Song of solomon 3:6-11
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
This entire Canticle is a portrait of the Church. Each verse giving a shadow of the church and its different aspects. Today we want to look at the Palanquin, which is a horse drawn, 4-wheel chariot. As we said yesterday it is a place for Solomon to rest, a vehicle by which the king travels through this world. Is that not what the church is today? We are the vehicle through which Christ travels through this world, we are his habitation, and he is our rest. This chariot houses the King of kings and the Lord of lords, inside is the fellowship of the almighty. So, it is with every believer. What struck me most was the builder of this chariot. "King Solomon made himself a chariot." King Solomon was a man of industry, not a king that left his work for others to do, there was not and has never been a mortal man wiser than him. I suspect that if anyone else had built it he would not have been satisfied. Also, this was obviously a labor of love, this was where he would spend his days in route on the journey, it was the place where he would pillow his head at night, it was the place where he would fellowship with his bride, so with every nail driven and every stroke of the blade he crafted it because of the love that he had for this undertaking. Notice there was no expense withheld in the building of this temporary place of habitation. The finest wood was brought and rough knotty timbers were cut down and hewn into beautiful works of art. Silver and gold without concern of cost was laid, like the streets of heaven so was this chariot on the bottom, gold. Covered with the finest linens of royal purple, letting everyone know that this chariot possessed royalty. This curtain is embroidered with the love of the daughters of Jerusalem, that is what is meant by "the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem." In choosing the decoration for this chariot of all the things he could have had sown into the fabric that covered the chariot he wanted to be reminded of the love he had for the daughters of Jerusalem and the love they have for him. What a chariot and what a beautiful illustration of the church and our heavenly Solomon, Jesus!!
Christ has built the church himself, there was not another so wise or so skilled who could think of such a wonderful plan as this. The Church is a labor of love for our Lord, with every drop of sweat and every drop of blood he labored because of the great love wherewith he loved us. Every word and every deed and every nail that was driven through his hands and feet prove the love that he had for his church. No expense was considered in the building of His church, Solomon had the best the world had to offer but Christ has built his church with the best heaven had to offer. Our cornerstone is Christ, to which a value cannot be assigned. There is not a substance or being that even comes close to the worth and sort of our foundation stone Jesus Christ. He laid his foundation with the Apostles and prophets and now he has hewn down rough knotty timbers from his forest, you and me, and is cutting and carving on us with his own hands. Forming us into his image as we are built together as a habitation of God through the Spirit. He has covered us with his heavenly royalty, that is his righteousness. In heaven the only blood and birth that is royal is that of Jesus's and is not signified by colors of purple but in the white robes of his righteousness. As we pass through this life men see our good works, his righteousness, they can know that royalty resides in these temporary chariots of Christ, our bodies. He has decorated our hearts and minds with the love he has for us and the love we have for him. The halls our heart used to be covered with stains and what we decorated our hearts with was vile and dirty, but now Christ has remodeled our chariot and now the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by His Spirit. What a privilege to be the handiwork of the Great Jesus!! We are the wok of his hands, please never forget that; Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
He has begun a good work in us as the author of our faith and we can be sure he will perform it and finish what he has begun.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..........
What a joy to know that the wisest of all craftsmen has me on his workbench. What a rest to know that the most diligent of all workers has begun on me and will finish. Above all what a thrill to know that I am his labor of love, why else would he spare no expense, even giving his own life to save and transform me, why else would he shed blood, sweat, and tears for me? It is for the great love wherewith he loved us! Love drove him to earth, love drove him to "endure such contradiction of sinners." Love motivated “he who knew no sin" to "become sin for us." His love is sewn into the fabric of our lives, the halls of my life have been decorated with the Love of Jesus. Looking back through the halls of memory I can see the handiwork of my Lord, I remember the day he saved me but I can see his grace embroidered on my life before I was ever formed in my mother’s womb, I can see his grace in the horrible memories of my sin and backslidings, I can see my life has been "Paved with the love for the daughters of Jerusalem." So is all his church, I've heard the testimonies of others who have said the same and I rejoice to know that he loves me and them and all that will ever come to know Him!! Oh what a savior is mine!
Dear Christian, You are his handiwork, you are the object of his love and he loves you and cares for you, like Solomon's Palanquin was meant for rest so is the love that Christ has for you. Rest in the finished work of Jesus [salvation], rest in the unfinished work he is doing on you in this world [Sanctification]. Be with him today and take rest and peace and joy in the love he has for you and you for him.
This is a very wonderful message, I've enjoyed it, thank you very much for sharing preacher.