I'm going to ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Song of Solomon. Song of Solomon, just before Isaiah. Song of Solomon. About, well, 12 years ago I guess, We looked at this book, went through it, and I was just thinking about the first four verses in chapter 1, and I wanted us to look again this evening at those first four verses in Song of Solomon 1. Before we do, let's pray together. Our Father, we call on you this evening asking for your blessing, asking, Lord, for your help to hear, Lord, to understand being taught by the Spirit of God. I pray, Lord, that you would help us to worship. Lord, cause us to look with the eyes of faith And these things we ask for Christ's sake. Amen. Brother Henry, I've told some of you this before. Brother Henry told me one time, he said, if you're going to say something to somebody that's waiting, he said, write them a letter. He said, It gives you time to sit down and think about it, compose your thoughts, and write down in that letter exactly what you'd like to say. And he said it gives them an opportunity to go back later and read it again and glean from it. You know, sometimes we listen to somebody say something And before you know it, if you're like me, you're trying to think back. Now, what did they say? What was exactly their thoughts? I want us tonight to just look at the first four verses of this song, the song of Solomon. The song of songs. The song above all songs. Because this song is actually a letter composed by the Spirit of God. We know that the composition of this letter is perfect. It's holy. It's right. And it expresses exactly the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ to his people and exactly her heart back to him. Exactly. Because in these scriptures here, the Spirit of God is setting forth exactly what that new heart really says. That new heart that sinneth not. There's a new man in every believer that does not sin. that which is born of God sinneth not." Amazing thought. Now this letter is written to the people of God and nobody can claim this letter for themselves unless they are those that have been made partakers of the heavenly calling. Those that have been made to see themselves as needy sinners. Now, if this is being read by someone that has believed to have given themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ because He was trying to save them, and He wanted to save them, if they would let Him and exercise their free will. This letter wasn't written to you unless God calls you out of darkness. It's not for you. I'm talking to God's people. I'm talking to those that have, by the grace of God, been regenerated by the Spirit of God and know themselves to be nothing more than sinners that God has shown mercy. This is who this letter belongs to. Verse 1, the Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. Now understand this, Solomon is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's got his name on it, but there's a greater than Solomon in this book, in this place this evening. And this song is the best. That's what it means, the song of songs. And the whole of this song that's written is the song of salvation and fellowship and joy that God's people enjoy and the Lord's enjoyment of them. It's a love letter. It's a precious love letter. And it's just written by the Lord Himself expressing exactly His heart for His people. Listen, this song will be sung right into eternity. Listen to this verse, let me say it like that, sung by The four and twenty elders in Revelation 5 verses 9 to 10. Here's a hallelujah chorus right here. Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof. For thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth." It's going to be a new heaven, a new earth. And we're going to reign with the Lord. I don't understand all that I can read, but I believe this. I believe that what Almighty God has said concerning His people is so. We see through a glass darkly, but we see, don't we? This is the song of sovereign grace. This is the song of the gospel. For the whole content of this song is salvation by God's purpose, God's will, procured by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to this verse, sung in the book of Isaiah 26.1, Shall this song be sung in the land of Judah?" We have a strong city. Salvation. When we see salvation there, remember Simeon there in the temple, the Lord Jesus as a baby was brought in by Mary, and Simeon took that holy child in his hands and said, I serve Him to part in peace, for now I have seen Thy salvation." I looked on Him, saw Him. That's what John said. We've handled the Word of life. We've touched Him. Our eyes have seen Him. This is what Isaiah... In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city. Salvation. Christ Himself. Will God appoint for walls and bulwarks What is he saying? He's saying that the Lord is the protection of the church. Remember when Satan came to the Lord and the Lord asked him, have you considered my servant Job? Satan said, well yeah, but you've got a hedge about him. I can't get to him. He said, you let me touch him and he'll curse you to your face. The Lord said, he's in your hand, you can't kill him though. And you know the story. What? The Lord was his protection. We have a strong city. Salvation will God appoint. The words of this song are actually taught to God's people by the Spirit of God And this song begins in our passage with a precious desire of the church herself to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what she said, verse 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine. Let him. I looked up the... word kiss and kisses, and this is what it means, a gentle touch. His kisses are the gentle touches of the Holy Spirit as He reveals His merciful promises of grace and compassion to His people. Listen, listen. Let Him kiss me. Now you know that that's got to be reality. Let Him kiss me. You say, well I've never seen the Lord Jesus Christ. I've never seen Him with the corporal eyes right here. But I'll tell you what, we see Him by faith. We see Him. And you say, well, I've never had Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth. Well, the Scripture says that this is what the bride says. And this is what she wants. Let Him kiss me. Listen to this kiss. Listen to this gentle touch right here. Jeremiah 31.3, The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee." He said, the reason I called you out of darkness is because I've always loved you. I've always loved you. What a kiss. What a gentle touch. Hebrews 13, 5, let your conversation be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have. For He has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. I'm not going to leave you to yourself. I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to do it. Whatever the circumstance, I'm not going to do it. Whatever you go through, if you go through the fire, I'm going to be there. If the water rises, I'm going to be there. If the water comes up, it's because I brought it up. But I'm not going to leave you. What a kiss. What an assurance. John 14, 2 and 3, "...in my Father's house are many mansions." Now listen, this is the way it is. This is so. