There is only one verse in the Bible that has the words "return, return." In fact, this word "return" is doubled twice. This is also the only verse with the word "Shulamite," and it also occurs twice. The verse is Song of Songs 6:13:
Return, return, O Shulamite;
Return, return, that we may look upon you!
What would you see in the Shulamite
As it were, the dance of the two camps?
This unique verse is packed with profound meaning!
To understand who this Shulamite is, we must understand something about the one who wrote this Song. The song begins:
"The Song of Songs which is Solomon's."
(Song of Songs 1:1)
Solomon is writing this song about his beloved, the love of his life.
But who is she?
We need to look at some history as recorded in the Bible. Israel's first king was King Saul. We read about Saul in the first book of Samuel. 1 Samuel chapters 1-7 gives the story of Samuel's birth, his young years and through into his old age. He was the last in the line of judges God had raised up in Israel before the time of the kings. But in his old age the elders of Israel came to Samuel asking him to make for them a king like all the nations:
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them."
(1 Samuel 8:4-9)
So we see that Israel wanted a king, like the other nations because they rejected God as their King. So God gave them what they wanted, and Samuel anointed Saul as their first king. You can read about the reign of King Saul through the rest of 1 Samuel. He became very corrupt and disobedient and was killed in battle by Israel's enemies. There is a very short summary of this first king in Hosea 13:11:
I gave you a king in My anger,
And took him away in My wrath.
The second book of Samuel records the history of Israel's second king, King David. God in His great love gave Israel a good king. Samuel in his old age anointed David as King some years before the death of Saul. David lived as a fugitive through the last years of Saul's reign because Saul wanted to kill him because he knew that God was with David and had chosen him.
Once David was established as King over Israel and had a palace built for himself, he became concerned that God was still dwelling in a tent while he had a nice house. David wanted to build a house for God to dwell in. But God through the prophet Nathan revealed a different plan (2 Samuel 7:1-17):
1 Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains."
3 Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you."
4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 "Go and tell My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: "Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' " ' 8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.
12 "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' "
17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
So God's plan was that He would build David a house (a Kingly dynasty) that would last forever. In this portion from 2 Samuel we have the actual words of the Lord spoken through Nathan the prophet to David, that David would have a son from his own body that would build a house for the Lord and he would reign forever.
The name of that son is not given in this prophecy. To find the name of the son who would reign directly after David, we find it in the parallel account of the kings of Israel and Judah, 1 Chronicles 28:1-10:
1 Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: the officers of the tribes and the captains of the divisions who served the king, the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officials, the valiant men, and all the mighty men of valor.
2 Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. 3 But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.' 4 However the Lord God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah to be the ruler. And of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel. 5 And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6 Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.' 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.
9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it."
Here David recounts what he heard from God, but there are some differences from the account given in 2 Samuel. In God's words through Nathan, He says that his house and his son's throne would be established forever, and even if his son commits iniquity, he would be chastened, but His mercy shall not depart from him. But in the account in 1 Chronicles 28, it says concerning Solomon "but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."
We know from the New Testament that Jesus is the Son of David, and that Solomon was a 'type,' a foreshadowing, of Jesus. Jesus himself speaks of this connection:
The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
(Luke 11:31)
So we have 1 Samuel giving the history of King Saul, and 2 Samuel detailing the reign of King David. Now we come to the next book, 1 Kings with some interesting events around the transition from King David to his son Solomon. In the first two chapters of 1 Kings, we are introduced to a beautiful young woman named Abishag from the town of Shunem:
1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 2 Therefore his servants said to him, "Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm." 3 So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.
(1 Kings 1:1-4)
Here she is introduced as a very lovely young woman to keep King David warm in his advanced age, and we note that he did not 'know' her, that is he did not have sexual intercourse with her, thus she remained a virgin.
Then things really start going bad when Solomon's brother Adonijah decides to set himself up as king:
5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) 7 Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.
9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.
(1 Kings 1:5-10)
Adonijah invited only selected guests to his celebration, and Nathan the prophet and those close to David, and of course Solomon were not invited. And David did not even know about it. So Nathan took action:
11 So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12 Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go immediately to King David and say to him, 'Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, "Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?' 14 Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words."
Bathsheba, Solomon's mother takes Nathan's advice and goes to David. But notice the passing comment about "Abishag the Shunammite":
15 So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.)
16 And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, "What is your wish?"
17 Then she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' 18 So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 19 He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. 20 And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders."
