Song of Solomon 5:14

14) His hands are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is carved ivory inlaid with sapphires.

As the bride continues to describe her Bridegroom, she is also coming into a deeper revelation of who He is. There are times in our lives when He will 'catch us up' with the wonder & reality of His person. Because of these times we are able to explain His greatness to others with great wisdom and understanding. Because He makes Himself real to us through an experience, we can express His nature to others. Listen, the more clearly you see someone, the better you can describe them. Selah...

The bride has recognized and experienced the strength of His hands, or the divine activity He has skillfully established and brought to completion to achieve the purposes of God (His hands are rods of gold. Gold is divinity, divine character...power, purity & wisdom). They are set (specifically & deliberately placed by God) with beryl. Beryl is a mineral that precious gemstones are made from. It has a variety of color forms, emerald being one of those. Emeralds are highly prized and are one of the most valued gemstones. Its green color is unrivaled and all other green gemstones are compared to its intensity.

Zechariah 9:16 says His people, that's us, shall be like the jewels of a crown. Let's suppose, as the bride of Christ, we are the emerald in His crown. Emeralds are often "flawed" with mineral inclusions and fractures; unlike other gems, these flaws and inclusions are considered part of the stones' "character." These flaws actually help determine natural from synthetically-produced stones. Because of the flaws in the stone, we know they are the 'real deal'! I don't know about you, but I think that's a fabulous analogy of the bride of Christ!

Moving on, His body (sometimes translated as belly), are the yearnings of His heart and the tender compassion He has towards weak people. Described as carved ivory, it is pure and rare. That's the way His love is towards us. And just as mounting sapphires in ivory is strategic, skillful, and purposeful, so is His compassion and mercy which produces righteousness in our hearts. He forgives that which we repent of, and then breaks our heart with it. That is the incredible work of redemption and restoration. Oh the beauty of His love!!