THIS is the enigma of the Christian’s condition while on earth, whether looked at as in contact with sin, sorrow, trial, or persecution (verse 3). Occurring just at this particular part of this out sacred poem, the expression, “I am black but comely,” would suggest the train of thought that was passing through the mind of the loved and favored one. It is the utterance of one who is in near and hallowed fellowship, consciously within the royal chambers, and tasting that love that is better than wine; and do we not know that it is just when we are enjoying most of our Bridegroom’s presence and love that we feel our own natural blackness, and also our comeliness by His communicated grace, and we cherish sensitive desires, that less instructed and experienced Christians may not take offense at what they see us pass through of persecution, reproach, or trying providential dealing? Hence we find the bride now addressing the daughters of Jerusalem in this divine apostrophe: “I am black but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem; as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon,” (ver. 5). That we may the more fully grasp the meaning, let us consider, firstly, Who are they who are intended by the daughters of Jerusalem; secondly, What is the meaning of the language addressed to them; and, thirdly, The force of the illustrations employed, “as the tents of Kedar—as the curtains of Solomon”
“The daughters of Jerusalem” are repeatedly mentioned in this divine “Song” In chapter 2:7, “I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roses, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up nor awake my love till He please;” and here the restlessness and want of spiritual perception in communion is indicated. The carnal Christian or babe in Christ, which these “daughters” may stand for, have no idea of spiritual delicacy, but rush on in the flesh, walking “according to men,” not waiting for the motions of the Spirit within to intimate the spiritual propriety of doing this at one time and that at another, as having “the mind of Christ.” “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” In chapter 3:5, the same charge is given. In verse 10, Solomon’s chariot is said to be “paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem,” and they are invited, as “daughters of Zion,” to “behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.” In chapter 5:8 the bride’s charge to these daughters is to tell her Beloved, if they find Him, that she is “sick of love.” They seem willing to be taught about the Beloved, though very ignorant; and the bride discourses to them of His excellences and beauty in chapter 5:10-16, and ends by saying, “Yea, He is altogether Lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.” They propose to seek the Beloved along with her (chap. 6:1). But at verse 4, chapter 8, the same charge is given them as in verse 5, chapter 2, showing that they have not yet become “spiritual” and able to discern the delicate proprieties of spiritual intercourse. They are not at the same height of intelligence or communion as the bride, nor have they the tender, strong affections of “the virgins;” nor, on the other hand, are they “mother’s children” of such a kind as would have Paul say of them, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: they are really “daughters of Jerusalem,” but not of the virgin-class who cherish exclusive love to the Royal Bridegroom.
These “daughters of Jerusalem” represent the great body of Christians, ― they are many “daughters of Jerusalem;” “there are threescore queens and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number; my dove, my undefiled is but one, she is the only one of her mother, the choice one of her that bare her” (chap. 6:8, 9). How true is it that in the church there is frequently only a few in a district, or even in a congregation, who are living in near fellowship and spiritual communion with Christ, as if His affianced bride, while the rest of even converted ones are living in a coarse, careless way, having no continued enjoyment of Christ and salvation, but are off and on with the world—engrossed with its cares and business, not living in separation from its pursuits, enjoyments, amusements, entertainments, policy, motives, maxims, and ways; and who selfishly take the benefit of the work of Christ, but are not supremely occupied with the person of Christ, entirely devoted to His service, nor yet ready to take up their cross and follow Him! To such Christ is not known further than one who has come between them and the punishment due to them for their sins. Such persons are known by their Corinthian admiration of gift, their prattle about preachers, their sectarian attachment― “I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos, and I am of Cephas, and I of Christ,” as if Christ could be divided, or Paul crucified for them! The Epistles to the Corinthians show the kind of people symbolized by “the daughters of Jerusalem.” “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?” “Carnal” does not mean unsaved, but converted people walking “according to men” and not “according to Christ,” who had no will apart from the Father’s, lived and walked in the Spirit, and did all His works so as to please Him that sent Him. The common run of Christianity among even converted people is that of the “carnal” Corinthians; for running after gift, talent, outward show, and divisions, envyings, and denominational zeal characterize the great bulk of even Christian people. Take away all talk about gifts, ministers, churches, outward prosperity, and the services, duties, and objects of Christian effort, and how few you would find to take the place of the bride in the King’s chambers beholding His beauty, engrossed with Himself, and in a heart-absorbing enjoyment of His love! The “carnal” may be reckoned by thousands, the “spiritual” by tens; but one who is “spiritual” gives more; joy to Christ, and is of more real benefit to Christ’s cause and people, than a thousand who are “carnal.” It is a privilege and an inestimable blessing to be “babes in Christ;” but sad, shameful, and dangerous, to remain such!
