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:
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/gods-stigma-dark-secret-2/
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?
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/being-gazed-upon-2/
Jan 12 2020
The last post about “being brought into His chamber” was heavy, I know, and long. I don’t make any apologies for it, as everything isn’t for everybody, and it helped bring things together for me, in my Spirit. I’m not always able to make things easy for other people to understand. Call it a writing style, or whatnot, but sometimes after the fact I hear someone else put it into less, more succinct words, and I’m like, “Ahhh, perfect! So much simpler!” :-)
Like the following, which I give credit to another author for writing. Forgiving some of the religious language whose overuse has become problematic in my opinion, I think you’ll get the overall gist.
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/clearer-chamber-part-2/
Dec 25 2019
After violently pushing through competing lovers and loves, the Shulamite is finally in a place where she could be close enough to Solomon to be kissed by Him. It’s all she wants. She knows from experience that His expressions of love bring her joy and satisfaction, more than the best wine can ever do.
But first, she is instantly overwhelmed with Solomon’s fragrance. It is an anointing cologne that the king wears that is unique to him, made up of costly spices.
She breathes it in deeply, memorizing each of its bold, yet subtle nuances. One of the spices she recognizes is Myrrh. It fills her with emotions. Memories of her father’s death. And memories of King David’s death.
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/bitter-sweetness-of-myrrh-1-3/
Dec 19 2019
We quickly sense in the opening cry of the Bride, that this Woman has tasted something in the love of Solomon that has completely changed her life. She is intoxicated by him, and every fiber of her being is filled with a self-giving purpose to exist. If she ever had any addictions or unhealthy habits, they are melted away. The passion of being newly in love has a way of doing that!
There is a principle that says, and I believe it is true: “The cure for addiction is not sobriety. It is connection.”
Meaning, “just saying no” is not the answer to the hole in the human heart, that fills itself with various substitutes for true intimacy. Cut something unhealthy out of your life – and feel no higher meaning for being alive in the first place – and it won’t be long before something else unhealthy comes rushing in to fill the void.
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/better-than-wine-sobering-subject/
Dec 12 2019
I wonder if the last post about the Woman’s determination to be kissed whet the appetite for more? Because at the deeper level of what’s going to happen, it all “starts with a kiss”… as the saying goes. Like a first sip of wine whose effect goes straight to the brain, a single kiss can light a new, unquenchable appetite for the Bride to not be satisfied with anything except the “full cup.”
So how perfect that the Song begins with kissing!
Because kissing, from the standpoint of foreplay to sex, is a rich metaphor to explore.
For example…
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/thirsty-for-a-kiss/
Dec 06 2019
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth… – Song 1:2a
What a bold and provocative way to start off the Song of Songs: “Let him kiss me.” Is the Woman talking to something, or someone, who is resisting her?
I personally have been inspired in my pursuit of understanding the Song by looking to God for a hidden story behind the words. Like a musical or an opera – we can learn from both the words sung, and the actions acted out. Only we are not peeking in on actors here, but rather shadows of us and Christ. (As much as we can believe it!)
So with that being said, I see the Woman’s desperate cry for being kissed unfolding something like this:
[Curtain opens]
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/determined-to-be-kissed/
Dec 03 2019
The second part of verse 1 mentions Solomon, and depending on the translation, implies that he is the author. At least this is what has been commonly accepted throughout history. Clearly, having King Solomon’s name in the beginning section helped to get the Song of Songs accepted into the the biblical ‘canon,’ despite the book’s more provocative content.
But is there another aspect to authorship here? What about the woman in the Song? What role did SHE play?
Look at these amazing points:
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/song-authorship/
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An Absolute Captivation by T. Austin-Sparks
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