Dougal, Neil: The Bridal Portrait 02 ~ S.Sol.5:9

Good evening. May I can return again, please, to the Song of Solomon, the fifth chapter of the Song of Solomon. Reading again from verse nine. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved that thou dost so charge us? My beloved is white and ruddy, the cheapest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold. His locks are bushy and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves, by the rivers of waters washed with milk and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers, his lips like lilies dropping sweet-smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings set with a beryl. His inwards is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold. His countenance is as Lebanon, or his bearing is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. The Lord again be pleased to bless to us this reading from his holy word. By the help of the Spirit of God, we shall a- continue to look into this section of the Word of God and to observe some features of this bridal portrait. We feel like Moses taking the shoes from off our feet, for the place whereon we stand is holy ground. When we handle divine things, it should draw from our hearts awe and reverence. But nevertheless we're encouraged by the writer to the Hebrews to consider him. Yesterday, in last evening, we observed that this Song of Solomon was a song of devotion, a love song between the bride and the bridegroom. Solomon wrote three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and one, but this was his masterpiece. In verse nine, what is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? A very, very vital question. And last night we discussed that there was absolutely no comparison because the Lord Jesus Christ was fairer than the fairest, that he was greater than the greatest, that he was stronger than the strongest, and that he is better than the best. And we finished last night on the note in verse ten, my beloved is white and ruddy. Everything about the Lord Jesus Christ in this section, we see the whiteness of the Savior. Notice his eyes are white, and also his lips are like white lilies, and his inwards as bright ivory, and his bearing is as the snow-capped peaks of the Lebanon. Everything about the Lord Jesus Christ is white. And happy the individual who is able to say tonight, my. Just like the, uh, great Job, he says, I know that my redeemer liveth. Happy is the man who can say, like Job, that he is my redeemer. And happy is the man who can say, like Thomas, he is my Lord and my God. White and ruddy. That is a very strange yet, yet very precious combination, white and ruddy. We find that angels are white in scripture, and we find that the saints are white in scripture. But here the Lord Jesus has this unique distinction of being white and ruddy. In Revelation chapter four, you remember, when John was called up into heaven, he saw a throne set in heaven, and he that sat on the throne was made to look like unto a jasper and a sardine stone. The jasper answers to our diamond, white, transparent, and the sardine stone answers to our ruby, the blood red ruby. How wonderful that these two things are linked together. You remember in the book of Exodus chapter twenty eight, in connection with the high priestly garments, that on the ephod there were six stones on either side. Uh, these were the tribes of Israel according to their birth. But then on the breastplate of the high priest, there were twelve stones according to the tribal setting. And the first and the last stone was the jasper and the sardine stone. The first one referred to Reuben, and his name means seer son. And the last stone referred to is Benjamin, who was the son of God's right hand. The first and the last. So these three, these things, white and ruddy, bring before us the impeccability of the Lord's character. They also bring before us the immutability of his person, and also there is a link with the expiation of his sacrifice. He is white. Our Lord Jesus Christ said on one occasion, which of you convinces me of sin? He said, the prince of this world cometh and has nothing in me. We must completely endorse the impeccability of the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember the great apostle, that giant intellect? He says, concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, I'll tell you something about his spirit. John was the man of affection, and John said, I'll tell you something about his soul. And Peter was the man of action, and Peter says, I'll tell you something about his body. Our Lord Jesus Christ was tripartite, the very same as you and me. But S-I-N, sin apart. He was holy in his thinking, Paul says, he knew no sin. And Peter says, I'll tell you something about his soul, and in him, rather John, and in him was no sin. And Peter says, I'll tell you something about his body, he did no sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ was absolutely white. And time and time again, God brings before us the whiteness of the Savior, either in typology or in reality. When God reigned from heaven, he reigned manna to sustain the people of Israel. And we are told concerning the manna that it was small, that it was