The Song of Solomon is unlike any other book in the Bible. It is actually a love song written by King Solomon as he depicts the wooing and wedding of a shepherdess by the King himself. Filled with metaphors and Israelite imagery, the King describes the joys and heartaches of the love between a husband and wife. Like scenes in a drama, the book is arranged around three main characters: The Bride (Shulamite); the King (Solomon); and the Chorus (The Daughters of Jerusalem).
From an allegorical viewpoint, it pictures Israel as God’s espoused bride and anticipates the Church (although a thousand years in the future) as the bride of Christ. As human life finds its highest fulfillment in the love of a man and a woman, so our spiritual lives find their highest fulfillment in the love of God for His people and for His Church, and for our personal relationship with Him.
The focus of the book is about Solomon’s attraction and marriage to a poor, but beautiful, peasant girl from the countryside. The various scenes in the book exalt the joys of love in courtship and marriage and teach that physical beauty and sexuality in marriage should not be despised as something that is not from God. It offers a proper perspective of human love that avoids the extremes of pure lust, as opposed to complete isolation from human relationships. It illustrates the beauty of God’s creation with its related desires and pleasures. In the end, the Song is a positive endorsement by God of marital love in all of its physical and emotional beauty. At the same time, it also has a very spiritual application in illustrating God’s love for His covenant people Israel, and anticipates Christ’s love for His bride, the Church.
I believe that the most important verse in this Book is also a verse that can be easily remembered,
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor will rivers overflow it….” (Song 8:7)
Indeed, the power of genuine love is indestructible. The Bible describes different kinds of love, and the Greek New Testament text helps to illustrate the differences: eros = romantic love; phileo = friendship love; agape = God’s love. All are valid types of love, with agape being the highest, which describes God’s love for us as being both unconditional and sacrificial. The Apostle John provides additional insights into agape,
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God….for God is love” (1 Jn. 4:7-8).
John is very clear on this issue – Not only is God’s essential character that of “love,” but our love for one another, including our spouse, is “from God” Himself. In other words, the God of love provides the love in our hearts that we need to have for others. Furthermore,
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10).
God initiated the entire concept of love, in that He sent Jesus, His Son, to be the appeasement (to provide forgiveness) for our sins. It’s not that we loved God first, assuming that this was so special to Him that He decided to send Jesus, but because we have all wandered far from God and that He loved us in spite of ourselves and sent Jesus to redeem us.
Friends, if you want to experience God’s love, then you must ask Him to give it to you. Only then can you really love Him in return, and then extend that love to others, including your friends, relatives, and your spouse. Then, it will be His love dwelling in and being extended to others through you. Just ask Him to give you His agape love. Just acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins because He loved you and saw you in need of His love. And then ask Him for the forgiveness of your sins, and He will not only forgive you, but also give you His own Life and the love that flows from it.
I pray that you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. God bless you.
