The Lily of the Valley - The Rose of Sharon
Behold the kingdom of flowers and you will find the Royal Family to be the Rose; tall,
stately, and of exquisite beauty. Consider the number twelve. It is the number of Eternal Perfection. More than a little
strange in this world of changing traditions is this: that the ultimate way to “say it with flowers”
is still to present one with a dozen (12) long-stemmed roses! And this many continue to do, not
knowing why; having no idea that their twelve long-stemmed roses show forth Royalty and
Eternal Perfection. Ancient history (cf. Unger’s Bible Dictionary) declares that of all the roses growing in the
Middle East, none was so beautiful as those found in Sharon. A brief study into the world of Horticulture (cf. World Book Encyclopedia) reveals
something else that should be of notable interest: all flowers are not the same. (of course we all
know that they look different,) But there is a very basic difference. Many flowers consist of three
parts: the Sepal, the Petal, and either the Stamen OR the Pistil, but not both. These flowers the
horticulturists call Imperfect. Another variation may lack Petals, such as the Marigold, which has
yellow Sepals which look like Petals, but are not. Though such appear as if they are complete,
they carry the title of Incomplete. That group of flowers, however, that consist of all four parts; Sepal, Petal, Stamen, and
Pistil are rightly called Perfect and Complete! Two classes of flowers are singled out by the World Book as being those Perfect and
Complete: Lilies and Roses! More than coincidental is the fact that Christ is called the Lily of the Valleys and the
Rose of Sharon! “. . .by Him all things consist.” “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness
dwell. . .” Complete! “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are
Complete in Him. . .” Col. 2:9,10.