What is the Spirit’s special method of treating the “carnal” state that may be glorying in men and “flesh”? It is the bringing in of the high fellowship into which we are called (1 Cor. 1:99God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)); the introduction of “Christ and Him crucified” as the death-blow to worldliness (chap. 2:2); the indwelling of the Spirit as the ground of holiness individually and together (chaps. 3:6.); and the power of life in Christ’s resurrection (chap. 15.); and that charity which is above everything (1 Cor. 139For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (1 Corinthians 13:9).); and all this in connection with the Second Man, not the first, ― “the last Adam, a life-giving spirit” (chap. 15.) The carnality of ecclesiastical worldliness is nipped in the bud “by the finger of God” in these Corinthian epistles; but notwithstanding the warning of God, we grieve to see that even Christians in our day are so generally holding by a Galatianised gospel and a Corinthianised Church, as to regard “the daughters of Jerusalem” as the normal type of Christian per faction! Where are the preachers whose one theme is Christ Jesus the Lord? Where are the Saints whose one object is God’s glory, and whose constant aim is the conversion of souls? If the pews are filled, the church membership increased, the funds flourishing, and preachers attractive and popular, though they may only be spinning discourses out of their own heads, and leaving people in total ignorance of the great leading truths of their Bibles, all is accepted as right and proper, and the mere show of outward ease and success is rested in, instead of fruit unto God. “Are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
The Epistles, when known and realized by us in the Spirit, impart such “full knowledge of Christ” as takes us out of babehood into “full age,” gives us to apprehend our standing in a risen Christ, after “God’s love with us has been perfected;” and we “reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus,” and “worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Oh, how different is true spiritual Christianity from the ordinary profession of religion! But this is just what makes it so difficult to leave the rank of mere “daughters of Jerusalem,” and take the rank, and place, and experience of “the bride, the Lamb’s wife!”
And this not rising up to the true Christian ground, but remaining “daughters of Jerusalem,” is “a sore evil;” for when true gospel― “the gospel of the glory of Christ”―is preached, and the Christian’s place in Christ risen and glorified is unfolded, and entire consecration and devotedness is manifested, and those who are filled, taught, and guided by the Spirit go beyond the denomination’s measure of truth, and tell out the whole mind of God as far as they know it, offense is taken at it by those “daughters;” and when the real living saints, full of virgin love, enter by grace into the King’s “chambers,” and have loving “fellowship in the Spirit” with Him, and Christ alone is brought on the foreground, there is likely to be, as ever there has been, the offending of “the carnal;” for could it be otherwise, “then is the offense of the cross ceased.” But “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world:” and it is worthy of remark that in Galatia and Corinth the Spirit’s one antidote to both legality and carnality is THE CROSS. Were the cross truly preached, it would wither up worldly carnality, and set aside a legalized gospel. But Christ crucified and glorified is not known, and hence there is nothing so ridiculed and resented an entire engrossment with HIMSELF, and wholehearted devotedness to His work. And from the intimate fellowship of the Spouse, the transition is natural and fits into the need of experience, to an acknowledgment and explanation to those who know nothing higher than being “daughters of Jerusalem.”
There are, of course, necessarily different stages of Christian experience, as the Spirit intimates in different parts of the Scriptures. Says Paul, “Let us, therefor, as many as be perfect, be thus minded.” There are of course the imperfect. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect.” If we would know who the “perfect” are, we should read Philippians 3. It is evident from Paul’s case they are such as are having Christ as their alone object, and not ordinances, privileges, attainments, experiences, frames, feelings, or doings. They are the people who can say practically, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
There are others who are not thus “perfect,” and if they settle down with their limited knowledge and experience, the world will come in, they will lose the freshness of their early affections, become “dull of hearing,” and give great anxiety to those who watch for their souls. It was this that gave Paul such concern of soul for the “Hebrews” as made him write so faithfully to them in those arousing terms― “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:12-1412For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12‑14)).
The measure of a perfect man is, Christ himself “being made perfect” in glory (Heb. 5:99And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:9)); perfection is nowhere found but in the Man in heaven, and we are so only as we have the knowledge of our position there in Him. It will not do to say, “I am at the foot of the cross,” for Christ is not there, but the cross has put Him in heaven; for we see Jesus, on account of the suffering of death on that cross, now crowned with glory and honor; for the Captain of our salvation has been made perfect through sufferings―that is, He has so glorified God in being made sin for us, that God has raised up His Son Jesus, and given Him glory. He is now perfect in resurrection-life, righteousness, and glory. Everything has been perfectly accomplished on earth for God’s glory and our salvation, and Christ has entered on his perfect priestly place as our Saviour, inside the veil in Heaven itself, and we must have Christ’s perfect place or none. The cross puts every believer in association with Christ in heaven; and oh! how it burdened the spirit of the apostle to find his people so “dull of hearing” in Palestine, Galatia, and Corinth, that they did not apprehend and realize a position in which he lived and moved as in his spirit’s home. Nothing seemed to be such a burden on his heart as to keep the saints up to their privileges―to keep them in living fellowship with Christ, and in fresh contact and association with heavenly things― “the things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God,” for he well knew that that was the only means of spiritual growth and the divine preventive of worldliness. “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” When our measure of perfection is Christ glorified, the portion we have is what He has―life, glory. Our hope is to be thoroughly identified with Him in all the perfection of life, righteousness, and glory in Heaven. All our affections and associations are with Him where He is.
