Skip to main content

Day 88: House of Wine (SoS 2:4)

 He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love. Song of Songs 2:4  

The word translated as banqueting here is used over a hundred and thirty more times in the scriptures as wine. It is the same in SoS 1:2 where the Bride says the king's love is better than wine. It's why many versions use wine instead of banqueting. It also means to effervesce which is to be in high spirits (joy) and implies being intoxicated.

It is said that banquets differed from feasts in those days. Feasts were characterized by an abundance of food but banquets involved more drinking. So banqueting could either be right after a feast or an independent event on its own. It was a time of great celebration. It is even said that the banquet room was sometimes different from the feasting room. Esther 5 tells us that the feasts Esther prepared for King Ahasuerus were banquets of wine.

Considering all we've said so far, there are two schools of thought in interpreting this scripture and both are equally important.

       1. The Beloved brought her to a place of celebration with His friends to show her off.

In Esther 1, King Ahasuerus held a feast for all the officials, servants, princes, and nobles in his kingdom. For one hundred and eighty days, he showed off his wealth and splendor. Then had another seven-day feast at the end of those days, this time involving everyone in the kingdom capital. During the seven-day feast, he requested for Vashti, his queen, to appear so he might show off her beauty.

Just like we often save the best for last, I believe Queen Vashti was his proudest, greatest possession (permit that for lack of a better word). She was to be the crown of all the many days of showoff. Unfortunately, Esther 1:12 tells us that Queen Vashti refused to appear before the King.

In verse 2 of SoS 2, the beloved spoke about his bride. He said she was a lily among thorns meaning her beauty was unrivaled. This time, he showed off her beauty for others to see.

As we progress in our walk with Jesus, fellowshipping with Him and feasting on His word, His work in us will start to become visible for all to see. The beauty He sees in us becomes undeniably obvious to those around us. We come into the company of His friends (men and women who walk with Him too) and they appreciate His work in us and celebrate our love for Jesus with us. 

Paul in Galatians 1:23 wrote that after three years of being saved and preaching the word of God, the churches of Judea heard: 

...He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God in me.

They celebrated God's work in His life and His love for Jesus.

        2. A celebration of an all-consuming love that is as intoxicating as wine:

At the beginning of this lesson, we said the word banqueting also means wine. A house of wine may refer to a place where wine is produced or stored. So it refers to a place of abundant wine.

Drunkenness is often condemned in the scriptures but wine also represents joy, abundance, prosperity, and the Holy Spirit.

In Lessons 10 & 11, we compared Christ's love to wine and found out what that meant. Romans 5:5 says God's love is shed abroad in our hearts. So as we spend time with Jesus in His shade, partaking of His word, and growing in love for Him, we get to a place of wine. A place of intoxication and drunk-like love. 

A place of joy that its closest yet unworthy substitute can only be found in a banqueting house. A place where we love Him so strongly that we cannot help but celebrate and rejoice in our union with Him.

David describes this joy in Psalm 4:7:

You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly. (Amplified version).

PRAY WITH ME:

My Beloved Jesus, thank You for Your work in me. Thank You for this love that is better than wine that I get to enjoy each day. Let Your Holy Spirit shed more of Your love in my heart each day. Till I am constantly joyful: rejoicing in and celebrating my union with you.

REFLECT & ACT:

  • Are there times in your walk with the Lord fellow believers have celebrated Jesus' work in you and your love for Him? Thank and give glory to Him for those moments.
  • What does Philippians 4:4 mean to you?

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!  

Comments

Post a Comment

What do you think about today's lesson? Please share something you learnt.

Popular posts from this blog

Day 153: To the Hill of Frankincense (SoS 4:6)

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. (Song of Songs 4:6) Right after the Bride mentioned the mountain of myrrh she mentioned the hill of frankincense too. In SoS 2, Jesus bound over mountains and hills. In the same way, we will also not only go over mountains but also hills. Hills though smaller than mountains are equally significant.  Frankincense as previously spoken about in Lesson 133 represents worship. Its two most significant mentions in the Bible are as incense offered to God and as a gift given to Jesus at His birth. The hill of frankincense depicts a life lived as worship to God. It represents embracing every opportunity and difficulty with the intention of glorifying God no matter what. The hill of frankincense is evident in the day-to-day challenges and choices we face as believers.  After Saul disobeyed God's command in 1 Samuel 15, Samuel said to him in verse 22: ...“What is more ple
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 152: To the Mountain of Myrrh (SoS 4:6)

Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. (Song of Songs 4:6) In the previous lesson, we began to examine the Bride's response to the Beloved's seven-fold compliment. We discussed how she finally gave a positive reply to a request he had previously tendered in SoS 2:17. We examined a part of her response, and now let's explore the next part: ...I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. We have mentioned a couple of times in this series that myrrh is a burial spice. Its mention in the Bible often signifies death and sacrifice. It was one of the spices presented to Jesus at His birth and was also used to prepare Him for burial. In the same way that Jesus embraced death on the cross, the Bride goes to the mountain of myrrh embracing death to self. She knows resolute obedience will cost her that. Jesus said in Luke 14:27: ...whoever does not bear his cr
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 42: Beyond Appearance (SoS 1:5b)

" I am dark, but lovely, o daughters of Jerusalem , like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon." Song of Songs 1:5 There is a very important reason this statement in verse 5 was directed to the daughters of Jerusalem, not to the King, and not even to herself. Other believers are often observers and spectators of our growth in intimacy with Jesus. We must remember the statement I am dark but lovely is a product of an encounter not just a beautiful statement. It elevates how Jesus sees us above how we ourselves or the world sees us. Many times, the people around us only see that which is external. So she directs her speech to fellow maidens (believers), the daughters of Jerusalem, who perhaps do not see as the King sees. In our Christian journey, we probably will make decisions or take actions that will make our imperfections glaring to all. We may be ridiculed, insulted, looked down on, or misunderstood by even those of the household of faith, but we must remember
Post a Comment
Read more