he trials of the church by the withdrawing of Christ. (1-5)
The excellences of the church, The care of Christ for her.
(6-11)
Verses 1-5: It was hard to the Old Testament church to find Christ in
the ceremonial law; the watchmen of that church gave little
assistance to those who sought after him. The night is a time of
coldness, darkness, and drowsiness, and of dim apprehensions
concerning spiritual things. At first, when uneasy, some feeble
efforts are made to obtain the comfort of communion with Christ.
This proves in vain; the believer is then roused to increased
diligence. The streets and broad-ways seem to imply the means of
grace in which the Lord is to be sought. Application is made to
those who watch for men's souls. Immediate satisfaction is not
found. We must not rest in any means, but by faith apply
directly to Christ. The holding of Christ, and not letting him
go, denotes earnest cleaving to him. What prevails is a humble,
ardent suing by prayer, with a lively exercise of faith on his
promises. So long as the faith of believers keeps hold of
Christ, he will not be offended at their earnest asking, yea, he
is well pleased with it. The believer desires to make others
acquainted with his Saviour. Wherever we find Christ, we must
take him home with us to our houses, especially to our hearts;
and we should call upon ourselves and each other, to beware of
grieving our holy Comforter, and provoking the departure of the
Beloved.
Verses 6-11: A wilderness is an emblem of the world; the believer comes
out of it when he is delivered from the love of its sinful
pleasures and pursuits, and refuses to comply with its customs
and fashions, to seek happiness in communion with the Saviour. A
poor soul shall come up, at last, under the conduct of the
Comforter; like a cloud of incense ascending from the altar, or
the smoke of the burnt-offerings. This signifies pious and
devout affections, and the mounting of the soul heaven-ward. The
believer is filled with the graces of God's Spirit; his
devotions now are very lively. These graces and comforts are
from the heavenly Canaan. He, who is the Peace of his people,
the King of the heavenly Zion, has provided for the safe
conveyance of his redeemed through the wilderness of this world.
The bed, or palanquin, was contrived for rest and easy
conveyance, but its beauty and magnificence showed the quality
of its owner. The church is well guarded; more are with her than
are against her: believers, when they repose in Christ, and with
him, though they have their fears in the night, are yet safe.
The chariot here denotes the covenant of redemption, the way of
our salvation. This is that work of Christ, which makes him
loved and admired in the eyes of believers. It is framed and
contrived, both for the glory of Christ, and for the comfort of
believers; it is well ordered in all things and sure. The blood
of the covenant, that rich purple, is the cover of this chariot,
by which believers are sheltered from the wind and storms of
Divine wrath, and the troubles of this world; but the midst of
it is that love of Christ which passes knowledge, this is for
believers to repose upon. Christ, in his gospel, manifests
himself. Take special notice of his crown. Applying this to
Christ, it speaks the honour put upon him, and his power and
dominion.
he trials of the church by the withdrawing of Christ. (1-5)
The excellences of the church, The care of Christ for her.
(6-11)