Exposition of Song of Solomon, Chapter 4 · Verse 8
VERS. 8.
Come with me from Lebanon, my Spouſe, &c.
In this Verſe Obſerve.
Firſt, the ſweet terme of relation, given by Chriſt unto his Church, calling her by the name of Spouſe, My Spouſe, &c.
Secondly, his gracious invitation, or calling of her unto himſelfe.
Firſt, He cals her from all quarters of the World, in theſe words, Come with me from Lebanon, from Amana, Shenir, and Hermon.
Secondly, He cals her from danger, from the company of wicked men, by adding, and from the Dens of Lions, and the hils of Leopards.
My Spouſe, &c.
This is the firſt time that Chriſt calleth his Church by the name of Spouſe, which yet notwithſtanding ſundry times after he giveth her the ſame title, as verſ. 9, 10, 11, 12. of this Chapter, alſo Chap. 5. 1. The Spouſe or Bride, is named in Hebrew Callah, of Callal, to perfect, from the perfection of her attire, Ornaments, and beauty, as appears, Jer. 2. 32. Chriſt having before declared his Church to be all faire, and without ſpot, having waſhed her, and cleanſed her, and preſented her glorious unto himſelfe: now he calls her by the name of Spouſe.
Hence Obſerve,
That the Church in reſpect of her ſpirituall beauty, is made the Spouſe of Chriſt. Shee is called his glorious Spouſe, Epheſ. 5. 26. And the Bride, the Lambs wife, who is prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband, Rev. 21. 2. 9.
Now followeth his invitation.
Come with me from Lebanon, &c.
Theſe words import not onelyonly a bare invitation, but alſo a promiſe; we may read, Thou ſhalt come with me, &c. foreignwith me, towit, myſelf. Chriſt doth aſſure his Spouſe of his continual preſence, and alſo that he wil wholly gather it, that none of his that come unto him, ſhall eyther be taken out of his hand, or periſh, &c. as it is in John 17. 12.
From Lebanon. He meaneth thereby a moſt pleaſant and moſt fruitfull place, where were many ſweet tall, and excellent Cedar Trees, as appears, Song 3. 9. It was a Mountaine bordering on the North part of the Land of Canaan, poſſeſſed of old by the Hivites, which are ſaid to dwell thereon, Judg. 3. 3. This Mountaine in compariſon to other places was very fruitfull, was called a Forreſt or Wilderneſſe, Iſa. 29. 17. But in reſpect of the goodly Cedars that grew there, it is uſed to ſignifie glorious things, as appears, Chap. 3. 9. & Deut. 3. 25. So the meaning is here, that none of theſe things ſhould hinder the Spouſe from comming to Chriſt, for to enjoy communion with him.
Come with me, or, Thou ſhalt come with me from Lebanon. Theſe words are doubled, both for the vehemency of him that ſpeaketh, as alſo for the more certainty of the thing ſpoken: ſo that no let or impediment whatſoever ſhould hinder the Spouſe from the enjoyment of Chriſts continuall preſence and ſweet communion. He addeth,
Looke from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir, and Hermon, &c.
Looke, or thou ſhalt looke: from the top, or, from the foreignhead of Amana. Some thinke this to be a Mountaine in that patt of Cilicia, that bordered upon the Land of Iſrael. Some of the Rabbins hold it to be a Mountaine in the borders of Jury, lying on the North ſide thereof. But it is moſt likely to be meant the Mountaine of Syria, the Valley and River in it was likewiſe called Amunah, and Abanah, in 2 Kings 5. 12. It followeth.
From the top of Shenir and Hermon.
