The Rose Of Sharon And The Lily Of The Valleys

Temple Baptist Church - 8-3-2008

Song of Solomon 1;14-2:1-3

Introduction:

A. For years, I have heard this description: “The Rose of Sharon and The Lily Of The Valleys” interpreted as being a description our Lord Jesus Christ. He certainly is the fairest of ten thousand to our souls, but this interpretation is incorrect. The conversation of Song of Solomon swings back and forth from the Bridegroom to the Bride. Verse 1 is the Bride or “my love” speaking and verse 2 is the Bridegroom speaking. Verse 2 properly interprets who is speaking in verse 1.

1. Chapter 1:14 – The Bride Speaks of “My Beloved”

2. Chapter 1:15 – The Bridegroom Speaks of “My Love”

3. Chapter 1:16 – The Bride Speaks of “My Beloved”

4. Chapter 1:17-2:1 – A continuation of the Bride speaking – She calls herself the “Rose of Sharon” and “the Lily of the Valley.”

5. Chapter 2:2 – The Bridegroom speaks agreeing with the Bride as a “Lily.”

6. Chapter 2:3 – The Bride refers to the Bridegroom as “the Apple Tree,” not a flower!

B. Yes, Jesus Christ is my “Rose of Sharon; He is the Lily Of My Valleys; He is My Bright And Morning Star,” but the Church IS HIS “Rose of Sharon” and His “Lily among thorns” in this world!

1. The Church is the object of His love and affection!

2. The Church is the preeminence of His thoughts and desires!

3. The Church is the glory of His future in Heaven!

4. The Church is the beat of His heart in this world!

5. The Church is the Apple of His eye as is Israel!

C. It is also vital that we recognize who and what we are to Christ.

1. We know what we are in reality - In chapter 1:5-6, we find the Bride’s confession before knowing His love. Nothing to be desired by the King! A nobody who is sun darkened by sin in this world. When you think that you are something outside of Christ Jesus, you are deceived!

2. We need to realize what we are when under His precious blood and accepted in the beloved - In chapter 2:1, we find the Bride’s confession after knowing His love! A Rose! A Lily! Among the daughters of this world, Christ’s Bride is a jewel of rare beauty! In the valleys of this world, Christ’s Bride is a gem that shines brilliantly in its darkness!

1. The Bride Is His Personal Possession – “My” It is the Church whom Christ sought! Angels fell and He sought them not but men fell and He sought them! The church is His and His alone.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

2. The Bride Is His Purchased Possession - “My” It is the Church whom Christ purchased –What a price He paid! A man once told me, “If you want a grand price for what you sell, sell it to a collector!” One who is interested in that particular object. Christ gave His all for what he loved.

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

3. The Bride Is His Prized Possession – “love” It is the Church whom Christ prized! As a lily among thorns, so is my love! The Church is His prized possession. So unworthy are we and yet, Christ loves us with a love eternally undiminished! As He loves Israel with an everlasting love, He loves His Bride.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

4. The Bride Is His Peculiar Possession – “as a lily among thorns” It is the Church that stands out in this world! As a lily stands out in the bleakness of the desert, so the Church stands out in this world. I never knew that so many beautiful flowers are found in the desert until I saw them for myself. Our flowers are beautiful here, especially in the spring, but there are so many that we overlook their beauty. In the desert, it is not so. I love to pick Violets. They are so plentiful that we walk over them without notice, but to pick one and look closely, we find that they are a very beautiful flower. So is the Church.

Hebrews 12:22-23 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

5. The Bride Is His Purged Possession – “Rose of Sharon” The sinner, red with sin, becomes the lily, as white as snow. It’s position, in the valleys, speaks of its suffering and testimony. Valleys in the Bible speak of spiritual depressions. It is in the valleys that we grow and it is in the valleys that we are purged.

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

6. The Bride Will Be His Presented Possession – Picked flowers often adorn homes and add so much to the beauty of the house. We have roses in our yard and they are beautiful but, occasionally, I pick some and bring them into the house for my wife to place on the tale. They make a gorgeous centerpiece for our tale. One day, that Rose and that Lily will be plucked up and adorn the House of the Lord in Heaven forever.

Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Conclusion: Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ is truly our “Rose of Sharon” and the “Lily of the Valley” to us! He is the most wonderful of the wonderful and the fairest of ten thousand to our souls but, so are we to Him!