"The mountains and the hills breaking forth into singing, and the trees of the field clapping their hands," "instead of the thorn the fir tree," and "instead of the briar the myrtle tree"; for hath not God said, "I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground, I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring, and they shall grow up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses." The gardens of the Lord are for the earthly home of his children. Every child of God has his home in the gardens, is united to the King! is a temple of holiness! and a vineyard of the Holy Ghost, and the fruit of the Spirit, love, and joy, and peace, &c., are his pleasant plants, sown and grown, and tended and developed there! "Thou that dwellest in the gardens." Where the King loves to visit! Where angels minister! Where the river of God that is full of water is ever flowing! Where the sunlight falls, and the gales of heaven blow fragrantly and fruitfully. "Thou that dwellest," not didst dwell, or shalt dwell, but dwellest and makest thy home, never to be driven out as Adam was! Thou that abidest in the pleasure grounds of God, where God himself is a wall of fire round about thee and the glory in the midst ! Left here for a little while to learn lessons of self and of grace, not elsewhere or under other circumstances to be learnt, and then to be transplanted to the heaven of heavens! Left here for a little time that the wilderness and the solitary places may be glad for thee, and "the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose"! Left here to plant seeds of truth and love, to water, and tend, and preserve, and dress, and watch God's vineyard, and be like thy King, a fountain of gardens till he comes to take thee to himself! "Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it"! This is Christ's last request, as it was the first. (ii. 14), "O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice." If by the "companions" is meant, as is probably the case, from Psa. xlv. 14, the daughters of Jerusalem, her fellow-citizens and fellow-members in Christ, co-partners in covenant privileges, and "companions in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ;" then the Lord seems to refer to her speech (ii. 3-6, iii. 7-11, v. 10-16), and he would remind her that he is jealous of her love and confidence. Alas! we are more prone to speak of him to others, than to himself; more prone to bring our burdens, and sorrows, and joys, and hopes, anxieties, and experiences, and fears to the companions, than to Jesus, "cause me to hear it"! I listen for thy voice, I am most easy of access! A word, a look, a thought, an affliction (Gen. xvi. 11), a desire (Psa. xvii. 7), a cry will at any time reach me ! Or, if by the "companions" reference is made to i. 7, where some suppose the companions alluded to are still unconverted, then the command is, "cause to hear me, witness of me, speak to them of me! The words may be translated in three ways- 1. "Cause me to hear." "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name" (Mal. iii. 16). Such passages as Psa. xvi. 2, 3, Acts ii. 42-46, and Col. iii. 16, will throw light on this command. (Verse 14). We have here the bride's immediate response to the request of her Beloved, "Make haste, my Beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices." As she began so she ends (ii. 17). And here again, if we compare Rev. xxii., we shall find her prayer was that which ever delights him most. (Verse 12), "Behold, I come quickly." Then he seems, as it were, to listen for the response to his pledge and promise, and hearing it exclaims (verse 17), “The Spirit and the bride say come, and let him that heareth say come." And again (verse 20) he repeats his promise, Surely, I come quickly"! To her the expected visit of the Beloved was the fulfilment of Gen. iii. 15, Isa. ix. 6, and Psa. lxxii., and such like. To us-on the other hand, who live in the dispensation of the Spirit, it is the promise of his return! (John xiv. 2, 3; Heb. ix. 28). And that return will be the completion of all the believer's prayers and joys, and when it is granted we have no more to ask for or desire, "The prayers of the bride, like those of David the son of Jesse, are ended" (Psa. lxxii. 20). The word here translated make haste to come, also means to "flee away," and if we follow this rendering, the bride is at length responding to the invitation of her Beloved. (ii. 10, iv. 8) "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." "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." Flee away, "my Beloved, and take me with you to the mountains of spices." She has proved his words, that earth's fairest scenes are "lions' dens," and its sunniest hills "mountains of leopards," and weary of a sinful self and troublesome world, she is breathing after the heavenly scenes and everlasting rest to which he had invited her, on the mountains of spices and amidst the joys and glories of Emmanuel's land; and she would have him take her from the gardens below to be for ever with him in her "home in the Lord." There is nothing beyond this to live for, or hope for, here! and the prayer, whether in Old or New Testament times, is music to the Saviour. "Make haste," and flee away, "my Beloved," for it tells him "we have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." |
