Song of Solomon 5:9

Her affections for Him and desire to be near Him are now stirred to such a point that it simply makes her sick that she cannot reach Him or know where to find Him. She has no taste for anything else any more; nothing can satisfy now but Himself. The daughters of Jerusalem conclude from this that her beloved must be someone altogether exceptional, to have drawn out her affections so far. So they ask, "What is your beloved more than another beloved…?" They want to know more about Him.

They have never known the intimacy of love with the Bridegroom, and cannot understand the affections that fill the heart of the bride. They ask, "What is your Beloved more than another Beloved?" But this is only another step in the restoration of the bride. Her motives must be searched. Is her Beloved more to her than another? It hardly appeared so in the eyes of others. She had taken her ease without the Bridegroom, and when he knocked she could not even rouse herself to let him in.

Here the remnant of Judah is pictured as a bride, loved, admired, and delighted in. The blessed Lord Himself, the spared remnant of the other tribes, and all the Gentiles admire her matchless beauty. "O most beautiful among women." So it will be in that day for the whole nation.

When challenged, "What is your beloved more than another beloved?" she answers, "He is the chief among ten thousand." Then she goes on to tell, not of the blessings she has received from Him, nor even of His interest in her, but of all His own varied attractions. At last she says, "He is altogether lovely!"

The closer we are to Jesus, the deeper and warmer our appreciation of Him will be when others ask us who He is — "more than another beloved!" Men in their thoughts and words are dragging Him down to the level of human leaders… She starts with His head — pure gold. And she goes right down to His blessed feet… Think of Nebuchadnezzar's image. Its head was gold, but all the way down it grew worse, until we come to the feet of iron and clay. Everything in this world decays, however brilliant its start may be. In that blessed, glorious Person, our Beloved, there is nothing but complete, dazzling glory from head to foot.

Nothing makes others want Christ like seeing a soul whose heart is aflame for Him. This is a most important truth for those who preach the gospel. It matters just as much for anyone who wants to lead others to Christ, for Sunday School teachers, and for parents who want to see their children saved. It won't do just to speak to them from time to time; they must see that Christ is everything to you.

If our love to Christ has grown cold, let us just answer the two questions: "Who is He?" and "Where is He?" Then, as we are taken up with Him again, the glow of His love will warm our cold hearts.