Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee: there thy mother was in travail with thee, there was she in travail that brought thee forth. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as Sheol; the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would utterly be contemned. We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. Song of Solomon 8:5–8.
This is not an easy passage to understand because it is based upon the poetic language of an oriental world, yet it gives something very precious to our hearts. “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts” means she has not yet come to the place of fruitfulness; she is still immature. “So, what do we do for her? If we liken her unto a wall, then we build battlements around her.” We do that now for people, when they are spiritually immature; we put up walls and defenses for them as a protection.
In this walk, we will see the Word of God opened up again as the mystical book it has always been. The Western world never understood the Word as the world of Palestine and the Orient did, because the Scriptures were born in those cultures. Yet there are certain truths coming forth now, mystical truths which we need to grasp.
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? If the Body of Christ is to come out of her wilderness experience, it shall be in direct relationship to her leaning upon the Lord—her complete dependence upon Him.
Under the apple-tree I awakened thee: there thy mother was in travail with thee, there was she in travail that brought thee forth. The Bible speaks of mixed relationships which are spiritual. Isaiah prophesied of Zion, so shall thy sons marry thee. Isaiah 62:5. To the natural mind this means incest, but it is not that at all; God is speaking about spiritual relationships. The Song of Solomon is referring to the same thing when it speaks of the lover who comes to greet the bride, and the bride comes forth because of the travail of her mother.
In the physical realm after a person is born, a long period exists before maturity and marriage; but what God is bringing forth now is not the same. We are entering into a relationship with the Lord which is fruitful from the time that the Church or the Body of believers travail to bring us forth. We don’t have to consider time limitations. When we travail for a brother, we believe for him to enter immediately into a fruitful and beneficial relationship with the Lord.
These next verses are precious. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm. This passage indicates that the seal of God’s love is really set upon us. Love is strong as death.… many waters cannot quench love; neither can floods drown it.
We do not always grasp the strength of the love God has put in our hearts. When perfect love comes, it casts out fear of death, because it’s stronger than death itself and overcomes it. This is the love which God is shedding abroad in the Church today; a love which is the key to overcoming all things. The devil would kill all of us if he could, but he cannot, for God’s love is stronger than anything that could come against the people of the Lord. God is teaching us to love one another, to travail that people might be brought forth. We love and help each other. I do not think anyone really comes into the flow of this walk on his own, it is always because he has help from someone.
When the people begin to pray, they pray with a love that becomes almost violent in its demands upon the Lord. This love can rise up to rebuke death, and all the work of the devil. Many waters cannot quench love. All of the floods and opposition the enemy can bring against it cannot quench love. The King James Version of John 1:5 reads, The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not; but the Greek word is “overcometh it not.” No matter how dark the darkness, it cannot overcome the light God has put in our heart. No matter how many floods come, they can’t overcome the love God is bringing forth.
We have this love already; we have only to increase and abound in it. As our love grows stronger, we will prevail for one another more quickly. We must help people overcome spiritual isolation, the feeling that on one cares, even as the Psalmist wrote, No man careth for my soul. Psalm 142:4. We must let them know that there are those who care for their souls; there are those who love them deeply enough that they are willing to pray and to fast for them, and become involved in their problems.
The floods cannot overcome this love, nor put it out. All of the principalities and powers which come against us cannot defeat us if we have this strong love in our hearts for one another. The Church will edify itself through love. It will become like a strong and mighty army, overcoming all that comes against it. The more we are dedicated, to loving each other, the more invincible we will be.
The enemy tries to turn us against each other, but he is unsuccessful, because the people love each other strongly. They are looking at one another’s faults less than ever before, and praying with more faith, with greater compassion. They have a vigorous determination not to know anyone after the flesh, but to love one another in the spirit.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6. Outward mechanics or appearances do not avail anything; rather it is faith working by love. Down deep in our hearts we are believing for each other, binding one another to that perfect will of God. This is important, because we may still retain the idea that individual initiative is the great key, but many times it is another’s faith which carries us through. Generally, when a believer is sick, he can’t say: “It was my faith that healed me”; more often it is the faith of the elders who pray, or the faith of someone interceding for him. If any is sick, call for the elders to pray over him, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick (James 5:14–15). There is a vicarious faith and love which goes through the Body. Because we stand together and position ourselves to bless each other, there comes forth a glorious victory beyond what we could accomplish in our individual selves. It is released because we are all praying and believing. The Body is able to believe for individuals where their own relatives would forsake them. This faith hangs on in an almost impersonal, objective way when everyone else would give up.
“Love is as strong as death. Many waters cannot quench it, nor floods drown it.” Many waters will not put this love out. Because it is born of God, it is stronger than anything that can come against us. When our faith—working through love—is strong, we open our hearts to God and become channels of that faith for one another. We become the army that does not break ranks, that possesses all of the blessings God has for us.
We need more opportunity to lay our requests and our burdens before the Body and remember one another in faith. When the Body voices a prayer, something is turned loose to bring an answer. More effectiveness is wrought in thirty seconds of united prayer than in thirty days of praying alone. This is because God has ordained Body ministry to come forth. It will be the bride coming up out of the wilderness leaning on the arm of her beloved, a corporate, living organism that comes forth to do the will of the Lord. The effectiveness of the individual has given way to collective Body ministry, in order that we prevail together.
Everything possible should be done collectively. Waiting on the Lord is an example. Eight or ten prophets together waiting on the Lord at the same time without speaking one word would open the door to an unbelievable flow of revelation from God. Some of you who have problems find that the answer is to hide in the Body. That is where you will find protection and the love to overcome all the floods raging against you.
Have you ever noticed that even in your private devotions, you are less alive than when you worship with the Body? Sometimes you become discouraged and condemned because you have a poor prayer or devotional life. You would do better to do most of these things together. If you are reading the Word, do it more often where two of three people can listen; read it aloud, and see what happens to you. Nothing will ever take the place of a private, personal devotional life with the Lord; yet, the real effectiveness will be in the prayers of two or three of those who have gathered together to bind and loose in the name of the Lord.
The effective prayers are those of the whole Body; let us grasp this principle.