“If you do not know,
O fairest among women,
follow in the footsteps of the flock,
and pasture your young goats
beside the shepherds’ tents.”
—Song of Songs 1:8

The Lord’s answer is very particular—He tells her to live under the authority in the church. If the Lord is the great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:4), the brothers are also the shepherds to whom the Lord has given responsibility (1 Pet. 5:2). If the Lord builds up the church (Matt. 16:18), so also do the brothers (Eph. 4:16). (more…)

“If you do not know,
O fairest among women,
follow in the footsteps of the flock,
and pasture your young goats
beside the shepherds’ tents.”
—Song of Songs 1:8

“The footsteps of the flock” is plural in number, signifying the spiritual walk of all the believers. From the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost throughout all church history, the real followers of the Lord have demonstrated their love in the midst of persecution, sacrifice, and even martyrdom. Many are still following this way to love the Lord today. (more…)

“If you do not know,
O fairest among women,
follow in the footsteps of the flock,
and pasture your young goats
beside the shepherds’ tents.”
—Song of Songs 1:8

While she is struggling in this way, the Lord has mercy upon her. She knows that her nourishment and her hope can only be found in the Lord Himself. She realizes that the nourishing of life and rest come from Him alone. Therefore, no matter how difficult or uncertain things are outwardly, she still is able to go on by relying on the Lord. (more…)

“Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock?
Where do you make it lie down at noon?”
For why should I be like one who veils herself
beside the flocks of your companions?”
—Song of Songs 1:7

Her prayer is very good here. Although she is wandering astray as one veiled beside the flocks of the companions of the Lord, not knowing what her portion is, she still is seeking the Lord with all her heart. (more…)

In the church life, we need to remember that we should never try to keep a person by placing him into service. Although it is possible to keep a person in the church life by bringing him to serve in some area, this is not the best way to help him. (more…)

“Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock?
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
beside the flocks of your companions?”
—Song of Songs 1:7

Although she feels that she is wandering astray because of her perplexity in the church life, she doesn’t lose sight of the most important principle. This principle is that we must focus on our relationship with the Lord more than we focus on our work, and we should care for nourishment and rest more than we care for work. (more…)

“Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock?
Where do you make it lie down at noon?
For why should I be like one who veils herself
beside the flocks of your companions?”
—Song of Songs 1:7

When we start to love the Lord, we all have the feeling of wandering alongside the flocks of her companions, for we don’t yet know what it is to cooperate with others and to fellowship in the Body. (more…)

“Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock?
Where do you make it lie down at noon?”
—Song of Songs 1:7

If you truly love the Lord, it will not matter what your assigned work is. When the brothers have their own feelings and opinions about what you should be doing, and you also have yours, it will leave you feeling confused as to how to function, and you will appear to have a problem with authority. (more…)

“Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock?
Where do you make it lie down at noon?”
—Song of Songs 1:7

Noon is the “full” time of a day, as Proverbs 4:18 states, “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” “To lie down” certainly means to rest. (more…)

“Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock?
Where do you make it lie down at noon?”
—Song of Songs 1:7

Here she has a prayer, “Lord, please tell me where You feed the flock. The brothers have asked me to serve in some matter, but I don’t feel right about it. I want to labor according to my burden, but the brothers don’t agree. Oh, Lord, where do You feed the flock?” (more…)

“My mother’s sons were angry with me;
they made me keeper of the vineyards,
but my own vineyard I have not kept.”
—Song of Songs 1:6

When you have an intimate relationship with the Lord and the Lord shines upon you, you will find that you become burdened for the vineyard. At that point, the Lord looks upon you and makes you realize that you are black, and other brothers and sisters will look at you and think that you are not willing to cooperate or that you yourself don’t know where to function. (more…)

“My mother’s sons were angry with me;
they made me keeper of the vineyards,
but my own vineyard I have not kept.”
—Song of Songs 1:6

As one who loves the Lord and has a burden to carry out something before the Lord, the seeker has her own vineyard. If you have an intimate relationship with the Lord, you surely will have your own “vineyard”—something that you feel God has committed to you. (more…)

The Triune God operates together as the God of oneness. There are one essence, one element, one life, one nature, one existence, one living, one operation, one purpose, and one substance culminating in one universal enlargement. (more…)

All the Father’s counsels claiming
Equal honors to the Son,
All the Son’s effulgence beaming,
Makes the Father’s glory known.

