Song 2:9 | KingComments | STEP | The bride compares the groom to a gazelle and the young of a deer. Gazelles can walk over the mountains with great speed and grace (cf. ; ). In the case of the stag or deer, who also jump easily over obstacles, there may be added the thought of joy (cf. ). Gazelles and deer are innocent animals. They are not carnivores, they are not hunting animals. These are clean animals, which could be eaten by the Israelites ( ). Both animals are also known for being wary of danger and their immediate and swift flight as it presents itself. This is how the bride sees her groom approaching. He approaches quickly and lets himself not be stopped by anything. At the same time, he remains cautious in his approach. In this way the Lord Jesus also comes to each one of His own, who turns to Him again after a period of weakening of love. He proceeds carefully to see if there is a real desire to live in fellowship with Him. He does not impose Himself and He does not force access. We can learn from this how to approach someone whose life with the Lord has been put on hold. True love for our straying brother or sister will make us quick to help and at the same time we will do so with due caution . In these cases it is not about clear sins, but about signs that may indicate that someone no longer lives fully for the Lord. If we find that someone does not visit the meetings of the believer as often, it is good to pay attention to this and to inform why – without directly accusing anyone of being unfaithful. That there is some reserve with the groom in his approach, we can conclude from the place where the bride is located. She says herself that the groom is “behind our wall”, the wall around her house. He has come closer and looks inside through the windows. She likes the fact that he is there, but there is still a wall between them. She calls it ‘our’ wall, but she only hid behind it and he is outside. It has more or less become her wall. A wall is a picture of separation from the wrong in order to be dedicated to the Lord. If it is separation without the Lord, it has become isolation. We can withdraw so far into our isolation that we no longer allow the Lord to come to us. He does look inside and is standing behind the wall. He is not sitting , but is ready to take action when the bride is ready. The Lord wants to use other believers to visit us at a time of spiritual decline. Maybe we let them into the house, but do we also let them into our life ? Just when we are no longer full of the Lord and other things in our life have become important, we tend to maintain the wall around our heart. We do not want to expose ourselves or dare to be vulnerable, perhaps because we are afraid of being hurt again. For example, we may have entrusted something to someone who we thought would keep it to himself, but he has told it all over the place. Then we don’t open our heart again, because we are afraid of another disappointment. That reaction is understandable. At the same time, it is good to be mindful of the danger of withdrawing completely into isolation. The Lord wishes to point this out with caution. He wants to have the first place in our life again and point out what prevents this. To live in isolation is increasing in the world and among Christians. This is due to the growing individualism, through which also selfishness increases. We want to have everything for ourselves and do everything for ourselves. Computers, internet, smartphones, all these devices carry the danger that we will completely withdraw into our own world. Our children grow up with it. They only need that one device to have fun. But also older believers may have a need for all kinds of things to keep up with the times. We are increasingly being seized by these devices, which are strongly ‘I’ oriented. People no longer know how to deal with each other. It is a recognizable scene: people sit at the table eating together, but there is no mutual communication because there is a digital connection with the outside world. Each eats for himself and in the meantime is busy with his smartphone. If there is a message, it must be responded to immediately. We must be aware of these dangers! These devices are said to promote communication. But in reality, the real communication decreases and finally disappears completely. The device says you are important. People need me , they want to let me know something; and I think it is necessary to let people know what I think of a case. The result is that we do not have time to quietly engage with the Word of God, attend church meetings, and help brothers and sisters. We just don’t have time anymore. This risk is great because we are withdrawing from the fellowship of the saints and living in isolation. We live in such a way that the Lord cannot come to us. But He does try to come to us. He stands there, He looks through the window, that is in fact a barred window. The bars give the impression that we are locked up in a prison. Are we locked up? We can be locked up in our own thoughts, in our life, in the plans we have and be a prisoner of them. But He looks through it. What plans do we have? What do we want? What is the purpose of our life? Is all this a prison for us? Can we think of nothing else? The Lord now stands before the window of our life and looks through the bars. He looks and He loves to come to us to give us satisfaction and true fulfillment of life.