round, it was as coriander seed, and it was as wafers made with honey, but it was also white, indicating to us the whiteness of the Lord Jesus. But here, this condition, the white and the red stone are very, very suggestive. The first and the last stone. One speaking of the whiteness, the transparency of the Lord Jesus, the jasper stone, white, and the other, the blood red stone, the ruby, the last stone on the breastplate, and that reminds us again of the immutability of the person of the Lord Jesus. He is the first, and he is the last. The title in the book of the Revelation, the bridal title, we're speaking about the bridal portrait, the bridal title in the Revelation is the Lamb. And surely that speaks volumes to us when we think of the Lamb. It was marked by whiteness, and we are also reminded of the efficacy of the blood. Twenty seven times in the Revelation, the bridal title is mentioned, the Lamb of God, and seven times in chapters twenty one and in chapters twenty two. Twenty two. Surely our minds go back in thought to Exodus chapter twelve, when God instructed Israel to take the lamb and to keep it up from the tenth to the fourteenth day of the month. The lamb was scrutinized to see if there was any blemish in the lamb. Then finally, God said that after the testing period, thou shalt take the lamb and kill it and apply the blood to the doorposts and to the lintel. Kept up, then taken out. And God says, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. So we rejoice tonight in the impeccability of the Lord's character, the immutability of his person, and the expiation of his sacrifice. You and I, as the people of God, will never forget the precious blood. In chapter one of the song, the Lord speaks, the bridegroom speaks, and he says to the bride, we will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. Gold speaks of glory, silver speaks of redemption. And when you and I get home to heaven, even amidst the splendor of Emmanuel's land, we will never forget Mount Calvary, where the Lord Jesus shed his precious blood. And I feel in these days of departure and declension, we are obligated as the people of God to completely and continually emphasize the value of the precious blood of Christ. I was down in Kingston, Jamaica, eh, last year for the Easter conference, and I went to visit the old people's home, the nursing home there, just recently constructed in Jamaica. And it's always a real delight to visit nursing homes. I would have to say that I have had my best meeting this afternoon at the nursing home amongst the shut-ins, where we presented to them the gospel, and I felt this afternoon that God really worked amongst these folks in the nursing home. But down in Kingston, Jamaica, my wife and I went into this particular, a section of the nursing home, and the first man I met was a man called Mr. Hope. And he says, my brother, he says, I'm Mr. Hope, and I've always attempted to be hope that needed not to be ashamed. And that was very refreshing. But then we went into the next room, and there was an old black lady on a cot, and she pulled my wife and I close to the cot as if telling us one of the secrets of heaven. And then she said with a very strong voice and with a clenched fist, she says, my brother, I'm going to heaven, and my passport has been paid in the precious blood of Jesus. Hallelujah. And I rejoice with her. Oh, we thank the Lord for the precious blood, because after all, dear saints, this is what secures our forgiveness from an angry God. This is the New Testament in my blood, shed for many for the remission of sins. We have our sins washed in the precious blood of Christ, and it cleanses us from all sin, and it's the blood that imparts a peace to our troubled souls. It's the blood that gives us access into the Lord's presence. Wherefore, brethren, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say his flesh. Thank God we have, can have access into God's presence through the precious blood. And all the ages of eternity, the privilege that you, that will be yours and mine, we will never, never forget Calvary. It's the center of all God's dealings and transactions. He is white and ruddy. Then she goes on to say, chiefest among ten thousand. Solomon says one man amongst a thousand have I found. Surely this has been the experience of us who know the Lord Jesus, that we can single him out and say, one man amongst a thousand have I found. In John's gospel, chapter four, the woman from Sychar's well went back into the city, and she explained to those with whom she came in contact with, there was something special about the man that she had met. She says, come see a man that told me all things ever I did. Is not this the Christ? And the disciple says, what manner of man is this? One man amongst a thousand have we found. But here in the Song of Solomon, she says he's the cheapest among ten thousand. And when we come to the book of the Revelation, chapter five, we find him the cheapest among ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands. He stands out far above all. Yes, they sang that glorious hymn, or note of praise, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor, glory and blessing. He's the chiefest among ten thousand. No