SOS Notes Session 06.pdf

S ONG OF S ONGS ‘98 – M IKE B ICKLE

SESSION 6: Her Journey Begins With Spiritual Crisis (1:5-11)

SONG 1:5-11

5. I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of

Solomon.

6. Do not look upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has tanned me. My mother's

sons were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I

have not kept.

7. Tell me, O you whom I love, where you feed your flock, where you make it rest at noon. For

why should I be as one who veils herself by the flocks of your companions?

8. If you do not know, O fairest among women, follow in the footsteps of the flock, and feed

your little goats beside the shepherds' tents.

9. I have compared you, my love, to my filly among Pharaoh's chariots.

10. Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with chains of gold.

11. We will make you ornaments of gold with studs of silver.

OVERVIEW OF SONG 1:5-11

We have studied the theme of the song, which reveals the Bride’s resolutions, commitments and

confessions. The testimony of her actual journey now begins (1:5). The “paradox of grace” is

her first experience. She sees the reality of her sinful desires, but she also sees that she is lovely

to God in her God-given passion for Jesus and in her position in the grace of God. Her first

revelation of Jesus is “the counseling Shepherd” who compassionately teaches her the way

forward in her weakness.

II.

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM PETER’S LIFE

Let us first consider an illustration of failure in Peters’ life in order to draw

analogies from his struggle.

During the Last Supper, Jesus warned Peter that Satan was going to test him in

such a way that Peter would deny the Lord. He explains that Peter would

stumble, but that his faith would not fail (Luke 22:31-34).

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S ONG OF S ONGS – M IKE B ICKLE

SESSION 6 – Her Journey Begins with Spiritual Crisis (SONG 1:5-11)

Page 2

Several hours later in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gave Peter a significant 2-

fold description of how the redeemed heart operates. Peter did not understand

these things about his heart. We will use this 2-fold description throughout this

session.

"The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mt. 26:41)

Peter had weak flesh, but he also possessed a willing spirit. Peter

stumbles because of his weak flesh yet longs for Jesus because of his

willing spirit.

The NIV translated the phrase “the flesh is weak” as your body is weak.

Jesus was referring to the principle of sin operating in us. Peter was

physically tired because it was late at night however, Jesus was speaking

of more than fatigue. Most Bible translations use the phrase “the flesh is

weak.”

There is a greater capacity for sin in our hearts than we comprehend. No

one fully grasps the depth of the wickedness of the human heart. We have

many unperceived areas of sin that lie undetected below the surface like

hidden fault lines related to an earthquake. The grace of God has helped

us in ways that we do not fully understand.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who

can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

Paul, as a mature apostle, grasped a greater measure of his sinfulness.

Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

(1 Tim. 1:15)

Knowledge of our weak flesh is an important aspect of the truth about who

we are, although it is not the whole truth of who we are. Our flesh is

weaker than we know. We are sometimes surprised when we commit a

sin. At such times, we are overwhelmed with grief. We think that

because we are surprised by our sin then surely God must also be

surprised. Such misunderstanding often results in fear of being rejected by

God.

What is God thinking when we discover the weakness of our own flesh?

It is important that we perceive what God is thinking about us in our

weakness.

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S ONG OF S ONGS – M IKE B ICKLE

SESSION 6 – Her Journey Begins with Spiritual Crisis (SONG 1:5-11)

Page 3

Peter decided to go fishing after his sin of denying Jesus three times.

Peter said to them, "I am going fishing"…that night they caught nothing.

(John 21:3)

The important question is "why did Peter go fishing"? Peter was not

fishing because the apostolic team needed money. They had enough

money in their collection, so much that Judas could steal it undetected.

They fished all night, revealing that Peter was not simply fishing for

recreation. Peter was giving up on what God had called him to do.

a. In the crisis of discovering our sinful flesh, we often reason within

our selves that it is too painful to reach for the highest things in God if

we believe that we will constantly fail in them. It seems easier to

settle for living with a second class relationship with Jesus rather than

to face the pain of failure.

b. I believe Peter was resigning from his leadership role in God’s

purpose. Peter felt he would rather resign than fail over and over. He

didn’t feel qualified to be an apostle because his heart was so wounded

by his failure in denying Jesus 3 times. Peter felt tha t he had

disappointed the Lord’s heart. He could not face the Lord because of

his failure. When this occurs we want to run from Him instead of to

Him.

c. I believe that Peter intended to return to the fishing business, an

occupation that he had been successful at before Jesus had called him

to apostolic leadership. Peter was changing his occupations by

returning to the business of be a fisherman. He was saying, “I can be

faithful to God as a fisherman. Failing as a fisherman is not as bad as

failing as an apostle. His failure as an apostle would be too great and

he couldn’t face God under such failure.

