“My beloved spake, and said unto me: Rise up, my love, my fair one — and come away; (11) for, lo, the winter is past — the rain is over and gone — (12) the flowers appear on the earth — the time of the singing of birds is come…(13)…arise my love, my fair one, and come away.” [Song. 2:10-13]
This text is a wonderful reflection of our loving Savior graciously coming unto us and refreshing upon us His divine presence and power. It’s like a brand new morning — of a brand new season — that He is awakening us to realize. His personal coming brings both unto us, and it is grand! It is grand because He, it is, who is “full of grace and truth” [Jn.1:14]. We, who are His loved and chosen from everlasting, are awakened with His eternally gracious and faithful presence.
This, in turn, provides the means to make the moment even more special. When He says: “Rise up, my love — my fair one — and come away”– we cannot help but do it! Just like when He first called unto the disciples to follow Him. Some were busy mending their fishing nets, but when He called them, it says, immediately, they left their nets and followed Him. Whatever preoccupied their time — whether family, or personal work — it all instantly lost its appeal to their obeying the loving command of Christ to follow Him! [Mt.4:18-22]
Even so, from this text found in Solomon’s Song we cannot expect it to be any different. Irresistible grace is absolutely at work here — just like when our Savior issued various commands during His holy walk among mankind during His time of incarnation. The Bible says from 1Co.15:10 “But by the grace of God, I am what I am
— and His grace toward me was not in vain — but I labored more abundantly than they all — yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Praise the Savior!
The Word of God communicates the truth of the story of redemption so much through Old Testament types and shadows — and here in Solomon’s Song we have, as it were, our Lord coming to each of us individually — who make up being His Bride — and awakening us. Jesus said that He will raise us up at the last day [Jn.6:39-40,44]. Here, in this text, we have a glimpse of how He lovingly and gently does this. He comes to us and says, “Rise up, my love (Or lit. My companion) my fair one (Or, one whom I have made beautiful with my righteousness) and come away!” Just like the disciples were irresistibly summoned to come and follow Christ. even so, we, at that glorious moment will be summoned to come away with Him — right into heaven!
Truly, then we will adoringly and joyfully say: “O how marvelous, O how wonderful — and my song shall ever be! O how marvelous, O how wonderful, is my Savior’s love for me!” We shall be irresistibly summoned to rise up from the death of this dark, cursed world’s Winter time of night — to go away with our Savior into the light of the eternal life of Heaven’s eternal Spring day!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
