Due to COVID-19 and disruption to international mail service
we have temporally suspended our ‘Free Print Book service’.
we have temporally suspended our ‘Free Print Book service’.
In the light of this situation we are not able to mail you the books at this time.
Pray that this pandemic will end soon and the resumption of the postal service.
Pray that this pandemic will end soon and the resumption of the postal service.
Subject 25 : The SONG OF SOLOMON
[25-9] God Loves Us as He Loved The Shulamite Woman (Song of Solomon 6:1-4)
(Song of Solomon 6:1-4)
“Where has your beloved gone,
O fairest among women?
Where has your beloved turned aside,
That we may seek him with you?
My beloved has gone to his garden,
To the beds of spices,
To feed his flock in the gardens,
And to gather lilies.
I am my beloved’s,
And my beloved is mine.
He feeds his flock among the lilies.
O my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah,
Lovely as Jerusalem,
Awesome as an army with banners!”
Warm greetings to you all! I am hoping this winter will be over soon so that spring can arrive. Nowadays we can buy flowers even during the dead of the winter, but I still wish the spring would come around sooner. I can’t wait for the weather to turn warmer, the ice to melt away, and the flowers to blossom in the fields.
It’s written in Song of Solomon 6:1-3: “Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, That we may seek him with you? My beloved has gone to his garden, To the beds of spices, To feed his flock in the gardens, And to gather lilies. I am my beloved’s, And my beloved is mine. He feeds his flock among the lilies.”
This passage shows us just how much God loved the Shulamite woman, one of His people. It also implies that God loves us because we are His people. The Lord is pleased and happy that God’s people are working in the vineyard.
The Bible goes on to say in Song of Solomon 6:4-6: “O my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, Lovely as Jerusalem, Awesome as an army with banners! Turn your eyes away from me, For they have overcome me. Your hair is like a flock of goats Going down from Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep Which have come up from the washing; Every one bears twins, And none is barren among them.” This is how God sees His workers laboring in the vineyard, in God’s Church.
God Loves His Workers and His People Laboring in His Church
Today’s Scripture passage teaches us that, as we carry on with our lives of faith, we must realize clearly just how much God loves us. Our God looks at our inner faith rather than our outside appearance. He does not judge His workers based on how they look outwardly. What God looks at is the faith that’s found inside our hearts. That God loved the Shulamite woman means that He loves all of us who are now carrying out God’s work in the vineyard. Of all the members of God’s Church, those who are actually laboring in His vineyard have put on God’s amazing love.
Why, then, do the workers of faith laboring in God’s vineyard sometimes become discouraged and depressed? It’s because they are not fully aware of their King’s love for them. Sometimes even God’s workers may give into the tempting words of Satan, but this happens only because they do not have the full understanding of who Jesus is, and therefore they can’t believe in Him completely. Their hearts get discouraged because they do not know just how much the Groom loves them. Unless we know what’s in God’s heart, our minds would drift away towards the world, we would start desiring what God does not want us to desire, and as a result, we would start feeling tormented.
If we ever feel ashamed before God, it’s because of our lack of faith. In times like these we are not aware that God actually loves us. We all know that God does not take pleasure in sin. We must therefore live by placing all our faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit and in the will of God. We must truly realize God’s love and live our lives by trusting in this love.
God does not take pleasure in wickedness. Once we grasp this truth, we can all serve the Lord by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit which God has given to us. It’s because God never takes pleasure in sin and iniquity which He has blotted out, and this in itself shows us how much God loves us. Even though we all have many shortcomings when it comes to our acts, we can still lead a godly life by trusting in the righteousness of the Lord.
Once we know what’s in God’s heart, we will know what He likes and what He dislikes. We will then come to follow the will of God by faith, and our lives will be gradually transformed into righteous lives. It’s absolutely crucial for us to grasp this fact that the Lord wants us all to realize just how much He loves us. How about you then? Do you really know that God loves you? Can you feel God’s love every moment of your life? I am preaching about God’s love to you so that you would live in unity with God’s Church as you should. It’s to admonish you to unite yourself with the Church that I am speaking about faith in God’s righteousness.
