Song of Songs Notes

Here is a compilation of the list of Notes from Mike Bickle Song of Songs:

Song of Songs Notes (I)

Introduction to the Song of Songs

• MIKE BICKLE'S PERSONAL MANDATE AND JOURNEY WITH THE SONG
• THE SONG REVEALS THE PATTERN OF HOLY PASSION
• HOW TO INTERPRET THE SONG OF SOLOMON
• THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION: 3 COMMON APPROACHES
• ALL BELIEVERS ARE INCLUDED IN THE BRIDE 
• THE THREE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE BOOK
• COMPARING ECCLESIASTES AND SONG OF SONGS
• THE CANTICLES OR A SERIES OF SONGS 
• ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION

Song of Song Notes II

Encountering Jesus in the Greatest Song (Song 1:1)

• THE GREATEST SONG
• FOUR DISTINTIVES OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON
• THE 3-FOLD INHERITANCE—PS. 2:11-12
• TURNING THE SONG INTO AN AFFECTIONATE PRAYER DIALOGUE WITH JESUS
• ENCOUNTERING JESUS: PRAY-READING THE SONG OF SOLOMON
• THE NECESSITY OF JOURNALING

Mike Bickle Song of Song Notes - x

This is the notes to Mike Bickle teaching on The Song of Songs at IHOP for previous session notes please see visit this link.

Session 10 Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (Song 1:5-11)
I. THE BRIDE’S JOURNEY BEGINS: THE PARADOX OF GRACE: “DARK, BUT LOVELY”

5
I am dark (in my heart), but lovely (to God), O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like
the curtains of Solomon. Do not look upon me, because I am dark… (Song 1:5-6).
A. The Bride’s spiritual journey begins with a spiritual crisis common to every sincere believer as
seen in her 2-fold confession of faith (Song 1:5). I refer to this as the “paradox of grace” because
as she discovers her sin she also knows that she is lovely to God. The Holy Spirit allows her to
see her sinfulness as well as her loveliness to God. This describes a sincere yet weak believer.
B. We are beautiful to God even in our weakness for four reasons. First, our loveliness comes by
receiving the gift of righteousness (2 Cor. 5:17-21). Second, at the new birth, the Holy Spirit put
a "Yes, in our spirit” to God. Each movement of our heart to God is His work in us called a
willing spirit. (Ps. 51:12 NAS; Mt. 26:41). Third, our beauty is related to God’s emotional make
up. The very affections and passions in God’s heart determine how He feels towards us. Beauty
is in the eyes of the beholder. God views things very differently than man does (1 Sam. 16:7; Isa.
55:7-9). Fourth, God sees us through the lens of our eternal destiny as the Bride of Christ.
C. We must understand the three stages of our victory in Christ. First, our sincere intention to obey
God is where our victory begins. Second, we have a partial breakthrough yet with a continued
struggle. We are victorious on a regular basis yet still war with our flesh in particular areas (Gal.
5:16-17). Third, is a substantial breakthrough with transformed desires (Rom. 6:14-23).
II. HER SPIRITUAL CRISIS: REJECTION AND SHAME

6
Do not look (stare NAS)upon me, because I am dark…My mother's sons were angry with me; they
made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard (heart) I have not kept. 7 Tell me, O You
(Jesus) whom I love, where you feed Your flock, where You make it rest at noon. For why should I be
as one who veils herself by the flocks of Your companions? (Song 1:6-7)
A. She describes 5 different pressures related to her spiritual crisis in Song 1:6-7. She feels ashamed
by those staring at her because of her failure; being rejected by her angry brothers; being
overworked by being made to keep other vineyards; allowing her own vineyard (heart) to not be
kept with fresh love for Jesus; and for serving Jesus at a distance.
B. She describes her brothers as her “mother’s sons”. Throughout the Song (1; 6; 3:4, 11; 8:2, 5) the
mother speaks of the Church since we are born of God through the agency of the Church by the
Spirit. Paul and others wrote of the Church and its leaders and the New Jerusalem as a “mother”
(Gal. 4:19, 26; 1 Thes. 2:6-7). Those who do God's will are His mother and brothers (Mt. 12:46-
50). God is our father and the church is spoken of as our mother. Jesus, the foundation of the
Church was born from the seed of a woman (Gen. 3:15). Redeemed Israel was represented as a
“mother” that gave birth to Jesus the man-child (Rev 12:5).
Studies in the Song of Solomon: Progression of Holy Passion (2007) – MIKE BICKLE
Session 10 Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (Song 1:5-11) PAGE 2
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C. The sons were angry at her youthful zeal. They speak of older spiritually dull leaders who do not
appreciate fervent young believers. Why? First, zealous believers bring conviction to spiritually
dull believers (who often simply dismiss true spiritual zeal as legalism). Second, the untempered
zeal and pride of zealous believers often make spiritually dull leaders angry. Our zeal must be
seasoned with wisdom and humility. It is common for those with new fervency for Jesus to be
self-absorbed and prideful in the way they call others to be wholehearted. Some exalt themselves
and condemn others who do not express devotion to God in the same way they do.
D. She was mistreated by the angry sons who overwork her by taking advantage of her fervency by
giving her many responsibilities in different vineyards (plural). She burns out spiritually. Burn-
out doesn’t come from hard work as much as from a religious yoke, which speaks of working
without connecting with the Holy Spirit in the work. Embracing too many responsibilities out of
the fear of man and the desire to be noticed by others leads to burn out.
E. She kept other vineyards, but did not keep her own vineyard (or heart). Our first responsibility
before God is our own personal walk with Jesus. Originally, what she wanted most were the
kisses of His Word. However, as time goes by her vineyard or the garden of her heart was
choked by the weeds of spiritual coldness, sin, and shame. Taking care of her own vineyard
means nurturing her personal communion with God and doing His will.
6
They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept. (Song 1:6)
F. She feels the pain of serving Jesus at a distance. This happens when we serve without connecting
with the Holy Spirit. She feels like the veiled woman who served the Shepherd at a distance.
7
Tell me, O You (Jesus) whom I love, where you feed Your flock…For why should I be as one
who veils herself by the flocks of Your companions? (Song 1:7)
1. In the ancient world, women veiled themselves when working with strangers who they
were unfamiliar with. Why should I serve down the road and not near to You like I used
to? These two issues speak of living at a distance from the Shepherd that she so loves.
2. She wants to be with Him wherever He is. She lost the sweetness in her communion with
God. She longs for the kisses of His Word and the chamber experiences with the Lord.
III. HER DESPERATE CRY TO HAVE MORE OF JESUS

7
Tell me, O You (Jesus) whom I love, where you feed Your flock, where You make it rest at noon. For
why should I be as one who veils herself by the flocks of Your companions? (Song 1:7)
A. In the midst of this crisis, she cries out with a desperate prayer. She remembers the kisses of His
Word and her chamber experiences. She asks the great Shepherd for counsel, “Tell me, where do
you feed Your flock?” We can only offer this desperate cry if we have confidence that we are
lovely to God even in our weakness.
Studies in the Song of Solomon: Progression of Holy Passion (2007) – MIKE BICKLE
Session 10 Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (Song 1:5-11) PAGE 3
IHOP-KC Mission Base
www.IHOP.org
1. She still loves Him and cries out, “Tell me, O You whom I love”. She knows that she
failed in her weak love. Weak love is not false love. She is still a genuine lover of God.
She is not a hopeless hypocrite as the enemy wants her to believe. She has confidence
that her love is real even in her crisis and spiritual dullness.
2. She did not say, “Tell me, since I am a helpless hypocrite.” She cries out, “I know I am a
lover of God.” This is similar to when Peter cried out, “Lord, You know that I love You
though I have just betrayed You.”
B. She is desperate to encounter Jesus. Ministry activity and even promotion is not enough. She
wants to know where He feeds His flock. This is an expression of her prayer, “Draw me away.”
C. At noon, or in the heat of the day a sheep will lie down if its stomach is full. God wants us to rest
in the midst of the heat of the day or the pressure of this life by connecting with Him, not just
working for Him. Sheep will only lie down at noon when they are full.
2
He makes me to lie down in green pastures... (Ps. 23:2)
D. She offers her prayer in the language of the shepherd. “Where will You satisfy me under the heat
of the pressures of the day?” She longs to be satisfied again with Jesus or to rest at noon. She is
saying: “I have been fed by others, but now I want You to feed me. Where will You satisfy the
cry of my spirit?”
E. Jesus longs that we would pray this prayer. He does not want us to give up and give in to a
spiritually dull life in God. He does not want us to write ourselves off as a hopeless hypocrite. It
pleases Him when we cry out, “Feed my heart like You used to? I am a veiled woman. I am
serving at a distance. My own vineyard has weeds in it. Many things are going wrong. I am
failing and the people are angry. I need to touch You whom I love.” Regardless what it costs her,
she wants the fire of intimacy with God to consume her again. She wants Him to feed her again.
She cries out to recover her “first love”.
IV. JESUS’ GLORIOUS ANSWER: SEVEN ESSENTIAL STATEMENTS

