, tenderness.

Are like jewels—“They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels.”

The work of the hands—“For we are His workmanship.”

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