The Garden, the Spring and the Fountain of the Bride

“A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” (Song of Solomon 4:12)

We review what we know about this book that Solomon wrote. He wrote it about the love between a bride and her bridegroom. But prophetically and metaphorically we see the church and Jesus in its verses. Paul made reference to the church as the bride of Christ when he wrote to the Corinthians that he had espoused them to Christ. “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (2Corinthians 11:2) We see the church at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in the book of Revelation. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8) Another example is found in Matthew’s account of the parable of the ten virgins. They are waiting for the bridegroom, to accompany him to the marriage, but five virgins are not prepared and are shut out. Jesus told this parable to show that we must be found waiting and prepared for the bridegroom, Jesus when He comes for us or miss out. (Matthew 25:1-13)

In this particular verse, the bridegroom is praising the bride for her chastity. Her garden has not been violated and defiled by cruel deceivers who spoil all the beauty of her flowers. She is pure and holy.  The church which truly belongs to Christ and has been espoused to Him is enclosed by Gospel doctrine, the Truth of the Gospel and adherence to Bible teaching that prevent idolatrous and false teachings to enter and spoil the beauty and purity of the Gospel.

The spring waters north of Bethlehem gush only at certain times and fill pools to water Jerusalem. Solomon writes they are shut up, a fountain sealed, to be appropriated at the right time, for the right reasons and for the right place. The springs of the bride are her devotion and love for the bridegroom. Metaphorically, the church’s devotion, service and love of Christ are fountains that are shut to all gods except Jesus, the bridegroom of the church.

Isaiah prophesied about the church which would be guided continually by the Lord which is manifested in the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the church. The world is suffering the drought of being apart from the Lord, wandering, lost and seeking what will quench their thirst. It's a thirst and need for God. But they seek to quench this thirst in many strange places and in many strange practices. But the church is satisfied. The Lord has satisfied the thirst of the church for Him and their hunger for Truth. Like a watered garden full of beauty and fruit, the living water flows through it. “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Isaiah 58:11)

And just as the bride only had love for the bridegroom, the church which loves only the Lord God, allows no other suiter or deceiver to spoil her garden. It is barred to all others except the Lord. And at the reign of our King, like the bridegroom in the parable of the Ten Virgins, He will not allow anything or anyone to enter who will pollute the New Jerusalem.  Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life can enter. “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.” (Revelation 21:27)