22 And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23 So they told the king, saying, "Here is Nathan the prophet." And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24 And Nathan said, "My lord, O king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne'? 25 For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, 'Long live King Adonijah!' 26 But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27 Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
28 Then King David answered and said, "Call Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before the king. 29 And the king took an oath and said, "As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 30 just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,' so I certainly will do this day."
31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, "Let my lord King David live forever!"
32 And King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." So they came before the king. 33 The king also said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. 34 There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' 35 Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah."
So they anointed Solomon king that day and he sat on the throne of his father David. Then all who were celebrating with Adonijah ran away in fear and Adonijah ran and took hold of the horns of the alter and asked for mercy.
50 Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 And it was told Solomon, saying, "Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.' "
52 Then Solomon said, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die." 53 So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go to your house."
(1 Kings 1:11-35; 50-53)
So Solomon reigned after his father David. But in chapter 2 of 1 Kings, we will learn some amazing events. In the first twelve verses David gives Solomon a number of detailed instructions about things and people to settle accounts with, and there is one minor detail to take note of, it is just a part of verse 8 "in the day when I went to Mahanaim." We will see the name 'Mahanaim' again.
Then David died, and "rested with his fathers." (1 Kings 2:10)
Now Adonijah appears on the scene again in 1 Kings 2:13-25:
13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, "Do you come peaceably?"
And he said, "Peaceably." 14 Moreover he said, "I have something to say to you."
And she said, "Say it."
15 Then he said, "You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother's; for it was his from the Lord. 16 Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me."
Please note that Adonijah actually knew, and said "for it was his (Solomon's) from the Lord." Yet he makes a very bold request:
And she said to him, "Say it."
17 Then he said, "Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife."
18 So Bathsheba said, "Very well, I will speak for you to the king."
19 Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king's mother; so she sat at his right hand. 20 Then she said, "I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me."
And the king said to her, "Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you."
21 So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife."
Can you imagine such a bold request?!
22 And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my older brother—for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!"
25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.
Note that, to Solomon, asking for Abishag was the same as asking for the kingdom also.
Adonijah's bold request cost him his life that day!
Is there a connection? Who is this 'Shulamite' that Solomon wrote this Song of Songs about? Could she be Abishag the 'Shunammite'?
There is only one letter different between the names 'Shunammite' and 'Shulamite' in Hebrew. The double 'm' in 'Shunammite' is because of the vowel point system of the Masoretic scribes who worked between the 6th and 10th centuries CE. They attempted to preserve the pronunciation of the Hebrew for future generations. In the Hebrew word 'Shunammite', they added a dot in the middle of the letter 'mem' ('m') which usually comes into English as a doubled 'm'. But before the Masoretic scribes added these dots, the only difference between these two names was the one letter 'nun' ('n') and 'lamed' ('l').
It is fairly clear that Abishag the Shunammite became Solomon's bride, probably his first, though it is not explicitly stated anywhere in the Bible.
Now it is customary in our time for a woman to take her bridegroom's (last) name on their wedding day, and it is a fact that Solomon is the masculine-name form of the word 'shalom' which is the Hebrew word for 'peace'. Also the Hebrew name 'Shulamite' is the feminine-name form of the same word 'shalom'. So indeed Solomon and Shulamite are actually much closer in Hebrew than in English; they are simply the masculine and feminine form of the same name.
It may be further noticed that the city 'Shunem' has been called by various names through the history of ancient Israel, including the change of the letter 'nun' to 'lamed'. This fact can be found in a number of published Bible dictionaries. Perhaps the influence of this most beautiful girl in all of Israel becoming Solomon's bride may be the reason that even the name of the city she was from was changed in the same way; the same letter 'nun' being changed to a 'lamed'.
Solomon is a 'type' of Jesus Christ, the 'Son of David,' and there are many things about Solomon that prefigure Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. Isaiah speaks of a future King who would reign on David's throne in the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7:
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah gave this prophecy nearly two hundred years after Solomon. The name Solomon means 'Peace,' and Isaiah says "And his name shall be called ... Prince of Peace, ('Shalom' in Hebrew.)