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth. The church desires His presence. Let Him kiss me. Her love for Him, she knows, didn't begin with her. It began with Him. We love Him because He first loved us. But He has lovingly subdued her. He's given her a new heart and sweetly constrained her, drawing her with the bands of love for Himself. I want His kisses. Let Him kiss me. He came to her in grace and mercy and broke her heart, gave her a heart for Himself, showed her her need of Him. And she says in her heart, like David said in Psalm 73, 25, Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee. Lord, like Peter says, where are we going to go? Will you go away? Where are we going to go? Let me ask you this, where would you go if it were not here to hear the gospel? Where would you go? Where would you go? You must go where he's honored. You can't go where he's dishonored. Man is exalted. This is what the bride says, Lord, You've kissed others. I know You have. You've revealed Yourself unto others, Lord. Kiss me. Let Him kiss me with the kisses. Lord, kiss me over and over. Do you ever grow tired of kissing your wife, your husband? No. You don't. No. Why? Because you love Him. You love Him. Kiss me, Lord, with your Word. Kiss me by your Spirit. Kiss me with your truth applied to my heart for comfort. Lord, teach me. Kiss me. Touch me with comfort. The bride desires that his kisses be personal. Lord, you kiss me. You kiss me. I don't want someone to just tell me, well the Lord kisses those that He loves. I know that's so. But I want the experience in my heart Like those two on the road to Emmaus, didn't our heart burn? Didn't our heart burn as He opened unto us the Scriptures? The bride desires the assurance of His love. Because, she said in verse 2, because thy love is better than wine. Wine can reach no further than the refreshment of this body. But His love reaches the very soul, and there's joy in the heart. And His love is not like wine, not a mocker, not deceitful. His love doesn't bite like the adder. His love has no sting to it, it never spoils. There's no dregs of deceit in his kisses. When he kisses, he kisses because he loves, because he teaches. Look at verse 3. Because of the savor of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured forth. Therefore do the virgins love thee. I looked up the literal of that. I could understand it with you. Here's what the literal says. For your ointments, and I looked up ointments there, it means richness. For your richness, your ointments, has a lovely fragrance. Your name is as ointment or richness poured out. On account of this, the virgins love you. You know, whenever we're going to go somewhere special or meet someone special, you know, we like to kind of get cleaned up and take a bath and put on something, some good smelling stuff, you know, some perfume or some aftershave or something like that, you know, because it's refreshing. It just has a freshness to it, you know. Oh my, you sure smell good, you know. We have on. I like that. We don't want to have a stench about us of fatigue or uncleanness. And here the bride expresses to the Lord and addresses to Him of His savor, of His smell, of His richness, He smells, has a savor of mercy and grace. We can talk to Him. We can talk to Him. Scripture says when you pray, enter into your closet, get by yourself, and speak to the Father in secret. And the Father, which hears in secret, shall reward thee openly." When we pray, there's a richness to it of grace and God's mercy and kindness because of the savor of thy good richness. Thy name is as richness poured forth. This richness. Listen to Romans 2.4. Or despiseth thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Oh, the fragrance of His longsuffering. His forbearance. Just think back. You don't have to go back too far. Just think back today. today. Oh, the richness, the savor of His forbearance toward us for Christ's sake. Was there anything that happened today that the Lord, had it not been for His long-suffering and forbearance and goodness, had it not been for His grace and mercy, would have had reason to cast us out The Scripture sets forth that He is long-suffering to us, to His people. Why? Not willing that any should perish. But of His richness, verse 3, He says, Thy name is as ointment poured forth. Lord, Your honor, Your character, Your authority is as richness that's emptied, poured forth. Your name, your character that you've revealed to me, your goodness and grace and mercy that you've revealed to me, that you've shown mercy to me, that right there, your name, has been emptied upon me. Lord, how good you've been. Your name on my behalf, because of your grace and compassion that you've been pleased to show me, is refreshment to my heart. The Lord Jesus Christ, our surety. Let me tell you, just remind you, just a moment, let's remind us of God's ointment concerning His name, that He's poured forth upon us, that He's emptied upon us. He was anointed by the Father, the Lord Jesus now, with the Holy Spirit without measure. This is our surety. He is the Messiah, our Messiah, the One that came into this world lived and died for us, and Almighty God charged us, His people, with His righteousness, accepted in the Beloved, accepted in Christ, our Emmanuel, God with us. He said, Lord, Your name is as ointment poured forth. Oh, that blessed name, that ointment. I wrote down those five names that I could find in the Old Testament. Jehovah-Jireh, this is Genesis 22, 14. Here's what it says, now listen to