Midweek Message from the Archive
Finding Jesus: Song of Songs
Love, romance, sex, rejection, and disillusionment; these are all aspects of a great chick flick, right? Who doesn’t love that? OK, maybe the men reading this. But stick with me, the Song of Songs is an enticing book of the Bible for men and women alike. Even though it’s written as a drama or even a film script, there are different ways of interpreting it. Some translations entitle it after the author, Solomon (Song of Solomon), imparting the sense of the kingly nature of this often misunderstood drama.
- It can be read as God speaking to His beloved Israel, married to her in covenant relationship. We observe this also in Hos. 2:16-19, Is. 5:1, and Ps. 45. God sings and speaks of His Bride, His beloved Israel: Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices (Song of Songs 4:10 NLT).
- Secondly, it can be read as the marital love of Christ and the Church. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one (Ephesians 5:31-32 NLT). Christ has a possessive love for His Church and He insists on exclusivity. My beloved is mine, and I am his … Song of Solomon 2:16a ESV
- Lastly, and my favorite, it can be understood as the personal and intimate love that Jesus has for each one of us. I read this book as if He’s speaking to me personally, and I’m responding to Him. He says to me, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way. You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace. Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices. Song of Songs 4:7, 9-10 NLT
As sentimental and even lovesick as these verses are, there remains an aspect of the bride not responding to the King’s call. In chapter 5 we read of the rejection of the King and the desperation of the bride as she searches and cries out for Him. Jesus calls us every day to respond to Him, spend a time with Him, and develop that relationship with Him that any bride should experience. Remember, He’s passionate about us and when He returns, and this is where we find Jesus, He’ll set up an eternal kingdom where we’ll rule and reign with Him in a marriage relationship. Take advantage of your time now and get to know Him.
Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready; Revelation 19:7 ESV.
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