The Apple among the Trees of the Wood

“As the apple among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons. I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.” (Song of Solomon 2:3)

This Scripture is from Solomon’s epic poem about the love between a bride and her bridegroom. As pointed out in other lessons, Solomon’s poem has been accepted as canon, meaning that it was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit and so it has been included in the Bible because it figuratively tells the story of the love between the church and Jesus.

The church has been referred to as the bride of Christ. Paul in his advice to married couples admonishes wives to be subject to their husbands and for husbands to love their wives. And although modern times and culture norms are appalled by the idea that the wife be subject to her husband, God’s Word is the ultimate authority on this subject. But this will work beautifully only if the husband loves the wife. Otherwise, there will be conflict. “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So, men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:23-28) This doesn’t mean that the husband is to lord it over the wife. It means that when a husband loves his wife in the way that Christ loved the church, the wife is to subject herself to her husband. It doesn't mean that if her husband doesn't love her, the wife shouldn't submit to her husband. God gave us that command. And when we obey Him, God works His will in our marriages. There is a difference of being subjected and subjecting oneself. What that looks like is seeking his opinion and advice on finances, appearances concerning dress and physical appearance, child rearing, friendships, interests and devotions. And that includes ministry. Remember that ministry in God’s priority is after our devotion to Him, our husband, family and work in that order. I am reminded of a couple whose priorities are not in order. The wife runs the family and him. She wants Botox and convinces him he needs it too. Her vanity convinces him to abdicate his God given wisdom to say that’s an unnecessary cost when finances are tight.

In the book of Revelation, we are given a clear picture that the church is the bride of Christ. “Let us be glad and rejoice and we will give glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8) The bride of Christ is dressed in the righteousness of the saints. A side note here: The righteousness of the church is the righteousness that Jesus has given the saints as verse 8 tells us. “For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Corinthians 5:21)

Of all the gods out there (“As the apple among the trees of the wood...”), the world lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride of life, there are others made of wood, stone and man’s evil imagination that call to men’s hearts. When John the Baptist was asked if he were the One they were waiting for, John says, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Then my joy is fulfilled.” (John 3:29) And Jesus referred to Himself as the bridegroom when questioned why His disciples didn’t fast. “And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.” (Matthew 9:15) And that is Whom the bride desires. The only bridegroom of the church, Jesus. He is the source of life and righteousness for the children of God. He is the Beloved above all the sons of God.

The bride delights under His shadow eating His fruit, just as we, children of God delight being in the shadow of His wings protected and cared for by the Lord. “Surely He will deliver you from the fowler's trap and from the destroying plague. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall trust. His truth shall be your shield, and buckler. You shall not fear the terror by night; nor because of the arrow that flies by day; nor for the plague that walks in darkness, of the destruction laying waste at noonday.” (Psalms 91:3-6) There He feeds us what we need and even more abundantly. “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” (Ephesians 3:20)

Concluding, we see the figurative impression of the church’s relationship to Christ in Solomon’s bride and bridegroom. Jesus is our love Who delights us with sweet fruit when we sit and rest in His Presence, His protection and His provision.