BOTH IN WILDERNESS

BOTH IN WILDERNESS

“Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee”, says a third person in verse 5 of Chapter 8 in the Song of Songs. This person sees the Shulamite accompanying her beloved and leaning upon him while coming up from the wilderness. In this verse, a third person that is a servant of God testifies to your new birth and subsequent wilderness experience. It is easy for a child of God to give a testimony through his mouth about how he was saved by Christ. But what is more important is a word of testimony concerning your new birth and your changed life by other children of God. The third person in the Song is amazed at the appearance of the Shulamite who comes up from the wilderness, and at her close companionship with her beloved. This world is the wilderness. In this wilderness, you have no other hope except Christ; you have no other person to rely upon except Christ because till the end of your earthly life, the loved ones of yours would either leave this world one by one or forsake you at one time or the other, especially when you become old. Only Christ would abide with you forever and would never forsake you as you learn to lean upon Him for everything. As you pass through the trials and tribulations in this world, you would conform to the image of Christ and the people around you would be amazed at this change in your life.

The third person in the Song continues to say, “ I raised thee up under the apple tree”. Now he addresses the Shulamite. In my opinion, the apple tree mentioned here refers to the king Solomon as per verse 3 of Chapter 2 wherein “the apple tree among the trees of the wood” is compared to the beloved shepherd “among the sons”. Dearly beloved bride of Christ, once upon a time, you were spiritually dormant or were almost dead in your spiritual life. Some servant of God awakened you from your spiritual death under the shadow of the Apple Tree. Your new birth took place only under the Apple Tree and not in any holy place of pilgrimage or in the midst of any people or in any special church building. Under the Apple Tree, your mother brought you forth. Mother means the servant of God or the people of God who brought you the message of salvation or who were responsible for your finding Christ as the Saviour on your new birth. A servant of God or some people of God witness your new birth.

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