The Missing One Found
Chapter 3 Song of Solomon 3:1-5
PROBABLY A DREAM RELATED BY SHULAMITE TO THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM
By night on my bed
I sought him whom my soul loveth;
I sought him, but I found him not.
I will rise now, and go about the city;
In the streets, and in the broadways thereof,
Will I seek him whom my soul loveth.
I sought him, but I found him not.
The watchmen that go about the city found me; to whom I said:
Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?
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.
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,
By the roes and by the hinds of the field.
That ye stir not up nor awake my love,
Till he please.
This section probably the narration of a dream, given in a song by Shulamite in presence of the Daughters of Jerusalem or Ladies of the Court. ‘By night (Hebrew, ‘nights’) on my bed,’ &c. (So Daniel 4:10; Daniel 4:13). ‘A dream cometh by the multitude of business;’ and Shulamite’s, from the occupation of her thoughts with the prospect of the approaching nuptials, and the preparations for them. Indicates how her waking thoughts were possessed by her Beloved, here again characterized by her as ‘he whom my soul loveth,’ as already in Chap. Song of Solomon 1:7; and reveals her great desire to enjoy his society, and her fear lest anything should occur to prevent it. From the passage, viewed in its spiritual aspect, observe—
1. Natural that believers, especially in the ardour of their first love, should have their thoughts much occupied with Christ, and that as a consequence He should be present to them even in their dreams. Their experience expressed by the prophet: ‘With my soul have I desired Thee in the night: yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early’ (Isaiah 26:9).
2. The believer’s great desire, when it is well with his soul, for the presence and fellowship of the Saviour whom he loves; and his great concern not to lose it, or do anything that may occasion its loss.
3. Times when the believing soul is warranted and constrained to open up to others the treasures of her spiritual experience, and to narrate both her conflicts and her victories, her sorrows and her joys (Psalms 66:16).
4. The fellowship of Christ not always and uninterruptedly enjoyed by the believer in this world. Many causes of its interruption—a corrupt nature, a tempting devil, and a world lying in wickedness.
5. Dark seasons and dull frames no proof of a Christless state. Christ always present with a believer, but not always sensibly so. Our union with Christ not affected by our want of communion with Him. Our interest in His love not dependent on our feelings, but on His faithfulness.
6. A precious mercy to be aroused to seek an absent Christ.
7. The mark of a living and loving soul, not to be satisfied with an absent Saviour.
8. Seeking Christ to be diligent and earnest, in order to be successful. The soul to stir itself up to take hold of God when He appears to be absent (Isaiah 64:7). Christ not always readily found when missed. Not readily found in order to increase our earnestness in seeking, and our carefulness in retaining Him. A missing Christ makes prized ordinances.
9. Suitable means to be employed and inquiry made, in order to find a missing Christ. The part of a true pastor to direct inquiring souls. That direction to be sought and found both in private conference and in attendance on the public ordinances of God’s house (John 12:21; Psalms 27:4). The likeliest place to find the missing Jesus was in His Father’s house (Luke 2:46). ‘Christ to be found in the streets and broad ways of the city, not in the blind by-ways outside of it.’—(Henry).
10. Ministers to know Christ themselves in order to direct others to Him. A Christless minister a poor guide to a Christ-seeking soul. Ministers expected by their people to be familiar with Christ, and with the exercises of those who are earnestly seeking Him.
11. Ministers to be accessible to their people, and to be diligent in their duty. ‘The watchmen that go about the city found me.’
12. Earnest and diligent search after Christ not long unsuccessful. ‘It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found Him,’ &c. Christ not far from a faithful ministry and an earnestly seeking soul.
13. Means to be employed, but not rested in. ‘I passed from them.’ The seeking soul to go beyond the minister. Means and ministers, like finger-posts, pointing to something beyond them. Ordinances only means. Angels unable to satisfy Mary at the empty sepulchre. The Bride hastens past the servant to the master.
14. Inexpressible joy in finding a missing and sought-for Saviour. ‘I found Him’—the language of exultation. Like Archimedes in the bath—‘I have found it, I have found it.’ So Andrew and Philip in regard to the Messiah (John 1:41; John 1:45). So the wise men rejoiced in the Star (Matthew 2:10).
15. Care to be taken by those who have found Christ in order to retain Him. ‘I held him,’ &c. The language—
(1) Of love and affection to the Saviour (Ruth 1:16).
(2) Fear and jealousy of losing Him.
(3) Earnest resolution to hold Him. Implies on Christ’s part—
(1) An apparent inclination to depart (Genesis 32:26; Luke 24:28; Mark 6:48).
(2) Gracious condescension—the Almighty allowing Himself to be held by a creature.
