Song of Songs 2:3 "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." The Shulamite begins in this verse and tells us who her love is to her. Of all the trees she decides to compare her beloved to the apple tree. The apple tree certainly isn't the highest, neither is it the broadest but it wasn't great height or great breadth that caused her to compare Him to this comparatively small tree. The two qualities that came to mind when she made this comparison was shade["I sat down under his shadow"] and fruit["His fruit was sweet to my taste."] All the other men she can think of are but "trees of the wood[forrest]." We know that this love foreshadows a far greater story with far greater characters than Solomon and the Shulamite, and here we have an illustration of The Church's love for our heavenly Solomon, Jesus. Her comparison reminds us more of Jesus than of Solomon. The apple tree spreads its branches low and broad, its branches remain low to the ground. What a blessing this is, fruit that hangs 40 feet in the air is hard to reach without much effort involved. The blessing of the apple tree's lowness is that all one has to do is reach up and grab hold of the fruit, pluck it down and enjoy it. There is a second blessing in the lowliness of the apple tree's stature, the low branches provide a thick, cool shade to sit under. Not like other higher trees whose branches cast a small shade somewhere far away from the tree. The is no shade like that under an apple tree. Thirdly the trees of the wood are only made useful when they are cut down and burned or cut into pieces and used for wood, the apple tree is useful not only in its cutting down but in its life as well. What a glorious reminder of our Saviour! This apple tree reminds us more of the meek and lowly Jesus who walk this earth in days of Sorrow. He never sat on high like Herod or ruled like Pilate, among men he was seen as small and lowly in comparison to lofty leaders of his day. These men were cut down and are now burned as the bramble. Jesus was meek and lowly and what a blessing it is. He came and dwelled with us and like us and the fruit of his righteousness didn't hang in heaven, out of reach for men. He came and brought his fruits of righteousness to a place where all who will may simply, by faith, reach up and grab hold on these low-hanging fruits. His lowliness is a shelter in the time of storm, a shade in the day of heat. Like thick branches extending out with fruit hanging down and shade all around, so is the humanity of our Savior. In Him, we find shelter when we have been scorched by the hot trails of this life you can find shade under his experience. When you have grown tired of temptations and you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you will find the fruits of righteousness under his shelter. The writer of Hebrews said this concerning Jesus lowliness: Heb 2:16-18 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. :17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. :18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Like the Shulamite sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to her taste, so can we do this with our Saviour. Rest under the shadow of his mercy and grace. If you hunger after righteousness you "shall be filled." Today we should spend some time with him and "Taste and see that the LORD is good." There's not a one like the lowly Jesus. No, not one. No, not one. His life is comfort and fulfillment. His righteousness satisfies God, so let it satisfy you. His experience was harder than yours so find shade from your lesser trails under the great trails he faced and he will comfort and fulfill and we will say with the Shulamite: "I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste."