The Song of Solomon is not a favorite to teach on; its intimacy between a man and a woman is what Chuck Swindoll means when he says the Word of God is " sometimes, downright raw." But one thing I have always known is, you can take this both as a work of beautiful poetry, a guide on love and marriage, and an allegory about Christ and His Church. But that doesn't make it easier to teach. Praying for insight on this this week, I heard David Jeremiah ask the question to his audience, "How do YOU read your Bible?" One thing that struck my mind is to read it like a letter from God, and the implications on this last chapter of SOS became quickly apparent to me.
Every letter written properly contains three parts: a beginning, an introduction, and a summary conclusion. And having been poring over this chapter, I saw it had all three.
Introduction
Son 8:1 Oh that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother's breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me.
Son 8:2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother-- she who used to teach me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranate.
Son 8:3 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!
Son 8:4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
The introduction- if we go the allegory route- starts with the absolute devotion of Church to Christ, not in any base sexual way, but as a family, brother-sister level. A Level that brings Christ into the home, into every intimate part of life- yet with the admonition of propriety, remembering to Fear God.
The Body
Now here I have to step fully into allegory, and remember that of those who say they believe in God, there are two camps that criticize the True Church. The first come up in the passage that my Bible describes as 'the Kinsman':
Son 8:5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labor with you; there she who bore you was in labor.
This would be the "I knew you when" crowd- those who haven't the wisdom to see the difference between one who is a Christian in truth and people who say they are, and commit all manner of atrocities in 'the name of the Lord'. The Shulamite- the Church- faithfully re-explains her desire for Christ; and then the second group comes in- "her brothers":
Son 8:8 We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
Son 8:9 If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver, but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
These 'believers' do not believe the True Church has the proper wisdom or guidance. Bereft of the "Church fathers" and the interpretations they hand down, they are deemed children who know nothing, and need to be shut behind battlements and walls and not left to seek Christ for themselves. But she has an answer for these false brothers, as well:
Son 8:10 I am a wall, and my breasts are my towers. And he is satisfied with me!
Conclusion
Here at last we have interaction between the Shulamite/the True Church and her Beloved/Christ:
Son 8:12 (Her) My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
Son 8:13 (Him) O you who dwell in the gardens, with companions listening for your voice; let me hear it.
Son 8:14 (Her) Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
The Church submits her all to Christ; He calls out to her, and she cries out for His return!
Another damn good post
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