8
If you do not know, O fairest (most beautiful) among women, follow in the footsteps of the flock, and
feed your little goats beside the shepherds' tents. (Song 1:8)
A. Jesus hears her desperate prayer (Song 1:7) and personally answers her (Song 1:8-11). He gives
her seven statements that answer where she can find Him. First, He affirms her as beautiful in
His eyes, then gives a 3-fold answer (1:8b,c,d) and then a 3-fold affirmation (1:9-11). She
responds with great gratitude (Song 1:12). A vital part of the theology of holy passion is found in
Jesus’ answer. This is the first revelation of Jesus to the Bride on her journey. He shows Himself
as the “wonderful counselor” or the Shepherd who gives her practical counsel in how to go
forward in her weakness.
Studies in the Song of Solomon: Progression of Holy Passion (2007) – MIKE BICKLE
Session 10 Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (Song 1:5-11) PAGE 4
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B. He addresses the Bride as, “O fairest of women.” The word “fair” is translated in most other
versions of the bible as “beautiful” (NAS/NIV). Jesus is saying, “O most beautiful of women.”
He is saying, “I know there are weeds in your garden and that you serve Me at a distance, but I
see the cry in your heart to love Me.” He woos her heart with the beauty she possesses in Him.
C. Jesus starts by saying, “If you do not know.” His answer shocks many people. We would expect
a rebuke. He knows our garden isn't being kept and that we serve Him at a distance, however, we
are most beautiful to Him. He calls us beautiful even in the midst of our disorientation and
failure. We might be unlovely to the angry sons but we are most beautiful to Him. We may
despise ourselves but we are most beautiful to Him. He speaks to her shame and rejection.
D. Jesus calls her the most beautiful woman. This in light of the different women of the earth or the
false religions who despise Jesus. He is not comparing her to a mature apostle. He looks at us in
light of the 5-6 billion people on earth who have no interest in Jesus. We care intensely about
Jesus and have the gift of righteousness. This is beautiful in God’s eyes.
E. In Song 1:4e, the Bride taught the virgins, “We will remember His love.” Jesus is causing her to
remember His love in answering her by telling how He views her in her weakness. Jesus first
speaks to our heart in our crisis by calling us, “most beautiful.” Then He gives us instructions.
F. Jesus’ 3-fold answer for where He feeds His flock and establishes us in intimacy with God
emphasizes the importance of Body life. All three answers relate to life in the Body as well as
answering the three most powerful temptations that are common to all.
8
If you do not know, O fairest (most beautiful) among women, follow in the footsteps of the
flock, and feed your little goats beside the shepherds' tents. (Song 1:8)
1. Commitment to Body life (v. 8c): refuse unsanctified isolation
2. Commitment to servant ministry (v. 8d): refuse unsanctified idleness
3. Commitment to spiritual authority (v. 8e): refuse unsanctified independence
G. Drawing is singular because it is intimacy. Running is plural because it is ministry. God does not
want us running in ministry in isolation, idleness or with an independent spirit.
H. First, is commitment to Body life as we refuse unsanctified isolation (Song 1:8c). He tells her to
follow in the footsteps of the flock, or get involved in the fellowship of the Body. The ‘footsteps
of the flock’ is the place where all the sheep walk with God. The Lord says follow in the place
where the Body walks. He is saying, “Get back into fellowship, do not over-react to the angry
brothers who judge and mistreat you.” Much isolation from the Body is not motivated by a desire
to seek God but by rejection, bitterness and shame. The devil wants us in isolation to destroy us.
25
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some… (Heb. 10:25)
Studies in the Song of Solomon: Progression of Holy Passion (2007) – MIKE BICKLE
Session 10 Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (Song 1:5-11) PAGE 5
IHOP-KC Mission Base
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I. Second, take care of your God given responsibilities as we refuse unsanctified idleness (Song
1:8d). We are to feed the little flock that God sets before us. Jesus will give us more of Himself
as we take on the responsibility to feed the young ones or the little flock that God sends to us.
J. Third, submit to spiritual authority by refusing unsanctified independence (Song 1:8e). She
serves the Body beside the tents of the true shepherds. Jesus wants us to have an open spirit to
the shepherds (leaders) that He places us under. The spirit of lawlessness is abounding (Mt.
24:12). God knows that every leader that He has ever placed over you or ever will is an
imperfect leader. We find Jesus in deep ways as we relate to imperfect leaders. God uses
imperfect shepherds to temper us and to reveal the unsettled things in our heart. When we see the
faults of the imperfect leaders that God has put over us we are tempted to resist dwelling by their
tents with a teachable spirit. Submission is about humility and having an open spirit to authority.
K. Summary: Jesus’ 3-fold answer touches 3 main temptations in the Body. First, is the temptation
to isolation and bitterness when we feel rejected or mistreated by the angry sons and when we
feel shame related to our sin. We are to stay in fellowship as God’s way to heal us. Second, is the
temptation to selfishness and fear. Jesus wants us to take care of the little ones. We find Jesus
best in the context of serving others. Third, is the temptation to resist spiritual authority.
V. HER SINCERITY IS RE-AFFIRMED BY THE LORD

9
I have compared you, My love, to My filly among Pharaoh's chariots. 10 Your cheeks are lovely with
ornaments, your neck with chains of gold. 11 We will make you ornaments of gold with studs of
silver. (Song 1:9-11)
A. In Song 1:9-10, He compares her to 3 things that reaffirm the loveliness of her sincerity and
willing spirit before God. Then He gives her a promise in Song 1:11. The first thing He does is to
speak to her heart to affirm her by calling her “ My love.” He speaks with love to her heart again.
B. God sees her sincere and strong desire to follow Jesus in righteousness. She is as a filly among
Pharaoh’s chariots.
9
I have compared you, My love, to My filly among Pharaoh's chariots.(Song 1:9)
1. A filly is a horse. The horse is a symbol of strength and power. The context speaks of her
strength in righteousness. Pharaoh’s chariots had the greatest and most trained, skilled
horses in the earth. He likens her strength to them.
2. “Among Pharaoh’s chariots” speaks of the finest and strongest war horses in the world.
The horses of Egypt were well known throughout the world in those days. Pharaoh had
the most highly skilled and trained horses in the earth. Pharaoh chose the very best horses
of all the horses of Egypt to pull his own chariot. Pharaoh’s own chariot had the best of
the best horses. Pharaoh had thousands of horses in his great stables and the one that pulls
his personal chariot is the best one. Solomon as the wealthiest man in the world bought
many of Pharaoh’s horses. He was one of the few that could afford them.
Studies in the Song of Solomon: Progression of Holy Passion (2007) – MIKE BICKLE
Session 10 Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (Song 1:5-11) PAGE 6
IHOP-KC Mission Base
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C. Our emotions are attractive to Him. He has touched our emotions with His Spirit. The emotional
dimension of her life has been touched by God with her sincere devotion for Jesus.
10
Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with chains of gold. 11 We will make you
ornaments of gold with studs of silver. (Song 1:10
1. The cheeks speak of emotion throughout the Song. They reveal anger and joy, etc. When
we look at somebody’s cheeks, we can tell if there is joy in their heart or if there is anger
or sadness. The emotions of a person are expressed through the cheeks.
2. The ornaments are created by the skillful work of an artist to beautify its object. Jesus is
the artist that has worked to beautify us (Isa.61:3). Though God sees lust and anger in us,
He also sees passion growing in us for Him. God is saying, “Your emotions are lovely, I
have skillfully worked in you a "Yes!" for My Son. That moves the very heart of God.
D. God sees her submission to divine authority and her resolute will to obey Jesus.
10
Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with chains of gold. We will make you
ornaments of gold with studs of silver. (Song 1:10-11)
1. The neck speaks symbolically of the will. The Bible speaks of people that are stiff-
necked, which means a stubborn or rebellious person. The neck also speaks of godly
submission. The neck is what turns the head as it chooses which way to go, right or left.
When a King triumphed over another nation, the conquering general put his foot over that
defeated king’s neck which spoke of submission.
2. The chains of gold speak of royal authority. Only a king had chains of gold. In those
days, few people could afford a chain of gold besides a King. A chain of gold was rare
and expensive because it was only worn by royalty. A chain of gold with the king’s
emblem on it was worn by the prince as he walked through the town.
VI. THE LORD’S PROMISE TO FINISH THAT WHICH HE BEGAN IN US

11
We will make you ornaments of gold with studs of silver. (Song 1:11)
A. Ornaments of gold speak of divine character. She will be Christ-like in her golden character.
This speaks of believers purified with fire (Mal. 3:1-4). Studs of silver speak of redemption. She
will be used to bring redemption to other people. She will be equipped to deliver others.
B. “We will make you” is a Divine promise to complete His work in her. He is still answering her
question from v.7, “Where will You feed me?” God promises to work something special in her.
He will make us into a person who fully chooses divine character (gold) and is equipped with
silver to deliver others (silver). He promises us victory in the areas we have stumbled and we
will be an agent of redemption to others.


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Mike Bickle Song of Song Notes - xi

Mike Bickle Song of Songs Notes - ix

This is the notes to Mike Bickle teaching on The Song of Songs at IHOP see links below to other previous session notes.

Session 9 Dark in Heart but Lovely to God (Song 1:5)
I. OUR JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE PARADOX OF GRACE: DARK BUT LOVELY

5
I am dark (in my heart), but lovely (to God), O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like
the curtains of Solomon. Do not look upon me, because I am dark… (Song 1:5-6).
A. The Bride’s spiritual journey begins with a spiritual crisis common to every sincere believer as
seen in her 2-fold confession of faith (Song 1:5). I refer to this as the “paradox of grace” because
as she discovers her sin she also knows that she is lovely to God. The Holy Spirit allows her to
see her sinfulness as well as her loveliness to God. This describes a sincere yet weak believer.
B. It is essential for our spiritual growth to see that we are lovely as we see more of our sinfulness.
The combination of these two truths causes us to grow in confidence and gratitude in our
relationship with Jesus.
1. Some streams in the body of Christ focus on the darkness of our heart or on how sinful
we are. To emphasize this without emphasizing how lovely we are to God destroys our
confidence before the Lord and produces shame driven believers. They are sincere in
their repentance but are emotionally paralyzed in their relationship with Jesus by shame.
2. We walk in the light in different measures. We are to walk in the fullness of the light that
we have as God dwells in the fullness of the light that He has. As we walk in the light,
God increases it so that we see more of the darkness that is in our heart. Our most sincere
efforts to love God are flawed and fragile. Those who sincerely seek to obey Jesus need
not fear that they will be disqualified from their calling because of weakness. We are
lovely to God even in our weakness. He is tender towards us in our spiritual immaturity.
C. Jeremiah had revelation of the depth and deceitfulness of sin in the human heart. We have a
greater capacity for sin than we comprehend. No one fully grasps the depth of our unperceived
areas of sin. They are below the surface like hidden fault lines before an earthquake.
9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jer. 17:9)

22
Put off…the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. (Eph. 4:22)
D. Paul, as a mature apostle described himself as chief among sinners. This was not an exaggerated
statement with false humility. The more light we have, the more we see the darkness in our heart.
15
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Tim. 1:15)
E. Knowledge of our weak flesh is an important aspect of the truth about who we are, although it is
not the whole truth of who we are. God knows about the depth of our sin before we are saved. He
does not discover our sin because we do. He is aware of it when He declares His love for us. God
did not over commit Himself to love us without first understanding the gravity of our sin.

