Song of Solomon

"Our hearts are inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer." (Psalm 45.1) Jesus is revealed in the Scriptures under many aspects. In this Song, He is revealed by a very homely illustration of a bridegroom, but one who has gone away until the appointed day — the wedding feast, the marriage. Although He has gone away, yet He can see and knows all about the Bride. We read in Matthew 9.15: "And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the day will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." The Bridegroom went away, the Bride (the true believers, His ecclesia throughout the ages) has been in a state of mourning ever since, waiting for His return. Some have been persecuted and cruelly treated, and some have died for their faith in Him. The parable of the ten virgins also depicts this long night of waiting, and it has been the prayer of these waiting virgins, the Bride: "Make haste, my beloved." (Song 8.14), or “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly" (Revelation 22.20). This is the period of waiting to which this Song refers.

Perhaps we can call to mind one or two passages for a foundation to work upon. The Apostle wrote in II Corinthians 11.2: "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ". Again in Ephesians 5.52: "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the ecclesia."

How can we obtain the best out of a study of this Song? We suggest this way. we all agree that in the Song, two persons are referred to, the Bridegroom and the Bride - the Bridegroom representing the Lord Jesus, the Bride, all those who are or have been on probation for an inheritance of the kingdom of God, those who will be with Christ in His kingdom and partake of His glory. When the Bridegroom speaks, it is the Lord Jesus speaking to His Bride in the days of her probation and preparation through the Word. If when we read the words of the Bridegroom to His Bride, we realise that Christ is speaking to us, will it not make the reading far more interesting? And further, the Bride answers the Bridegroom expressing her love for her lord, of her sincere devotion and suffering for Him. Should not her words help us to cultivate the correct manner and devotion in His service, His mind, His spirit and character?

The Bridegroom suffered a cruel death for His Bride. "Greater love hath no man than this" (John 15.13). How can the Bride reciprocate such love? Could He have done more? The Spirit through Solomon uses the devotion of a bridegroom, Which is the nearest approach to perfect love to which we are accustomed, so that we poor human creatures can comprehend the Divine love manifested through Christ for the salvation of mankind. The bridegroom and the bride — the nearest approach we can conceive of true devotion to each other. We may think the language is extreme, but it is Divine love expressed with human sentiment.

To obtain a proper setting for the Song, we have to go back to the days of the apostles and even to the days of the prophets, when those who will be numbered amongst the Bride were persecuted and cruelly treated, even unto death, when they were cast out of God's vineyard (Song of Solomon 1.6) and when they were made keepers of another vineyard.

All the names in this Book, whether of persons or places, are used in a figurative sense. The name of Solomon refers to the greater son of David, the Lord Jesus, the Bridegroom. The name means "the Peacegiver" , the one who will bring and establish peace. The Bride, the Shulamite, is a name from the same root word as the name Solomon, meaning the one who is now at peace, the reconciled one. Throughout this Song, the Bride is referred to by different names or definitions, such as "my fair one" , "my love", "my dove", “my beloved", "my sister", "my spouse", as "queens" and "daughters", "prince's daughter" and so on. In the conclusion in the last chapter, she is spoken of as a "little sister" (Song of Solomon 8.8), the one not yet ready, in the state of development and preparation.

The names of towns, vineyards, mountains, trees, plants a and fruits are used because of their meanings or connections. The land of Palestine in the early days of Solomon can be likened to paradise, the garden of the Lord, and the figures are taken from those times, and we should endeavour to visualise the blessings of those days of Solomon when this Song was written.

There are four visions given for the benefit of the Bride of the joy set before her, for her encouragement in the days of trial and temptation. There seems to be a connection between these four visions. The first vision is in Song of Solomon 2.8-13, referring to the time of Spring, the Passover, the time for the establishment of the Kingdom. "Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone... Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." "Arise" - from the dead in most cases, but for others who are alive at His coming, it will be "and come away". The second vision is in Song of Solomon 3.6-11, a vision of one typified by Solomon coming up from the wilderness upon a palanquin (a bed) surrounded by three score valiant men of Israel. Why sixty? In the tabernacle in the wilderness, there were sixty pillars upholding the linen curtains, representing God's righteousness. These sixty men (the Bride of Christ) have been and are the upholders of God's righteousness, and they will be with Jesus in the day of His glory. After the resurrection (the first vision) Jesus with the saints are manifested with power ready to take over the kingdoms of the world. The third vision is Song of Solomon 6.10-13, representing the saints, the Bride, as kings (the sun) and priests (the moon) in authority over the earth. The last vision is Song of Solomon 8.5, giving in conclusion a homely revelation or unity and happiness of one coming up from the wilderness, where she had to flee because of her enemies in the days of her probation (Revelation 12.14-17), leaning upon her beloved, a figure of husband and wife, after a very long time of unavoidable separation, united never again to be parted, returning to their inheritance, the Kingdom of God, their eternal home.