Connect Song of Solomon 5:13 with Ephesians 5:25-27 on Christ's love. Setting the Scene “His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfume; His lips are lilies dripping with liquid myrrh.” “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.” Seeing Christ in the Song’s Imagery • Beds of spice/towers of perfume—pictures an endless, inviting fragrance; in Christ we encounter the “aroma of life” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). • Lips like lilies dripping myrrh—lilies evoke purity (Hosea 14:5), while myrrh points to costly devotion and sacrifice (Matthew 2:11; John 19:39). • The Beloved’s face is both attractive and anointed, echoing Psalm 45:2, “You are the most handsome of men; grace has anointed Your lips.” Christ’s Sacrificial Love in Ephesians • “Gave Himself up” – voluntary, substitutionary offering (John 10:17-18). • “Sanctify her” – setting apart the church for Himself (Hebrews 10:10). • “Cleansing… by the washing with water through the word” – His spoken Word applies the merits of His blood (John 15:3). • Goal: a bride “holy and blameless,” mirroring Adam’s joy over Eve yet surpassing it in holiness (Genesis 2:23; Revelation 19:7-8). Connecting Points • Fragrance → Cleansing: – Songs 5:13’s perfume signals attractiveness; Ephesians 5 shows the cost that produces true beauty—Christ’s purifying work. • Lips → Word: – The Beloved’s lips dripping myrrh prefigure Christ’s words that carry sacrificial power. His speech both reveals love and enacts cleansing (John 6:63). • Beauty → Holiness: – Physical loveliness in the Song finds its ultimate fulfillment in the spiritual splendor Christ creates in His church (Isaiah 61:10). Living in the Fragrance of Christ’s Love • Draw near daily to His Word; those “lips dripping myrrh” still speak, washing away defilement (Ephesians 5:26). • Embrace costly love in relationships; husbands model Christ’s fragrant sacrifice (1 Peter 3:7). • Guard purity of heart; the Bride’s holiness is Christ’s goal—join Him by yielding to the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25). • Spread His aroma; when we walk in sacrificial love, the knowledge of Christ diffuses everywhere (2 Corinthians 2:14). Additional Scriptures That Echo the Theme • Psalm 45:7-8 — Messiah anointed with “oil of joy,” garments smelling of myrrh and aloes. • John 13:34 — “Love one another as I have loved you.” • Revelation 1:5-6 — He loved us, freed us from our sins by His blood, and made us a kingdom and priests. |
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