wonder the poet says, I cannot do without him, or would I if I could. He is my daily portion, my medicine and my food. He's altogether lovely, none can with him compare. The cheapest of ten thousand, the fairest of the fair, the cheapest among ten thousand. And then she would bring us to a very productive avenue of study and contemplation. She says his head is as the most fine gold. Twice in the Old Testament do we have headship depicted by a head of gold. Nebuchadnezzar, thou art that head of gold. That image portraying future things in relation to the nations. But the Lord Jesus Christ, his head is as the most fine God. Surely this would endorse the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said to the Ephesians, God has given him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. And when we consider the head of our beloved Lord, surely it draws out from our hearts spontaneous worship. I think of him when he was born in Bethlehem. There was no velvet pillow on which to lay his head. No room for them in the inn. Our Lord was given the outside place, and his peasant mother was pleased to lay his head on a pillow of straw. And then, as we see the movements of the Lord Jesus, did he not say the foxes have holes, the birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head? And as he neared the end of his journey, as he stood there amongst the soldiers, when they made tragedy, comedy out of tragedy, they took their mail fists and they made that head the target for their onslaught. He gave his back to the smiters. He gave his cheeks to them that plucked up the hair. He hid not his face from shame and from spitting. O head once filled with bruises, oppressed with shame and scorn, mocked with sore abuses, mocked with a crown of thorns. O death head to death once wounded, in shame upon the tree, in glory now surrounded with brightest majesty. Our Lord Jesus Christ, his head is as the most fine gold. Now this tells us volumes concerning the fullest intelligence that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Neocritics are attacking the person of Christ even in the assemblies of God's people. I never thought we would see the day that the person of Christ would be attacked. But we ought to have anticipated this because in the days of June, certain men crept in unawares, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and denying the only master and our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul warned the Galatians of those that were brought in. And so the Savior, his person is being attacked regarding his omniscience, regarding his omnipotence, and regarding his omnipresence. And these neocritics that would seek to make the Lord Jesus Christ belittle his person regarding his omniscience, they'll take one scripture in Mark's Gospel, chapter thirteen and verse thirty two, which says this, regarding the Lord's coming of that day and that hour, knoweth no man, nor the angels that are in heaven, nor the Son, but my Father. And they'll build a tremendous structure on that one verse to belittle the omniscience of the Lord Jesus. And then he becomes the target for those who would seek to, eh, reduce his omnipotence. And they say in, in John's Gospel, chapter five, again, the Lord, his quote, that the Son doeth nothing except what the Father doeth, and what he doeth, that also doeth the Son. And so they say, look, he's not omnipotent. And then they challenge his omnipresence. Because in John's Gospel, chapter eleven, you remember when Lazarus was sick, the Lord, when he heard the news of his death, he says, well, I was glad that I was not there because this is for the glory of God. And so they build their fabric, they build their structure around these three somewhat difficult verses. But I want to tell you tonight, my friends, that the Lord Jesus has fullest intelligence. In John's gospel, time and time again, we have the fullest display of the divine intelligence of the Lord Jesus, in contrast to the natural man who seems to be lacking in intelligence. Because we read that he was in the world, and the world knew him not. And then we discover, in connection with Nicodemus, the Lord said, aren't thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things? And you remember the man at the feast in Cana of Galilee. He did not know where this new, this final wine came from. You see the limitations that are endorsed upon the natural man. But the Lord Jesus Christ is seen in contrast to this. Peter says, Lord, we know that thou dost know everything. No man has seen God at any time, save the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. He has fully declared him. Our Lord Jesus Christ knew the Father, and that tells me that he knows everything. In the first chapter of John's gospel, the Lord displays his unique intelligence. He speaks about things in the past, he speaks of things in the present, and he speaks of things in the future. You remember when he encountered Peter? I, Peter, he said, I know you, and I know your father. