The Apple Tree

Temple Baptist Church - 8-10-2008

Song of Solomon 2:1-3

Introduction:

A. Last week, we saw the beauty of the bride in verse 1. “The Rose of Sharon” and “The Lily of the Valleys.”

B. I cannot emphasize enough how much Christ loves His Church and how beautiful that we are to Him. He sees none other! He desires none other!

C. In Christ, we find the faithfulness of the “Beloved” to His “Love.” God has been faithful in our unfaithfulness because He cannot deny Himself! His faithfulness is based upon His character and not ours!

D. In verse 3, the Bride compares the Bridegroom to an “Apple Tree.” Among the “trees of the wood,” the Apple Tree stands out. Though there are many beautiful abd useful trees in the woods, most are not life sustaining for us. I know that they help to produce products that make life more comforting and, also, help to produce oxygen for breathing, but the Apple Tree is different from them.

E. In this comparison, we find several different aspects that are mentioned. I will deal with them individually.

1. The Apple Tree Speaks Of Christ’s Protection – “Shadow”

a. The Shadowing of His Gathering - Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen [doth gather] her brood under [her] wings, and ye would not! (Salvation brings protection! Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!)

b. The Shadowing of His Loveingkindness - Psalms 36:7 How excellent [is] thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. (Salvation brings the lovingkindness of the Lord. We have an old saying, “The Lord is good all of the time!”)
c. The Shadowing of His Grace - Psalms 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until [these] calamities be overpast. (Salvation brings grace to the believer. Grace abundant, manifold, and always sufficient for every concern and every need.)

d. The Shadowing of His Help - Psalms 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. (I thank God for His grace and mercy but I also thank God for His being a “very present” help in time of need. His is able and willing to aid His children.)

2. The Apple Tree Speaks Of Christ’s Pleasure – “great delight”

a. The Pleasure of Our Heart’s Desires - Psalms 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. Now physical wants or needs, but our spiritual wants and needs.)

b. The Pleasure of Our Encouragement - Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it]. (A song says, “When the waves are over your head they are under His feet.” In the midst of valleys, God will help us to soar with wings as eagles.)

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

c. The Pleasure of Our Church - Psalms 43:4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. (I thank God for this church and its people! Several times a week, I get a call from one of you to encourage me. I love God’s house and God’s people!)

Psalms 55:14 We took sweet counsel together, [and] walked unto the house of God in company.

d. The Pleasure of His Presence - Psalms 104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. (In His presence is fullness of joy. When I am with Him, the pleasures of this world certainly grow dim.)

1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

3. The Apple Tree Speaks Of Christ’s Provision – “his fruit”

a. The Promise of His Provision - Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (The unlimited provision of His riches in glory! Our economy runs off of “supply and demand” but God’s off of “supply and need.”)

b. The Peace of His Provision - Psalms 23:1-2 The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (He maketh me to lie down unafraid! He leadeth me into the stillness of my soul!)

Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

c. The Performance of His Provision - Genesis 48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

d. The Possession of His Provision - Nehemiah 9:15 And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. (What God promises God performs! He will take care of this preacher and his family until the day He either comes for me or calls me home.)

Conclusion:

a. You see, we are a Rose of Sharon and a Lily of the Valleys to Christ. These are important things because they are things of beauty but have little or no value outside of that beauty. God loves us for who we are and not for what we can do for Him!

b. Christ is our Apple Tree! Yes, we can consort with others trees of the woods but it is Christ that meets both our physical and spiritual needs. We are the Apple of His eye! He is the Apple of ours!