Another way in which Solomon is a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ is given in 1 Kings 11:1-3, though at first glance it may seem wrong because it is recorded as a negative thing:
1 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
His many foreign wives that he loved turned away his heart, and that was certainly a negative thing in Solomon's life. But even so, consider a parallel; whereas Solomon loved many foreign women, Jesus loved the world, He loves sinners. He loves people from every foreign nation. In fact, "God is love."
Assuming that Abishag was Solomon's first bride, as the evidence suggests, he 'inherited' her from his father David, and the Bride of Christ was given to Him by His Heavenly Father:
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
(John 10:27-29)
The Shulamite is a 'type' of the Bride of Christ, and the Song of Songs is the 'Love Song' of this deep intimate love shared between the Bridegroom, Jesus, and His Bride, the One Church He is building.
To ask for this Bride for yourself is to ask to be the King of the Kingdom also.
"Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my older brother."
(1 Kings 2:22)
To want to take the bride of Jesus Christ as your own wife, like Adonijah, will result in your death.
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!"
(1 Kings 2:23-24)
In reading the whole Song of Songs, we don't really get an answer to the question;
"Where has she gone?"
We have seen how she is a 'type', a picture of the bride of Jesus Christ, the early church. So we can learn something of where she has gone from the letters of the Apostle Paul. Now, for a little background, Paul spent over two years teaching in Ephesus, which was the capital of Asia Minor, and from his teaching there, all in Asia heard the gospel:
8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
(Acts 19:8-10)
Later, Paul, on his journey to Jerusalem and ultimately on to Rome, called for the elders in Ephesus to come so he could encourage them:
25 "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
(Acts 20:25-31)
Paul continued on to Jerusalem, and finally to Rome. It was from Rome, in chains, that Paul wrote to Timothy:
"This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me" (2 Timothy 1:15a)
This was not long after Paul had called for and spoken to the elders from Ephesus, that now all had turned away. And even those who were with Paul forsook him.
"At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me."
(2 Timothy 4:16a)
It was already starting while he was still alive. But after his death, that greatly increased.
So at the start, the Bride of Christ, the early church, was exceedingly beautiful. But, that little flock only lasted a short time, a few decades. Most of that little flock was drawn away to follow other men. Even the seeds of that were in Corinth which prompted Paul to write to them:
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
(1 Corinthians 1:10-13)
So the question, "where has she gone?" -- The answer is that she was starting to 'lose her first love,' they became divided and drawn away by 'wolves in sheep's clothing.' And as persecution increased, many were killed and others were scattered.
Then Rome decided since they couldn't beat them, they instead 'joined them' and made 'Christianity' the religion of the Roman empire, and mixed it together with all the pagan mythology and religious beliefs they inherited from Babylon. So the church was carried away to 'Mystery Babylon.'
But even so there were small groups in scattered places who did not follow the religious mixture. But over time Rome sought them out and killed all they could find.
Unless the Lord of hosts
Had left to us a very small remnant,
We would have become like Sodom,
We would have been made like Gomorrah.
(Isaiah 1:9)
So here we are today with many many 'churches' all over the world, but where can you find anything that looks like the early church, the church that Jesus said he would build?
Paul writes to the Romans:
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved;
(Romans 9:27)
The Roman Emperor Constantine made 'Christianity' the mandatory religion of his Empire. For many centuries Rome imprisoned, tortured and killed all those who were not loyal to the Roman 'Church'. This total domination lasted more than a thousand years, and history calls it the 'Dark Ages.'
But God never gives up. In the early 1500's, a German named Martin Luther, with other 'Reformers,' took a stand against this corruption in the Roman 'Church' and ushered in 'The Protestant Reformation,' also known as the 'Renaissance.'
While this was a step in the right direction, as truth after truth began to be recovered by the men who were studying the Bible for themselves, as gently lead by the Holy Spirit, each newly recovered truth resulted in another division, another denomination.
But God in His great love and mercy was at work in all of it, recovering a little truth here and a little truth there, truth after truth. But no one had it all.
With each truth that was recovered, there was a large bundle of error baggage brought along from the paganism of ancient Babylon. And that is the case of the many divided denominations today. These are the many 'systematic theologies' of the many denominations. They are all different from each other because they are all systems of error. It takes a great deal of hard work to weave all these errors in with the original revelation given by God's holy apostles and prophets, to make them look like they fit together. The result is thousands of denominations, all different from each other. This is confusion; Babylon means 'confusion.'