Both theſe ſeemeth to be meant of one Mountaine. This Hermon was a goodly Mountaine, poſſeſſed of Og King of Baſhan, from whom it was taken by the Iſraelites: and the Amorites called it Shenir, the Sidonians, Shirion, as appears, Deut. 3. 9. Wherefore it may be thought ſtrange that Solomon in this place maketh them diverſe. For the clearing whereof this would be obſerv'd, that at the firſt one and the ſelf-ſame thing might be cal'd by many names, as in reſpect of diverſe people dwelling nigh unto the ſame, and the ſeverall proprieties of their tongues which they uſed: and yet notwithſtanding in proceſſe of time, and multitudes of people increaſing, ſome of thoſe names applyed to the whole, might be attributed to ſome part of it. By this the Spirit would have us underſtand, that Chriſt ſhould gather his people from all the Quarters of the world, and they ſhould behold his glory. Now he telleth, that they ſhould not onelyonly be gathered, but ſhould be ſafely brought home to Chriſt through all dangers, as appeares in the next words.
And from the Lyons Dens, from the Mountaines of the Leopards.
Theſe places ſeeme, as moſt commonly Mountaines and ſuch ſolitary places, to abound with wild and hurtfull beaſts, by which is denoted, that Chriſt would ſet his Spouſe free from dangers. The effect of the words may import thus much, that Chriſt promiſeth to bring his Spouſe out of Lebanon, and to effect thus much for her, that from the top of moſt high Mountaines ſhee ſhould behold her proud enemies ſubjected under her feet. And here we muſt conſider that in all theſe alluſions to the Land of promiſe, it is taken from thoſe places by which the Iſraelites firſt entered into the ſame, and from whence they might behold that goodly Country. Shenir and Hermon were high Mountaines on the farther ſide of Jordan, from whence they might behold the Land of promiſe. Lebanon, as alſo Amanah, as it ſhould ſeeme, were on this ſide Jordan, but yet in the borders of the Land of Canaan towards the North. Now we muſt underſtand that there is a myſticall Interpretation of theſe words, then foraſmuch as in all this Song Lebanon is taken for a place of pleaſure and fruitfulneſſe: and on the other ſide the Amorites and other enemies dwelt in Hermon, and Shenir; the holy Spirit doth hint out unto us under theſe ſhadows, that as from Lebanon and other Mountaines Scituated on the borders of the Land of promiſe, they did behold the whole Country, and at laſt came into the promiſed Land: So when they come unto Chriſt they ſhould have a glorious view of the divine and heavenly myſteries of God in Chriſt; from the attainment whereof, neither the pleaſures of Lebanon, nor the Dens of Lyons and wild Beaſts, ſhould hinder them, but in the midſt of dangers and fears, they ſhould have free acceſſe thereunto. The words being thus explained, let us from hence Obſerve.
Firſt, That Chriſt doth gather his people from all parts of the World to behold his glory. This is here figured out unto us, that as the Lord did promiſe to ſhew his people the Land of Promiſe, ſo he would draw his Spouſe from all places of the world unto himſelfe, and diſcover his glory unto her. However the Spouſe may be ſcattered among the Nations of the world, yet he will take her unto himſelfe; for he will gather his elect from the fowre winds, and from the uttermoſt parts of the Earth. Thus the Lord promiſeth to bring the ſeed of his Spouſe from the Eaſt, and gather it from the weſt: And he will ſay to the North give up, and to the South keep not back: bring my Sonnes from farre, and my Daughters from the end of the Earth, Iſa. 43. 5, 6. And it is ſaid in Iſa. 45. 22. Looke unto me and be yee ſaved all the ends of the Earth.
Secondly Obſerve,
That Chriſt doth gather his Saints to himſelfe in the middeſt of perſecutions and dangers. And therefore it is he ſaith, From the Dens of Lions, and from the Monntaines of Leopards. For the Spouſe dwelleth here in the world among cruell and ſavage beaſts, which would utterly deſtroy her: but Chriſt preſerveth her in the mid'ſt of feares and dangers, and ſaith, ſhee ſhall come with him from among them that would devoure her. And hence it is ſaid, The Lord draweth his out of great tribulation, Rev. 7. 14. When the Spouſe is in great danger as David, when he ſaid, My ſoule is among Lyons, Pſal. 57. 4. then Chriſt delivers her from the perill ſhee is under. This is the dignity that Chriſt brings his people unto, namely, to come to him, to behold his glory from all parts of the world, and to be ſafe in their paſſage unto him. It followeth,