"Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountain of the leopards." (S.O.S. 4:8)
Just another little reminder, something of a place of origin; the number eight is a number that represents new beginnings, which is something that is needed in the life of every believer, each and every one of us! There is nothing that we can expect to be the same; because everything needs to be looked at, from a totally different perspective; what we once considered to be ours, it is now the Lord's, as it really always has been, we just did not know it, because everything is His!
About that offer, which is part of the invitation, but it carries more benefits and more security. It is very much like that illustration given by Pastor Ray, as he shares the vision of the difference between the guy who is given a parachute on a plane, with the attendant saying, Here put this on because it will make your flight more pleasant and comfortable; and the guy that is given the parachute with the attendant saying, This plane is going to crash, but here is a parachute to put on, so that you will be saved. The invitation was given to both to wear the parachute, but only one was given an offer that had the reason to not to take it off: pleasure and comfort was not obtained by the first; but having a chance to live, that was something worth wearing it, no matter how unpleasant or uncomfortable it became.
Matthew Henry uses a couple of very important insights to help see this point, saying, "and so this is Christ's call to his spouse to come off from the world, all of its products, all its pleasures, to sit loose to all the delights of sense. All those most do so that would come with Christ; they must take their affections off from all present things; yea, though they be placed at the upper end of the world, on the top of Amana and the top of Shemir, though they enjoy the highest satisfactions the creature can propose to give, yet they must come away from them all, and live above the tops of the highest hills on earth, that they have their conversation in heaven."
It is really not a question of comfort or pleasure; it is a matter of life! Eternal life is offered, that goes above and beyond all of the things that this present earth has to offer. And even though these hills might look tempting, as he continues, saying, "there are many dangerous temptations to those who would take up their residence in them; and therefore come with me from them; let us not set our hearts upon the things of this world, and then they can do us no hurt. Come with me from the temples of idolaters, and the societies of wicked people (so some understand it); come out from among them, and be you separate."
As it was with the children of Israel in the wilderness, they missed the comforts afforded them in Egypt; even though they were under bondage there, the pleasures seemed more important than the freedom...
"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit." (Romans 7:5-6) NLT
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