In the letter, known as "Ephesians," Paul gives clear and profound understanding into this present confusion and the unfolding of God's plan and purpose. A literal translation of Ephesians 4:14 by George Ricker Berry in his "Interlinear Greek-English New Testament" speaks of these many different "theologies":
that no longer we may be infants, being tossed and carried about by every wind of the teaching in the sleight of men, in craftiness with a view to the systematizing of error.
So God is still working, and He cannot fail.
Remember Jesus prayer in John 17. First He prays for his disciples who were there hearing Him pray, then He prays for us, "those who will believe in Me through their word":
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us,
that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them,
that they may be one just as We are one:
23 I in them, and You in Me;
that they may be made perfect in one, and
that the world may know that You have sent Me,
and have loved them as You have loved Me."
(John 17:20-23)
Remember, it is Jesus who said:
"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
(Matthew 21:22)
and
"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
(Mark 11:24)
Would you think that Jesus' prayer would not be answered?
Most certainly His prayer will be answered!
Now notice just a few verses before "Return, return O Shulamite":
8 There are sixty queens
And eighty concubines,
And virgins without number.
9 My dove, my perfect one,
Is the only one,
The only one of her mother,
The favorite of the one who bore her.
The daughters saw her
And called her blessed,
The queens and the concubines,
And they praised her.
(Song of Songs 6:8-9)
When Solomon wrote this song, there were "sixty queens and eighty concubines", but later Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines:
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
(1 Kings 11:3)
All the thousands of denominations, divided 'free' groups, and 'churches' standing apart from each other, correspond to the many foreign wives and concubines that Solomon had, and the virgins without number are the individual Christians who Jesus has not 'known.' Some will say "Lord, Lord ..." but He will say "I never knew you." He still loves them all, but many have never followed Him close enough to have "Christ formed in them."
So the Shulamite... Where has she gone? She has been taken captive to Mystery Babylon the Great.
But, just as in the 'type' of Judah, who was carried away to Babylon, eventually there will be a small remnant who will return from Mystery Babylon, back to the New Jerusalem.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues."
(Revelation 18:4)
That original little flock of Jesus followers was that most beautiful young woman given to Jesus from His Father. Planet Earth has never seen a more beautiful woman before or since. All the thousands of denominations of true believers in Jesus look back at the early church displayed in the New Testament and desire for her to return. "Return, return that we may gaze upon you." We do desire that one true church to return again. We want to see it. We have labored to build her, but:
Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
(Psalm 127:1 - A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.)
In recent decades there have been many people who have tried to return to a way of meeting in houses, and more like the church of the New Testament. But for the most part, what has been built is 'their own paneled or cieled houses'. There is no more unity among them than between all the thousands of denominations.
“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?”
(Haggai 1:4)
The prophet Haggai wrote to encourage those who had returned from Babylon to continue to work on building the temple. God still loved all His people, even those who remained in Babylon, but the prophecy was to those who had left Babylon to encourage them to continue building the temple again.
'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,'
says the Lord of hosts.
'And in this place I will give peace,'
says the Lord of hosts.
(Haggai 2:9)
Haggai wrote to the people of his time who had been working on building the temple in Jerusalem, but as a prophet, his words were for a exceedingly more profound reality centuries in the future. By reading his words, we see clearly that his prophecy applies to something far greater than that temple made with hands in the old city of Jerusalem:
The fact of history about the temple being built by the people of Haggai's day is that there does not seem to be much significance. That temple was worked on by only the few, small remnant who returned from Babylon without nearly the funds or resources that Solomon had. It also fell into some ruins, and was later rebuilt with greater resources by Herod, and became known as "Herod's Temple," which was destroyed some decades later.
There are so many things that could be brought together from all over the Bible. Haggai is especially good because, being the second shortest book of the Old Testament, it is packed with profound insight. It is well worth reading and pondering often.
There are three ways we may understand as fulfillments of Haggai 2:9a "The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former":
First, the most 'literal' and 'physical' is that the temple being build in his day, had a greater glory than Solomon's in that Jesus came to that temple. However, remember what He said about that temple; "Your house is left to you desolate," and He predicted its destruction, which happened in AD 70.
Second, the fulfillment in 'type' is that the glory of the later true temple, not 'made with hands,' but rather made with 'living stones' was greater than the former 'physical' temple that Solomon built. Indeed that is true!
