Better to Me

Song of Solomon 5:9-12

What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?

You might not like it right now, but sometimes the good of many seems to come before the good of the one. It might not seem right, and it may not seem fair. But how many of you know that when God is there in that place, he will straighten even this out. Some of you think that one bodily part is just like another the world over; so thus, it does not matter. When you are the Savior of the world it matters. When you have given your life for your people it matters. When you are the one the Savior died for it matters. Look with me at who is speaking here. It is the daughters of Jerusalem the Song called unto and they have answered her. These are even as Matthew 11:16 has spoken of the children of the market calling to their fellows. Also, it can be as those whose sin has been laid "to their charge;" for this Acts 7:60 says they repented not and even so will do again. Is it any wonder that this is also like the error of Babylon in the end with her wine, merchants, spices, and slaves also. She has taken many captives to her error as you see in Revelation 18:2-3. Now at her hand they suffer as have many others. I once knew a man who was looking for a Godly wife. So, he invited any he felt was worthy to a hotel room for a night filled with hot and steamy things. Next morning, they found he had made illicit pictures of them and together made much money. But how many of you know that even that is a trap. It tells of a world where no one is valued or special. Nor are there any secret roles to fill. Only emptiness and void lay beyond. For how many of you know that in the beginning of Genesis 1:2, God came to unmake that world. My friend, if I said that none of your children were anything special and treated them accordingly, I would soon be picking myself up from the jailhouse. Yet this is the attitude these daughters of the city had after all Solomon had done for them. Note also all the Song had endured at their hands, that they now treat her thus.

My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

Now, I know the Song is likely panicking for she does not know what her beloved looks like. It has been a long time since she has seen him. Nor can she now find him. They likely do not have pictures of people back in those days to help her remember. She herself has been beaten and bruised so her memory is not that good. Some of you know what I am speaking of, having been through trials and fire yourselves. All she knows is he came late one night, and she was afraid. Now she is swollen and sore. She has seen many other faces of the daughters of the city and the night watchmen. So here she does the best she can. She does not tell them what he looks like exactly. Instead, she tells them what he does. See, these daughters and these watchmen desired him not. Just so, they also mistreated her. They did not ask her what he looks like because they wanted to know. They did not even offer to help her find him again. I do not even know Solomon and the Song; still, I want to curl up in the therapist's chair and cry. She says, 'he is pale, but he blushes when he sees me. Sometimes he turns darker than that depending on who he is with. You could not give me another because he is better to me than all of them. Not just that, but he could also lead you all for, so he is better to me.' God knows what you are going through. He understands the pain more than you know. Now, the therapist would like me to point out several things you might have missed through the tears. That is if your heart is not like the Grinch, three sizes too small. In Isaiah 53:2, there is no form or good looks in Christ to make us desire him, so he was treated. For all he has been through, his form is unrecognized. I just want you to know, whatever you are going through he understands. One day they will look upon him and mourn for what they have done. See, it is not even my own house, yet I am sad. The Song really loves her Solomon; so also, Christ really loved the church of Ephesians 5:25.

His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

Now, hold on please for just a minute. There was another appointment just leaving. Someone near and dear to me recently was sitting in the office brushing her wig in hand looking like some great two-headed thing. Now, I apologize for sitting down suddenly like that, but it had to be done. See, you do not even know what is wrong yet. The bushy raven hair of Solomon's sounds almost like his Song's; well, for so it is black. This is almost like the head brushing her hair, well what was her wig anyway. Now I know the Song has not heard of Daniel just yet nor of his dreams. But if by some mischance she has, this is exactly what she would say. Only she does not say, as does Daniel 2:38 that so and so is the head of gold. She will say only that he is like unto it. There are plenty of servants just as we are in his house which look, walk, and talk like him. For then we will see him as he is in Revelation 22:8-9. Is it any wonder then, that the Song tells these daughters of Zion about who she knows him as. If you recall, only she knew Solomon better than did any other. So now she speaks of him in this way. He is made as it were into the image of Christ. However, he is not called Christ himself. This is very important to see here. He has hair like a raven because just as those ravens by the brook with Elijah of 1 Kings 17:4, God provides for them. So also, he uses them to provide for others to whom he sends them. We see there is some anointing on this head. There is some providing on this head. There is also some keeping on this head. How many of you know that God can keep you when no one else can. See, some of you ought to let God make a way as in Isaiah 43:19. He can provide for you and keep you like no other.

His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.

Somebody hold me; I feel a sweet chariot coming on driven by just the Lord. There is a space between the new thing God is doing of Isaiah 43:19 and an overflow. Solomon has the eyes of doves because he is like his Song. His nature is changed and harmless as a rose of Sharon or a lily of the valley; so also, he prefers to hide with her. Only, his hiding place is by the rivers of water. He has doves' eyes because he sees much through the eyes of faith. The river of water is where the righteous man of Psalm 1:3 is also planted. From this resting place, Solomon as the dove perches in the righteous man's boughs. This river of water beside the tree of the righteous is living and comes from the throne. So, it flows throughout eternity; like the Song it reaches far and sees much. Yes, Solomon might be pretty, or he may be homely. He may be a milk baby or a mama's boy. But he is nourished by the water and washed in the Word.

The sincere milk mentioned in 2 Peter 2:2 of the Word whereby we grow is seen in the washing. In older days, people believed that washing your face with milk would make you pretty. Some of you get prettier the more time you spend with Christ. Now, that does not mean that Solomon should spend all his time here and forget about his Song perched in the clefts of the rock. The Song could fly away in his absence and find other company. So also, could her Solomon. Here we see there is a danger to be found in the separateness. But in the togetherness with Christ, is "fullness of joy" as in Psalm 16:11. Then there will be nothing missing, nothing lacking, and nothing broken in his house. You see, sometimes there is a space between who you were and who you are supposed to be. God is still working. Give him some time. Could it be that the little Song is realizing that she may be in the wrong place entirely; this could also be the reason that her beloved has gone away. Let God move in the situation; soon we will see what comes of it.