 Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? Together in the Garden of Love She 2 My beloved has gone down to his garden to the beds of spices, to graze in the gardens and to gather lilies. 3 I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine; he grazes among the lilies. Solomon and His Bride Delight in Each Other He 4 You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners. 5 Turn away your eyes from me, for they overwhelm me-- Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead. 6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes that have come up from the washing; all of them bear twins; not one among them has lost its young. 7 Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. 8 There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and virgins without number. 9 My dove, my perfect one, is the only one, the only one of her mother, pure to her who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her. 10 “Who is this who looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?” She 11 I went down to the nut orchard to look at the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the vines had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom. 12 Before I was aware, my desire set me among the chariots of my kinsman, a prince. Others 13 Return, return, O Shulammite, return, return, that we may look upon you. He Why should you look upon the Shulammite, as upon a dance before two armies? Meditation God wants you to know the power of His love, His desire for relationship with you and delight in you! This celebration of beauty and belovedness is the third of four descriptive poems in Song of Solomon. Distinctive here is the celebration of the beloved’s superior beauty. The bride’s beauty is unique, commanding the beauty of others- sixty queens, eighty concubines, and countless young women who all will join the celebration of the bride’s beauty. Emphasized through repetition, the beloved’s beauty is “awesome as an army with banners” (4, 10). The overpowering sight of the bride’s beauty is joyful as it is fearful, so great that it shakes to the core (5). The beloved’s beauty is further celebrated: compared to the sun and moon and the daily awe of dawn. Morning comes after every night. The budding and blossoming of spring returns after every winter. The desire and delight of love are stronger than both. God’s love for you brings light to the dark and spring to your winter, thawing hearts and bringing hope. Revealed in the work of Jesus, God’s desire for you and delight in you is the most powerful force in all creation and all of history. God’s joy over you is greater than the suffering Jesus endured for you (Hebrews 12:1) and His delight in you defeated even death that He may be with you eternally. Richly Dwelling -What imagery of celebration of the bride’s beauty stands out to you the most? Why? -Do you know the desire and delight of God’s love for you as the most powerful force in all the earth? Why or why not? -The work of Jesus proves it! God delights in you and desires you. Where do you need to surrender to this love? Be specific. Key Verse 4 You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.  Hear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! 2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. 3 For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. 4 Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. 6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah 7 Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. 8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. 9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! 11 For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! 12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant. Meditation Understanding of God’s sovereignty transforms our prayers of desperation into pleas to discern Divine direction. God’s sovereign grace will lead us through our struggles, pain, and problems to a stronger place. David is struggling, pleading for mercy (1). David diagnosis his struggles and turns his prayers into pleas for guidance. David’s enemies are “pursuing,” “crushing,” and “destroying.” David’s spirit is “faint” and “failing.” The urgency for God to answer is clear: “Answer me quickly, Lord! My Spirit fails!” (7) David’s prayer focuses on God’s faithfulness before seeking guidance moving forward. David meditates by taking time to remember and reflect on God’s faithfulness in the past, the work of His hands that have previously helped (4-6). Focusing on God’s faithfulness in our struggles leaves us longing for a way forward, a path for higher ground and the dawn of a new day. God’s steadfast love (8, 12) leads us to long for direction: “Let me know the way I should go… Teach me Your will…. Let your Spirit lead me… I am your servant” (7-12). The pain and problems of life are never the end of the story. God’s sovereign grace is working all things for the good of His people and His own glory (Romans 8:28). Resting in God’s sovereignty during our struggles and suffering transforms our hearts to hope, leading us to look for a path forward as we long for Him to redeem all He has allowed. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from David’s desperation and seeking Divine direction? -Where do you turn during times of desperation? What direction does this take you? -How can trusting God’s sovereignty turn your heart to hope in Him, helping you see your struggles are not the end of the story and that He is working things for His glory? Where in your heart do you need to surrender to this reality? Key Verse 9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!  In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. 3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord that he had spoken to him. 5 And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, “I am banned from going to the house of the Lord, 6 so you are to go, and on a day of fasting in the hearing of all the people in the Lord's house you shall read the words of the Lord from the scroll that you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the men of Judah who come out of their cities. 