Spring
2004
The Purpose
Of Submissive Dependence
Wade E Taylor
“Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning
upon her Beloved?” Song of Solomon 8:5
There is a particular quality about this “one”
who is coming up from the wilderness that attracts special
attention. She is “leaning” upon her Beloved.
This position of leaning demonstrates the fact that she has
become “dependent” upon Him. Something very special
has taken place within her during this experience of the wilderness,
which resulted in her becoming “submissively dependent”
upon the Lord.
Throughout biblical history, the Lord often used the wilderness
to “test” His servants, in order to “perfect”
His desire or purpose for them. The wilderness speaks of a
barren and desolate area in which inner desires become intensified,
but where there is no availability of the necessary means
to satisfy these desires. Here, needs can only be met through
an external source.
In contrast to this barren wilderness, the Lord had planted
a garden in Eden, supplying everything that could be desired.
It provided an environment of both beauty and provision -
complete beyond imagination.
“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden;
and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the
ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant
to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in
the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good
and evil.” Genesis 2:8-9
Adam and Eve were placed in this garden and commanded,
“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not
eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely
die.” Genesis 2:16b-17
This made them dependent, as they were required to obey the
word that the Lord had spoken to them. There were two specific
things that were required.
1. They were to eat of the Tree of Life in order to maintain
eternal life (Genesis 3:22).
2. They were to abstain from eating the fruit of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil.
The only restraint to their eating the fruit of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil was the “Word”
that the Lord had spoken to them, telling them not to partake.
This tree was in the midst of the garden, and was both desirable
and easily available. Eve had observed that the fruit of this
tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes - a tree to be
desired (Genesis 3:6). Herein, was Eve’s problem; the
fruit of this tree was very appealing. However, she knew that
God had said “no.”
Therefore, when Satan approached Eve, he came against the
Word that the Lord had spoken by raising doubt: “Hath
God said?” In effect, he was saying, “Would God
tell you to give up something that you like and really want?”
Even though the Lord had said, “you shall not,”
the attraction was so enticing, and the fruit seemingly so
desirable, that Eve disobeyed and partook.
Through this act of disobedience, Adam and Eve forfeited
their position of “willing dependence” upon the
Lord. They failed to “overcome” in the test that
had been placed within their pattern of life, and they became
spiritually separated from God. As a result of this, the process
of death entered, and they no longer “leaned”
upon Him. Along with this, they lost all that would have developed,
had they been obedient and overcame in this testing.
The Word of God is “silent” concerning what might
have taken place in their relationship to the Lord, had they
chosen to remain submissive and obedient to Him. The only
clue that we have as to what might have been, is to consider
the “outcome” in the testing of the “Last
Adam.” Jesus took upon Himself, in human form, the identity
of a new Adam, and then faced a test that was similar to the
one in which the first Adam failed.
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made
a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”
I Corinthians 15:45
Jesus, as the last Adam, overcame in every situation where
the first Adam failed. As a result of this, after paying the
penalty for our sin on the cross, He was resurrected and then
ascended to sit with His Father in His throne.
“... even as I also overcame, and am set down with
My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21b
An "overcomer" is one who “submits”
to the Lord and then abides in a “leaning” position,
upon his Beloved. This is an indication of complete trust
in, and dependence upon the Lord. It is the result of having
become obedient and submissive to the will of the Lord. Being
an "overcomer" means rising above all that is less
than the Lord’s best. It involves facing the test of
the wilderness, and remaining dependent upon the Lord for
provision.
Adam and Eve were tested concerning the possibility of their
becoming overcomers. Because of the desirability and the attraction
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they choose
for their own seeming good, and failed to overcome.
All spiritual gain must be tested, if it is to abide and
become productive. Adam and Eve failed their test while abiding
in a perfect environment, and as a result, entered death.
Jesus, as the “Last Adam,” had to face a similar
test, in order to qualify for the place in life, which the
“first Adam” had forfeited.
In contrast to the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden,
Jesus faced Satan in the barren environment of a wilderness,
that provided nothing.
“And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights,
He was afterward hungry.” Matthew 4:2
In this wilderness, there was nothing available that could
satisfy the intense hunger that Jesus felt. Then, Satan appeared
to Jesus and suggested that He turn stones into bread in order
to satisfy his gnawing hunger.
There was nothing wrong with turning these stones into bread,
except that God had not said to do so. Jesus refused to act
on a word from Satan, and waited for supply from His Father.
Had Jesus exercised His Deity in order to provide for His
own need, He would have become independent. He qualified,
by remaining in a place of total dependence upon His Father
for provision.
This was exactly where Adam and Eve failed, for Satan had
said to them,
“For God does know that in the day you eat thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5
Satan told Adam and Eve that they could be independent from
God. They could decide for themselves what was right or wrong.
Now, Satan was telling Jesus that He could act on His own
to provide for Himself, just as he had told Eve to do.
Jesus confirmed His complete dependence upon God when He
said:
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
He refused to act apart from a Word from the Lord, and came
forth from the wilderness in the “power of the Spirit”
(Luke 4:14).
As a result of His willing obedience, by which He remained
dependent upon His Father, Jesus is qualified to say to us,
“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me
in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with
My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21
We also will be tested, as Jesus was, “if” we
desire to come into this relationship of “Submissive
Dependence” upon Him, in His Throne. Those of us who
choose to abide in this position of "leaning upon Him"
will then be led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, (a
place of spiritual barrenness) where we will develop a great
hunger (dissatisfaction), or an intense desire (frustration),
in some area of our being.
Then at a critical moment, when it (apparently) seems to
us that the Lord is no longer interested in our problem, and
that He is (wrongly) delaying His answer, the enemy will be
“allowed” to come and tempt us. He will try to
provoke us to act in some way to produce, or to bring about
the satisfaction that we desperately long for, which is presently
apart from God's provision for us.
If we will steadfastly refuse this temptation and stand fast,
in due time, the Lord will feed (satisfy) us.
“But He knows the way that I take: when He has tried
me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10
If we will be patient during our times of being tested, and
“wait” for the Lord’s provision for us,
then it can truly be said,
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for
them that love Him.” I Corinthians 2:9
The first Adam failed and lost his place, or position as an
overcomer. This was regained by Jesus, who overcame, as the
last Adam. He was faithful in maintaining His place of dependence.
As a result, He is seated with His Father in His throne
Now, Jesus is offering to all who overcome, a place with
Him in His throne. These overcomers are the ones who were
seen coming up from the wilderness, “Leaning upon their
Beloved.”
There is no greater joy, than that which comes from our making
a determined choice to become dependent upon Jesus, and then
to faithfully abide in this newfound place of “submissive
dependence,” until the greater day comes.