Chapter 2. 3
Rose of Sharon
Plain of Sharon, Common Flower, Fragrance, Colors
Grown Free, Trodden under, Thorns, The I AM that I AM
Is the Church the Lily of the Valley?
Is Jesus the Rose of Sharon?
First
Word
Sharon is a Hebrew word
that means; “a
plain or level place”. The town
of “Lod” was built in the midst of
the Plain of Sharon which lies between the Mediterranean Sea and the Samarian
Hills. It stretches from Nahal Taninim, a stream marking the southern end
of Mount Carmel in the north, to the Yarkon River in the
south, at the northern limit of Tel Aviv. Parts of the Plain are included in
the Central, and Tel Aviv Districts
of Israel.[1]
Flowers can be found in the parts of the Sharon plain where the soil is
very fertile and noted for the hardy beautiful crocus plant; with a tulip cup like
flower & pungent fragrance. Note: The descriptions given of the Rose of Sharon
CANNOT be applied to an
actual ROSE, it is more of
a catch phrase that is used in poetry.
There are a number of translations with different thoughts as to what
this Rose is actually believed to be; so let’s begin… it is:
a)
A
Crocus;
which has about 90 species growing as a lily among the thorns. It is cup shaped which tapers off to a narrow
tube. The colors are enormous, but
predominately the colors are lilac, mauve, yellow and white.
b)
A
Lily;
which has large fragrant funnel shape flowers growing from 2 to 6 feet tall
with a montage of colors that include whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and
purples. It is commonly called the
Madonna lily because of the “Song of Solomon”.
c)
A
Tulip;
which is cup or star shaped, general with bright red, yellow or white colors
and is very prolific in the hills of Sharon
d)
A
Narcissus;
which has about 50 species. It has a conspicuous flower with six petals that
appear trumpet shaped with colors that are generally white, yellow, orange or
pink.
Side
Note: Much of the Plain of Sharon was swampy; in
the time of Isaiah the plain had become a wilderness and Isaiah prophesized that one day it would
become a fertile pastureland.[2] Zionist Immigrants arrived in the early 20th
century and drained much of the swampy land, and populated the region with many
settlements. By 2008, it was the most densely populated region of Israel. Wikipedia
Is Jesus
the Rose of Sharon?
This idea seems to have
developed around “The Song of Solomon” where there is dialog or
a song being sung between the Shulamite maid, the Bride and the Bridegroom,
King Solomon. As a parallel we see the painting of
a picture of the Rose of Sharon being Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom and the Bride as
the Lily of
the Valley which is the Church. Some commentaries and students believe that
the bride in this story is the one that is speaking about herself; not boasting
at all, but saying that she is the lowliest of
all the flowers, but I must disagree.
It is Christ Himself that speaks these words about Himself; “I am the Rose
of Sharon and the lily of the valleys” and later goes on to say that
He is gentle and LOWLY in heart.[3]
The Song of Solomon is a love
story which is almost a return to the Garden of Eden in its simplicity.[4] The extensive LOVE MAKING occurs in the
grassy fields among the spreading cedar and fir trees surrounded by animals,
birds, flowers, with the lush greenery of the mountains in the background. When you read the “Song” get ready to BLUSH; you already know
the Book contains the good, the bad and the ugly and in the case of the “Song”, lots of SEX
which we will not unpack here. I will
approach this study as the Hebrews often did by seeing the Torah through juxtaposition;
the placing of two elements close side by side in comparison, I will use metaphors
and parallels.
(NIV2011) Song of Songs 2:1 – Jesus said, I am the ROSE of Sharon; a
lily
1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
(MSG) Song of Songs 2:1 – I am a wildflower, a LOTUS blossom
1 I'm just a wildflower
picked from
the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from
the valley pools.
(NLT) Song of Songs 2:1-2 – I am a spring CROCUS a lily among
thorns
1 I am the spring crocus blooming on the Sharon Plain, the
lily of the valley.
2 Like a lily among
thistles is
my darling among young women.
Common
The
Rose is
called by naturalist the chief or queen of all flowers because of three things
in perfection; its shape, color and fragrance; as a metaphor it is a universal
flower common to all nations and the parallel is
Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of all nations, He belongs to all.[5]
The light of the sun as a metaphor,
must rest on the rose to expose its beauty and as a parallel, we as believers are
children of the light and walk in the light and share the light.[6]
Colors and
Fragrance
The
Rose as a metaphor
is a beautiful flower intermixed with WHITE and RED colors and the parallel is Jesus Christ; the
Bridegroom who is “white and ruddy”; this is the dual natures of Christ. The White is his natural divinity and the Red
is His humanity. Jesus is the chief
among ten thousand sons of man.[7]
The
fragrance is
a metaphor
for the most excellent odor produced by the rose for perfumes and as a parallel
Jesus is as a fragrant ointment that is poured out for our sins.
