Do not Be Deaf to Me

“Tell me, You whom my soul loves, where do You feed, where do You lie down at noon? For why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of Your companions?” (Song of Solomon 1:7)

Before getting into the study of our Scripture let’s review the book that Solomon wrote. It’s the love story of a bride and her husband which parallels the love Christ has for the church and the love the church has for the Lord.

In this Scripture the bride tells the bridegroom, “You whom my soul loves.” She makes it clear that he is the one she loves as she has stated in several other verses calling him her beloved and the one whom my soul loves. This corresponds to the love the church has for the Lord. Jesus demanded this love. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37) And He asked Peter three times for this love after his betrayal and denial. “He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him a third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep.” (John 21:17) Peter wrote about the love of the church for Jesus. “...Whom having not seen, you love; in Whom not yet seeing, but believing in Him you exult with unspeakable joy, ...” (1Peter 1:8)

The bride seeks the bridegroom, much like the church seeks God’s Presence. The bride would much rather be with her beloved, but in his absence, others are offering her their companionship. Commentators all seem to agree that these are adversaries trying to draw her away much like the world and the flesh offer false comfort when we get away from the Lord. And although she can’t find her beloved, she would much rather be with him, resting in his provision and in green pastures, in his peace besides the still water and being cared for by the one who will give his life for her. Isn’t this a picture of the church? When we get far from the Lord through sin, neglect or slothful Christian practices, we yearn for the nearness of the Lord’s presence. We yearn for His provision, His peace and the comfort of our Beloved Lord.

When the Israelites demanded a king like all the other nations, they rejected God as their king. (1Samuel 12:12) “And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness. Yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.” (1Samuel 12:20) Even though we do things that totally reject the Lord as king over our lives, His mercy is still poured out on us. We suffer the consequences, but as Samuel encouraged the people to continue serving the Lord, we should continue to seek Him and follow Him. Like David we can cry out to the Lord, “...I will cry to You, O Jehovah; my Rock, do not be deaf to me, lest, if You be silent to me, I become like those who go down into the pit.” (Psalm 28:1) Cry out for His Presence. Cry out for His voice and His Word to wash over us and cleanse us. (Ephesians 5:26)

Samuel continued comforting the people after he expounded how they had placed themselves in bondage to an earthly king. “And do not turn aside to go after vanities, which cannot profit nor deliver. For they are vain.” (1Samuel 12:21) Samuel warned them not to go after worthless things and into empty places which bring confusion and are wasteful. These things he is talking about are worldly pleasures and things that tickle the fancy of the flesh. But they are not good for anything. They are useless and cannot deliver us.

Essentially, like the bride, we should seek the one we truly love, Jesus, our bridegroom and our shepherd, especially when the world and the flesh are calling to us.