Some of us feel that we cannot face the future, because we may fail again.

Such people become accustomed to a second rate relationship with the

Lord. Settling for a second rate relationship with Jesus is not because they

don’t love the Lord any longer, it is because they have so much shame.

They cannot face relating to God like with shame. This is the crisis that

Peter was going through.

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S ONG OF S ONGS – M IKE B ICKLE

SESSION 6 – Her Journey Begins with Spiritual Crisis (SONG 1:5-11)

Page 4

We also sometimes decide to “GO FISHING.” We give up on our vision

to be extravagant lovers of God which is the highest calling in our

relationship with the Lord. We painfully make the decision to settle down

and have a second-class relationship with the Lord. To reach for these

high things and fail seems too painful. To fall short causes so much pain,

because we imagine the Lord is grieved, angry, and exasperated with us.

We think God is upset with us. We are filled with shame and

condemnation.

The Lord asks Peter the same question 3 times.

Jesus said…"Simon… do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him,

"Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."…

He said to him again a second time, "Simon…do you love Me?" He said to

Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I l ove You."…

He said to him the third time, "Simon…do you love Me?" Peter…said to Him,

"Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." (Jn.21:15-17)

In Jn. 21:15, Jesus repeatedly asks a question that pierces Simon Peter’s

heart. He says, “Simon, do you love Me?” Peter says, “Lord, You know I

love You.” The Lord asked him the question a second and third time. He

was calling Peter back into the same quality of relationship with Him that

Peter had before he denied Jesus. The Lord was revealing to Peter how

much Peter loved Jesus and how much affection He had for him even in

his weakness.

When God asks us a question, it is not because God needs information.

Why was God asking Peter this question? He wants Peter to discover

information about himself. The Lord already knows that Peter loves Him.

But He wants Peter to have confidence in his sincere love for Jesus.

a. This is similar to the question that the Lord asked Adam, after he

sinned in the Garden of Eden.

The LORD God called to Adam…"Where are you?" (Gen. 3:9)

b. God knew exactly where Adam was. He was not saying, “Which tree

are you hiding behind?” He was asking the question so that Adam

would know where Adam was. God means for Adam to understand

morally and spiritually where he is, not which tree he is hiding behind.

God wanted Adam to discover the truth about himself.

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S ONG OF S ONGS – M IKE B ICKLE

SESSION 6 – Her Journey Begins with Spiritual Crisis (SONG 1:5-11)

Page 5

I imagine Jesus said something like, “Peter, I know how you feel.” I know

that you love Me.” Peter probably began to weep. Jesus might have

added, “Peter, do you remember when we were in the garden 8 days ago?

I told you something very important about your heart. You didn’t believe

Me when I said that your flesh was weak. I want to remind you of

something else that I told you that night that you also have a willing

spirit.”

I imagine Jesus saying, “You DO have a willing spirit, Peter! When I look

at you, I don’t only see weak flesh; I also see a sincere desire in you to

love Me. I see a cry in your heart for Me that you don’t fully see.”

I imagine Jesus saying, “Peter, I saw your willing spirit when I first called

you and I still see it in you right now even in your despair and failure.”

The Lord sees our willing spirits more than we see it

The Lord is breaking shame off of Peter s’ heart.

Peter sinned 3 times and the Lord asked him the same question 3 times in

Jn. 21.

In John 21:17, The Lord asks the third time, “Peter, do you love Me?” I

see the Lord saying, “Peter let Me explain your heart to you “You do love

Me, you have a willing spirit. Peter answers the third time saying, “Lord,

YOU KNOW ALL THINGS, You know that I love You.” Notice a key

phrase that Peter added the third time “You know all things...”

In other words, Peter was saying, “Jesus, You know my heart and You

keep insisting that I love You, Yes! You know I love You, Yes! I have a

willing spirit!” Lord, You know that I have weak flesh, but You also

know that I have a willing spirit. You don’t just see my sinful struggles,

You see my sincere heart.”

The shame is broken off of Peter’s ife and he is restored back to his

confidence in God, which in this case, includes being restored to his

ministry again. His confidence is being restored to live in extravagant

love for God again.

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