7 It may be that their plea for mercy will come before the Lord, and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” 8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did all that Jeremiah the prophet ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the Lord in the Lord's house. 9 In the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord. 10 Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord's house. 11 When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the king's house, into the secretary's chamber, and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the officials. 13 And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, son of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Take in your hand the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down and read it.” So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear. And they said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?” 18 Baruch answered them, “He dictated all these words to me, while I wrote them with ink on the scroll.” 19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are.” 20 So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, and they reported all the words to the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king. 22 It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him. 23 As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. 24 Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments. 25 Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son and Seraiah the son of Azriel and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them. 27 Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words that Baruch wrote at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 “Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned. 29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord, You have burned this scroll, saying, “Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it man and beast?” 30 Therefore thus says the Lordconcerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. 31 And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’” 32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them. Meditation You can burn the paper containing God’s Word but you can’t stop God’s Word. My favorite story of book burning turned blessing is the story of Thomas Johnson, a slave in Virginia who came to Christ when he found an unburned page of a Spurgeon sermon in a pile of papers being burned by local slave owners, including his master. Johnson came to Christ and spread God's word as far as he could. Chapter 36 is the story of writing and sharing chapter 25, revealing resistance to the message of God’s wrath. The king and his leaders not only rejected God and His word, but also burned the scroll column by column. Hard hearts reject and remove God’s revelation. God’s Spirit spoke God’s word through the prophet Jeremiah (2 Peter 1:20-21), as Jeremiah’s call promised (1:9). The word of the Lord (6, 8, 11) spoken to and through Jeremiah (2) were Jeremiah’s words (10, 18) recorded by Baruch but unable to be removed by the king through book burning. Truly, the word of our God will endure forever (Isaiah 40:6; 1 Peter 1:24). God’s word will accomplish that which God purposes and will succeed for the reason it was spoken and sent (Isaiah 55:11). This is true for Jeremiah as the Babylonians will soon capture the city (chapter 39), it was true for Paul in prison (Acts 28:31; 2 Timothy 2:9), and it is true today. No one and nothing can stop the word and work of God! Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the resistance and rejection of the king? -Where do you identify in ways you seek to remove and reject God’s revelation, maybe not through book burning but through picking and choosing what applies from His word? -God’s word endures forever! And the work of God’s word made flesh, Jesus Christ, frees us to be forgiven for the sin of rejecting God and His word to begin again. Where do you need to receive grace to begin again to embrace God’s word from your heart? Be specific. Key Verse 27 Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words that Baruch wrote at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:  Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.
4 After this Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord.5 And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly.6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel for the tent of testimony?” 7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also used all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals. 8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished. 11 And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. 12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work of the house of the Lord, and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the Lord. 13 So those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. 14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada. 15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. 16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house. 17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them.18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention. Joash's Treachery20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!” Joash Assassinated23 At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash. 25 When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabite.27 Accounts of his sons and of the many oracles against him and of the rebuilding of the house of God are written in the Story of the Book of the Kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his place. Meditation Wise council is essential for walking in wisdom, launching believers to live in victory (Proverbs 11:14) as we discover the Lord’s plan for a fruitful life (Proverbs 19:20-21). Johoiada was a priest who embodied wise council. Joash was a king who went wayward from the path of wisdom. Humanity needs a Priest King who gives grace footing on the path of life and council to catalyze continuing in God’s wise ways. The repairs