F. We are sometimes surprised when we sin. At such times, we can be overwhelmed with grief. We
think that because we are surprised by our sin then surely God must also be surprised. If He is
surprised with the new information about us then we fear that He may want to renegotiate our
relationship with Him or that He is reconsidering His love for us.
G. To consistently grow spiritually requires that we know that we are lovely to God while we are in
the process of discovering the darkness of our heart. God’s motivation to love us comes from
within His heart not from our promises to never fail in a given area. He does not want us relating
to Him on the presupposition that we motivate Him to take an interest in us. I have seen people
who for many years emphasize only the darkness of their heart. They are extremely sincere in
their repentance. They do not enter into the enjoyment or delight that God feels for them.
H. They do not experience “the love that is better than wine.” They have a sincere heart but a closed
spirit before God. A closed spirit says, “Jesus, I love You but please forgive me and do not reject
me. I swear I will never do this sin again.” In other words, they continually negotiate their
relationship with God while they worship Him. The issue is one of understanding God’s
affections and in what way He imparts beauty to us in the grace of God so that we can say, “I am
dark, but lovely. I know I sin but You are ravished over me.” This is a powerful place of
confidence. It empowers us to run to God instead of from Him when we stumble.
II. WHY WE ARE BEAUTIFUL TO GOD EVEN IN OUR WEAKNESS: FOUR REASONS
A. We received the gift of righteousness: Our loveliness comes by receiving the gift of
righteousness or the same beautiful righteous garments that Jesus possesses. Sinful people are
made lovely in God’s sight because of what Jesus did not because of what we do.
17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold,
all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself
through Jesus…19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing
(counting) their trespasses to them…21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:17-21)
B. We have a willing spirit: At the new birth, the Holy Spirit put a "Yes, in our spirit” to God. We
agree to change our behavior before the change actually occurs. The “yes” in our spirit to God is
beautiful to Him. Each movement of our heart to God is the work of the Spirit in us called a
willing spirit. David prayed to be sustained by a willing spirit.
12
Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. (Ps. 51:12, NAS)

41
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mt. 26:41)

C. The nature of God’s personality: Our beauty is related to God’s emotional make up. The very
affections and passions in God’s heart determine how He feels towards us. Beauty is in the eyes
of the beholder. It is because of the heart of the Beholder, that we are beautiful to God. If God
was mostly angry, we would not be beautiful in His sight by virtue of having a willing spirit. The
way He views people flows out of what is in His heart. His point of view is what determines who
and what is beautiful. If someone else were looking at the exact same information about us, they
would not call us beautiful. God views things very differently than man does.
7
Do not look at his appearance…for the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the
outward appearance (performance), but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)

7
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the
LORD, and He will have mercy on him…for He will abundantly pardon. 8 For My thoughts
are not your thoughts…," says the LORD. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:7-9)
D. Our eternal destiny as Jesus’ bride: God sees us through the lens of who we are and how we will
live for billions of years in the grace of God as the enthroned Bride with Jesus. This is a
significant part of who we are in God’s sight.
III. PETER EARLY STRUGGLES: DARK BUT LOVELY OR WEAK BUT WILLING (MT. 26:41)
A. Jesus warned Peter that he would deny Him (Lk. 22:31-34). Later that evening in the garden of
Gethsemane, Jesus gave Peter a significant 2-fold description of how the heart of the redeemed
operates in God’s grace. Jesus told Peter that his spirit was willing but his flesh was weak.
41
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mt. 26:41)
B. Peter stumbled because of his “weak flesh” yet he longed to obey God with a “willing spirit.”
Most Bible translations use the phrase “the flesh is weak.” However, the NIV translated the
phrase “the flesh is weak” as “the body is weak.” Jesus was referring to the principle of sin
operating in Peter’s heart, not his fatigue because it was late at night.
C. What is God thinking and feeling about us when we discover the weakness of our own flesh?
This is essential in understanding the grace of God. This is where the crisis of our faith begins.
IV. PETER’S DESPAIR BECAUSE OF HIS FAILURE WHEN HE DENIED THE LORD
A. Why did Peter go fishing? He was not fishing because the apostolic team ran out of money so
soon after Jesus’ death (this is only 8 days after the crucifixion). They had enough money that
Judas stole from the fund without being caught. They fished all night, thus we know Peter was
not fishing for recreation.
3
Peter said, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went
out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. (Jn. 21:3)

B. Peter was resigning from his God given leadership role as an apostle to return to the family
fishing business. He was changing back to his former occupation. An occupation that he had
been successful at before Jesus called him to apostolic leadership. Why? If he could not stay
faithful to Jesus before the pressure of a young servant girl, then how would he stay faithful for a
lifetime? He was saying, “I can be faithful to God as a fisherman without the added pressures of
being faithful as an apostle.”
C. He didn’t feel qualified to be an apostle. His heart was wounded by his failure in denying Jesus
three times. Peter felt that he disappointed Jesus. He could not face the Lord because of this.
When we feel this way, we run from God instead of to Him.
D. In the crisis of discovering our sinful flesh, some determine that it is too painful to reach for the
highest things in God if they believe they will constantly fail. As those who have a high vision to
love God with all our heart, we face coming short many times. Some would rather resign once
than face failing over and over. In other words, they lower their vision so they do not feel the
pain of failing. It is easier to settle for living with a “second class relationship” with God rather
than face the pain of failure that goes with having a high vision of loving God with all our heart.
E. Such people become accustomed to a second rate relationship with the Lord. It is not because
they do not love Him any longer. It is because they cannot face relating to God with so much
shame. The truth is that we do not have to live with this shame in the grace of God.
F. They imagine that God is angry, disappointed, grieved and even exasperated with them. They
give up on walking in wholehearted obedience and devotion to Jesus and live in condemnation.
G. Jesus asked Peter the same question, three times. He said, “Do you love Me?”
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Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon…do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him,
"Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." 16 He said to him
again a second time, "Simon…do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I
love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon…do
you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?"
And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." (Jn. 21:15-17)
H. When God asks us a question, it is not because God needs information. Why was God asking
Peter this question? He wanted Peter to discover information about himself. The Lord already
knows that Peter loves Him. But He wants Peter to have confidence in his sincere love for Jesus.
Jesus was calling Peter back into the same quality of relationship with Him that Peter had before
he denied Jesus. The Lord was revealing to Peter how much Peter loved Jesus.

I. The Lord was in essence saying, “Peter, You DO love Me. In the garden 8 days ago. I told you
that you had weak flesh and a willing spirit. You didn’t believe your flesh was weak. You need
to understand that you DO have a willing spirit. You DO have a ‘yes in your spirit’ to Me. I saw
it in you before you stumbled. When I see you, I don’t only see your weak flesh, I also see your
sincere love for Me. I saw your willing spirit when I first called you and I still see it in you.”
J. Jesus sees our willing spirit more than we do. The Lord was breaking shame from Peter s’ heart
for three denials of his faith. Jesus washed his spirit with these three questions. Jesus wanted
Peter to say, “I love God.” Shame is broken off of Peter as he is restored to confidence in God.
V. THREE STAGES OF VICTORY
A. First, our sincere intention to obey God: The first step to spiritual victory is our sincere desire to
obey God. Our sincere intentions must be distinguished from mature attainment of obedience.
Our intentions are where our victory begins. The Spirit is the author of such sincere desires (not
the devil, nor our flesh). Part of how God measures and defines our life is by these intentions. He
rejoices in them. Some measure their life only by their attainments, resulting in condemnation.
B. Second, partial breakthrough yet with a continued struggle: We are victorious on a regular basis
yet still war with our flesh in a particular area of our life (Rom. 8:2-13; Gal. 5:16-17).
C. Third, substantial breakthrough with transformed desires: Our desires are dramatically changed
so that we rarely even struggle in a previous area of sin (Rom. 6:14-23).
VI. THE JOURNEY TO HOLY PASSION STARTS WITH THIS 2-FOLD REVELATION.