Song of Songs 5:10 – Jesus’s dual nature;
white and red
10 The Shulamite my beloved is
white
and ruddy,
Chief among ten
thousand. (NKJV)
Song of Songs 1:3 – Name of Jesus is an ointment poured out
3 Because of the fragrance of your
good ointments, Your
name is ointment poured forth;
Therefore the virgins love you. (NKJV)
Trodden
under – but Free
King
David fed his flocks and herds on the Plain of Sharon,[8]
and as a metaphor,
the flowers grew FREE and would be
trodden under by the beast of the field. As a parallel, Jesus was trodden under, He was
despised, rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with the deepest grief; He
was, beaten, whipped, pierced and crushed for our sins.
Trodden under foot notes[9]
The Rose as a metaphor
is Free to any that would desire to have it; the parallel is that the Gospel
message and access to Jesus Christ is free, that whosoever will may come to Him
and purchase the water of life without money.
Salvation is Jesus Christ plus nothing else. [10]
Lily of the valley
Jesus called Himself the Lily of the
Valley and there is actually a
flower known by that name; described as a metaphor it has white bells arranged in a row
on a tapered stalk that has a humble drooping head and usually found in the background
behind the broader green leaves. The parallel
to that is the emblem of lowliness and humility exemplified by our Lord Jesus
and His pattern our life should exhibit.[11] The color white reminds us of His purity.
The lily as a metaphor is grown numerously in the lowly
place of the valley where living streams of water are found. The parallel is that believers have streams of
living water flowing deep within them that propagates and reproduces numerously
wherever they are.
Jesus said as a metaphor to look at the lilies of the valley,
how they grow and take no thought about worldly things around them. The parallel is Jesus is calling your attention to
look at the
Lily of the valley; LOOK AT ME, I am the pattern for your life.[12]
The Lily as a metaphor
is pure and beautiful and rises above the thorns of the briar patch. The parallel is that the Believer, the Bride, the Church bears
the pure and beautiful image of Jesus and stands above the wickedness of the
thorns and thistles, reflecting the beauty of Jesus to the world.
The Lily of the Valley is the
Church
Thorns
As
a metaphoric twist the “song” speaks of the maiden’s beauty and the
parallel
is her beauty being compared to be above the thorns, or her beauty makes the
other women in King Solomon’s harem look like a briar patch. Thistles and thorns are
a metaphor
for inflicted pain and wounds and the parallel is the lily is exposed to hardships,
growing among the wicked, the useless, worthless, noxious and hurtful that grow
among the righteous. They will grow
together until the harvest on the Day of the Lord.[13] It’s in the Book
Song of Songs 2:2 – A flower among the
thorns
2 Like a LILY AMONG THISTLES is
my darling among young women. (NLT)
The Take Away
Jesus is universal, He
is common to all that would seek Him; Jew and Gentile alike. The Red blood of Jesus
and the
White purity is a reflection of
his dual nature; mortal and divine. Self-praise
by any creature is vanity and holds no recommendation, but Jesus often praises
Himself. Scripture says; I
AM the
Good Shepherd, I AM meek and lowly
of heart, I
AM the bread of
life, I
AM the Rose of
Sharon, I am the Lily of the Valley, I AM willing, I AM the Way, the
Truth and the Life.[14]
DID YOU SEE IT; the name of
God… Moses asked God, who shall I say
sent me, and God said, say to them that I
AM that I AM has sent you.[15]
Christ by the power of His spirit
is letting us see the importance of not only knowing about His rags, but also
His royalty; we are being led to esteem Him highly, having a high sense of the
preciousness of His name, to entertain great thoughts of faith, patience and
humility.
The
Great I AM is painting a
picture of Himself, the Bridegroom as the perfect Rose from the Plain of Sharon,
and His Church. His bride, as the Lily of the Valley reflecting His light amongst
the thorns of the world. He is not just
a rose, but the best rose from the Plain of Sharon and the Church is not just a
lily, but the best lily grown in the fertile valley.
We are His lily of the valley.
IT’S IN THE BOOK
[1] 1 Chronicles 8:12 – The town was called Lod
[2] Isaiah 33:9 - The Plain of Sharon had become a wilderness -- Isaiah 65:10 - Sharon will again
be a place to pasture herds -- Isaiah
35:2 - Sharon will have an abundance of flowers
[3] Matthew 11:29 – Jesus says He is gentle and lowly in heart
[4] Genesis 2:19-25 – Both naked among the animals, birds & sky
[5] Romans 10:12 – Jesus is Lord of All – Jew and Gentile --
[6] 1 Thessalonians 5:5 – Believers are the children of the light -- 1 John
1:7 – The Believer walks in the light
[7] Psalm 45:2 - You are fairer than ten thousand sons of men
[8] 1 Chronicles 27:29 – David fed his flocks on the Plain of Sharon
[9] Isaiah 55:1 – Buy food and drink without money – FREE
-- Revelation 22:17 – Come and
take the water of life FREE --
John 3:16-17 – God sent in Love His only son to save the world
[10] John 3:16-17 – God sent in Love
His only son to save the world
[11] Matthew 11:29 – Jesus is meek and lowly of heart
[12] Matthew 13:23 – The Christian self reproduces -- Matthew 6:28 – Look at me – Don’t worry about stuff
[13] Matthew 13:30 – Righteous and the wicked will grow together
[14] John 14:6 – I am the way, the truth and the life
[15] Exodus 3:13-14 – Jesus is claiming He is God, the great I
AM
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