This explains the apostolic exhortation, “Therefore, leaving the principles of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to perfection” (Heb. 6:11Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (Hebrews 6:1)); for “perfection” refers to Christ “being made perfect” (chap. 5:9), i.e. glorified. He is crowned with glory and honor in heaven. And now He is there, He has associated me with Himself in that place. I can see that Christ has been through this world, so as to sympathize with us in all our sorrows and difficulties. He has borne my sins; and where is He now? In heaven; and I am there too in spirit, and He will bring me there in fact. Where he is, “is His being made perfect.” The work is done; and now He is showing me the effect of that— showing me the walk belonging to the righteousness which He has wrought out. He has taken my heart and associated me with Himself; and he says that is the “perfection” for me to go on to.
Where did Paul see Christ? In glory. Now, he knew Him in heaven; and this great truth was revealed to him, that all the saints on earth were as Christ. He was “chief of sinners,” because wasting the Church of God. He discovered the carnal mind to be enmity against God, not subject to the law of God; he proved it in his own experience; and now he found there were saints not in that state―those quickened with Christ and associated with Christ in glory: “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.” These were not associated with the first Adam, but with the second Man in Christ. That was their position. These people whom he had been persecuting were Christ. What broke him down was seeing Christ in glory, and all these associated with him. Now he learns that he is dead to law, flesh, world. His thought was— “The Christ I want to win is a glorified Christ. To win Christ as my prize in glory may cost me my life: never mind: that is my object.” As to the first Adam, he is weighed in the balance and found wanting. He is not in the flesh any longer, but in the Spirit―not in Adam, either innocent or fallen, but in Christ who has died, risen, and is perfect in glory. The old thing is entirely past―dead to sin, the world, the law―dead and risen again, having another object. He is alive from the dead because Christ is: he is “accepted in the Beloved:” he has the conscious. ness that this work of Christ put him into a new place (not glorified in the body yet): this was the “perfection.” What was the state of his affections then? “That I may win Christ” was his desire. “As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” This was his object: his mind was full of it.
The different stages of Christian life, knowledge, and experience, are indicated by the apostle John when he addresses the several classes of Christians under the heads―1. Fathers; 2. Young men; and 3. Little Children. The word in verse 12 is different from that in verse 18. In 12th it is “children,” and designates all believers. In 18th it is “little children,” and points out very distinctly a separate class of believers. The “fathers” have “known Him that is from the beginning” ―Christ. Christian experience cannot go beyond Christ; all the exercises and experiences of Christians, which are often so much made of are only the means of getting at this― “knowing Him that is from the beginning.” The young Christian is full of vivacity and joy, and is occupied much with himself, but “fathers” are occupied with CHRIST, let joy come or go: and Christ known, possessed, enjoyed, makes US solidly and calmly happy. There is uncommon steadiness when Christ is all. This is the “fathers’” character, they “have known Him that is from the beginning:” there is no development of that―nothing to add. “Young men” have overcome the wicked one; little children have known the Father: but being only “babes,” they are warned against being seduced. And even babes have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things; od, if wise to look to the Lord for spiritual discernment, they need not be seduced by all the specious snares, allurements, and entanglements: which would lead away from Christ. For if in perplexity, they have only to ask of anything. Is it “of the Father”? ―if not, then it must be of the world, however religious it may appear, “for whatsoever is not of the Father, is of the world.” But how Satan succeeds as “an angel of light” to seduce babes and corrupt their minds “from the simplicity that is in Christ!” and then they settle down at the outset of their course, content with being babes only; and by-and-by they become selfish, hard, cold; and carnal, great sticklers for orthodoxy, but silent about Christ; admirers of men’s persons, talents, and acquirements, and honored in the flesh by association with such, but not devoted to the real work of winning souls; busied about the outward business of the house of God, but not careful to have living fellowship maintained with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. They leave the place of “the chaste virgin” espoused to Christ, and take the ordinary place of being merely “daughters of Jerusalem.”
This may seem like a digression, but it is not one: but, as we delight in giving the truth which ensures the good rather than merely expose the evil, what we have now given may, with God’s blessing, lead some beginners to avoid the state indicated, and realize at the outset the place and experience of the bride of the Lamb, and with full intelligence and senses exercised to discern both good and evil, be able to say, “I am black but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem.”