5
I am dark (in my heart), but lovely (to God), O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like
the curtains of Solomon. Do not look (stare, NAS) upon me, because I am dark… (Song 1:5-6).
A. The crisis the young bride is facing in Song 1:5 is the same crisis that Peter walked through.
1. Dark of heart (sinful desires): Our weak flesh is dark to God.
2. Lovely to God (sincere intentions to obey Jesus): Our willing spirit is lovely to God.
B. Throughout the Song, the Bride teaches the daughters of Jerusalem the spiritual principles of
growing in passion for God. The daughters refer to those who are spiritually immature.
C. The dark tents of Kedar speak of the darkness of the flesh. They were blackened tents that were
made out of the dark skins of wild goats. This analogy was easily understood in that day.
Studies in the Song of Solomon: Progression of Holy Passion (2007) – MIKE BICKLE
Session 9 Dark in Heart but Lovely to God (Song 1:5) PAGE 6

D. The curtains of Solomon were the white curtains in the holy place in the Temple. They speak of
the inward work of grace in her life. The beauty of these curtains was not seen by all in the outer
court but only by the priests who could go into the holy place.
E. She is saying, “I am like dark tents on the outside, but inside I am beautiful like the curtains of
Solomon in the holy place.” Outwardly, people see her as the dark tents of Kedar. Inwardly, God
sees that she is lovely like the white curtains of Solomon.
F. She cries that “the sun has tanned me”. In Solomon’s book, Ecclesiastes, he often wrote of
“living life under the sun.” It means living life in the natural realm. She is speaking of the impact
of being born under the sun or born in the natural weakness of sin. Natural life has impacted her
and darkened her, as it has every other person born in Adam.
G. She asks the people not to look at her and wag their head to shame her saying, “You are dark of
heart.” She says, “Yes, I am human and I have sinned greatly in my life this fallen world.”
H. She asks them to not stare at her (v. 6). She was overwhelmed with the darkness of her heart.
VII. HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?
A. Many have sincerely repented yet lack confidence that they are beautiful to God because of what
Jesus did for them and what the Holy Spirit has done in them by imparting a willing spirit.
B. Others have seen the truth of our loveliness to God and sometimes live presumptuously by
claiming God’s beauty without seeking to live in sincere repentance and wholeheartedness.
C. The issue is how is she going to relate to God when she discovers her own sinfulness? How are
you going to relate to God when you discover you have weak flesh, a dark heart? What we do in
this crisis is a very important part of our spiritual life.
D. Many run from God instead of to Him in this spiritual crisis because they misunderstand how
they look to God. They make the same mistake that Peter initially made. They resign, they give
up and they get entrenched into a mindset of shame (stronghold of shame).
E. A life of shame leads to a life of sin. If you feel dirty before God then you will live dirty. The
Lord does not want us to resign ourselves to a second class status. There is nothing more
powerful in the earth than a woman who feels loved along with feeling clean and full of dignity.
Such a woman is tenacious in love. She is powerful. God is raising up a corporate Bride that will
feel clean, desired, dignified, pursued and delighted in.


Listen to mp3
Mike Bickle Song of Song Notes - x

Song of Songs Notes - viii

This is the notes to Mike Bickle teaching on The Song of Songs at IHOP dated 23rd March, 2007.

Session 8 The Bride’s Life Vision (Song 1:4)
I. INTRODUCTION
A. In this session, we will look at Song 1:4, as the Bride describes her spiritual goals and life vision.
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Draw me away! We will run after You. The King has brought me into His chambers. We will
be glad and rejoice in You. We will remember Your love more than wine. (Song 1:4)
B. Review: Song 1:2-4 sums up the main themes and theology for the Song as the progression of
holy passion. She cries for the kisses of God’s Word knowing that Jesus’ affection is better than
anything this world has to offer. She declares the reality and effectiveness of the good perfumes
of Jesus and then declares her life vision as one who wants to be drawn near to Jesus in intimacy
and to receive grace to run with Him and the Body of Christ in ministry.
C. In Song 1:2-4, the Bride speaks in three different ways
1. In Song 1:2a, she speaks to the Father, “Let Your Son kiss me with His Word.”
2. In Song 1:2b-4, she speaks to Jesus saying, “Your love is better than wine. Because of
Your perfume, Your name will be poured forth and the virgins will love You.” She asks
Jesus to draw her to Himself in intimacy and to receive grace to run with Him in ministry.
3. In Song 1:4c, she speaks to Jesus with others who are diligently running with her.
II. THE EXPRESSION OF HER FERVENCY: 2-FOLD LIFE VISION
A. Her 2-fold life vision expresses her goals in the form of a prayer to God. A life vision is one that
our short and long term goals for our family, vocation and ministry fit into. The NAS translates
this as “draw me after You.” The words “after You” modifies “draw me” in many Bible
translations. In the NKJ the “after You” modifies the verb “running.”
4
Draw me away! We will run after You. (Song 1:4)
B. She prays, “Jesus, draw me away.” She longs to be drawn close to God’s heart in deep intimacy
as an extravagant worshipper who loves God with all her heart.
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You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul… (Mt. 22:37)
C. She prays, “We will run after You.” The ‘we’ refers to running with Jesus and His people. Being
drawn to God is singular but running with Him is plural. She longs to serve people in ministry
partnership with Jesus and those who love Him. Running represents a life of service motivated
by compassion for people. It involves obedience in action, reaching out to others, and stepping
out in faith. We run behind Jesus who sets the pace and in relationship with other people.
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The second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' (Mt. 22:39)

D. The balance is to have passion for Jesus and compassion for people. There is a constant tension
throughout our entire spiritual journey between “drawing” and “running.” At the beginning, most
are focused on running in ministry without being drawn in intimacy.
1. Because running brings conflict, rejection, and persecution, many soon burn out even as
the maiden did in Song 1:5-7. Some overreact, determining to focus only on being drawn
without any vision to run in ministry.
2. As Jesus answered her prayer to “be drawn to Him” in intimacy, she temporarily refused
to “run in ministry” (Song 2:8-13). She lost the balance of these 2 tensions. Jesus answers
both parts of her prayer related to her life vision throughout the 8 chapter love Song.
E. We are to both be drawn and run in each season. It is not enough to be only drawn near to God’s
heart in intimacy. Nor is it enough to only run in ministry. The Lord often emphasizes one over
the different spiritual seasons in our lives. We are not to totally neglect either in any session. Do
not be afraid of what others say when the Lord emphasizes one in a specific season in God.
F. The general order of the Kingdom is to first be drawn in intimacy and then to run in ministry in
the overflow of our close relationship with Jesus. The First Commandment focus to love God
with all our heart empowers us to much more effectively walk out the Second Commandment
focus to relate to and serve others. The 2-fold life vision of the Bride speaks of the two Great
commandments (Mt. 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20). Our life vision should
always contain both aspects of “drawing and running”.
G. I was taught to write out my life vision at about age 18. A life vision is established regardless of
our occupation, family status, economic status, etc. I determined to be an extravagant
worshipper of God and an anointed deliverer of people so as to fulfill the two Great
Commandments in loving God and people (Mt. 22:37-39). I wanted to learn the Scripture and
learn to live in the Spirit as an extravagant worshipper of God and an anointed deliver of people.
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Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint… (Pro. 29:18)

18
Where there is no vision, the people perish. (Pro. 29:18, KJV)
H. The components of a focused life include having an overall life vision with life goals in each of
the main areas of our life such as our spiritual life (prayer time, fasting days, Bible study, etc.);
relationships (family, friends, etc.); vocation (marketplace calling); ministry (in the church,
outside the church); economic (earning, spending, giving, saving, investing); physical (exercise,
health, diet, etc.); and rest (recreation, vacation, play, entertainment, sports, etc.).
I. We must have an action plan for each long and short-term goal in every area of our life (long-
term goals are over 10 years and short-term goals are from 3 months to 3 years). We must have a
schedule for each action plan to help us focus or prioritize our time.

III. THE GROWTH OF FERVENCY: THE CHAMBER EXPERIENCES

4 Draw me away! We will run after You. The King has brought me into His chambers… (Song 1:4)
A. The King’s chamber is a bridal chamber. It refers to the times that she develops her secret life in
God. We all have a secret history in God where Jesus draws us to Himself especially in His
Word. The times in the chamber form and fashion our inner man. It is the times that the Lord
woos and warns us and promises and confronts us so that we grow in the Spirit. The King’s
chamber is a time of preparation that we might love and obey Jesus with all our heart as He
fashions us for future tasks to run with Him in active service.
B. The young Bride asked the Lord to draw her (take the initiative to help her) and Jesus answered
by carrying her into His chambers. He responds by carrying or bringing her into His chambers.
4
He brought me to the banqueting house…. (Song 2:4)
C. Jesus described the good shepherd as carrying the lost sheep on His shoulders of grace.
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And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (Luke 15:5)
D. The chamber experiences refer to the times that God carries us to Himself by granting us unusual
experiences in the Spirit (revelations, encounters and impartations). Two examples of my
personal “chamber experiences” surprised me as a new believer. I was filled with the Holy Spirit
in Feb. 1972 without any prior understanding of it and without seeking it. I also experienced a
vision of the Judgment seat of Christ in Oct. 1978 that I did not seek.
IV. THE CERTAINTY OF FERVENCY: THE PROPHETIC ASSURANCE
A. The Bride declares to the daughters of Jerusalem with the bold resolution and the certainty of
faith that together they would, “Be glad and rejoice in God and remember His love through all
the seasons of life.” This was her resolute confession of faith through each season in life.
4
The King has brought me into His chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in You. We will
remember Your love (affection) more than wine. (Song 1:4)
B. We will be glad and rejoice in Jesus and remember His love in three ways. First, we rejoice in
and remember His tender mercy in our weakness as we refuse condemnation. Second, we rejoice
in and remember His excellencies and exhilarating affections that are superior to the wine of sin.
Third, we rejoice in and remember His leadership over our lives in times of difficulty and testing.
11
We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ… (Rom. 5:11)
C. This faith confession in times of despair and testing is an expression of spiritual warfare as we
declare that God is good and the devil is a liar. This confession of faith foreshadows the
Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We will use these very words on the great Wedding Day.
7
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and
His wife has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:7)

V. REMEMBERING CAUSES US TO LOVE GOD
A. The goodness of Jesus’ love powerfully causes us to love Him. When the Church remembers
Jesus’ love and goodness it awakens our heart in the 3-fold love of God (love from God, then for
God which overflows to others). The Bride understands how God changes the human heart.
4
We will remember Your love more than wine. Rightly do they love You. (Song 1:4)
B. The Bride is showing the way to maintain the fervency she received in the chamber experiences.
In the chamber experiences we receive personal encouragement and assurances in God. It is not
enough to have these experiences. God holds us accountable to remember them and to act on
them by setting our soul to agree with what God spoke to us in these times.
C. We engage in spiritual warfare by proclaiming God’s Word as darkness assaults our heart. We
must renew our mind as we refuse to lose anything that God gave us in the chamber experiences.
D. There are two dimensions of gladness. First, the gladness that is by faith that requires the setting
of the heart to remain in agreement with the confession of our faith in difficulty. Second, is the
gladness by overflow that automatically rises up in our heart. She refers to both dimensions here.
E. The gladness that is by faith remembers Jesus’ love and refuses to draw back. We must regularly
re-align our soul to God’s Word. There is a place to set our soul to be glad by faith.
1. In difficult circumstances, we actively rejoice in God and confess His loving leadership
instead sinking in anxiety. We declare that we glad in His good leadership. In the
darkness of the midnight hour, we remember the revelation He gave us in His chambers.
4
His banner (leadership) over me was love. (Song 2:4)

