Catch the Fox
Daily Old Testament Reading: Song of Solomon 2-4
Daily Focus Passage: Song of Solomon 2
Solomon displayed his great wisdom as he penned Song of Solomon. This book uses the expression of a relationship between a man and a woman to display God's greatness and reveal more about the Lord. In Song of Solomon 2:15, Solomon penned, "Catch the foxes for us – the little foxes ruin the vineyards – for our vineyards are in bloom." This verse teaches us the importance of recognizing the sneaky nature of the enemy that seeks to keep us from the blessings and ways of the Lord.
THE FOX IS SNEAKY
Solomon declared, "Catch the foxes for us." This declaration centers on the knowledge that the fox comes and causes harm. The fox is a creature that is known for its sneaky nature. The fox is sly and attempts to achieve its goals by sneaking around behind the scenes to gain access to benefit the self. The sneaky nature means the fox desires to move stealthily and remain undetected while causing havoc. The enemy comes at us like a sly fox. He attempts to cause havoc in our lives in a stealthy manner and cause harm to us. Thus, we must recognize the threat of the sneaky nature of the enemy fox.
THE LITTLE FOX SEEMS HARMLESS
Solomon identified that the little foxes carry the same destructive power as a grown fox or another large animal. The size of the little fox does not provide fear to the observer; instead, the minor nature gives off a harmless tone. Yet, the small fox can cause ruin to the vineyard. In a like manner, the temptations and schemes of the evil one may appear small and insignificant. They may appear harmless, yet the schemes that seem small cause ruin in life. We must recognize the dangerous nature of even the most minor scheme of the evil one that comes against us.
THE FOX ATTEMPTS TO SWIPE JOY
Solomon announced that the little foxes ruin the vineyard that is in bloom. This reveals the reality that the fox swipes joy from people. The sly nature and the appearance of harmlessness allow the fox to sneak into the vineyard and cause distress and harm. This destruction robs the owner of the fruit of the harvest and removes the available joy. The evil one seeks to swipe the pleasure of the believer. He comes against the believer to ruin their vineyard and to cause pain. We must recognize the desire of the evil one is to swipe our joy and experience pain.
WE MUST GUARD THE VINEYARD
Solomon calls to catch the fox. The vineyard must be guarded and protected. Likewise, we must defend the harvest and the joy from the schemes of the evil one. We must guard by remaining alert to the schemes of the evil fox. We must protect by vineyard by being intentional and seeking to overcome the schemes of the evil one. We must guard our lives against the temptations and influences around us. We must guard the vineyard and catch the fox.
