Song of Solomon 5:10

The daughters of Jerusalem give the repeated challenge, "What is your beloved more than another beloved?" What would our reply be to such a challenge? What have we discerned in Christ, the well-beloved Son of God? He came in grace to bring us the knowledge of God, and He died to bring us into divine favour. Our reply could not surpass our appreciation of the greatness, glory and perfections of Jesus. Yet the Lord delights to have a response from our poor hearts, no matter how feeble it may be.

As white, she sees His spotless purity, for He was "holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners." He passed through this defiling world and touched the leper, yet was not contaminated. The repelling power of His intrinsic holiness kept the polluting influence of sin far from Him, yet He could receive sinners and eat with them.

The ruddy colour in the face speaks of health and vigour. David, who was a type of Christ, was ruddy... In Hebrew the word translated "ruddy" here is translated "red" in Numbers 19:2, "a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish"... In comparing these passages, the ruddy or red colour would seem to denote the Lord's entire consecration and devotion to God even to death. All His strength and energy, both in life and in death, was spent to glorify God and to do His will.

What is so "white" — so clean, so holy — as the blessed Person of the Son of Man, Jehovah-Jesus, the root and the offspring of David? What is so "ruddy" as the blood that flowed from His spotless veins on Calvary? Who, oh who, is worthy to be the Chieftain of all God's hosts, except the Captain of our salvation?

The next expression is "the chiefest among ten thousand," or, as some marginal readings have it, "a standard bearer." Translated literally it would read, "lifting up as a banner among ten thousand." So when translated literally, it is really not a comparison of Him as chiefest among ten thousand. He is rather the banner lifted up above them all and honoured by all; the rallying point around which all gather in their common purpose to keep it lifted high and displayed before the eyes of all. In this they glory and for this they live, and, as good soldiers, are ready to fight for it and even to die.

All have come from sinful Adam, from the man who is of the earth, but He was a Man out of heaven... Jesus is the Chiefest among those with whom God has surrounded Him. The great men of earth are not worthy of His company. He is not compared with them. He stands out in His supremacy, in marked contrast to all whom the men of this world have acclaimed. The great of earth have trampled on their foes and on their fellows, wading deep in human blood to achieve their ambitions... in marked contrast, the Son of God "humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross," shedding His own precious blood for the sins of others.

This lovely description is another step in the awakening of love. As the bride unfolds the perfections of the Bridegroom to others, her heart is engaged with Himself and His glories, and it is stirred afresh to its depths. To witness to others of the glories and perfections of Christ will most surely kindle afresh one's own affections for Christ.