By the Spirit all pervading,
Hosts unnumbered round the Lamb,
Crowned with light and joy unfading,
Hail Him as the great “I AM.”

— J.N. Darby

When Mr. Darby wrote these lines he had a realization that God is the God of oneness, and that it is this God who produces the one accord. (more…)

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke forth to them: Men of Judea, and all who are dwelling in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.
— Acts 2:14

And all those who believed were together and had all things common.
— Acts 2:44

There is a great difference between Biblical teachings and examples. Paul, therefore, often teaches and stresses the matter of oneness. Yet, he does not teach the matter of being in one accord. (more…)

And when they heard this, they lifted up their voice with one accord to God and said, “Sovereign Master, You are the One who has made heaven and earth and the sea and all things in them.”
— Acts 4:24

Now the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind toward one another according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
— Romans 15:5-6

In the whole New Testament there are only two places where the term “one accord” is mentioned in a positive sense. It is used once in Acts in connection with the church in Jerusalem, and once in Romans with Paul’s admonishment to the saints in Rome. In all the other epistles the matter of one accord is not stressed or is not mentioned. Rather, the matter of oneness is very much stressed. (more…)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
— Genesis 1:1

In the whole universe there is only one unique God. He is the God of oneness. Genesis 1:1 begins, “In the beginning God….” This indicates that there is only one unique God. In the beginning we have God, not Gods. However, the Hebrew word for God is Elohim, a plural noun. Although a singular verb is used with this noun, the word for God is plural. (more…)

To be one, and to have oneness, is a very profound matter. Oneness is so high, beyond our human understanding or concept. We may have our concept of oneness and one accord and may even joyfully abide in oneness and stand in one accord, until some element creeps in to destroy it. (more…)

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.
Your anointing oils have a pleasant fragrance;
Your name is like ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you.”
— Song of Songs 1:1-3

A person who loves the Lord can never leave behind the five elements found in verses 2 and 3. (more…)

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.
Your anointing oils have a pleasant fragrance;
Your name is like ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you.”
— Song of Songs 1:1-3

Brothers and sisters, if you serve without touching the Lord, your service may keep you occupied, but you will not know much genuine companionship. Once you touch the Lord, however, you will find out that there are so many good brothers and sisters in the church, and you will appreciate these virgins. (more…)

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.
Your anointing oils have a pleasant fragrance;
Your name is like ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you.”
— Song of Songs 1:1-3

Verse 3 continues, “Your name is like ointment poured forth.” This name is actually the Lord’s work. As the result of His work, He has the name that is above every name. According to the book of Philippians, the Lord “humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). The Lord’s name has been produced as a result of all His work. Hence, His name refers to His work. (more…)

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.
Your anointing oils have a pleasant fragrance;
Your name is like ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you.”
— Song of Songs 1:1-3

Verse 3 goes on to say, “Your anointing oils have a pleasant fragrance.” The anointing oils refer to the Lord Himself as the One who has passed through all the processes. (more…)

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.”
— Song of Songs 1:1-2

The beginning is so good: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!” But it is not followed by, “For you yourself are better than wine.” Instead it is followed by, “For your love is better than wine.” At this stage we are not deeply touching the Lord Himself. We are only touching His love. (more…)

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine.”
— Song of Songs 1:1-2

Our Lord cannot reveal Himself to us all at once, or we would not be able to stand before Him. He is too perfect. He is holy and righteous. Eventually as we come to know Him further, we will experience His judging. (more…)

Then he said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.”
— Ruth 3:10-11

Boaz had already blessed Ruth by supplying her needs. Based upon that, Ruth had matured, but she still needed to take another step. Under Naomi’s wise care, she found Boaz and entered into a relationship with him in which he became her center. (more…)

He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth your maid. Spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.”
— Ruth 3:8-9

Ruth was saying, “Boaz, you recognized that I had come to take refuge under Jehovah’s wing. That wing is your wing. Therefore, take your maidservant under your wing.” (more…)