28
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God… (Rom. 8:28)
2. In temptation, actively rejoice in God and confess that His affections and promises are
better than the wine of this fallen world.
24
By faith Moses…25 choosing rather to suffer affliction…than to enjoy the passing
pleasures of sin 26…for he looked to the reward. (Heb. 11:20-30)
3. In failure, we confess His love as we believe in His tender mercy instead of wallowing in
condemnation. We will not accept the accusations of the enemy. Satan tells many they
are rejected by God so they run from God instead of to Him in weakness.
F. In difficult circumstances, temptation and failure, we declare that the Lord is good and His
mercy endures forever (1 Chr. 16:34, 41; 2 Chr. 5:13; 7:3, 6; 20:21; Ezra 3:11; Jer. 33:11; Ps.
52:1; 100:5; 106:1; 107:1; 117:2; 118:1-4, 29; 138).
11
They sang responsively…giving thanks to the LORD: "For He is good, for His mercy
endures forever toward Israel." (Ezra 3:11)

Mike Bickle Song of Songs Notes - VI

Session 6 God’s Superior Love: How God Feels about Us (Song 1:2)
I. REVIEW: THE SUPERIOR PLEASURES IN THE GRACE OF GOD
A. The Bride referred to the “superior pleasures” of the Word. This reveals her theology related to
holiness. She points to the superior pleasures that come from growing in revelation of God’s
heart (affection). God created us with 7 longings that draw us to Him and reflect His glory in us.
2
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth-- for Your love is better than wine (Song 1:2).
B. In this session, we will look at seven principles of “Jesus’ love that is better than the wine.”
These are foundational principles that are essential in helping us understand God’s affection for
us in our weakness (this 8 chapter love Song develops these principles in the Bride’s journey). It
is not difficult to imagine God loving perfected believers in heaven. The difficulty comes with
believing that He has affection for weak and broken people in this age.
1
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us… (1 Jn. 3:1)
C. God loves us in the same way that God loves God. The Father’s love (affection) for Jesus is the
same measure of His love for His people.
9
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide (live) in My love. (Jn. 15:9)

23
That the world may know that You…have loved them as You have loved Me. (Jn 17:23)
D. We love God because we understand that God first loved us.
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We love Him because (we understand that) He first loved us. (1 Jn. 4:19)
II. FOUNDATIONAL PREMISE: SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY IS NOT REBELLION
A. God feels different emotions related to how people respond to Him. Some live confused without
knowing whether God is mad, sad or glad when relating to them. We do not want to think God is
mad when He is delighting over us, thus living in condemnation. Nor do we want to think He
delights in us if He is grieved because of our compromise, thus living in presumption.
B. We receive God’s righteousness and favor because of what Jesus did on the cross not because of
what we do (Rom. 3:21-31). It is necessary to sincerely repent to receive God’s saving grace.
C. Repentance is a change of the attitude of the heart that turns from sin and to God according to
the “light of understanding” that we have at each season of our spiritual journey. Repentance is
breaking our agreement with darkness and agreeing with God in our thoughts, words and deeds.
D. Spiritual immaturity is not the same as rebellion. Many are confused about this. At times they
look the same outwardly yet inwardly they arise from very different heart responses. Our actions
do matter to God, however, God looks at our heart more than our actions.

E. A genuine lover of Jesus sincerely pursues to obey Him with a willing spirit. A sincere yet still
immature believer repents in each area of failure that they receive light on. The rebellious says
“No” to God without immediate plans to obey. Pre-meditated sin is sin that is planned
beforehand. This is much more serious to God than sinning in our spiritual immaturity.
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The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mt. 26:41)
F. Our repentance, obedience and love for God are sincere even while they are weak and flawed.
Weak love is not false love, therefore, Jesus values our love for Him even when it is weak.
G. The sincere intention to obey God is distinct from the attainment of mature obedience. The
pursuit of full obedience is different than attaining it. The Lord is pleased with us from the time
we repent (by setting our heart to obey Him) which is long before our obedience matures. As
genuine lovers of God we do not immediately attain to all that we seek to walk in.
H. The believer who sins, shows their sincerity by quickly repenting and renewing their war against
that sin. Sincere repentance is not the same as attaining “sinless perfection” in this life. Do not
write yourself off as rebellious if in fact you are spiritually immature.
I. A hypocrite is somebody who says one thing but does not pursue or seek to obey it. Struggling in
weakness (immaturity) is not the same thing as being a hopeless hypocrite (rebellious).
J. God delights in the sincere desire or cry in our spirit to obey Him. Our sincere desire to obey
God is a substantial beginning of our victory over sin. It is part of God’s work in you.
K. God does not confuse spiritual immaturity with rebellion (the OT law spoke of clean and unclean
animals: sheep and swine which both become stuck in the mud). The illustration of clean and
unclean animals helps us understand this because both sheep and swine become stuck in mud.
L. If we confuse this, we will bring others under condemnation. This can injure their faith. This is
the opposite of the conviction of the Spirit, which gives us confidence to go deep in God.
M. God viewed the spiritual immaturity of the apostles very differently than the rebellion of the
Pharisees. David seemed to commit more serious sins than Saul, but God’s favor continued with
David. Why? When David sinned his heart was wounded because he grieved God’s heart. He
cared more about his relationship with God than the consequences of getting caught. When Saul
sinned he planned to continue in it until caught and confronted. He only gave an outward show
of repentance as he continued in rebellion (1 Sam. 15:22-23).
6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life? (Ps. 23:6)
N. God’s mercy gives us confidence that we can have a new beginning with God as a first class
citizen after we repent. We are defined by God’s passion for us, receiving the gift of
righteousness, and by our sincere heart cry to be a wholehearted lover of God.

O. We “push delete” after we have sincerely repented. Jesus paid the price that we might stand
before God with confidence of having His favor. This is very different from “pushing delete” on
our need to understand the process and mindset that contributed to a stronghold of sin in our life.
P. Our identity is as a genuine lover of God. Guilt says that our actions are wrong. Shame says we
(our whole personhood) are wrong. Question: are you a slave of sin who struggles to love God or
a lover of God who still struggles with sin? Many define themselves by their failure. Because of
Jesus, we are much better in God’s sight than the worst thing we have done.
III. PRINCIPLE #1: GOD LOVES AND BLESSES UNBELIEVERS
A. God loves unbelievers even when they rebel against Him and have no regard for Him (Mt. 5:45).
16
God so loved the world that He gave His only…Son that whoever believes… (Jn. 3:16)

8
God demonstrates His love…in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8)
B. God blesses evil people. We are not to mistake His blessings on them as His approval of them.
45
Makes His sun rise on the evil and the good…sends rain on the just and unjust. (Mt. 5:45)
C. God is angry at their rebellion and refuses to forgive those who will not repent (Esau, Saul, etc.).
22
Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name…?' 23
"I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me!” (Mt. 7:22-23)
IV. PRINCIPLE #2: GOD ENJOYS AND DELIGHTS IN IMMATURE BELIEVERS
A. God loves unbelievers, yet He only enjoys believers. Jesus immediately rejoices over us at the
time of our repentance. He smiles over us when we begin the growth process with sincere
repentance, long before we attain spiritual maturity.
4
What man…having a hundred sheep…does not leave the ninety-nine…and go after the
one…? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing…6 he calls together his
friends…saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 There
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents... (Lk. 15:4-7)
B. Jesus feels compassion over the prodigals on the day they repent. God revealed His enjoyment of
the prodigal son by the father giving him the best robes (Lk. 15:22). This newly repentant yet
immature prodigal son had many areas of his life that still needed transformation.
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I will…say to him, “Father, I have sinned…” 20 He arose and came to his father. When he
was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck
and kissed him. 22 The father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him,
and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet...” (Lk. 15:18-22)
C. God enjoys us even in our immaturity. He delighted in David on the day of his repentance.
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He delivered me (David) because He delighted in me… (Ps. 18:19)

D. Our most sincere efforts to love God are flawed. We are lovely to God even in our weakness.
5
I am dark (in my heart), but lovely (to God because of Jesus)… (Song 1:5)
E. Jesus walked in the anointing of gladness more than any man in history. Gladness is at the center
of His personality. Many think of God as being mostly mad or sad when they relate to Him.
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Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions. (Heb. 1:9)
F. God delights in showing us mercy. He wants us confident that He enjoys us (even in our
weakness) as we walk in sincere repentance. Then we run to Him instead of from Him.
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He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. (Mic. 7:18)

24
I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment…for in these I delight. (Jer. 9:24)
G. God gives a repentant believer a new beginning as a “first class citizen” each time they repent.
22
Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. (Lam. 3:22-23)
H. God remembers and understands our weaknesses far more than we do. He does not discipline us
to the degree that we deserve nor does He change the way He feels about us in our weaknesses.
10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear
Him…14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (Ps. 103:10-14)
I. Summary: God smiles over our life in a general sense, while He deals with particular sins in us.
Several areas of immaturity do not define our entire relationship with God. We are defined by
God’s passion for us, receiving the gift of righteousness and by our heart cry to obey Jesus.
V. PRINCIPLE #3: GOD'S ENJOYMENT IS NOT THE SAME AS HIS APPROVAL
A. The fact that God enjoys us does not mean He overlooks the areas in us that need transformation.
God's enjoyment of a believer is not the same as His approval of all that they do. He corrects
areas that He disapproves of so that He might remove all that hinders love (holiness) in us.
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He (disciplines us) for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. (Heb. 12:10)
B. God has tender patience for a season with believers who do not repent. They must not confuse
His patience with His approval. Jesus gave Jezebel and her disciples in Thyatira time to repent.
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I gave her (Jezebel) time to repent of her immorality…22 I will cast her into a sickbed, and
those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent… (Rev. 2:21-22)