Do you believe with your heart that God loves the righteous as He loved the Shulamite woman? Do you really believe in God’s love with all your heart; and that the King loves us the believers in the gospel of the water and the Spirit just as He loved the Shulamite woman working in His vineyard? Even though the Shulamite woman was all tanned from working in the vineyard, God still loved her.
King Solomon had no less than 60 queens and 80 concubines, but the only woman he truly loved was the Shulamite woman. This implies that inside Gods Church, He loves His workers especially. Just as God loved the Shulamite woman so much, so does He love His workers who believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit and are faithfully carrying out God’s work. Having been saved by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit; we are now leading our lives of faith in God’s Church. Even though we have many shortcomings, we are still laboring to save countless souls from the sins of the world.
Just as God loved the Shulamite woman, so does He love all His workers laboring hard to preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit. God loves all of us like this. We are today’s Shulamite woman. We are leading our lives in the same way that the Shulamite woman had led her life. We, too, are all tanned from working in the Lord’s vineyard.
God loves each and every one of us so much when we preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit throughout the whole world, just as it’s written in Song of Solomon 6:5-7: “Your hair is like a flock of goats Going down from Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep Which have come up from the washing; Every one bears twins, And none is barren among them. Like a piece of pomegranate Are your temples behind your veil.” It’s also written further down in verse 10: “Who is she who looks forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, Clear as the sun, Awesome as an army with banners?”
Who is this woman mentioned here? Doesn’t she refer to none other than us? This means, in other words, God cherishes all of us His workers who are carrying out His work by trusting in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Yet, despite the fact that God loves no one else but us, we have a tendency to look at our shortcomings and mistakes and be discouraged by them. It’s absolutely important for us to realize that anyone who seeks to come into the presence of God by relying on his own works is bound to fall into spiritual depression.
Such people can’t help but stumble over their weaknesses and lack of faith. They do not know that God loves them so very much. What about you then? Are you depressed by any chance? Is your heart drifting away from God? If so, you must now start living by your faith in the righteousness of God. As fair as the moon, as clear as the sun, and as awesome as an army with its banners you must live by faith. Who is living such a majestic life? It is none other than us. Even though we have many shortcomings, we are God’s army. What we all need to grasp clearly here is that the Lord loved the Shulamite woman despite her shortcomings. This is the evidence of the fact that the Lord loves us.
If you face a spiritual problem while leading your life of faith, then the problem lies with you, not with God. The Shulamite woman knew that she was loved by King Solomon, but there was a time when she tried to leave him. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to do so, precisely because she knew Solomon’s heart. She was the happiest woman in this world. If she had tried to gain King Solomon’s love by changing her skin tone, then this would have meant that she didn’t really know Solomon’s heart. So, when God’s workers do not know what the King desires, they are bound to leave the vineyard sooner or later. Unless we know how much God our King loves us, we will end up straying from His vineyard.
It’s therefore absolutely indispensable for us to grasp what God has in His heart for us, for only then can we avoid drifting away from the Church and instead live forever with God. As long as God’s workers know what’s in His mind, they will never leave their workplace. And the darkness that clouds their hearts will also be lifted. King Solomon loved and cherished the Shulamite woman just as she was, no matter how others saw or thought about her. The people of the world looked own on her, berating her for her dark complexion. Yet, no matter what anyone said about the Shulamite woman, King Solomon still loved her with all his heart. Even though people threw insults at her for being dark-skinned, to King Solomon, the color of her skin was even more beautiful and lovely.
King Solomon loved the Shulamite woman, a caretaker of the vineyard. He loved her beyond all words. However, if the Shulamite woman didn’t know that Solomon cherished her so much, there would have been a lot of problems. The same is true for us as well. When we look into our hearts or consider our acts, we see that there is very little that’s upright. Of course, when we hear the Word of God, we resolve ourselves to live accordingly, but are we all able to do so? Far from it, with the passing of time we only see even more shortcomings. Seeing the imperfections of our acts, some of us then fall into despair. Despite all of this, God still loves us exceedingly. He sees us clearly as the morning sun. In God’s sight, we are His people, clear as the sun and awesome as a proud army with its banners.
