Day 43: Treasure Pots (SoS 1:5c)

"I am dark, but lovely, o daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon." Song of Songs 1:5

To reemphasize and explain what she had said earlier: I am dark but lovely, she uses comparisons. She compares her darkness to the tents of Kedar and her loveliness to the curtains of Solomon. She was saying, I am dark like the tents of Kedar and lovely like the curtains of Solomon. Let's see what they mean.

There are many insinuations to the mention of Kedar. Some are:

• The word Kedar itself means to be dark or blackened.
• Genesis 25:13 tells us that Kedar was one of the sons of Ishmael:

The people of Kedar were nomadic people known to dwell in tents. Their tent was usually woven from the very dark hair of black goats. Hence the Bride's reference to the color to explain her initial words.

• The reputation of Kedar:

Kedar was a very strong, prosperous, and powerful nation, probably the greatest among the twelve sons of Ishmael. They were known to be very violent and hostile people. It is why the Psalmist in Psalm 120:5-7 says:

"Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war."

Some other scriptures in the prophetic books especially Isaiah and Jeremiah say more about their nature and character and God's decrees concerning them.

So as tents are external, that which is seen by all, the Bride with the mention of Kedar was referring to two things: her outward appearance which should be a flaw or disqualification of some sort and man's sin nature. 

(2 Corinthians 5:1 calls our bodies the tent we live in on earth.)

The curtains of Solomon however mean the beautiful hangings of Solomon's palace. They must have been very costly and beautiful because he was a man of great wealth and splendor. Curtains in his palace would've been made of the finest material on earth.

This alludes to two works of grace.

First, when we did not deserve it, Jesus came and died for us. He redeemed us from our dark, hopeless, ugly states. Roman 5:6&8 (The Passion Translation):

“For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate his love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves ...Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!”

He sanctified us and imputed His righteousness in us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (The Passion Translation) says:

“For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him. ”

The second is the work of the indwelling presence of our Beloved Jesus by the Holy Spirit. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

Our outside appearance is our earthen vessel: the weak human body which should not contain a boundless God, but because of Christ's work, we carry within us the glory and the presence of God. He entrusted us with the light of the gospel.

We are more than meets the eye. What men see is not all there is to us. They see our dark tent, which doesn't seem like anything special, but in our spirits, we carry God's very presence.

We must live in the consciousness that though we are delicate vessels we carry the invaluable presence and glory of God. We must see ourselves as most precious to God and not entertain contrary ideas. When we do this, we develop God's image of us, and consecration (a life without blemish, devoted to God) becomes second nature.

PRAY WITH ME:

Thank you, Lord, for giving yourself for me when I was undeserving of your love. Thank you for putting in me your Spirit and glory. I choose to live in consecration, conscious of the invaluable honor you have placed on me through this and never succumb to self-degrading thoughts. Amen.

REFLECT AND ACT:

• Draw a table of two columns, and write down every flaw or weakness of yours you can think of on one side. On the other, write what God and His word say about them. Memorize those scriptures.
• Every time you think of these flaws, confess the scriptures you have written and memorized.