11
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the
sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Ecc. 8:11)

C. When we neglect to honestly and thoroughly confront sin in our heart we are not loved less by
God but we do suffer loss in several ways. We minimize our ability to experience the joy of our
salvation, the spirit of revelation, godly fellowship and to receive eternal rewards.
D. God patiently suffers long with us in His love as He works to lead us to repentance.
4
Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that
the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom. 2:4)

4
Love suffers long and is kind…7 bears all things…endures all things. (1 Cor. 13:4-7)
VI. PRINCIPLE #4: GOD'S DISCIPLINE IS NOT THE SAME AS HIS REJECTION OF US
A. God’s correction is not His rejection, rather it is proof of His love. God hates the sin yet delights
in the person He disciplines.
12
Whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights. (Prov. 3:12)

6
Whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives… (Heb. 12:6)
B. Jesus rebukes yet loves believers that are in need of repentance.
19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Rev. 3:19)
C. To be disciplined means God cares and has not given up on us. It is a terrible thing to “get away
with” sin long term because that means God is giving that person over to their sin. God's
discipline is proof that He has not given up on us (Rom. 1:24-28).
24
God gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts… (Rom. 1:24)

32
When we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the
world. (1 Cor. 11:32)
D. God did not give up on His people Israel when even when they were in a season of disobedience.
37
For their (children of Israel) heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His
covenant. 38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy
them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; 39 For
He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away… (Ps. 78:37-39)
VII. PRINCIPLE #5: GOD IS GRIEVED OVER THE PERSISTENT SIN OF HIS PEOPLE
A. Jesus will vomit lukewarm believers out of His mouth. This does not speak of God casting them
away, but of Him feeling sick at heart or grieved over their lives.
16
Because you are lukewarm…I will vomit you out of My mouth. (Rev. 3:16-17)

30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. (Eph. 4:30)

19
Do not quench the Spirit. (1 Thes. 5:19)

B. God feels the pain of those He disciplines and continues to consider them as His dearly beloved.
9
In all their affliction He was afflicted…in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and
He bore them and carried them all the days of old. (Isa 63:9)

7
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies. (Jer. 12:7)
C. When we neglect to thoroughly confront sin in our heart we are not loved less by God but we do
suffer loss in several ways. We minimize our ability to experience the joy of our salvation, the
spirit of revelation, God’s power, fellowship with God and others, and receiving eternal rewards.
We can only fulfill our highest calling and destiny in this age and the age-to-come by walking in
faithful obedience and with a history of diligently seeking God. Faithfulness does not earn our
calling for us but it positions us to receive more grace that we might enter into it. The Spirit calls
us to diligence that we might enter into our fullness of authority in this age and the age-to-come.
11
We also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill
all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, (2 Thes. 1:11)
D. We must be confident that God in His love for us will manifest His zeal or jealousy over us. God
jealously requires that we live in wholehearted obedience. He zealously insists on that which
deepens our relationship with Him and results in our greatness.
5
Do you think the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit…in us yearns jealously"? (Jas 4:5)
VIII. PRINCIPLE #6: SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES DO NOT EARN US GOD’S FAVOR
A. Spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, meditation, etc.) are ordained by God as a necessary way to
posture our heart to freely receive more grace. These activities do not earn us God’s favor. The
power is in the “bonfire of God’s presence” not in our cold hearts that are positioned before it.
B. God gives to our heart on the basis of how much we hunger for relationship with Him not on
how much He loves us (Mt. 5:6). God honors the value we put on the relationship by giving us
more according to our spiritual hunger (Gal. 6:8) but He does not love us more. God will not
enjoy an obedient believer more in a billion years than He does now (Mal. 3:6).
IX. PRINCIPLE #7: MATURITY ALLOWS US TO RECEIVE MORE (NOT BE LOVED MORE)
A. God loves us all yet He entrusts a greater measure of power to the mature. He determines the
measure of power that He has planned for each to walk in. This measure is different for each
believer (Mt. 25:15). Our obedience positions us to walk in whatever that full measure is.
B. People with greater power in ministry or influence in business are not loved more by God. He
will entrust more to us as we mature because it will not damage us nor others. The gifts of the
Spirit are given to us by faith (Acts 3:11-12; Gal. 3:5). They are not earned by our discipline.
However, our spiritual maturity provides added protection from the counterattack of Satan (Lk.
14:30-32) on those operating in the anointing. Four things increase as we experience more of the
Holy Spirit’s power (God’s zeal, Satan’s rage, man’s demands, our emotional capacities).

Mike Buckle Song of Songs Notes - VII
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Mike Bickle Song of Songs Notes - vii

This is the notes to Mike Bickle teaching on The Song of Songs at IHOP see links below to other previous session notes.

Session 7 The Fragrance of Jesus (Song 1:3)
I. REVIEW: JESUS’ LOVE IS BETTER THAN THE WINE OF THIS FALLEN WORLD
A. The theme of the Song is the Bride’s cry for the kiss of God’s Word to touch the deepest place in
her heart. This refers to encountering the Word in the deepest and most intimate way. In other
words, the Word reveals the King’s emotions for His Bride and awakens our heart in the 3-fold
love of God (love from God then for God which overflows to others).
2
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth-- for Your love is better than wine (Song 1:2).
B. She experiences the superior pleasure of encountering Jesus. His love (affection) “is better than”
or “is more delightful than” (NIV) the inferior pleasures of sin (the wine of this fallen world).
C. “Affection-based obedience” is obedience that flows from experiencing Jesus’ affection for us
and then giving it back to Him. It is the strongest kind of obedience. It results in the deepest and
most consistent obedience. A lovesick person endures anything for love.
D. “Duty-based obedience” is obedience that does not feel God’s presence. God’s Word requires
that we obey God even when we do not feel inspired to do so.
E. “Fear-based obedience” or “shame-based obedience” is obedience that flows from the fear of
being put to shame or the fear of suffering negative consequences. This is biblical. It is not
enough to motivate us to consistently resist the pleasures of sin for many years.
II. THE GOOD PERFUME OF CHRIST JESUS

3
Because of the fragrance of Your good ointments (perfumes, NIV), Your Name is ointment (perfume,
NIV) poured forth; therefore the virgins love You. (Song 1:3)
A. The fragrance of a rose comes from its internal properties and qualities. In a similar way, the
King’s perfume in the Song speaks symbolically of His internal life or what He thinks and feels.
God’s perfume speaks of His thought life and emotional make-up, especially His affection for
His people. The Bride enjoys the sweet perfume of God’s affection. When perfume is in the air it
can powerfully stir our heart. We feel its impact without being able to see it or take hold of it.
B. Paul spoke of the fragrance of Jesus. It is figurative for the knowledge of God. It is also literal.
The fragrances around God’s Throne are surely awesome. All heaven can smell them forever.
14
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the
fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Cor. 2:14)
C. Its use of perfume in the Song is reasonable since it speaks of love in context to a bridal
metaphor. She is saying, “Because of Your perfumes my heart is stirred. If a scientist was to
express excitement in God, they might write, “Because You are so brilliant, my heart is stirred.”

D. The Bride is saying, “Because of the fragrance of Jesus’ good perfumes (His internal qualities)
two significant things will occur throughout history.
E. First, God will pour Jesus’ Name forth or He will exalt and reveal it in the nations. God has
chosen to pour forth only one Name. Why? Because Jesus’ life is a good perfume before God.
She understood that Jesus’ name will ultimately be the supreme reality over all the earth.
9
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every
name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… (Phil. 2:9-10)
1. When God pours forth Jesus’ name, He openly reveals it or draws attention to His beauty
or character. God will highly exalt Jesus’ name by filling the earth with it.
14
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord… (Hab. 2:14)
2. God will pour forth Jesus’ name in the Church by filling it with the knowledge of Jesus.
11
He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets…13 till we all come to the unity
of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God… (Eph. 4:11-13)
F. Second, we will love Jesus more as God pours forth or reveals the beauty of His name to us.
III. WE LOVE JESUS MORE AS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS POURED FORTH
A. The Church will love Jesus as the Father pours forth or reveals more of the beauty of His name.
The Bride knows that the beauty of Jesus will cause all believers (virgins) to love Jesus. God’s
name is like good perfume. Its mystery, beauty and wonder powerfully impact us.
3
Your Name is ointment (perfume) poured forth; therefore the virgins love You. (Song 1:3)
B. The virgins speak of the daughters of Jerusalem in the Song. They are genuine yet immature
believers who seek Jesus throughout the Song but are never fully committed as the Bride is. All
the Church will eventually become extravagant lovers of Jesus even if not so until eternity.
C. She understands how God changes the human heart. There is only one “perfumed name” that
effectively transforms us. Do you see Jesus’ name is a “perfumed name” that can change the
most broken and spiritually dull person to an extravagant lover of God? If you do, then you will
do anything to know more about that Name. This is the only Name that causes us to love God.
2
In that day (End-Times) the Branch of the LORD (Jesus) shall be beautiful… (Isa. 4:2)
D. When God reveals God to the human spirit it exhilarates us. There is nothing more powerful or
pleasurable than when God reveals God to the human spirit. To understand Jesus more is to love
and enjoy Him more. Our zeal for Jesus is strengthened by receiving the knowledge of God. This
motivated Paul to suffer loss and endure hardship.
8
I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus… (Phil. 3:8)