this name poured forth upon us. Listen to this ointment right here, emptied upon us. Listen to this one, the Lord will provide. The Lord will provide. What am I going to need? What am I going to need for life now and then? Life in eternity, the Lord will provide. Listen to this one, Jehovah Nisi, Exodus 17, 15. The Lord, my banner. Where do you stand? Here's my Ebenezer right here. The Lord is my banner. The Lord is my cover. That banner, that flag, that covering, the Lord. Jehovah Shalom. Judges 6.24, the Lord send peace. Peace in our heart, peace before God, peace before others. The Lord. Jehovah Shema. Ezekiel 48.35, the Lord is there. I think about two or three are gathered together. Here's Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Just the very thought of His presence right now. How respectful we ought to be. How respectful I wish I'd be. And Jehovah Sidkenu, Jeremiah 23.6, the Lord, our righteousness. He says, your name is as richness, ointment poured forth, and therefore do the virgins love Thee. He's actually speaking of himself, that's what the bride, the bride is speaking of herself. The virgins, those made to be pure before God Almighty by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that has washed them white. And that imputed righteousness that robes them, the virgins do love thee. And oh how they do. And those that love him want to be with him. She loves you. And then verse 4, draw me and we will run after thee. The king hath brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in thee. We will remember thy love more than wine. The upright love thee. Draw me, we will run after Thee. I know that His people are going to run after Him. I know they are. I know the people of God are. Lord, draw me. Draw me too. We sing that psalm, Pass me not, O gentle Savior, while on others Thou art calling. Lord, don't pass me by. I know you're going to call your people. Lord, call me. Call. Is this not the petition of every believer's heart? Draw me. Because Lord, I know this. If you don't draw, I'm not coming. I know I'm not coming. I have just enough sense to know this. Without Him, I can do nothing. The Lord promised. Because of that everlasting love, that scripture I read just a few moments ago, I've loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. If the Lord has drawn a sinner, this is what that sinner is going to say. Draw me. You say, but he's already drawn you. I know. Draw me. Turn me and I'll be turned. Do you know who says that? The one that's already been turned. That's what he wants. That bride knows that she's been drawn because she's crying out to be drawn again. If there wasn't life already there, she wouldn't ask. Draw me with the cords of love and kindness. Draw me, Lord, in mercy. Draw me compassionately. The bride knows she's been drawn out of darkness. You know why? Because she sees Him. And she knows that life's in Him and not in herself. She knows that. She knows that. I know whom I have believed. I'm persuaded that He's able to keep. Draw me and we will run after Thee. I want to be found in the number of God's elect. I want to be found in that throng, that four and twenty elders, following after you, hungering after you, thirsting after you, after your righteousness. Lord, if you make me willing, if you draw me, I'll run. I will go. There's no willing running without you drawing. The King has brought me into His chambers. Now that chambers there means the enclosed place. Enclosed place. What place is that? It's His church. That one, that strong city that we just read about, that salvation, that the Lord Jesus, His walls and bulwarks to the strong city, that is the enclosed place. That is His chambers. The Lord has a chamber. On this earth it is His church, the bride. Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth, unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are built together for the inhabitation of God through the Spirit." The Bride of Christ is a building, a spiritual building. And all of the people of God are lively stones built upon the foundation Christ being the chief cornerstone, He has drawn me, the King has brought me into His chambers. This is where God's people are in time brought into the actual experience and realization of that which the Lord has eternally purposed, the church. the heavenly Jerusalem, the bride herself, the Lord Jesus in regenerating grace, has made His bride to be savingly acquainted with the treasures of His mercy and compassion to her. How did she get there? The King, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, The King had brought me into His chambers. You notice how she got there? He brought her. She didn't get there by her own ability, by her own will, by her own choice. How did you get here? The King brought me here. The King did. He opened the way for me by the shedding of His own blood and drew me powerfully by His Spirit. He brought me. And we will be glad and rejoice in Thee. There is indeed great cause to rejoice in the Lord. We rejoice in who He is. We rejoice in His salvation, who is Himself, and His love for His people. We're glad and we rejoice now, but you know we only do in part. We're not glad as we ought to be. We're not as glad as we wish we would be, but by the grace of God, one day we're going to be completely glad. Scripture says, we will remember thy love more than wine, the upright love thee. It's by the grace of God that we do remember. And we're mindful. We are mindful of God's mercy and love more than wine, more than the things of this world. The things of this world are perishing. And by the grace of God, the Scripture says, the upright, the upright, those made so by the grace of God, they love thee. I keep going back to that Scripture that I quoted last time we met. Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep. You love me, feed my sheep. Peter, you love me. Peter, you love me. Lord, you know all things. You know I love you. God's people can say this from the heart, being taught by the Spirit of God, by the kisses of His mouth, they do love the Lord. They love Him. They love Him. They see Him. They hear His voice. And they follow Him. This is the song of all songs. This is the greatest of all songs. The song of love between the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride. I pray the Lord bless the Word tonight for Christ's sake.