In her chamber, the king’s daughter is all glorious. The psalm writer vividly describes the beauty of the chaste bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church, as the bride of Christ, was a truth hidden within God’s presence at the time of the old covenant. However, the Father did reveal this mystery part by part through his prophets. We see a part of this in psalm 45 as God revealed it to the sons of Korah through the Holy Spirit. This psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit as an infallible oracle, still serves to the introspection and self-preparation of the children of God. The Holy Spirit uses the writer as a tool to reveal not only the flawless bride but also the even more perfect Christ, the messiah. Let us turn our focus to the virgin bride in the picture, the Church.Psalm 45:13The Kings daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is interwoven with gold She is all glorious within herself. Revelation 19:7 says Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his bride has made herself ready.
Let us study the prerequisites for a worthy bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 45 Verse 10
Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father’s house
So, primarily, one must forget his or her own people. Or rather one must let go of this world, to which we were once conformed. We need to be crucified to this world and all its desires. By our self and put a NO ENTRY to the worldly passions and desires not to trespass to our heart, In order for the king to be pleased with the bride’s beauty, to dwell with him in his presence, it is inevitable that she bids farewell to where she came from. The bride ought to be crucified unto the world in every aspect; her eyes, hands, ears, feet, and heart is to completely dissociate from this world and all its desires, pleasures, luxury and glory. The bride of Christ has to liberate herself from all unrighteous and influential ties that bind her to this world.
The world incessantly tries to pull us down to its depths and keep us unmindful with its lullaby.
Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions’ dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards. (Song of Solomon 4:8)
The crest of Amana may give you a temporary solace, the mist shower over the summit of Hermon may be gladdening. There is chances to backslide, drawn towards to the hermon glittering pastures and valleys of lust, But you mustn’t forget the crouching lions and leopards in the dark waiting to devour you, with nothing to remain.
Rebekah, betrothed to Issac, perfectly symbolizes the Church of God, betrothed to the Lamb of God. She left her own people and her father’s house. When Rebekah was asked to remain for 10 more days, she, on hearing Issac’s description, was enthralled and set out with Eleazar (symbolising the Holy Spirit) into the desert on camel back. Dear children of God, rather bride of Christ, the journey through the desert can be distressing, the commute can be bothersome, your only pitcher of water maybe exhausted, every pool of water may turn out to be mirages before your eyes, there may be no shade to rest under, the scorching sun and hot winds can wear you out, the fiery serpents and the distant howls of foxes in the quiet of the night can be alarming. Many are the troubles encountered in the journey through the wilderness. But these did not dissuade Rebekah, none of these made her recall her father’s house. Because she was absorbed in the lauding of Issac by Eleazar all through the journey. Eleazar’s advice and guidance was essential to her throughout the journey. All these experiences in the wilderness is new to her and to the Church represented in the new covenant. But do not be disheartened or despondent, for at all times, the Holy Spirit is your confidant and counsellor, to strengthen and encourage you. The Holy Spirit endeavours to prepare and present the Church of God as a beautiful and flawless bride unto the Lord at his coming. Let us not overstep any command of the Holy spirit, but give way to its work within us.
Secondly, for the king to be pleased with us, as Rebekah left her father’s house and took nothing with her, we ought to abandon our ways that were from our birth, i.e. the ways of the flesh. We ought to die our former nature. Rather we ought to crucify the old man with all his passions and desires. We are to embark on our journey only after leaving behind what we were. All idols within our ‘household’ need to be shattered. But today, the bride of Christ is like Rachel. Rachel had taken the household Goods and hid them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on it, posing as blameless and naïve. The Church that says, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing’, but your saviour the bridegroom seems you as wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked , complacent with the luxuries of this world, needs to be awakened and strengthen what remains and is about to die.
All household idols and everything taken as a part of idol worship from our past must be abandoned. Then the king will be pleased and will receive us into his royal presence. This is where a born again individual joins the Church of God. Also here, Hegai, the caretaker of Esther will provide for all your needs. Again, Hegai symbolises the Holy Spirit in the new covenant.
The kings daughter is all glorious within herself. There is no need for any adornment by jewellery or extravagant garb. Is there even the slightest need of any form of external aid to enhance her beauty? Not at all, since she is fabricated with tremendous detail from the majestic and beautiful mind of the creator.
The king’s daughter is all glorious within. Everything and anything she does, thinks, wears, speaks, sees and hears is all enabled and governed by the caretaker, the Holy Spirit.
The bride dwelling within the walls of royalty needs to live up to the same excellence. She must bid farewell to her former self and the course of the world she once lived in. She has no means of turning back to the old ways since she is engaged in preparing a garment for herself, one interwoven with gold. This garment is to be fabricated by her with wrought gold, threads of pure and refined gold. She ought to pursue Christ in his footsteps in order to weave this garment. Listen to what Christ says, ’if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’. Dear child of God, the Christian life is not a lap of luxury. Guard yourself from anyone who says otherwise. What more is there to be learnt than that it’s a distorted gospel? Be careful that you would not be deceived. Remember this, bride of Christ, that there is distress and trouble in this life of wilderness.
‘For the wedding of the Lord has come, and his bride has made herself ready’ How? With the fine linen of righteous acts of the saints. Be reminded always that every deed of Christ, from the baptism in the river of Jordan till his death on the cross of mount Golgotha, in the centre point of earth, in between two thieves ,midway of heaven and earth, giving himself up as a drink offering until the last drop of his blood – was all for you, his bride, his Church. Every suffering you go through for Christ, from the very least, will be the threads of gold you interweave to fabricate a beautiful garment for yourself. On the day the Lord arrives to take us home, we will be presented to him, all resplendent and beautiful. We will enter his royal courts, and dwell with him for all the ages to come.
Well then, bride of Christ, prepare and sanctify yourself unto the Lord.
Amen