E. Jesus declares the Father’s name (personality) to awaken our hearts to love God. We will love
Jesus with the love which the Father loves Him. Loving Jesus in the overflow of the Father’s
affection for Jesus is our inheritance, our destiny. There is nothing more glorious than loving
God by the power of God. The Bride will love Jesus just as the Father loves Jesus.
26
I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved
Me may be in them, and I in them. (Jn. 17:26)
F. Jesus the “ultimate psychologist” gives us insight on how the human heart works. He explained
to Simon that when people experience much forgiveness, they overflow with much love.
47
I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little
is forgiven, the same loves little." (Luke 7:47)
G. Satan accuses God in people’s hearts as he convinces them that God is like a cruel father. He
tells many they are rejected by God so they run from God instead of to Him in weakness.
H. The Christian life is a life of being loved and enjoyed by God. This is more exhilarating than any
pleasure, position, or possession. She understands the impact of encountering God’s emotions.
I. The revelation of God’s affections militates against our pride and religious formalism. It causes
us to grow in gratitude instead of pride and it renews our love so we do not merely go through
the motions or mechanics in our spiritual life.
J. I wrote a book called Passion For Jesus, therefore, I am regularly asked, “How do we grow in
passion for Jesus?” The answer is simple and straight forward. We do this by understanding the
passion of God’s heart for us. The revelation of God’s desire empowers us to desire God. If you
want to love God more then fill your mind with truths related to His love (affection) for you.
K. The whole earth is currently full of the glory or beauty of Jesus. It takes the spirit of revelation to
see the perfume or glory of God which is manifested in the natural in many places.
3
One (seraphim) cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole
earth is full of His glory!" (Isa. 6:3)
L. David lived with a spirit of revelation so he saw God’s beauty even when he looked at the sky.
1
The heavens declare the glory of God…2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night
reveals knowledge…4 Their line has gone out through all the earth… (Ps. 19:1-4)
M. Throughout the Song the perfume of God is imparted to the Bride. His perfume becomes her
perfume. The turning point in the Song is in Song 4:16. The Bride prays for winds to blow on the
garden of her heart that God’s perfumes would be imparted to her, that she would feel like God
feels. We may study the progression of God’s perfume in the Bride throughout the Song. She
discerns His perfumes and they are imparted to her in a progressive way.
16
Awake, O north wind, And come, O south! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow
out. Let my Beloved come to His garden and eat its pleasant fruits. (Song 4:16)

IV. THE SWEET PERFUME OF GOD’S PERSONALITY- 5 VERBS
A. Jesus emphasized the sweet perfume of the Father’s affection and personality (Lk. 15:20). This is
one of the most comprehensive yet concise statements of God's emotional make up in Scripture.
We rest in the God who sees, feels, runs and embraces and kisses our heart.
20
And he arose and came to his father. When he was still a great way off, his father saw him
and had compassion, and ran and fell on (embraced) his neck and kissed him. (Lk. 15:20).
B. The father saw the prodigal son – God’s view of His people
C. The father felt compassion for the prodigal son – God’s tenderness for His people
D. The father ran towards the prodigal son – God’s action and initiative for His people
E. The father embraced the prodigal son – God’s affection for His people
F. The father kissed the prodigal son – God’s desire for nearness with His people
V. APPLYING THESE TO OUR LIVES
A. First, we learn these truths. Informing our intellect is significant but it is only a starting point. No
one would go to a famous restaurant to merely study the menu. It is not enough to be a
connoisseur of the Song of Solomon, we must allow this book to fill our heart.
B. Second, these become revelation in our heart as we speak them back to God. We must engage in
long and loving meditation on the Song with a hungry and honest heart before God. If we are to
receive the full benefit of the Song, we must turn it into an on-going affectionate prayerful
dialogue with Jesus. It is not enough to only study the Song without going to the next step of
turning it into a prayer dialogue. The language of the Song must get into our prayer life and
thought life before it will transform our emotions.
C. I have about 10 phrases that have become deeply personal to me. In my early days, I wrote them
on postcards to use when I drove or took a walk. I slowly whispered them to Jesus. For example,
“Father, let Him kiss me with His Word” or “Spirit, sustain me, refresh me” (Song 1:2; 2:5).
D. Confess that His affections are better than the wine of this fallen world. Declare that the
fragrance of His good perfumes (the personality of God) make you love Him.
E. Take time to journal by writing down your thoughts, prayers and meditations as you “pray-read”
through the Song. This will help you to capture the truths that the Lord puts on your heart.

For more info see IHOP’s website: Session 2 Encountering Jesus in the Song and Perfume of God in the Song

Song of Songs Notes - viii
Mike Bickle Song of Songs Transcript - 1
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Mike Bickle Song of Songs Notes - IV

Session 4 An Overview of the Storyline in the Song of Solomon
I. SONG OF SOLOMON: THE DIVINE KISS & THE BRIDE’S LIFE VISION (SONG 1:2-4)
A. The theme of the Song of Solomon is the Bride’s spiritual journey to be drawn near to Jesus in
intimacy and then to run in deep partnership with Him in ministry. She matures in these two
realities as she experiences the kisses of God’s word touching her heart.
2
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth (Word). For Your love is better than wine…
4 Draw me away (intimacy)! We will run after you (ministry). (Song 1:2-4)
B. The Song of Solomon has two main sections. First, Song 1-4 is focused on receiving our
inheritance in God. Second, Song 5-8 is focused on God receiving His inheritance in us.
II. HER JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE PARADOX OF GRACE (SONG 1:5-11)

5
I am dark (in heart), but lovely (to God)…6 my own vineyard (heart) I have not kept. (Song 1:5-6)
A. The paradox of our faith is that we are dark in our heart yet we are lovely to God. Both truths
must be held in tension to understand who we are before God. Some emphasize how sinful we
are (darkness of our heart) and others emphasize how beautiful we are to God (lovely in Christ).
B. We are lovely before God even in our weakness for four reasons.
1. God’s personality: is filled with tender loving emotions for His people. God sees us
through His heart that is filled with tender love. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
2. The gift of righteousness: we receive the beauty of Jesus’ righteousness as a free gift.
21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21)
3. The Spirit’s impartation: of a sincere and willing spirit of obedience that cries for God.
15
You received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, "Abba, Father." (Rom. 8:15)
4. Our eternal destiny: as Jesus’ Bride. God sees the end from the beginning. He sees us in
light of the billions of years in which we will be perfect in obedience.
C. She has a desperate cry to have more of Jesus. She wants Him to personally feed her spirit.
7
Tell me, O You whom I love, where You feed your flock…For why should I be as one who
veils herself by the flocks of Your companions? (Song 1:7)
D. Jesus tenderly reveals His heart for her. Then He reaffirms her sincerity (1:8-11).
8
…O fairest (most beautiful) among women… (Song 1:8)

III. UNDERSTANDING HER IDENTITY IN GOD’S BEAUTY (SONG 1:12-2:7)
A. She has an initial revelation of the beauty of Jesus and the pleasure of knowing Him (Ps. 27:4).
16
Behold, You are handsome (beautiful), my Beloved! Yes, pleasant! (Song 1:16)
B. She receives revelation of her identity in Christ as a beautiful rose in God’s sight.
1
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. (Song 2:1)
C. Jesus is sweet to her heart as she rests under the shade of the finished work of the cross. She
experiences the superior pleasures of knowing God as she feeds at His table and lives under the
banner of His excellent leadership. In this she becomes lovesick. The goal of her life is her own
spiritual happiness. This happens best when she experiences God's Presence. In the future, her
goal will be to walk as His inheritance regardless of the cost.
3
I sat down in His shade (resting in the finished work of the cross) with great delight, and His
fruit was sweet to my taste. 4 He brought me to the banqueting House, and His banner
(leadership) over me was love. 5 Sustain me…refresh me…for I am lovesick. (Song 2:3-5)
IV. CHALLENGING THE COMFORT ZONE (SONG 2:8-17)

8
The voice of my Beloved! He comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. 9 My
beloved is like a gazelle…10 My Beloved spoke, "Rise up, My love…and come away. 14 Let Me see
your face, let Me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely." 17 Until the day
breaks and the shadows flee away, Turn, my Beloved… (Song 2:8-17)
A. Jesus is pictured as effortlessly skipping and leaping over the mountains or as working to fulfill
the Great Commission. The mountains speak of obstacles (human, demonic). Jesus has power
over all of them. She is accustomed to eating apples at His table, under the shade tree (2:3-5).
B. She refuses Him by telling Him to turn and go to the mountain without her (2:17). Her painful
compromise is due to her immaturity and fear not rebellion. She fears that total obedience will be
too difficult and costly. She loves Him, but does not think she has the strength to fully obey Him.
V. SHE EXPERIENCES GOD’S LOVING DISCIPLINE (SONG 3:1-5)

1
By night on my bed I sought the One I love…but I did not find Him. 2 I will rise now…I will seek
the one I love. 4…When I found the One I love. I held Him and would not let Him go… (Song 3:1-4)
A. She experiences the discipline of God as He hides His face from her. The sweetness of Song 2 is
gone. He disciplines us out of His affection (Heb. 12:5-12). God’s correction is not the same
thing as His rejection. The Father promises to pry our fingers off what holds us in bondage. The
Father loves us too much to allow us to come up short of partnering with Jesus as His Bride.
B. She soon “arises” to obey the call to leave her comfort (3:2). Jesus’ manifest presence returns in
response to her obedience (3:4).

VI. A FRESH REVELATION OF JESUS AS A “SAFE SAVIOR” (SONG 3:6-11)
Jesus reveals Himself as one who is safe to obey 100%. She believes that “100% obedience is the only
safe place in life. Walking with Jesus on the water is far safer than being in the boat without Him.

