The song of the Prince

“…that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:7).

The story of Johnny Lingo and Mahana tells of how discerning love looked past a young lady’s tattered appearance, and how it understood that she had never been loved. Johnny had known her from childhood, and he is very familiar with her father’s unending berating her. Johnny knows her heart and mind, and he also knows that he can bring out beauty and goodness from Mahana. Known as a shrewd businessman, Johnny is also a shrewd man of love for Mahana. His wisdom and love of life have always allowed him to see overlooked bargains in the business world. And that same acumen and heart allows him to see the true luster in Mahana. So he makes the deal with her father that allows him to marry her. During that transaction to buy Mahana from him, Johnny has nothing railing to say to her father, but treats him with the dignity that becomes a wise son-to-be. From a rag-tag, unkempt, and hopeless girl this loving husband turns Mahana into the highest valued princess of her south Pacific island. Johnny did this in two ways: by the price he paid for Mahana, immediately exalting her self-worth; and by his continued kindness to her.

All of this can be seen in the heart of “the Messiah the Prince” (Dan. 9:25).

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isa. 9:6,7).

Jesus had set His love upon His human gems. He alone could see the worth of this miserable world  and bring out our deep, hidden luster that was defiled by the filthy earth and crushed by the destroyer. He came as the Lamb of God, to win our love to Him as He would lay down His life at our hands.

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).

He has redeemed us, bought us, from our ugly old man that was under the control of Satan.

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1Pet. 1:18.19).

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Rev. 5:9).

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4-7).

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.” (Eph. 3:9-12).

This beautiful and touching salvation of His spouse, the church, is wonderfully illustrated in the simple, short film from 1969, Johnny Lingo. In Johnny we can hear the tender call of Jesus for us to come to Him, and to trust in Him as someone who is completely opposite to our old master, the ugly destroyer. Patiently and kindly, He awaits our response.

“Mahana…”

Johnny has paid for her and he stands at the door of her old hut, holding out his hand to beckon her. Mahana starts to come out of her hut, but draws back into the dark shadows again. But Johnny’s arm and hand never lower. Understanding her fears, he gently, softly commands her to take his hand.

“Mahana…” (She comes out and slowly, cautiously places her hand in her husband’s and he confirms her trembling faith by his strong love for her). Johnny will never treat her contrary to that initial expression of love. He will never give her any cause to suspect anything insincere from him. Likewise Jesus and the people of His tender call.

“The voice of My beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to Me, My sister, My love, My dove, My undefiled.” (Song of Solomon 5:2)

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” (Isa. 41:10,13).

“And I have put My words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of Mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art My people.” (Isa. 51:16).

Johnny had a wisdom that was driven by love for Mahana. And that is exactly the wisdom that God promises to give us through the self-sacrificing love of His Son toward us. “Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Cor. 1:30). Of ourselves we are weak and nothing. All our goodness and beauty are only in response to His everlasting love.

And what is Mahana’s hushed  response to Johnny’s wedding gift of a gilded mirror, after all the constant, self-forgetful attention and healing love of her husband?

“I wish I had a gift for you!”

Is this the response of the church to the constant gifts and incessant loving-kindness from her eternal Husband? And Johnny’s immediate, gracious, sincere, private whisper to Mahana’s longing is the same as Jesus’ to His church’s awakened love for Him, isn’t it?

“Your gift to Me can be seen by all who look at you.”

“... even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27).

Then Mahana comes out to see Mr. Harris the trader, and he is utterly shocked at the beauty he had never before seen in her.

“Good morning, Mr. Harris!”

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Rev. 19:7,8).

“Mahana?”

“...Mahana!” 

(Mahana looks very different with a happy smile, nicely brushed hair, and a beautiful red flower in her hair that was no doubt picked by Johnny for his beloved, his dove).

Isn’t this what Jesus says to His church, to you and I, “My love, My dove, My undefiled” (Song 5:2)?

“Mahana must go for some water. Will you please excuse her?”

(Even in her outward beauty, she works with her willing hands. Mahana gladly takes a container and happily, obediently walks down to the beach to get water. Maybe she will use it to wash clothes.)

“O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou has afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil
Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children.

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.” (Ps. 90:14-17).

“I’ve loved her since we were children. She was always beautiful.”

How long has Jesus loved His bride, the church that has suffered under the constant berating of the “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10)? Since our very beginning.

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3).

“Since thou wast precious in My sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” (Isa. 43:4).

“None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.” (Eze. 16:4-16).

Mahana is overcome with the love and kindness of her husband. She is under his control of love; and only the control of love is permissible. Love doesn’t enslave under a whip, but under the voluntary power of self-sacrificing, disinterested love.

“(Mr. Harris) I don’t understand what happened.” “ (Johnny) It was the cows!”

Jesus knew if He had sent an angel to pay for our redemption that we, in our sordid past, could never, in full confidence of acceptance, stand before His Father. No, the greatest ransom would be paid for the dearest of all creation.

“How does she feel, the woman who is sold for one or two cows? No. This could not happen to my Mahana.”

Jesus knows how to not only make us happy, but to make us a powerful, highly prized, infinitely valued and obedient bride--an eight cow wife. The infinitely superior price that He paid for His redeemed will exalt them among every other creation. The cross will forever raise an anthem among the heavenly hosts as well as from His wife--Adam’s redeemed children throughout the centuries of human woe. His redeemed church since the beginning will be Jesus’ queen sitting next to Him on His throne and before His Father’s throne.

“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:12).

“To him that overcometh 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.” (Rev. 3:21).

Jesus is jealous for His redeemed queen. The devil better watch out to never overstep his limitations for testing and purifying the redeemed wife of Christ. “The day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 61:2) is soon to arrive when He comes for His wife in great glory with power and joy.

“Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” (Isa. 41:11-13).

“More than happy, Mr. Harris. I wanted her to be an eight-cow woman [higher in rank than the highest cow ranked wife in that society].”

“(Mr. Harris) In her father’s hut Mahana believed she was worth nothing.”

“(Johnny) Yes, and now she knows she is worth more than any other woman on the island.”

As Mahana’s self-worth was the making of her husband, Johnny, so our consolation and confidence and consecration has been the crafting of Christ our Lord. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10).

Christ and His love are revealed in more than the scriptures, but also in the varied experiences of life. He is able to use the circumstances of life in the furthest reaches of the world to devise a revelation of Himself and His everlasting covenant of love. Let us search the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness toward us in the written word and pasted upon the pages of this life. Let us see Him and then conceptualize what the Bible wrote to tell of its Author, the Son of God. Then let us receive Him and His exceeding love, as Mahana did Johnny’s pitying tenderness, and we will see the salvation of the Lord.

“And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with [other] women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Rev. 14:3).

Love of Christ so freely given,

Grace of God beyond degree,

Mercy higher than the heaven,

Deeper than the deepest sea.

All That Thrills My Soul, Hymn 189

“Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.” (Matt. 25:6).

Watch this touching and beautiful 23 minute film on Youtube at, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTpqyelYcnk&t=1252s

And, as you watch the tenderness of Johnny, remember how tender and touching Jesus wants to be to you. The Song of Solomon was a glorious message to Israel, but “a greater than Solomon is here” (Matt. 25:6) today. He is knocking at our hearts, saying “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20).’