I. The first thing she remarks is his voice
I. The first thing she remarks is his voice
With which she seems to be wonderfully affected "the voice of my beloved!"
Some Jewish writers[3568] interpret this of the voice of the Messiah; by which may be meant, the gospel of Christ in which he speaks both to saints and sinners; and which has a virtue and efficacy in it to quicken dead sinners, and comfort living saints; for though it is powerful, yet alluring; though full of majesty, yet soft and charming, and makes delightful music in the ears of believers; concerning which may be observed,
1st, That the voice of Christ is known and distinguished by believers from the voice of others: the church was capable of doing this, and therefore says, "the voice of my beloved!" she could know it to be his voice, and distinguish it from another's even though but just raised out of her sleep; flay, she could do this when she was as it were between sleeping and waking; when indulging herself in drowsiness and security, as in Chapter 5:2 and thus Christ says, John 10:4, 5 of all his sheep, that they not only heard his voice, but knew it, and therefore followed him and not strangers; for, says he, "the voice of strangers they know not." Now if any should ask how Christ's voice can be known and distinguished from others; I answer, 1. By the majesty of it; by this we know the scriptures to be the word of God, there appearing such a shine of majesty in them, as does not in any other writings; and hereby we know the gospel to be the voice of Christ, and can distinguish it from that which is not so: Christ speaks in the gospel, "as one having authority, and not as the scribes;" there is a vast difference between "the words which man's wisdom teacheth," and those "which the Holy Ghost teacheth;" the one are low, mean, dead, and lifeless; the other not only come with evidence, and "the demonstration of the spirit and of power" to believers, but even fasten convictions of the original and authority of them upon the minds of wicked men (see 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25). 2. By the power and efficacy of it: the gospel which is Christ's voice comes "not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost;" and so not only reaches the ear, but also the heart; it opens blind eyes, unstops deaf ears, quickens dead sinners, awakes sleepy, and comforts distressed saints, and is in fine, "the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believes." 3. By the spiritual food and divine refreshment it affords to believers; who find Christ's word and eat it, and it becomes "the joy and rejoicing" of their hearts; that which is not Christ's word and gospel, is like the chaff to this wheat; and that which is opposite to those "wholesome words of our Lord Jesus;" instead of nourishing and refreshing, as these do, "eat as doth a canker." 4. Believers know this voice of Christ, and can distinguish it from others, by its bringing them to him, and not sending them from him; that voice which sends me to my own righteousness, and not to Christ's, for acceptance with God and justification before him; which sends me to my tears of repentance, and not to Christ's blood, for pardon and cleansing, can never be the voice of Christ; that voice which bids me keep off from Christ, till I have prepared and qualified myself for him, by my own acts of humiliation and obedience, is contrary to that voice of Christ which bids me come to him as a poor, vile, filthy, and perishing sinner in myself, without him; and venture on him for life and salvation; and therefore that cannot be the voice of Christ: thus may it be known from the voice of a stranger. 5. Believers have the spirit of Christ, who is "the spirit of truth," whose work and office it is to "guide them into all truth," and enable them to distinguish truth from error; and this he accordingly does, for he "searches the deep things of God," and reveals them to the saints, and abides in them as a "spirit of wisdom and revelation; in the knowledge of Christ. 6. They know it by the scriptures of truth, which they dill-gently search, and by which they examine every doctrine; and whatsoever sound or language is disagreeable thereunto, they reject, as not being the voice of Christ; "to the law and to the testimony" they appeal, and whosoever does not "speak according to this word," they judge "it is because there is no light in them," (Isaiah 8:20).
2dly, It may be observed that this voice of Christ, as it may be known and distinguished by believers from the voice of others, so it is exceeding pleasant and delightful to them. The church seems to speak of it as being so to her; and no wonder at was, for it is, 1. A voice of love, grace, and mercy to poor sinners; it is not like the law, a voice of terror, wrath, and fury; no, it speaks peace and pardon to rebellious creatures, and publishes life and salvation to lost sinners. Christ came leaping and skipping like a roe or a young hart; or, as it is said of Naphtali, like "a hind let loose, who giveth goodly words;" and no wonder then that his voice was so delightful. 2. It was also the voice of her beloved one, who dearly loved her, and had given incontestable proofs of it, and whom she loved with all her heart and soul; and therefore his voice, as well as his countenance and person, was sweet unto her; it was the voice of the bridegroom, and therefore need not be thought strange that the bride, as well as her friends should rejoice at it.
3dly, We may learn from hence, that Christ's voice may be heard before he is seen: the church first heard his voice, and then she saw him come leaping and skipping over the mountains and hills; and this indeed is one way by which souls are brought to a sight of Christ, viz. by the preaching of the gospel; nay, believers, even when they are without sights of Christ, and sensible communion with him; yet, in hearing the word, can distinguish Christ's voice, and can set to their seals that it is his, though perhaps they cannot immediately take in the comfort of it.
4thly, Believers would have others know Christ's voice as well as they: the church knew this to be the voice of Christ; but she is not content with the knowledge of it herself, and therefore speaks of it for the information of the daughters of Jerusalem. But,