VII. THE PROPHETIC HEART OF THE BRIDEGROOM GOD (SONG 4:1-8)

1
Behold, you are fair (beautiful), My love! Behold, you are fair (Song 4:1)
A. The King reveals how beautiful the maiden is to Him. He describes 8 distinct virtues of her
beauty that He sees emerging in her life. (4:1-5). Jesus prophetically proclaims her “budding
virtues”. He calls things that are not as though they were (Rom. 4:17). He sees the cry in her
spirit, not just her failures. God defines us by the cries in our spirit not just by our struggles.
B. A life of total commitment is foundational for all who are to be mature in ministry (4:6). Initially,
she refused His call to come to the mountain (2:9-10). However, in this season she commits to go
to the mountain. She is only in the initial stages of her obedience. Later she becomes mature.
6
I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh... (Song 4:6)
VIII. THE RAVISHED HEART OF THE BRIDEGROOM GOD (SONG 4:9-5:1)
A. The King is now revealed as a Bridegroom. His heart is ravished with desire for her. Jesus has
passionate affection for His Bride. This revelation of His heart, equips her to fully embrace the
cross (Song 4:9). Jesus describes His pleasure over her character (4:10d-11).
9
You have ravished My heart…My spouse…with one look of your eyes…10 How fair
(beautiful) is your love…How much better than wine is your love... (Song 4:9-10)
B. Jesus gives her a 7-fold description of her purity (4:12-15). A king’s garden was private. This is
in contrast to a public one with defiled water. We can speak this to Jesus in our desire for purity.
12
A garden enclosed is My sister, My spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. (Song 4:12)
C. Her garden speaks of her heart before God. She wants the fragrance of God’s spices to increase
in her life. The north wind speaks of the cold bitter winds of winter. The south wind speaks of
the warm refreshing winds of the summer. She is no longer afraid of the testings of God. She
desires that Jesus receive His inheritance in her and cries, “Let my Beloved come to His garden.”
16
Awake, O north wind, and come, O south! Blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow
out. Let my Beloved come to His garden and eat its pleasant fruits. (Song 4:16 )
D. In the first 4 chapters she was concerned with her inheritance (her garden). However, in the last 4
chapters, Jesus’ inheritance in her is her focus. From now on, her heart is His garden not hers.
She now defines her life radically different. Nine times He uses the ownership word “My”.
1
I have come to My garden, My sister, My spouse; I have gathered My myrrh with My spice; I
have eaten My honeycomb with My honey; I have drunk My wine with My milk. (Song 5:1).

IX. THE ULTIMATE 2-FOLD TEST OF MATURITY (SONG 5:2-8)

2
The voice of my Beloved! He knocks, saying, "Open for Me…My love…My perfect one; for My
head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night." (Song 5:2)
A. Jesus embraced the cross in the long and lonely night in Gethsemane. Jesus comes to her as the
man of sorrows in Gethsemane (5:2) and invites her to share His sufferings (Phil. 3:10).
10
That I may know Him, he power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,
(Phil. 3:10)
B. Jesus asks her to, “Open up that He may come to her as the Man of Gethsemane.” Jesus wants to
be the goal of her life, and not just the stepping stone to her agenda of success and happiness.
C. She responds in obedience saying she took off her dirty robes and washed her feet in His grace
(5:3). She is not afraid of obeying Jesus and thus, asked for the bitter north winds (Song 4:16).
She rises immediately with a heart yearning in love for Him. The locks of her heart have myrrh
on them, which speak of her heart commitment to embrace death in her pursuit of Jesus.
4
My heart yearned for Him. 5 I arose to open for my Beloved, and my hands dripped with
myrrh…on the handles of the lock. (Song 5:4-5)
D. She experiences her first test as God withdraws His presence (5:6). This affects her ability to
experience intimacy with God. In this passage, His presence leaves her for the second time in the
Song (3:1). However, this time it is not related to disobedience (as in 3:1-2), but rather to her
mature obedience. Some medieval teachers called this “the dark night of the soul.”
6
I opened for my Beloved, but my Beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up
when He spoke. I sought Him, but I could not find Him… He gave me no answer. (Song 5:6)
E. She experiences her second test as her ministry is rejected (5:7). The watchmen or the leaders
strike and wound her taking her veil (spiritual covering) so she can no longer function in ministry
in the Body. Her ministry is gone. How will she respond to Him now?
7
The watchman…struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took my veil away
from me. (Song 5:7)
F. The Lord is asking her, “Will you be Mine even if I withhold the things you deeply desire? Are
you Mine when you cannot feel My Presence? Will you still love and trust Me when you are
disappointed by circumstances?” She responds, "I am Yours, at the deepest level of love. She
responds in humility by asking for help from the daughters of Jerusalem (who are less spiritual).
8
O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my Beloved…tell Him I am lovesick! (Song 5:8)
G. Summary: Jesus called her to join Him in Gethsemane. She responded in obedience. He gave her
a 2-fold test related to her life vision to be drawn near Him and to run with Him (Song 1:2-4).
2
Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth (Word). For Your love is better than wine…
4 Draw me away (intimacy)! We will run after you (ministry). (Song 1:2-4)

X. THE BRIDE’S RESPONSE TO THE 2-FOLD TEST (SONG 5:9-6:5)
A. The daughters of Jerusalem ask the Bride a question. In essence, they ask, “Why do you love
Him so much that you charge us to go find Him? He has abandoned you. He took His presence
away from you (v. 6) and lets the elders wound you as they took their ministry from you (5:7).
9
What is your Beloved more than another Beloved, O fairest among women? (Song 5:9)
B. Her answer reveals her love for Jesus. She gives 10 descriptions of Jesus’ majestic beauty (5:10-
16). This is one of the greatest proclamations on Jesus’ beauty in the Scripture.
10
My beloved is white (dazzling, NAS)…and chief among ten thousand. 11 His head is like the
finest gold; His locks are wavy…and black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves by the rivers
of waters…13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices…His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. 14
His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires. 15 His
legs are pillars of marble set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent
as the cedars. 16 His mouth is most sweet, Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and
this is my friend… (Song 5:10-16)
XI. JESUS PRAISES HER AFTER THE SEASON OF TESTING (SONG 6:4-10)
A. Her 2-fold test is now over. Jesus breaks the silence as He lavishes affection on her and describes
her beauty. He declares that she is as beautiful as Tirzah (became the capital city of the northern
kingdom of Israel) and as lovely as Jerusalem (the capital of Israel, spiritually and politically).
He proclaimed that she was as awesome as a victorious army with banners. When an army in the
ancient world returned victorious from battle, they displayed their banners in a military
procession. She defeated her greatest enemies, those found in her heart.
4
O My love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with
banners! (Song 6:4)
B. Jesus is “conquered” only by His Bride’s extravagant love. Our eyes of devotion deeply touch
the King’s heart. All the armies in hell cannot conquer Jesus, but the eyes of His Bride “conquer”
Him when they are true to Him in times of testing.
5
Turn your eyes away from Me, for they have overcome Me. (Song 6:5)
C. Jesus describes the Bride’s maturity and devotion (6:5c-7).
D. Jesus describes the Bride’s pre-eminence in the King’s court. Jesus’ attendants around His
heavenly court are seraphim, cherubim, archangels and angels without number.
8
There are 60 queens and 80 concubines, and virgins without number. 9 My dove, my perfect
one, is the…only one of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her... (Song 6:8-9)
E. The Holy Spirit describes the Bride’s crown of glory (6:10).
10
Who is she who looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, awesome as
an army with banners? (Song 6:10)

XII. THE VINDICATION OF THE PERSECUTED BRIDE (SONG 6:11-7:9A).
A. As the Bride walks in this revelation of who she is before the Lord, she is persecuted. Mature
love and commitment to serve the whole church (6:11) overcomes her (6:12).
B. She receives a sincere response from some in the church (6:13a,b) yet a hostile response from
others (6:13c,d).
13
Return, return, O Shulamite; Return, return, that we may look upon you! What would you
see in the Shulamite-- As it were, the dance of the two camps? (Song 6:11-13)
C. The Bride is vindicated by discerning saints (7:1-5). The Bride is vindicated by Jesus (7:6-9a).
XIII. THE BRIDE'S MATURE PARTNERSHIP WITH JESUS (SONG 7:9B-8:4).
She walks out mature bridal partnership with Jesus which is expressed in obedience (7:9b-10). She
expresses Bridal partnership in her intercession for more power (7:11-13). She expresses partnership in
her boldness in public ministry (8:1-2). She expresses Bridal partnership in their full union (8:3-4).
XIV. THE BRIDAL SEAL OF MATURE LOVE (SONG 8:5-7)
Jesus invites her to receive the seal of fire upon her heart and to walk with Him in holy jealous love.
God is a consuming fire and desires to impart His fire into our hearts. This is His supernatural love that
seals our heart. It empowers us to live without the fire of our love being quenched.
XV. THE BRIDE’S FINAL INTERCESSION AND REVELATION (SONG 8:8-14)
A. The Bride intercedes for the church (8:8–9) and for Jesus’ return (8:14). In Song 8:8–9, her
apostolic passion for the church is seen.
B. In Song 8:10, her 3-fold confidence is as a wall (selfless motives), as a tower (her supernatural
abilities to nurture) and as one with peace (emotional hindrances are removed).
C. In Song 8:11-12, she experiences the power and enjoyment of living before His eyes instead of
before the eyes of men. Her sense of importance is rooted in eternity as she has revelation of
giving account before God (8:11). The Bride has a revelation of her own spiritual maturity before
God (8:12).
D. Jesus' final commission to the Bride (8:13-14). The Bride's urgency is expressed in intercession.
13
You who dwell in the gardens (the Bride), the companions listen for your voice-- Let Me
(Jesus) hear it! 14 Make haste, my Beloved (Jesus), and be like a gazelle or a young stag on
the mountains of spices. (Song 8:13-14)

17
The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" (Rev. 22:17)


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