Despite Our Shortcomings, God Still Cherishes Us
We are so lovely in God’s sight. In God’s Church, even the servants working on seemingly minor tasks are exalted. That’s because we know what’s in God’s heart. The Bible tells us that God sees His workers as an army with its banners. God’s workers are majestic in His sight. To emphasize it once more, it’s absolutely indispensable for us to lead our lives of faith with a clear understanding that God is the God of love. God loves not only those of us in this Church, but everyone all over the whole world. Regardless of our acts, and despite our shortcomings, God still cherishes us the righteous.
The Shulamite woman was dark-skinned. Even though she was dark like the tents of Kedar, she was beautiful in the Lord’s eyes. It didn’t matter that people looked down on her. The king’s vineyard had many workers, but there also were many people who scoffed at the Shulamite woman working in the vineyard. Yet, King Solomon was all smiles whenever he caught a glimpse of the Shulamite woman.
We are God’s own people, and even though we still have many shortcomings, there is no one in this world whom God loves more than us the righteous. King Solomon had 60 queens and 80 concubines, but his true love was the Shulamite woman. This means that God loves His children the most, no matter how the people of this world might look down on them. In God’s sight, His people are the loveliest and He cherishes them the most. Regardless of how we the righteous might look outwardly, God still loves us.
Put yourself in God’s shoes and think about it. God the Father has saved His people by sacrificing His own Son. Doesn’t this then show just how much God loves His saved people? Given the fact that God has made us His children at the cost of His own Son’s life; wouldn’t He cherish us so much more? There are such special children of God on this earth, and they are none other than we the believers in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Although there are countless people living on this earth; to God the Father, those who have been saved through His Son are the loveliest. No matter what anyone says, God’s people are the most delightful. No one in this world cherishes anyone more than one’s own children.
Likewise, God cherishes us His children the most, especially since we have been saved not by our own works but by the grace of God. To illustrate this, let’s say that you saved someone’s life by bearing a great deal of self-sacrifice. Whenever you think about this person, wouldn’t you be reminded of the love you had for that person? After all, you wouldn’t have sacrificed yourself so much if you didn’t love him. Who would you then cherish the most in this world? The person whom you saved by giving up your everything would be the most precious to you.
Many countless people living on this earth have still not been born again. Even to our own eyes, there is very little that’s lovely about us, but God still loves us. When God sees us, He says to us, “You are My people, My brides, and My beloved. You have enchanted Me. You are My life, more precious than anyone else.” Given the fact that God has saved us from all our sins through the water and blood of His own Son, by sacrificing Him, there can’t be anyone whom God loves as much as He loves those of us who have become His children. I believe with all my heart that God loves us no matter how many shortcomings we might have. There is absolutely no one on this earth who is as cherished by God as we are. No one in this world is lovelier to God than those who have become His people, and amongst them, those who are laboring in God’s vineyard are especially treasured. There can be no one else but us whom God loves.
No matter how imperfect we might be, God still loves us; no matter how we might be dark like the tents of Kedar, God still loves us; and no matter how full of shortcomings we might be, God still loves us. We believe in God with all our hearts always. We have been saved perfectly from all our sins by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Our faith is therefore perfect. This is precisely why God loves us the born-again so much. God loves you. He loves me. We must live by faith realizing this love of God. As the saved children of God, we must all grasp this profound deep truth and endless bounds of His love and live by faith.
I Can See Just How Much God Loves You
I know and believe that God loves me exceedingly. Even though I see many shortcomings when I look at myself, God still embraces me in His arms and loves me. God loves all of us regardless of our weaknesses. I want all of you to truly believe in God’s love as you live out your lives. And I want you to never fall into despair from looking at your weaknesses. Instead, realize just how much God loves you and how much He cherishes all His workers. Understand this loving heart of God, and live your life by trusting in this love. I’m not necessarily asking you to love God here. Rather, all that I’m asking you is to realize just how much God loves you. God indeed loves us all. He loves us even though we are like the tents of Kedar. God loves us the most despite all our flaws displayed in our characters and acts.
