Day 77: Our Bed of Green (SoS 1:16c)

 "Behold, you are handsome, my beloved! Yes, pleasant! Also, our bed is green."

Song of Songs 1:16

There are quite a few lessons in this phrase that we'll skim through quickly:

First, the Bride begins the next part of her speech with also. She was indicating that his beauty and goodness were the real deal. Every other thing after that is only an addition. It's just as we're expected to love our Beloved Jesus for who He is and not what He can give us.

Second, she doesn't speak in the singular, but in the plural. Just as stated in Lesson 5 to have the King is to have all that belongs to Him. Romans 8:17 says that we are joint heirs with Christ. The gospel is this: Christ identified with us in our sin, sickness, shame, wretchedness, and death so that we may identify with Him in His righteousness, life, and glory. And it's just like the Father told his son in Luke 15:31: all that I have is yours.

One of the greatest truths about the benefits of redemption is our oneness with Christ. Our relationship with Him is a covenant bond by His blood that can never be broken. So, whatever is Christ's is ours and whatever is ours is Christ's.

Third, the bed is a place of rest. In verse 7, she asked the Beloved to tell her where He made his flock to rest. And in lesson 52, we saw the two rests Christ offers His Bride according to Matthew 11:28-30.

The first is the rest of salvation He gives when He takes the burden of sin from us and gives us eternal life. The second rest is the one we find in Him. It's the rest of fellowship and unbroken communion that comes through growing in the knowledge of Him.

Fourth, the Bride uses green to signify the type of bed. David in Psalm 23:1-2 said:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures...”

Another thing we said in Lesson 52 is that sheep don't rest until they are completely satisfied. So this bed where our beloved makes us rest is a bed of all good things. A bed with everything we need to satisfy us. The Passion Translation of our text today says:

“...Our resting place is anointed and flourishing, like a green forest meadow bathed in light.”

Song of Songs 1:16

This shows us that this place of rest is beautiful and serene. If you've ever seen a field of green luxuriant grass, you know how pleasant, soft, and relaxing it is.

In Isaiah 25:6, the Lord said He would set before us a feast of fat things. The food here is not just of the highest quality, it is much more than we need.

Fifth, this green pasture is the word of God. It is the bed where we find satisfaction and rest. God said in Jeremiah 3:15:

“And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Hebrews 3 and 4 tell us to enter God's rest by believing all of His promises and not allowing unbelief in our hearts.

Lastly, we see that the Bride followed every instruction of the Beloved and found food and rest as she sought. So also, to find satisfaction and rest we must:

• Commit to communion with Christ daily

• Belong to a fold in the flock of Christ: a local church

• Follow the example of men who have walked and are walking the path of righteousness 

• Commit to service both in the local church helping Christ nurture His Bride and outside the local church bringing men to salvation.

• Follow faithfully the shepherds Christ has placed over us.

PRAY WITH ME:

My Beloved Jesus, thank You for making me a co-heir with you of all that is Yours. Thank You Father God for all the beautiful promises of scripture. Help me to follow you and believe Your word wholeheartedly that I may find rest and satisfaction in You always. Amen.

REFLECT & ACT:

• When it seems like we do not have what God and His word say, it's always a misalignment on our part. So, take an inventory today of how obedient you have been to God's word. Also, evaluate yourself if you are committed to finding rest and satisfaction by holding on to His promises daily.