“My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh in at the windows, he sheweth himself through the lattice.”
Song of Solomon 2:9
Years ago I picked up an old book by W. M. Fisher-Hunter entitled Hidden Gleams of the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. The author begins the book with today’s verse passage. Here a young maiden speaks of her future husband playfully hiding behind a wall, then appearing in the window, then peaking through the lattice. Hunter-Fisher suggests that this is reflects New Testament realities as we, the future bride of Christ, are unable to comprehend Christ’s deity in its fullness. He is, as it were, standing behind our wall. On the other hand, as we study the Scriptures, we do see Jesus being clearly depicted as God. For instance, in several places the Lord applied the Old Testament covenant name for God to Himself (John 8:24, 58 compared to Exodus 3:14). In these and other related verse passages (John 1:1-14; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13) we see Jesus “looking through the windows,” His deity unveiled for all to see. In other places, however, the deity of Christ is depicted, but not nearly as obviously. In these passages, the Lord is standing behind the lattice; we will need to get up close to it in order to peer through and see Him. The holes in the lattice represent passages that require another look and deeper study before the Lord’s deity comes into focus. Some of the most profound include Matthew 23:34, in which Jesus declares to the religious leaders, “Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city.” Who is the Sender of prophets but God alone? While under arrest, the Lord declared to His captors, “Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). The Old Testament Scriptures state clearly that the clouds of heaven are God’s mode of transport (Psalm 104:1-3; Isaiah 19:1). The Lord Jesus predicted that at His return in glory, “His” angels would gather “His” elect from the farthest parts of the earth (Mark 13:26-27). Again, the Scriptures are clear that it is God who owns and commands angels (Psalm 91:11; 103:20; Hebrews 1:6). Similarly, it is God Who elected Israel to represent Him and accomplish His will on the earth (Deuteronomy 7:6; Isaiah 44:1; 45:4; 65:22). It is God who will gather His people to Himself on the last day (Isaiah 27:12-13; 43:5-6). As we study the Scriptures in earnest, may the Lord be pleased to reveal many more hidden gleams of the Lord’s greatness to us, to the praise of His glory!
God bless you,
Pastor John
English