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. (Matthew 6:28-29)
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.
I also noticed that there was a white lily in several OT passages associated with shuwshan. This shuwshan lily is known for not only its beauty and purity {white color} but also for its strong sweet scent. It appears in several Song of Solomon passages.
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. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
(Song of Solomon 6:1-3)
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 of Solomon 4:12-16) and contains a secret place within her heart belonging to God our Father (Galatians 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 (Psalm 27:4-6), secure beneath His wings (Psalm 91:1, 4, 14 AMP ). This garden enclosed also contains a ‘Well of Living Waters’ where 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 (Revelation 22:17). It’s the Shepherd who leads to green pastures besides still waters (Psalm 23:2) 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?
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. 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.
(Esther 2:3)
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 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 (Ephesians 5:25-27). It’s the bride who has completely surrendered and allowed the circumcision of her heart by the double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:11-12), and whose soul has been purified by ‘walking’ in obedience to the truth that can appear before the King (1 Peter 1:22-25).
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.
(Psalm 96:6-9)
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.
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}.
(Psalm 45:10-11)
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 Peter 3:3-4; Isaiah 30:15). The bride is clothed with garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). She wears compassion, kindness, humility, forgiveness, gentleness and patience with a necklace of mercy and truth (Colossians 3:12-17; Proverbs 3:3); an everlasting crown of joy upon her head (Isaiah 35:10, 51:11). Look where the bride adorned, these white lilies gather!
(Lover to Beloved) Your navel is a rounded goblet; It lacks no liquor. Your belly is a heap of wheat encircled about with lilies.
(Song of Solomon 7:2)
‘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 (Revelation 5:6, 9-13).
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.
(Revelation 7:17)
‘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.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(John 7:38)
This is a beautiful place of union between the Bridegroom and bride; a place of communion midst the flock. 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!
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 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 36:7-9)
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
(Psalm 23:5 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; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
(Psalm 63:4-5 AMP)
My beloved is mine, and I am His; He pastures His flock among the lilies.
(Song of Solomon 2:16)
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.
(Revelation 21:2-3)
The Bride Adorned
by Karen Holland
The bride adorned in holy attire
Rises from the womb of the dawn ready for battle. –Psalm 110:3
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
His head adorned like a priest
As a bride adorns herself with her jewels –Isaiah 61:10
In the beauties of holiness.
Awake, awake
Clothe yourself in strength, O Daughter of Zion
Clothe yourself in beautiful garments –Isaiah 52:1
With garments of salvation
A robe of righteousness –Isaiah 61:10
A necklace of mercy and truth –Proverbs 3:3
A heart adorned with a gentle and quiet spirit –1 Peter 3:3-4; Isaiah 30:15
Purified in obedience to the truth –1 Peter 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. –Colossians 3:12-17
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name
Bring an offering, a sacrifice of praise –1 Chronicles 16:29
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him with reverent fear. –Psalm 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 –Psalm 133:2
Anointed heads
Anointed with the oil of joy –Psalm 45:7
By the hand of the Lord GOD Almighty
Righteousness and praise will spring up before all the nations –Isaiah 61:11
The bride adorned in a garment of praise –Isaiah 61:3
An everlasting crown of joy upon her head. –Isaiah 35:10, 51:11
Sing, O Daughter of Zion
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart –Zephaniah 3:14-20
The Bridegroom comes to dance over you with singing –Zephaniah 3:17
Behold, the Bridegroom comes to dwell in your midst –Zechariah 2:10
Sing, O Daughter of Zion
Praise the beauty of His holiness
Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever! –2 Chronicles 20:21
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.
(Isaiah 52:1)
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.
(Zechariah 2:10)
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!
(Matthew 5:8 AMP)