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ knew the past. And then he encountered Nathaniel in the same chapter, and he says, behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile or in whom there is no Jacob. He knew the moral standing of Nathaniel in the presence of a holy God. He knew his moral deportment at that very moment. He knows the past, and he knows the present. But he also knows the future. Because he says to Nathaniel, when he says, thou art the king of Israel, thou art the son of God. Nathaniel, he says, you're going to see greater things than these. You will see the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. So the Lord Jesus knows the past, he knows the present, and he knows the future. He knew everything about Nicodemus. He knew he belonged to the Sanhedrin. He knew he was a master in Israel. He knew his intellectual attainments and qualifications. He knew everything about Nicodemus. He also knew everything about the woman that sat by Syke as well. He says, go call thy husband. She says, I've got no husband. In that thou has answered right, said the Lord Jesus, thou has had five husbands. You see, he knew everything about the woman by psych as well. And you remember in the next chapter, chapter five of the Gospel by John, he knew everything about the man who went and sat by the pool of Bethesda. The Lord Jesus Christ knew that he had been thirty eight years in that place of despondency and discouragement, he knew everything about these individuals. Moreover, our Lord Jesus Christ knew the place of his death. Do you know where you're going to die? Thank God we don't. But on the Mount of Transfiguration, in conversation with Peter, James, and John, and Moses, and Elijah, he speak of his decease at Jerusalem. He knew the place of his death. And I'm thankful to God tonight. Not only did he know the place of his death, but he knew the purpose of his death. Because again, in the closing verses in the book of John, the gospel by John, Jesus, knowing that all things were accomplished, he said, I thirst. He knew the purpose for his coming into this world. He knew the place of his death, and he knew the purpose of his death. He knew he must die in order that you and I might live. And he knew the perpetrators that would be responsible for his death. He knew the Sanhedrin and the priesthood would be involved in his death. You and I don't know the place, and we don't know the involvement. Thank God for that. Our Lord Jesus Christ displayed foolish intelligence. He knew that Judas would deliver him. He knew that Peter would deny him, and he knew that Thomas would doubt him. And how can men tell us that the Lord Jesus Christ is not omniscient? His head is as the most fine gold. He was very man. He was a true man in every aspect without sin. But let us never forget that he was God manifest in the flesh. And I have made up my mind to protect the person of Christ in relation to the Genesis T-Rex, that the Lord Jesus Christ, they say, left certain attributes behind. I can't find any in the Word of God. He never left the attribute of love behind. He never left the attribute of grace behind. He left nothing behind except the outward appearance of his glory. For men could not look upon our beloved Lord unless he had veiled his glory with a, with a, a human flesh. Yes, our Lord displayed fullest intelligence. The point says our blessed Lord combined in one, two natures all complete, in perfect manhood all sublime, in Godhead all replete. As man he went to Cana's feast, a humble guest to dine. As God he moved the waters there and turned them into wine. As man he suffered weariness and sat upon a well. As God he pierced the sinner's heart and saved her soul from hell. As man, he climbed the mountain height, a suppliant to be. As God, he left the place of prayer and walked upon the sea. As man, he lay within a boat, o'erpowered by needful sleep. As God, he rose, rebuked the wind, and stilled the angry deep. As man, he wept with heartfelt grief around a loved one's grave. As God, he break the bands of death, almighty still to save. As man, he yielded to his foes. As God, his presence overrode and cast them to the ground. Such was our Lord, in dual natures one, the woman's seed in very truth, and God's eternal son. Thou child, thou son, thou word made flesh, may thy high praise increase, thou wonderful, thou mighty God, thou mighty Prince of Peace. Fullest intelligence displayed by our beloved Lord. His hand is as the most fine gold. Metallurgists tell us many things about gold, but there are two outstanding characteristics of gold that metallurgists have revealed to us. One is called ductility, and the other is called malleability. Ductility, metallurgists tell us that's a very big word, but it just tells us this, that m- that gold has the inherent capability of being drawn and stretched and stretched beyond the capability of any other metal. Does that not bring volumes of thought to your mind? Of one who was drawn, his love to the utmost was tried, but it firmly endured as a rock. And the second feature met metallurgists tell us about gold that's outstanding is the malleability. Again, it has the capability of being beaten and beaten and beaten. Very, very small. Other metals will not stand the pressure that gold can of a beating. In the book of Exodus chapter thirty, in the holy ointment, that ointment that was made after the art of the apothecary, the