Skip to main content

Day 111: The Dove and the Cleft (SoS 2:14a)

 “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely. (Song of Songs 2:14)

The Song of Songs uses a dove to refer to the Bride. It is however not the same Hebrew word translated as turtledove in chapter 2 verse 12. The meaning of the root word translated dove is the same word for wine which also means to effervesce. We saw in SoS 2:5 that the Bride was indeed consumed by love for her Beloved like doves are.

As stated in Lesson 105, doves are symbols of purity, humility, dedication, loyalty, grace, etc. The mention here is more about her position than her character.

Because doves are gentle and defenseless against predators they often take refuge in high rock crevices. These places according to Jeremiah 49:16 and Obadiah 3 are impenetrable refuges. In Judges 15:8 it was stated that Samson dwelt in the cleft of Etam, a cliff in Israel. This is because cliffs give an excellent vantage point: you can see the enemy coming on time.

In the spiritual context the most significant mention of the cleft of the rock is in Exodus 33, where Moses asked to see God's glory. God told Moses no one could see His face and live. So God said He would pass in front of Moses but put him in the cleft of the rock and cover him as He walked by so Moses may see His back and not His face. Basically, this illustrates the protection of God and the location where we can find revelation and fellowship with Him.

Clefts are places of concealment and retreat. Protection and communion. Refuge and revelation.

In many Psalms, God is described as a refuge, fortress, rock, and hiding place. David in Psalm 32:7 said concerning God:

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

If the Bride is described as a dove in the cleft, let's find out what our cleft as livers of God is.

1 Corinthians 10:4 states that Christ was the Rock that followed Israel in the wilderness. He was struck for them and from that strike came water to satisfy their thirst. Jesus was struck for us on the cross. So that all who come to Him may drink freely of living water.

Just like the hole in a rock, our Rock has a cleft too. In John 19:34, Jesus' side was pierced on the cross. So Jesus has become our hiding place. Our place of refuge and revelation.

Paul in his letters used the words in Christ, in Him, and in whom many times to describe the position of the new creation. An example is 2 Corinthians 5:17:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Our position in Christ gives us access to God's knowledge and fellowship with Him. + Colossians 2:2-3 Paul spoke of the church:

...attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

To be in our Rock is to be with Him. So Paul says concerning our protection and new life in Colossians 3:3:

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

In Christ is the best location in the world. It's better than any luxury resort in the world. Once we accept Christ, we live rent-free and our boarding comes with unquantifiable benefits. Every believer should have a good understanding of their position in Christ. It is essential to live a victorious life.

PRAY WITH ME:

My Beloved Jesus, thank You for the privilege to be in You. Today, I confess that You are my refuge and hiding place. My heart is open to more revelation knowledge as I commune with You and the Father in You. Amen.

REFLECT & ACT:

  • Find in the Pauline epistles the phrases: in Christ, in Him, and in whom. Write down every benefit associated with them and confess them.

Comments

Post a Comment

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

Popular posts from this blog

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 78: Mobile Temples, Living Stones (SoS 1:17)

  “The beams of our houses are cedar, And our rafters of fir.” Song of Songs 1:17 In this verse, the Bride describes her place of rest and satisfaction. First, she mentioned the bed in the previous verse and now the house is made with cedar and fir. When we look through the scriptures we'll see that Isaiah 9:10 says cedars are strong and reliable. In Psalm 80:10 they were compared to the righteous because they are stately, tall, and flourish beautifully. And in Song of Songs 4:11 are said to be fragrant. They do not rot easily and are not often attacked by insects. The word translated as fir also means cypress. So it's used interchangeably in many Bible versions. Cypress is said to be stronger than cedar so it can bear more weight. It is also more expensive because it grows more slowly. It's strong and durable, does not decay easily, and is water resistant. It was used in the Bible for not just construction but also to make musical instruments in 2 Samuel 6:5. Cypress is sa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 47: Church Wounds (SoS 1:6c)

“Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me ; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.” Song of Solomon 1:6 The Bride says her mother's sons (her brothers) were angry with her. It's a statement that indicates persecution among people that should love and accept us unconditionally. Mother's sons or brothers here refer to fellow believers especially those who have been in the faith longer than we have. Paul in Galatians 4:19 talks about travailing in birth like a woman would, to bring forth spiritual children. Verses 26-28 of the same chapter refer to the heavenly Jerusalem that bore us all. Then in 1 Thessalonians 2:6-8, Paul talks about nurturing younger believers as a mother nurtures her children. We see many examples of persecution from unexpected sources in the Bible. From Joseph's brothers selling him to slavery to David running from Saul to Jesus dying like a commo...
Post a Comment
Read more