My Beloved

א ני ל דודי ו דודי ל י

Ani le’dodi ve’dodi li

“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He feeds His flock among the lilies.” - Song of Songs 2:16, 6:3

The journey we have been on at Rise Eves, through the book of Ruth and our current series "Come to the Well...", shows a move towards greater intimacy with Abba Father, Yeshua and the Ruach Ha'Kodesh. This move towards intimacy could have only been orchestrated through our amazing and wonderful Father! Over the next two months we are moving closer to the biblical calendar month of Elul, starting on 25 August. The verse "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine, He feeds His flock among the lilies" - Song of Songs 2:16 is ascribed to the month of Elul and is understood to be a time to deepen our relationship of love with Abba Father, for even repentance for sin should be born out of a relationship of love with Abba rather than fear. The month of Elul is also known as the time when "the King is in the field" which once again reminds us of the beautiful story of Ruth.

The verse "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine, He feeds His flock among the lilies" - Song of Songs 2:16 stands out to many of us and is a part of our personal journeys with Abba. Our journey of knowing Him as our beloved King, the Messiah. I think we sometimes forget that He is not only our beloved, BUT WE ARE ALSO HIS! He knows us deeply and intimately!

Tehillim (Psalms) 139:1-7 TS2009

O יהוה, You have searched me And know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought from afar. You sift my path and my lying down, And know well all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But see, O יהוה, You know it all! You have closed me in, behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me – Knowledge too wondrous for me, It is high, I am unable to reach it. Where would I go from Your Spirit? Or where would I flee from Your face?

Song of Songs 2:16 implicates a relationship, an intimate love relationship between us, the Bride, and our Bridegroom the King, Abba Father. "I am my beloved's, And His desire is toward me" - Song of Songs 7:10

Our relationship with Abba needs to be cultivated, we need to regularly spend time with Him in His presence and in His word. This relationship of love also requires sacrifice from our side... a sacrifice of laying down our lives to follow the One who gave His life for us.

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 16:24-25 TS2009

Then יהושע said to His taught ones, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake, and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.

Yoḥanan (John) 12:24-26 TS2009

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life. “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me. And where I am, there My servant also shall be. If anyone serves Me, the Father shall value him.

When we say that "I am my beloved's and He is mine " it means so much more than merely belonging to the King of Kings, it means that we are willing to lay down our lives, we are willing to be set-apart vessels for His Kingdom, we are willing to proclaim that Yeshua, is our Bridegroom and we are eagerly waiting for His return, with lamps filled!

"My fragrance over you is love, your fragrance over Me is obedience, our fragrances complement each other beautifully and become a sweet perfume of 'you and Me.'" from the Book 'Shama' (bridalharvest.com)

The time is near for the return of our Bridegroom, our beloved, are we waiting eagerly, are we expectant for our eternal dance with Yeshua, are we being perfumed by Him, are we moving closer to Him?

Ruth 1:16-17 TS2009

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you, or to go back from following after you. For wherever you go, I go; and wherever you stop over, I stop over. Your people is my people, and your Elohim is my Elohim. “Where you die, I die, and there I shall be buried. יהוה do so to me, and more also – for death itself parts you and me.”

Shalom and blessings to you all,

Lisa.

More scripture for studying:

Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 20:26 TS2009

‘And you shall be set-apart to Me, for I יהוה am set-apart, and have separated you from the peoples to be Mine.

Romiyim (Romans) 12:1 TS2009

I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship.

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 25:1-13 TS2009

“Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. “And five of them were wise, and five foolish. Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them,” but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps. “Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’” “Then all those maidens rose up and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’” “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, indeed, there would not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. “And later the other maidens also came, saying, ‘Master, Master, open up for us!’ But he answering, said, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’” “Watch therefore, because you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Aḏam is coming."