But the third, which fits the whole prophecy in so many ways is; the early church, the beginning of the true temple not made with hands also fell into ruins, just as Solomon's physical temple did, and in recent times, God has brought some of His people out of Mystery Babylon and they started working on the church to restore it to be like the early church, but that has "seemed like nothing" in comparison to the "former glory" of the church in the first chapters of Acts. We have become discouraged, because even with that work, we now have house churches and 'small groups' that are just as divided as all the big churches of Mystery Babylon. But the call is to not give up, but keep on working to build the true temple again, because "the glory of the latter church (temple) will be greater than that of the early church. And in this temple God will give peace!
Only the third understanding can be the fulfillment of the whole prophecy even for "all nations."
6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. 9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
(Haggai 2:6-9)
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16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.
I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!"
And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
(Revelation 20:16-17)
We've had it backwards; we have been waiting for Jesus to 'return' and fix everything, but He is waiting for us to 'return' to Him, and make ourselves ready as one Church, His Bride, "the only one."
"return to Me and I will return to you."
(Zechariah 1:3 and Malachi 3:7)@@@
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
(Romans 16:20)He waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.
(Heb 10:13)@@@
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His wife has made herself ready."
(Revelation 19:7)
For those who are content to remain in Babylon, the Day of the Lord will be a day of terror:
Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
For what good is the day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
(Amos 5:18)
and
10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty.
11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
12 For the day of the Lord of hosts
Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
Upon everything lifted up—
And it shall be brought low—
13 Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,
And upon all the oaks of Bashan;
14 Upon all the high mountains,
And upon all the hills that are lifted up;
15 Upon every high tower,
And upon every fortified wall;
16 Upon all the ships of Tarshish,
And upon all the beautiful sloops.
17 The loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low;
The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 But the idols He shall utterly abolish.
19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks,
And into the caves of the earth,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
(Isaiah 2:10-19)
And:
6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand!
It will come as destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore all hands will be limp,
Every man’s heart will melt,
8 And they will be afraid.
Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them;
They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth;
They will be amazed at one another;
Their faces will be like flames.
9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes,
Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger,
To lay the land desolate;
And He will destroy its sinners from it.
(Isaiah 13:6-9)
This "Day of the Lord," though seldom even mentioned today, is an absolutely major subject of the scriptures, there are hundreds of passages throughout the Old Testament prophets and all through the New Testament speaking about this "Day." It is referred to in a number of ways, such as "the day of God," "in that day," "the day of Christ" and sometimes simply as "Day." When reading these sections, if you are aware of this "great and awesome Day," you will see and recognize the places where just the word "day" is referring to this "Day."
For the most part, in the Old Testament it is a "terrifying Day," but even though this terrifying continues in the New Testament, it is here also portrayed as a very good Day.
It is in this 'Day' that Mystery Babylon the Great falls.
And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
(Revelation 14:8)For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
(Revelation 16:14)And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!"
...
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
(Revelation 18:2, 8)
The good side of that Day; Paul must have given much clear teaching on this very important day as he traveled and spoke, because here in his letter to the Thessalonians, he only reminds them of what "you yourselves know perfectly":
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:25)
Now, this "assembling together" is a word that only occurs in two places in the Greek New Testament. The other place is 2 Thessalonians 2:1:
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
(2 Thessalonians 2:1)
In this verse, it is clear that Paul is not talking about 'going to a church building' each week, but rather the gathering of the remnant who will return back to Jesus alone, "unto Him." When we leave our denominations in which we were raised and come back to that pure "faith once delivered to the saints," (Jude 3) that, and that only is our "gathering unto Him." And that is the "return of the Shulamite," that most exceedingly beautiful reality that the early church had! And remember Haggai:
'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,'
says the Lord of hosts.
'And in this place I will give peace,'
says the Lord of hosts.
(Haggai 2:9)
The verse from the Song of Songs at the very beginning of this writing is from the New King James Version, but in some of the English versions, including the American Standard Version and the New International Version, we find:
Come back, come back, O Shulammite;
come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!
Why would you gaze on the Shulammite
as on the dance of Mahanaim?
(Song of Songs 6:13 - New International Version)
'Mahanaim' is the Hebrew word at the end of this verse. It means 'from two camps' or 'from two armies' or 'from two resting places.'
The first letter of Mahanaim, in Hebrew is 'mem' which very often is a prefix letter meaning 'from.' The root word 'han' in the plural (dual) form 'hanaim' means two camps, companies or protected places of rest, freedom, favor and grace.