and revival at the temple took place under Joash’s rule but only “during the days of Jehoiada the priest” (1-16). After the death of the priest (who lived to 130!) the princes came to give council and “the king listened to them, abandoning the house of the Lord” (17-18). Listening to ungodly council replaces the joy of the people (10) with the judgement of God (20-27) because the abandoning of godly council leads to an abandoning of God Himself and leaves us alone with the consequences of our choices. Jehoiada was buried with kings (15-16) and Joash was not (25). Jesus was buried and rose again because Jesus is a king and priest, offering forgiveness and freedom to begin again, His faithfulness becoming footing for us to walk in wisdom. In Christ is the treasury of wisdom (Colossians 2:3). Welcoming Christ’s rule and walking in His ways will lead to a fruitful life (Proverbs 1:1-3; John 15:1-10). Godly council directs us to live in the victory of Christ and to abide in Him for a fruitful life. Richly Dwelling -Where do you seek council? Do you welcome godly council? -Where do you see the devastation from rejecting the wisdom of the ways of God, the consequences of your choices? -Christ alone offers both forgiveness and freedom to begin again, to walk in wisdom through godly council. Take a moment to receive His grace and make a plan to seek godly council for your life, labor, and love. Key Verse 14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada…And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.  I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,
I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk. Others Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love! The Bride Searches for Her Beloved She 2 I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” 3 I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. 6 I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. 7 The watchmen found me as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me, they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls. 8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. Others 9 What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? The Bride Praises Her Beloved She 10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. 11 His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool. 13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. 14 His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires. 15 His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. 16 His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Meditation Love awakens the heart to long for intimacy. Christians are marked with longing for intimate union with Christ, excitedly anticipating His return. Christians “eagerly wait for” Christ to return (Philippians 3:20), keeping ourselves in the love of God until Christ comes again (Jude 1:21). We groan with creation (Romans 8:23) looking for “the coming day of God” when Jesus will usher in the New Heavens and the New Earth for His people to dwell with Him in righteousness (2 Peter 3:12-13). Today’s poem centers on the newlywed bride longing for reunion with her lover, a poetic portrayal pointing to God’s people eagerly looking for the return of our Bride Groom. The woman describes her anticipation, her “heart awake” with love and “thrilled” within her. The bride describes her beloved, her friend (10-16). Love deepens longing, excited anticipation of seeing our Groom again. Christians know Christ and are fully know by Christ through personal relationship with Him. Jesus is alive! And by His Spirit our hearts are awake within us, thrilled by His love. Our time with Christ is rich and intimate and should lead to longing to see Christ’s physical return. Christ has come. Christ will come again! Our Beloved and our friend will return as Lord once again. Christian, allow God’s love to deepen your longing to see His return. Richly Dwelling -Do you long for Christ’s second coming? Why or why not? -The woman enlists help looking for her beloved and describes him intimately. Love overflows the heart. Have you shared with others your desire and description of your Bride Groom? If not, what holds you back? -Jesus is our Bride Groom and He promises to return. Take a moment to sit in the love of God, saturating your heart in His grace and asking His Spirit to deepen your desire to see Christ face to face. Key Verse 8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love.  With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. 3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! 7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me. Meditation God is sovereign and His shepherding care invites us to worship Him with wholehearted honesty. Today’s reading is a companion to Psalm 57, a contrast to the animated joy of David’s first cave song. Today’s song gives lyrics of focused faith for life’s pain and problems. The contrast of David’s second recorded song from the same situation invites us to honestly engage the Lord in every circumstance. David is hiding in a cave because he is being hunted by the king. David’s song offers a path of prayer for people in prisons of pain. Hearts hungering for hope will see a view of God’s sovereign strength that will fuel faith.
Whole hearted honesty in worship helps us see God with us on the path of struggle. God’s presence is enough and He will protect us. Richly Dwelling -Which hopeful cry resonates with you the most? Why? -Where do you turn in your pain and problems other than God? Do those places free you? -Jesus gives us ultimate hope, going into the darkness of death and emerging from the cave of the grave unscathed. All who trust in Him know God will redeem all He allows and that He is with us. How does the finished work of Jesus fuel hope in hard times? Where do you need to fuel your faith through focusing on God’s faithfulness? Key Verse 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” |
AuthorMitchell celebrates twenty-six years of marriage with Lisa & together they have four fantastic children. Archives
February 2026
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