‏ Song of Solomon 2:9

The Beloved Seeks Cautious Rapprochement

The bride compares the groom to a gazelle and the young of a deer. Gazelles can walk over the mountains with great speed and grace (cf. 2Sam 2:18b; 1Chr 12:8). In the case of the stag or deer, who also jump easily over obstacles, there may be added the thought of joy (cf. Isa 35:6). Gazelles and deer are innocent animals. They are not carnivores, they are not hunting animals. These are clean animals, which could be eaten by the Israelites (Deu 12:15 ; 22 ; Deu 14:4-5 ; Deu 15:22). Both animals are also known for being wary of danger and their immediate and swift flight as it presents itself.

This is how the bride sees her groom approaching. He approaches quickly and lets himself not be stopped by anything. At the same time, he remains cautious in his approach. In this way the Lord Jesus also comes to each one of His own, who turns to Him again after a period of weakening of love. He proceeds carefully to see if there is a real desire to live in fellowship with Him. He does not impose Himself and He does not force access.

We can learn from this how to approach someone whose life with the Lord has been put on hold. True love for our straying brother or sister will make us quick to help and at the same time we will do so with due caution. In these cases it is not about clear sins, but about signs that may indicate that someone no longer lives fully for the Lord. If we find that someone does not visit the meetings of the believer as often, it is good to pay attention to this and to inform why – without directly accusing anyone of being unfaithful.

That there is some reserve with the groom in his approach, we can conclude from the place where the bride is located. She says herself that the groom is “behind our wall”, the wall around her house. He has come closer and looks inside through the windows. She likes the fact that he is there, but there is still a wall between them. She calls it ‘our’ wall, but she only hid behind it and he is outside. It has more or less become her wall.

A wall is a picture of separation from the wrong in order to be dedicated to the Lord. If it is separation without the Lord, it has become isolation. We can withdraw so far into our isolation that we no longer allow the Lord to come to us. He does look inside and is standing behind the wall. He is not sitting, but is ready to take action when the bride is ready.

The Lord wants to use other believers to visit us at a time of spiritual decline. Maybe we let them into the house, but do we also let them into our life? Just when we are no longer full of the Lord and other things in our life have become important, we tend to maintain the wall around our heart. We do not want to expose ourselves or dare to be vulnerable, perhaps because we are afraid of being hurt again.

For example, we may have entrusted something to someone who we thought would keep it to himself, but he has told it all over the place. Then we don’t open our heart again, because we are afraid of another disappointment. That reaction is understandable. At the same time, it is good to be mindful of the danger of withdrawing completely into isolation. The Lord wishes to point this out with caution. He wants to have the first place in our life again and point out what prevents this.

To live in isolation is increasing in the world and among Christians. This is due to the growing individualism, through which also selfishness increases. We want to have everything for ourselves and do everything for ourselves. Computers, internet, smartphones, all these devices carry the danger that we will completely withdraw into our own world. Our children grow up with it. They only need that one device to have fun. But also older believers may have a need for all kinds of things to keep up with the times. We are increasingly being seized by these devices, which are strongly ‘I’ oriented.

People no longer know how to deal with each other. It is a recognizable scene: people sit at the table eating together, but there is no mutual communication because there is a digital connection with the outside world. Each eats for himself and in the meantime is busy with his smartphone. If there is a message, it must be responded to immediately. We must be aware of these dangers! These devices are said to promote communication. But in reality, the real communication decreases and finally disappears completely. The device says you are important. People need me, they want to let me know something; and I think it is necessary to let people know what I think of a case.

The result is that we do not have time to quietly engage with the Word of God, attend church meetings, and help brothers and sisters. We just don’t have time anymore. This risk is great because we are withdrawing from the fellowship of the saints and living in isolation. We live in such a way that the Lord cannot come to us. But He does try to come to us. He stands there, He looks through the window, that is in fact a barred window.

The bars give the impression that we are locked up in a prison. Are we locked up? We can be locked up in our own thoughts, in our life, in the plans we have and be a prisoner of them. But He looks through it. What plans do we have? What do we want? What is the purpose of our life? Is all this a prison for us? Can we think of nothing else? The Lord now stands before the window of our life and looks through the bars. He looks and He loves to come to us to give us satisfaction and true fulfillment of life.