Mar 13
16
A faint symbol of unutterable affection!
(Charles Spurgeon, “Gleanings among the Sheaves”)
“Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!” Song of Songs 5:16
In calling the Lord Jesus “altogether lovely,” the redeemed Church asserts that she sees nothing in Him which she does not admire. The world may rail at His cross and call it shameful; but to her it is the very center and soul of glory. He is never without beauty to her! She presses His pierced feet to her embrace—and looks upon His wounds as jewels! Fools stand by His cross and find many a theme for jest and scorn; but she discovers nothing but solemn reason for reverent adoration and unbounded love!
“You are absolutely beautiful, my Beloved—with no imperfection in You!” Song of Songs 4:7. Viewing Him in every office and relationship—she cannot discover a flaw! She knows too well, His perfect Godhead and His spotless manhood—to offer a moment’s shelter to the thought of a blemish in His immaculate person! She abominates every teaching that debases Him! She spurns the most gorgeous religious drapery that would obscure His beauteous features! Yes, so jealous is she of His honor, that a hint against His unsullied purity would stir her soul to holy wrath—and speedy would be her execration, and relentless her execution of the heresy! Nothing has ever aroused the ire of the Church so much—as a word against her beloved Redeemer. To all true believers, this is high treason and an offense which cannot be treated lightly.
Jesus is without a single blot or blemish—yet this negative praise, this bold denial of any fault—is far from representing the fullness of the loving admiration of the Church. Jesus is positively lovely in her eyes! Not merely lovely—His beauties are attracting beauties, and His glories are such as charm the heart. But although this utterance of the Church is the very climax of the language of praise, and was doubtless intended as the pinnacle of all description—yet it is not possible that this one sentence, even when expanded by the most careful meditation, should be able to express more than a mere particle of the admiration felt. Her description towers above all others; but its stature fails to reach the towering height of Heaven-born love. It is but a faint symbol of unutterable affection! It is a choice pearl washed on shore, from the deep sea of Divine love.
“Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!” Song of Songs 5:16
Where then, are all my spots?
(Susannah Spurgeon, “A Basket of Summer Fruit”)
“You are all beautiful, My beloved; there is no spot
in you!” Song of Songs 4:7
“Ah!” I hear some timid, trembling believer say, “Such a text can have nothing to do with me! I am the very opposite of all that is beautiful and spotless. The eyes
of my soul have seen hideous sights within, which I can never forget; and I loathe myself and my sin so much,that though I believe God has forgiven me for Christ’s
sake—I feel it impossible to take those precious words as addressed to one so sinful and imperfect as myself!”
Yet, trembling soul, I would bid you take courage, and look up! Christ’s love for His people is marvelously set forth in this Song of Songs. The same precious blood
was poured out to redeem the least lamb of the flock,as for the choicest sheep!
Come, then, timid one—rejoice in the blessed fact that you are indeed precious to the Lord—and He says, “You are all beautiful, My beloved!” Adoringly bow before Him in wonder—at the miracle His love has wrought in you.
It ill becomes the bride of Christ to ignore His loveliness, which He has put upon her, and go about bemoaning the scars and blemishes which His great love overlooks and forgets.
It is quite true that, in themselves, believers are sorrowfully imperfect and sinful; but if the Lord Jesus, in His marvelous mercy, unrobes Himself to cover over their unrighteousness, they may well be content to be thus made “beautiful” in His
sight. We cannot comprehend the mystery and sublimity of Divine love; but it is the sole and all-sufficient reason for the dear Lord’s estimate of us; and when He uses such endearing language—our hearts melt and are ravished by His wondrous
condescension. With reverence we say it—when our dear Master deigns to address us in accents of love and admiration, our souls are thrilled with heavenly bliss, and we are uplifted beyond all the sorrows and vexations of this world, into an
atmosphere of unspeakable spiritual joy!
“My beloved!” Oh, say it again, dear Savior! Let the music of Your voice touch and vibrate through the deepest chords of my nature, and awaken sweet responses in my soul! You are the fount and source of all love; oh, fill me, overwhelm
me, plunge me in this sea of mercy and of grace! I would be swallowed up in it—knowing no other joy or bliss comparable to that of being able to say, “My Beloved is mine—and I am His!”
“There is no spot in you.” Can our loving Lord really mean this? He does, indeed! “Where then, are all my spots, dear Lord, for they were legion—and sin must render me vile and loathsome in Your pure sight?”
All the sins—past, present, and future—all the deformity and blackness—are cleansed away by Christ’s blood—covered by His righteousness! And so completely is this done, that God Himself can find no remnant or stain of that which would
have meant eternal death to an unwashed soul. The poor sinner is lifted from the depths of sin—to the heights of heavenly bliss! “What kind of love is this?” It is so Divine and incomprehensible that, in the contemplation of it, we are lost in wonder and amazement!
Lord Jesus, what a glorious Savior You are! All the sin, which made Your bride so black and vile—was laid upon You!
“There is no spot in you.” An old writer says—”Now, if God sees no spot—why should you be prying after one? Poring over your misery, searching after your blackness and depravity—will be no help to you. This only keeps your eyes off Jesus, instead of up unto Jesus. You cannot look two ways at once. How did the poor serpent-bitten Israelites in the wilderness get relief and healing? By
looking to their sores, their wounds, their malady? Oh, no! It was by looking to the brazen serpent! And if you would get relief—it must be by looking to Jesus Christ!”