Are you really living by trusting in this love of God? God wants us to know how much He loves us no matter what we do. Even though it may be a struggle for you to carry on with your life in this harsh world, you are more than able to overcome all your hardships by believing in God’s love. So, let us understand God’s heart in our lives. God loved the Shulamite woman dearly. This Song of Solomon is all about God’s love. It was written for no other purpose than to teach us just how much God loves us.
The Song of Solomon is entirely focused on King Solomon and the Shulamite woman; everyone else is just an extra. It goes into great lengths to praise the Shulamite woman, likening her to all kinds of wonderful things. There is no poetry that portrays love more beautifully and wonderfully than the Song of Solomon. It was written all to teach us that God loves us so much. This Song of Solomon sings about God’s love. So without the Song of Solomon, we could have fallen into despair even after being saved.
You and I have faced many trials and tribulations together. But, by turning to the Song of Solomon, we have renewed our strength time after time, realizing and believing that God loves us regardless of our shortcomings, that His love is not contingent on our perfection, and that He loves us unconditionally despite all our flaws. We become overjoyed when realizing just how much God loves us His people. That’s why we praise God and thank Him in Jesus Christ.
It’s so wonderful to know God loves us wholeheartedly despite the imperfections of our acts. We are so blessed to realize how much God loves us. I can’t think of a greater blessing than this, to know what’s in God’s heart. How about you then? Do you know what’s in God’s heart? Do you know that God loves you? If you do, then all your hardships mean nothing even if God does not remove them for you, as long as He loves you.
There were times when we fell into despair, not realizing God’s heart. Sometimes we thought to ourselves, “God doesn’t love me. How could He love someone so awful like me? Even I wouldn’t love myself.” To give in to such mistaken thoughts is to hang ourselves like Judas. Would you then sell yourself cheap to the world, just as Judas sold Jesus for 30 coins of silver? Would you sell yourself out, saying, “I’ll go out to the world for just 30 coins of silver”?
Judas betrayed Jesus and sold himself out because he didn’t understand the heart of Jesus, his Teacher and his Savior. There was no other reason for him to be cursed. He was cursed only because he didn’t realize what was in God’s heart. God loves us beyond words. He loves us more than anyone else on this earth. He loves us regardless of all our flaws. Words cannot describe just how much God loves us. Just as God loved the Shulamite woman with all His heart, so He loves each and every one of us who have been truly born again. There is no one for God to love other than us. There is no one in this world but the righteous that God loves. The problem, however, is that sometimes even the righteous can forget God’s love and waver back and forth. Some saints are happy when they are treated well in the Church, but the moment they feel slighted, they get angry and even threaten to leave the Church. This is all because their faith is still immature.
You and I are now worshipping God and praising Him together under the same roof because God has woven us into one body with the rope of His love. We love each other because of God’s love. God loves all of us far more than anyone else in this world. So let us grasp and trust in this loving heart of the Lord. Let us never fall into despair. And let us live by our faith in the righteousness of God.
Unless you know how much God loves you, you cannot maintain your life of faith. Your faith will then fall into disrepair eventually. In contrast, if you have unwavering faith in God’s love, then your life of faith will never stagnate, you will always be able to work in the Lord’s vineyard, you will always be content and thankful, and you will always enjoy God’s unending love and countless blessings in your life.
All of us must realize what’s in God’s heart. We must believe in His love. Knowing this then, do you have faith in this loving heart of God? Do you believe that God loves you just as He loved the Shulamite woman? I can’t emphasize enough just how important it is for all of us to believe this.
It’s because God’s love is in our hearts that we are grateful to Him. That’s why we feel so indebted to God for His love. That’s why we entrust everything to Him. That’s why we turn to Him for all our needs. That’s why we believe that God will do everything for us. And that’s why we believe that God loves us regardless of our acts. You and I have received such abundant love from God. So, as we carry on with our lives, let us all realize just how blessed we are.
This sermon is also available in ebook format. Click on the book cover below.
Copyright © 2021 by The New Life Mission