The Song of Songs (SOS) is very intense, and seems at least
a bit racy, if not almost pornographic in some ways. But that’s only if you do
not look beneath the surface.
I have read many commentaries about SOS that treat it like a
treatise on love and marriage here on earth. I’ll tell you this, if you need
such a treatise, there is none better.
When I was a young man, my cousin and I used to work those
1,000 piece puzzles. We had a self-imposed rule that if you touched a piece of
the puzzle without knowing where it fit, you were charged one point. When the
puzzle was finished, the one with the most points lost. We both learned to
solve puzzles.
If I were to present you with a math problem like this: 3 +
__ = 7; __ + 2 = __; and the total of both equals 14, would you be able to fill
in the blanks? The answers would be 4; 5; and 7 respectively. That’s the only
combination that would work. If you don’t like that solution or try to insert
some other values, the equation just won’t add up.The same is true with any part of the Bible, including the SOS. The answer is always Jesus. Any other answer and the “equation” won’t add up.
What happens to the Song of Solomon if you plug in Jesus and
His relation to His Bride, the church? It becomes, not a discourse on boy/girl
relationships, and far more than an earthly love story, but a revelation of the
way Christ loves His church.
I can hear the theologians from all over the globe gasping
in disgust as they read this re-hash of an old idea. That’s OK. They’ve been
wrong before, and they’re wrong about SOS.
Do it like this and see what happens. Let “She” equal the church,
let “He” equal Christ and let “Friends” equal the heavenly hosts. When you do
that, the book becomes much more than an ancient love song. It becomes much
more than a portrayal of God’s perspective on the romantic and sexual love
between a man and woman. It springs to life like no other love story in all of
history!
As Solomon saw his bride as beautiful, so Christ sees His
Bride (the church) as beautiful. As Solomon sees his bride as irresistible, so
Christ sees His Bride as irresistible. As Solomon saw his bride as worthy of
his love, so Christ sees His Bride as worthy of His love because of his grace.
As Solomon compares his bride with the beauty of womanhood, the unbridled power
of Pharaoh’s horses, the rarity of precious gems, the strength of cedars, the
fragrance of perfumes and flowers, the grandeur of mountains and the sweetness
of the vineyards, so is Christ’s Bride to Him.
The response of Solomon’s bride to him is analogous to
Christ’s Bride’s reaction to Him.
In my mind, the whole book of the Song of Solomon speaks of
God’s love for His creation and His preparation of the Bride of Christ for the unparalleled
wedding feast that is to come.
Every time I read it, I am more breathlessly awaiting that
day.
Now, go read it joyfully! If you know Christ, you're His Bride and the feast will include you!
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