Song of songs, NT theme
"The Song of Songs is unique in Scripture. It portrays
Christ's intense, overflowing love for the Ecclesia (and hers for him) expressed
intimately in the first person. It is so different from Psalms, which are
largely Christ's feelings toward God: his struggles, his overcomings. Some
Psalms come close, like Psalm 45, but with far less detail and intimacy -- and
expressed more distantly in the third person. The Song expresses Christ's need
for the Ecclesia: the motivation that his great love for her gives him. Does
Christ have need? Does God have need? Are they not perfectly satisfied and
self-sufficient? God is love, and the fullness of love requires an object worthy
of it.
"This is what God is creating, in infinite divine patience,
through the travail of the ages. God loves all His creation. Not a sparrow falls
unnoticed by Him Who lovingly oversees immensity and eternity. Ninety-nine
percent of all the beauty of Creation -- even on earth, let alone the vast
universe -- is for Him alone, and is never seen by human eye. Snowflakes fell in
untold myriads of trillions for thousands of years before the microscope
revealed to man that each one is a glorious treasure of delicate, intricate
beauty. And a snowflake is but for a moment. But the pure and holy perfection of
the Redeemed will be the crowning beauty of all the works of God. The
multitudinous Christ will be the most beautiful of all the beauties of the
universe: the richest of eternal beauties, formed out of common clay...
"This Song is for teaching and/or for comfort. It is to teach
us that these two spiritual qualities are what we must devote our lives to
developing -- 'Let us be glad and rejoice... the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and his Bride hath made herself ready" (Rev 19:7). The true Bride will have made
herself ready. She will conform to the Beauty and Love herein portrayed. There
will be a ready and prepared Bride, perfect in beauty, without spot or blemish,
waiting to welcome her Lord. We see her in this Song being greeted and praised
and embraced by the Bridegroom, and invited to be with him for ever. If we fit
into the picture; if we are in full harmony and compliance; if this is where all
our heart and interest and labors and efforts center, then this Song is for our
joy and comfort.
"If, however, this is not so, and our minds and time and
interests and activities are turned elsewhere, then this Song is for warning and
instruction, and not for comfort at all. There is no comfort to be taken unless
we are faithfully laboring to the utmost of our ability. There will be a Bride
of perfect Beauty and Love. Whether, in that great Day, we are part of that
Bride, or part of the vast multitude turned weeping away, depends entirely upon
what we devote our life to" (GVG).
*****
"The two characters of this Song are Solomon, the Peace Giver,
and Shulamith, the Peace-Receiver. Both names are related to Peace. Peace is of
one fabric with Love and Beauty. He is the Prince of Peace: that 'peace of God'
transcending comprehension (Phi 4:7); the 'great peace' that they alone enjoy
who manifest in all their lives that they 'love His law' (Psa 119:165); the
peace that none can take from them -- 'peace with God': life's ultimate
consummation (Rom 5:1).
"The purpose of this Song is to develop the mind of the
Spirit. This will not come naturally, however long we are just 'in the Truth'.
It requires intense effort and study and meditation and practice -- just like
anything worthwhile does. What time and labor and trouble and care people will
so eagerly put into getting the things of this life! -- and then expect the
infinitely greatest thing of all to be handed to them without effort. What blind
and pitiful folly!" (GVG).
*****
"Solomon": the name conjures up images of... the Temple of
God; wisdom, a light for the Gentiles (eg, the queen of Sheba). The initial
fulfillment of the promises to David, glory, majesty, wealth. All of this points
to the One who said of himself that he was "greater than Solomon" (Mat 12:42).
Solomon is an imperfect type -- but a great type nonetheless -- of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
The Names:
(1) The Bride refers to Christ throughout as her "Beloved" or
"Lover". But she does not (often?) speak directly to him. Instead, she talks
about him, because:
- she is separated from him,
- she yearns for him,
- she dreams of him,
- she looks for him, and
- she waits for him to return.
(2) But Christ speaks directly to the Bride, and refers to her
in changing/expanding/deepening terms. She is:
- the fairest, the most beautiful of women (Song 1:8),
- his "love", his companion, his friend (Song 2),
- all fair, flawless, his spouse (Song 4),
- the "Shulamite" (feminine counterpart of Solomon/peace) (Song 6),
- and the prince's daughter (Song 7) -- suggesting royalty, majesty, and rulership.
The Song of Songs is perhaps the most unique book in the whole
Bible. As in Esther, there is no direct mention of God, but God is to be found
throughout the Book. In the Song, the chief character is the one who is the
"greater than Solomon" -- God manifest in the flesh (Joh 1:14).
The purpose of this book of love is to create a certain frame
of mind... a sweetness of character, disposed toward gentleness and kindness and
affection. The spiritual is taught by means of the natural. Spiritual love is
seen in -- and mirrored by -- the natural expressions of love. The eternal
spiritual reality is more meaningful by far than the passing natural shadow that
represents it (2Co 4:16-18).
The Song depicts the relationship between Christ and the
ecclesia:
- the beauty of character of Christ; and
- the required "beauty" of the Bride...
so that the contemplation of the one (Christ) may generate the
development of the other (ie, a Christ-like character in those who will
constitute the ecclesia).
The following Song of Christ and the Bride catches something of this New Testament theme -- couched in Song of Songs language:
Christ: Arise and come away, my love,
The winter now is past;
The singing of the birds is come;
The earth is green at last.
Bride: I rise and follow you, Belov'd,
At last the shadows flee:
The roses and the lilies grow
Under the apple tree.
Christ: Arise and come away, my love,
The air is sweet outside.
The scent of blossoms on the wind
Is carried far and wide.
Bride: For my Belov'd is young and fair,
And my Belov'd is mine,
The altogether lovely One,
Both human and divine.
Christ: How beautiful you are, and fair,
Your desire is all toward me;
A spring shut up, a fountain sealed,
Until your Lord you see.
Bride: Your lips are milk and honeycomb,
Your love is pure delight,
And I have waited much too long,
Alone, for you at night.
Christ: For love is stronger far than death;
And you, my precious dove,
Are set a seal upon my heart
And on my hands, my love.
Bride: I rise and follow you, Belov'd.
The winter now is past;
The singing of the birds is come;
The earth is green at last.
