You are absolutely beautiful, My beloved!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"You are absolutely beautiful, My beloved! There is no spot in you!" Song of Solomon 4:7

The Lord's admiration of His Church is very astonishing, and His description of her beauty is very glowing. She is not merely beautiful-but "absolutely beautiful." He views her in Himself, washed in His sin-atoning blood, and clothed in His meritorious righteousness-thus He considers her to be full of loveliness and beauty. No wonder that such is the case-since it is but His own perfect excellency that He admires; for the holiness, glory, and perfection of His Church-are His own glorious garments on the back of His own well-beloved spouse!

Nor is the Church barely lovely, she is superlatively so. Her Lord styles her the "most beautiful of women." Song of Solomon 1:8

She has a real worth and excellence which cannot be rivaled by all the nobility and royalty of the world. If Jesus could exchange His elect bride for all the angels in Heaven-He would not, for He puts her first and foremost, "most beautiful of women." She far outshines the stars!

Nor is this an opinion which He is ashamed of, for He invites all men to hear it. He sets a "behold" before it, a special note of exclamation, inviting and arresting attention. "Behold! How beautiful you are, My beloved, how beautiful!" (Song of Solomon 4:1). His opinion He publishes abroad even now, and one day from the throne of His glory He will avow the truth of it before the assembled universe. "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with Me!" will be His solemn affirmation of the loveliness of His elect!

"Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her  to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless!" Ephesians 5:25-27

"The king is enthralled by your beauty!" Psalm 45:11