Paul wrote in his letter (Ephesians) speaking of this, "from the two" companies:
[Jesus] having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.
(Ephesians 2:15)
In order to understand this verse we need to read the verses before it:
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
(Ephesians 2:11-18)
Here these two companies of people are defined. One group was Israel, God's chosen people, and the other is the Gentiles, the rest of the nations on earth. These two groups were separated from each other by, as Paul says, a 'middle wall of separation.'
But Jesus Christ on the cross abolished the enmity, and created in Himself this new creation, the One New Man, 'from the two camps.'
Paul calls this new creation, the 'one new man.' This One New Man is one 'man' made of many people. Paul also speaks of this in several of his other letters as 'the body of Christ,' and we as members (body parts) of this body. Christ is the head, and His followers are his hands and feet, his eyes, ears, mouth and all the other parts. All together, we are one new man.
The 'old man' is, in Paul's description, 'the first man, Adam,' and all who are 'in' Adam. This is the old creation, 'natural man' that is divided in every way imaginable, where there is no peace.
So now that the 'one new man' has been created by Jesus on the cross, Paul goes on in this letter, and in Colossians, to tell us to 'put off the old man' and 'put on the new man.'
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesians 4:17-24)
And:
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
(Colossians 3:8-11)
In this body, this 'one new man,' there are no divisive distinctions, like Jew and Greek, slave and free, etc., but we are all members of one body, with Christ as the one and only Head. Here Christ is all and is in all. Only in Him, the 'Prince of Peace,' is there true peace. This is 'the only one,' the Shulamite. This is the true Bride of Christ.
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
(John 10:16)
Jesus was talking to Jews (Israel, His chosen people.) But the other sheep were the nations. In Him they are made one flock.
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This beautiful young woman, "the only one," the one who was "in the bosom of the father" and became the Bride of "The Son of David," ... Where is she? Where has she gone?
To desire to "see" her is to desire to see the kingdom. But to desire her as your "wife", is to desire to be the king, even though you know that "from the Lord," the kingdom should be given to your brother. But to enter the kingdom is to become a member (a body part) of her, the bride of Jesus. These two, the bride and the kingdom, are absolutely connected.
To want to take her as your wife, to be her head, is to stand in place of Jesus, which is actually the meaning of the word "antichrist."
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Do not think that the "coming" kingdom is about God going back to an old covenant sacrificial system in an old little piece of real estate, with yet another "temple made with hands." That is not the kingdom of God preached throughout the New Testament.
The kingdom comes by returning completely to the "faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude verse 3).
See what Paul says. These are not just 'suggestions', they are commands!
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
(2 Thessalonians 2:15)But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.
(2 Thessalonians 3:6)
There are no traditions or instructions about "building a church building" made of wood or any other physical material anywhere in the New Testament. The apostles of Jesus Christ taught no such traditions. In fact Paul warns about building materials.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
(1 Corinthians 3:9-15)
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
(Acts 2:46)
The "tradition" clearly practiced in the early church was "they met according to houses" (a literal translation of the Greek in Acts 2:46.)
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
(Acts 5:42)
There is no hint of the Lord's supper being little tiny individual crackers and a thimble full of wine or grape juice. In the New Testament they had a Love Feast! It was a full meal, in their houses, a feast. And the bread was "one loaf, broken for you." Because the one loaf was the "one body" of Christ.
And there are many other things we do today that are absolutely contrary to the traditions taught by the first apostles of our Lord.
Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
(Luke 10:2)
We need workers that understand what the harvest is and how to labor for it.
Paul gives the requirements of these workers:
1 This is a faithful saying: If any man desires to be an overseer, he desires a good work. 2 An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,...
(1 Timothy 3:1-2a; see also Titus 1:6)
Every true worker for this harvest must understand that, just as he must be the husband of one wife, the Father has given to His Son Jesus only one Bride also. Every man's work must be for only that one Bride to be presented to our Lord Jesus.
Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old,
(Lamentations 5:21)I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
(Isaiah 1:26)And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. ...
the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the Lord of hosts, For the Lord is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord.
(Jeremiah 33:7, 11)
"With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26b) That is why we need Him to turn us back to Him.
In the Song of Songs it says:
Draw me, we will run after thee.
(Song of Songs 1:4a)