The “Intimate Kingdom" is a site focused on the role the Song of Songs plays in the Kingdom of God, and one's personal relationship with Christ and His body. (apart from the religion of "churchianity") Take a look around. If you like what you read so far - feel free to download the free eBook, and then subscribe to get new posts.
Jan 24 2020
Jay Ferris had a striking analogy that was not always understood at first.
“The Kingdom of God is like a drop dead gorgeous woman
who walks into a room full of women….gender neutral.”
The point was not this woman is beautiful, or that she is confident in her beauty, but rather the reaction she gets from the other women. Jay went on to explain the “gender neutral” part:
“A man generally has to either say something or do something to get the same effect. And if a man either says something or does something that is prettier than what the other men in the room are saying or doing, it’s the same dynamic that goes on. It’s seen best when Jesus came to Jerusalem.All the experts who were experts before He got there, wanted to kill Him.”
What a poignant image this is, considering there was a houseful of women in …
Jan 22 2020
A brief pause here, to share a lesson I learned this week. As it often happens, it’s related to where we are in the Song of Songs. It is:
Telling others too much, too soon.
Doing so may feel good in the moment, but the results do not!
Think about it. Declaring “he brought me into his chambers” (1:4) was a true statement for the Shulamite, but it brought out the immaturity and hidden jealousy of the young women who heard her.
They immediately scanned her for faults. They judged her unworthy of a high calling. And they were closed off from rejoicing with her.
In the next post we’ll look at the stunning way she responded. (Sorry, I don’t mean to keep dangling that!) :-)
But meanwhile I got to thinking…
Jan 16 2020
Did you know there is a “mark” for the people of God? Ezekiel 9 and Revelation 7 are a couple places that speak of it. It is not the “mark of the beast,” or the “mark of Cain,” but a mark of identification with Christ. It is the reproaches of Christ Himself, by which He bore loss, rejection, ridicule, and misunderstandings.
The Shulamite woman in the Song of Songs was a “marked” woman as well. What little information she does reveal is intentional. Consider the following points:
Jan 14 2020
I believe we can assume self-consciousness was a temptation for the Shulamite at some point in her life, perhaps as soon as she came out of the chamber room of the King for the first time.
It’s not that Solomon made her feel that way. In his gaze she felt vulnerable, yes, but loved. He was ever so kind in how he dealt with her. A “consummate gentleman,” as the old saying goes. :-)
Rather, as soon as she came out of the King’s chamber she found herself suddenly under the judging eyes of her very own friends. At first they seemed to be encouraging to her, but now they are finding fault with her suntanned skin, which was an undesirable trait in those days. It was most likely because it looked even darker now, in contrast to the “glow” she was wearing on her face from being in the Beloved’s bed!
How did she respond to her friends? What can we learn?
THE SONG – By Guest Author Cheryl McGrath
Esther in Ephesians – For Such a Time As This!
A Tour of a Secret Garden
An Absolute Captivation by T. Austin-Sparks
Journey of Tears
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