My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
My beloved spake ... come away. Loving re-assurance given by Jesus Christ to the bride, lest she should think that He had ceased to love her, on account of her unfaithfulness, which had occasioned His temporary withdrawal. He allures her to brighter than worldly joys (Micah 2:10). Messiah woos Israel to Gospel hopes from her past attachment to legalism. Not only does the saint wish to depart, to be with Him, but He still more desires to have the saint with Him above (John 17:24). Historically, the vineyard or garden of the King, here first, introduced, is "the kingdom of heaven preached" by John the Baptist, before whom "the Law and the Prophets were." The type in Solomon's days was the return of God to Israel in favour, after His estrangement from them during the latter period of the Judges, and during Saul's reign.
Verse 11. The winter is past - the law of the covenant of works (Matthew 4:16).
Rain is over - (1 John 2:8.) Then first the Gentile Church is called "beloved, which was not beloved" (Romans 9:25.). So "the winter" of estrangement and sin is "past" to the believer (Isaiah 44:22; Jeremiah 50:20; 2 Corinthians 5:17). The rising "Sun of Righteousness." dispels the "rain" (2 Samuel 23:4; Psalms 126:5; Malachi 4:2). The winter in Palestine was past by April, but all the showers were not over until May. The time described here is that which comes directly after these last showers of winter. In the highest sense the coming resurrection and deliverance of the earth from the past curse is here implied (Romans 8:19): No more 'clouds' shall then 'return after the rain' (Ecclesiastes 12:2): 'the rainbow round the throne' is the 'token' of this.