16. Believers who find Christ, and enjoy His fellowship, to endeavour that others also may profit by it. ‘I brought him to my mother’s house.’ Both natural and spiritual kindred to be made partakers of the benefit. A proof that Jesus is dear to ourselves when we seek to make Him known to others. A family or congregation to be the better by any member of it that rejoices in a found Saviour. Only a present and enjoyed Christ the life of a Church or congregation.
17. Watchfulness, resolution, and care necessary, on the part of the believer, to avoid whatever may disturb his enjoyment of Christ’s presence and fellowship; and on the part of the Church, to avoid whatever may grieve him away from its ordinances. ‘I charge you,’ &c. Danger of disturbing a found and present Christ especially to be apprehended from the ‘daughters of Jerusalem.’ The flesh Christ’s greatest enemy, whether in the believer’s own heart or in the Church or congregation.
18. Easy to provoke Christ to withdraw from the soul or the Church while He is visiting it. ‘By the roes and by the hinds of the field,’—the most timid creatures, and most easily disturbed and frightened away.
Observe from the whole passage in regard to
A Missing Saviour.
I. The PERSON who misses him. One who loves him. ‘I sought him whom my soul loveth.’ The character of a believer and a regenerated soul that he loves Christ. He loves Him—
(1) Sincerely, with his ‘soul;’ not in mere sentiment or profession.
(2) Ardently, with warmest affection; his ‘soul’ loves Him. Christ loved with the ‘soul’ the proof of a soul that loves Christ. Christ only loved by a new nature. The carnal mind enmity to God, and so to Christ. Love to Christ generated by the Holy Spirit’s revelation of him to the soul in his preciousness as a Saviour. The soul that loves Christ most ready to miss Him, and most pained at losing Him. That only missed which has been prized and possessed. The condemnation and curse of men who have heard the Gospel that they do not love Christ (John 3:19; 1 Corinthians 16:22).
II. The MEANS employed to find him.
(1) Diligent attendance on public ordinances: These ordinances the ‘streets and broadways’ of the city of the great King. Christ to be found in these. ‘Wherever two or three are gathered together,’ &c. (Matthew 18:20). ‘Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, &c. For whoso findeth me, findeth life,’ &c. (Proverbs 8:34-35).
(2) Private inquiry of spiritual guides. Pastors and teachers appointed by Zion’s King to direct anxious souls to Himself. ‘Remember them which have the rule (margin, are the guides) over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God,’ &c. (Hebrews 13:7-8; Hebrews 13:17).
(3) Searching the Scriptures. The written Word the standing direction of inspired guides. The voice of the watchmen of Zion heard in the Bible. The Scriptures testify of Christ. None long in finding Christ who search for Him in the ‘testimony of the Gospel.’
(4) Earnest prayer for divine light and guidance (Psalms 43:3). Shulamite turns from the watchmen to the King himself (Song of Solomon 3:4).
III. The RESULT of the search. Christ found. ‘I found him whom my soul loveth.’ Such success is
(1) certain. Promised by Him that cannot lie. ‘Then shall ye seek me and find me, when ye search for me with all your heart’ (Jeremiah 29:13). ‘If thou criest after knowledge, &c. Then shalt thou find the knowledge of God’ (Proverbs 2:3-5.
(2) Speedy. ‘It was but a little,’ &c. ‘Before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear’ (Isaiah 65:24). ‘I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, &c. My bowels are troubled for him.’ (Jeremiah 31:18-20).
IV. The IMPROVEMENT of the success. Threefold.
(1) A holding him fast, so as not again to lose Him. ‘I held Him, &c. That likely to be most carefully treasured and kept which has been once lost and found again. A believer not more known by finding Christ than by his care to keep Him when He is found. Care to be taken to retain a mercy as well as to obtain it. Care to retain Christ as precious in his sight as anxiety to obtain Him. And equally necessary. Enough in the world, the flesh, the devil, and the carnality of the ‘daughters of Jerusalem,’ to render such care necessary.
(2) An endeavour to make others partakers of the blessing. Our mother’s house to share the benefit of a found Christ. A living believer rejoicing in a found Christ, a blessing to a whole congregation. The found treasure not to be hid. ‘Many shall see it, and fear and trust in the Lord.’ ‘Come and hear, All ye that fear God; and I will declare what he hath done for my soul’ (Psalms 40:3; Psalms 66:16). Our kindred not to be forgotten. ‘Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee’ (Mark 5:19).
(3). Watchfulness and resolution to guard against anything that might shorten Christ’s fellowship and presence. I charge you,’ &c. Spiritual blessings to be held with a vigilant eye and a resolute hand. A cooling of first love sufficient to grieve a loving Saviour, and to endanger the continuance of the ‘candlestick’ (Revelation 2:4-5).