stacte, the onychum, and the galbanum, that compound made after the divine pattern, of which there could be no imitation. We learn concerning that precious ointment that the more it was beaten, the more it emitted a fragrance that permeated the immediate environment in which it was released. When I think of him, how he was beaten. He was beaten very small. He gave his back to the smiters, the lowly son of men, and the smiters smote till the work was done, and a thornless field was plowed so deep that a golden sheaf of life I reap. He gave himself for me. He gave his brow to the thorn crown, the holy son of God, and they smote that face, and they bowed the knee to the kingless king, whose love so strong fills my heart with joy, my lips with a song. He gave himself for me. He gave his side to the spear thrust, the Holy Son of God, and they plunged it deep till water and blood flowed forth in a stream whose cleansing grace makes sinners meet for the heavenly place. He gave himself for me. He gave his heart to the judgment, the sinless judge of all. And the wrath of man and the wrath of God dropped forth on a storm that raged until my debt was paid, my shameful bill. He gave himself for me. Beaten. Puny man, making the eternal God his target. And he was beaten by Satan. All the forces of heaven, earth, and hell were marshaled against that lone combatant. Satan and his cohorts were let loose that day on Calvary. But oh, when we think of how he was beaten by his God. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd and against the man who is my equal. And God made his son the target for the judgment that was due to you and me. But the more he was beaten, the greater the fragrance arose to thrill the nostrils of a holy God. And our Lord God was delighted with the sacrifice that his son had made, and he has complimented him in relation to it. He has highly exalted his son and given him the highest place in glory, but he was beaten very small. His head is as the most fine gold. His locks are bushy and black as a raven. Here again, we have the endorsement of the immutability and the perpetuity of the Lord Jesus. As you know, gray hairs soon come. It's the symbol of decay, and try in any way we can to avoid it, it's inevitable they finally come. But here is one who has the dew of his youth. Here is one whose hair is as black as the raven. Reminding us this, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the unchanging one, in contradistinction to us who are always changing. My love is sometimes low, my joy, it ebbs and flows, but peace with him remains the same. No change. Jehovah knows. We have won tonight, beloved saints, at God's right hand, as I said last night in Hebrews four, five, six, and seven, we have one who is equal to the sanctuary as priest. And at God's right hand today, there is one functioning twenty four hours a day. His unfinished work. Did you ever thank the Lord for the unfinished work? Oh, we thank him for his finished work at Calvary, but here he is, the one who neither sleeps nor slumbers, and twenty four hours a day he's acting on our behalf in the presence of his Father. The Hebrew writer says, he is the great, the merciful, the faithful, the sympathetic, the perfect, the unseen, and the unchangeable priest. And so that should encourage us tonight, that while we are living in a fleeting, transient day, that we have one at God's right hand, who is the unchanging one. And so, in the will of the Lord, we will continue tomorrow to look at this bridal portrait. I think we've given sufficient tonight to warm our hearts. Foolish intelligence is seen in the person of the Lord Jesus. And I trust that you will be determined, like myself, to protect the Lord, just as there were certain warriors protecting the king. That in these days, when his person is being attacked, that we will do everything to defend our beloved Lord. He is worthy of such loyalty and honor, and I do trust that we will appreciate the unchangingness of the great high priest at God's right hand. Shall we pray? Loving Father, we thank thee again that his head is as the most fine gold. His locks are bushy and black as a raven. We thank thee for the unchangingness of the Lord Jesus, and help us to lay hold upon him as the advocate with the Father and as the priest with God. We're so delighted to see so many of thy people assembled tonight, and we trust, O Father, that as a result of this meditation, that much praise will ascend to thy dear Son. For Jesus is worthy to receive honor and power divine and blessings more than we can give, be Lord forever thine. We thank thee in his peerless name. Amen. Do we sing in closing just a couple of verses of hymn four twenty five? Satisfied with thee, Lord Jesus, I am blessed. Peace which passeth understanding on thy breath. No more doubting, no more trembling, oh, what rest, oh, what rest. Verses one and four of four to five. Satisfied with the Lord Jesus, I am blessed. Peace with passive understanding on thy breast. No more doubting, no more trembling. Oh, Hope what not re- race, oh, what race. Listening for thy shout, Lord Jesus, in the air, when thy saints shall cry with joy to meet thee there. Oh, what gladness, no more sadness, sin more keen seeing.