Every True Believer Is A 'Nazarite' - Andrew Miller (1810-1893) From "Song Of Solomon"

Excerpted from "Meditations On the Song Of Solomon" by Andrew Miller (1810-1893)
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"Behold, thou art fair, my love...thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead" - Song of Solomon 4:1

The comparison here, may be to the long, glossy hair of the goats that graze on Mount Gilead, and to the circumstance of their appearance as a flock, or one united company, feeding on the rich pastures of the high places. The effect to the eye must have been profusion in each, and unity in the whole. "Long hair," the apostle tells us, is the covering and glory of the woman. (1 Cor. 11:15)

But may there not also be a reference, in this comparison, to the long hair of the Nazarite, which was the type of power in the Spirit? Samson's great strength lay in his seven locks. They were the symbol of his unbroken vow — of his consecration to God. Every believer is a Nazarite to God, in Christ, and ought to be one in practice. "I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." (Luke 22:18) This is the Nazarite vow of the blessed Lord and every believer, being one with Christ, is under His vow. Herein lies the believer's strength, namely, in separation according to the law of the Nazarite. While Samson's seven locks were unshorn, the enemy could gain no advantage over him. The Spirit remained in power with him, so long as he kept the secret of his communion with God (Judges 16:17). But alas, alas, how difficult for a Nazarite to retain his locks in the lap of Delilah (Judges 16:18)! Alas, alas, that the foul fingers of a harlot should ever touch the locks of God's Nazarite (Judges 16:19)!

Seek, then, O my soul, by diligence, watchfulness and prayer, to live and walk, in separation from the world, in fellowship with Christ, and in the power of the Spirit; that thy locks may never be shorn, and that the secret of thy communion may never be broken.
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Andrew Miller was a member of the well known Plymouth Brethren of the 19th century - The Song of Solomon has suffered much at the hands of woefully inadequate Bible expositors throughout the history of the church, and possibly more so than ever by modern-day 'teachers' with their fleshly reasonings - being the 'natural' derivative of their carnal minds [Rom. 8:7], bringing high and holy spiritual truth down to a base physical plane. But not so in the hands of Andrew Miller. Miller's commentary on the Canticles is absolutely exceptional, making clear what is difficult, all the while showing forth the utterly pure and holy mystical union between the Lord Jesus Christ and all of his own true elect; which is done by bringing out the necessary distinctions between applications to what ultimately will be the prophetic picture of the Jewish remnant in the millennial kingdom - and the body of Christ, who are already "seated in heavenly places" [Eph. 2:6]

The work is book length, very full and rich, and the reward will not be gained without taking the necessary time to read carefully over each and every line. With that, Andrew Miller's commentary on the Song of Solomon is as highly recommended as is possible, well worth printing out, and with it in one hand, and a KJV in the other, reaping the reward:

Andrew Miller - "Mediations on the Song of Solomon": pdf    text    epub