Among The Lilies

Among The Lilies
By Karen Holland … 6-1-2009

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Matthew 6:28-29     Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these.

Some months ago this scripture was on my heart, probably because I was trying not to worry about my life! So I was considering the lilies and how they were dressed. I’d always thought for some reason that these lilies of the field were orange. I checked this out in the Netbible and found that indeed it is thought that these lilies of the field were scarlet in color.

From: http://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Lily The lilies (Gr. krinia) spoken of in the New Testament (Matt. 6:28; Luke 12:27) were probably the scarlet martagon (Lilium Chalcedonicum) or “red Turk’s-cap lily”, which “comes into flower at the season of the year when our Lord’s sermon on the mount is supposed to have been delivered. It is abundant in the district of Galilee; and its fine scarlet flowers render it a very conspicous and showy object, which would naturally attract the attention of the hearers” (Balfour’s Plants of the Bible).

I also noticed that there was a white liliy in several OT passages associated with shuwshan[07799]. This shuwshan lily is known for not only it’s beauty and purity{white color} but also for it’s strong sweet scent. It appears in several Song of Solomon passages.

Song 6:1-3     “Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek Him with you?” 

“My beloved has gone down to His garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture His flock in the gardens and gather lilies[07799].” 

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” 

This linking of the white sweet smelling lilies with the Bridegroom’s garden was of special interest to me. The bride is a garden enclosed; a fountain sealed(Song 4:12-16) and contains a secret place within her heart belonging to God our Father(Gal 4:6) thru our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. A beautiful hidden place of communion and fellowship with the Lord to behold His beauty. A garden enclosed is a place of rest and protection, high upon the ‘Rock’, high above any foe (Ps 27:4-6), secure beneath His wings(Ps 91:1, 4, 14 AMP ). This garden enclosed also contains a ‘Well of Living Waters‘ where the The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life(Rev 22:17). It’s the Shepherd who leads to green pastures, beside still waters(Ps 23:2). He leads to this place in the gardens to pasture His flock. This is also the place where these white lilies are gathered. White is the color of the bride. Could these white lilies represent the bride?

Esther 2:3     Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa[07800]. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.

The story of Esther is the story of the preparation of the bride to be presented before the King. Is it a coincidence that this word Susa is the same as the word shuwshan for these white lilies, or that Psalm 45 the wedding song of the King is to the tune of these lilies? It does seem to fit that these white lilies represent the purified bride without spot or wrinkle; the bride who has been washed in the water of the word(Eph 5:25-27). It’s the bride who has completely surrendered and allowed the circumcision of her heart by the double-edged sword(Heb 4:11-12), AND whose soul has been purified by ‘walking’ in obedience to the truth that can appear before the King(1 Pe 1:22-25).

Psalm 96:6-9     Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness{holy attire, glory of the King}! Fear{tremble, kneel} before Him, all the earth.

The bride prepared and adorned in holy attire may come and worship before the King, she may enter His rest, this wonderful place of abiding in the beauties of holiness.

Psalm 45:10-11     Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So the King will greatly desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, worship{bow, submit to} Him{alone}.

The Bride adorned is beautiful in the eyes of the King, her beauty is greatly desired by Him! Her submissive, gentle, quiet spirit is precious in His sight(1 Pe 3:3-4; Isa 30:15). The bride is clothed with garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness(Isa 61:10). She wears compassion, kindness, humility, forgiveness, gentleness and patience with a necklace of mercy and truth(Col 3:12-17;Prov 3:3); an everlasting crown of joy upon her head(Isa 35:10, 51:11). Look where the bride adorned, these white lilies gather!

Song 7:2 (Lover to Beloved)     Your navel is a rounded goblet; It lacks no liquor(mixd wine). Your belly is a heap of wheat encirlced about with lilies[07799].

‘Your navel’, the center of the body is encircled by these white lilies! From my article ‘Ascending Mount Zion‘, we saw that the center of the throne is where the Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people. God’s throne, His dwelling place, Zion, is encircled by those singing a new song, it’s here in this atmosphere of praise where the Lamb stands high and lifted up(Rev 5:6, 9-13).

Revelation 7:17     For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.

‘Your navel’ encircled by these white lilies, this is another picture of the center of the throne! The river of life flowing from the throne and offered to whoever is thirsty.

John 7:38     He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

A beautiful place of union between the Bridegroom and bride; a place of communion midst the flock. A place to declare: “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” The goblet of wine and heap of threshed wheat speak of the symbols of communion; the blood and broken bread. No wonder the Beloved pastures His flock here among these white lilies! There is an abundance flowing from the center of the throne where the Lamb stands and the King is enthroned. Hear the cry of the Spirit and the bride, come drink, eat and be satisfied, your cup will overflow!

Psalm 36:7-9     How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the *abundance[01880] of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

Psalm 23:5 AMP     You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You *anoint[01878] my head with **oil; My [brimming] cup runs over. 

Psalm 63:4-5 AMP     So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and *fatness[01880]; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

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From http://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&chapter=23&verse=5
http://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&chapter=36&verse=8
http://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&chapter=63&verse=5

abundance -deshen[01880]

1) fat ashes, fatness
1a) fatness
1a1) of fertility
1a2) of blessing (fig.)
1b) fat ashes (ashes of victims, mixed with the fat)

from 1878; the fat; abstractly fatness, i.e. (figuratively) abundance; specifically the (fatty) ashes of sacrifices:- ashes, fatness.

see HEBREW for dashen[01878]
1) to be fat, grow fat, become fat, become prosperous, anoint

Song 2:16
My beloved is mine, and I am His; He pastures His flock among the lilies.

Revelation 21:2-3 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God”.

The Bride Adorned
Karen Holland … 5-13-2009

The bride adorned in holy attire
Rises from the womb of the dawn ready for battle. -Ps 110:3
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
His head adorned like a priest
As a bride adorns herself with her jewels -Isa 61:10
In the beauties of holiness.

Awake, awake
Clothe yourself in strength, O Daughter of Zion
Clothe yourself in beautiful garments -Isa 52:1
With garments of salvation
A robe of righteousness -Isa 61:10
A necklace of mercy and truth -Prov 3:3
A heart adorned with a gentle and quiet spirit -1 Pe 3:3-4; Isa 30:15
Purified in obedience to the truth -1 Pe 1:22-25
A heart of tender mercy full of peace
Be clothed in compassion, kindness, humility,
Forgiveness, gentleness and patience
Thankful hearts bound by love dwelling in perfect unity. -Col 3:12-17

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name
Bring an offering, a sacrifice of praise -1 Chron 16:29
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him with reverent fear. -Ps 96:6-9

Thankful hearts bound by Christ’s love dwell in perfect unity
A precious oil
A sweet, sweet scent flowing down from the head
Flowing down off the hem of His robe -Ps 133
Anointed heads
Anointed with the oil of joy -Ps 45:7
By the hand of the Lord GOD Almighty
Righteousness and praise will spring up before all the nations -Isa 61:11
The bride adorned in a garment of praise -Isa 61:3
An everlasting crown of joy upon her head. -Isa 35:10, 51:11

Sing, O Daughter of Zion
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart -Zeph 3:14-20
The Bridegroom comes to dance[01523] over you with singing -Zeph 3:17
Behold, the Bridegroom comes to dwell in your midst -Zech 2:10
Sing, O Daughter of Zion
Praise the beauty of His holiness
Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever! -2 Chron 20:21

Isaiah 52:1     Awake, awake, Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; For the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer come into you.

Zechariah 2:10     Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 5:8 AMP     Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous–possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!