Aspects of The Bride of Christ Part 3/6.

One man's view of of this fascinating topic by Guest Blogger Alex Smith.

The opening and closing verses of The Song of Solomon (aka Canticle) both are the cry of the Heart of The Bride:

Cant. 1:2 “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for thy love is better than wine!”     -and-

Cant. 8:14 “Make haste, my beloved, be thou like a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices!”

Here we see that although the Song contains the dominant presence of the King, her lover and pursuer, the Song is dictated from the perspective of The Bride. It is ABOUT the heart of the Bride; a spiritual journey from her immature foibles and excuses, to a mature longing and scene of anticipatory preparation. 

She (read into that, YOU— if you have this heart, or will develop this heart) longs for his “kiss”... that is, the introduction of the Betrothal Kiss opens this Canticle. Here the Shulamite (literally, “from the town of Shulem”, but the meaning is “the woman of Peace”— a feminine version of Solomon, the Man of Peace— signifying Jesus, the very Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6) does not initiate, but does ask for, or requests, the Kiss of Betrothal. My ten year old son has got this interesting perspective, when he sees in a movie the guy kiss the girl: “Now they’ve got to get married!” But in the ancient times, it WAS exactly that!

The end of the first sentence is “...for your love is better than wine.” The love that Jesus gives, fills us with joy far beyond any earthly thing, such as wine. (Psalm 104:15 “And wine that maketh glad the heart of man”).

And at the close of this book, she is longingly looking for his return, again, asking for his rapid and speedy (like types of deer, fleet of foot) return unto her! Just as WE do, in the closing Book of the Bible, Revelation 22:20 “Even so, COME, Lord Jesus!” 

Key verses in the Song of Solomon:

Canticle 1:5 - 6 “I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me because I am black— because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards. But mine own vineyard have I not kept.”

    The Shulamite, as portrayed here, but symbolising those with that same heart of “the Bride”, acknowledges that she is swarthy and overly-tanned from exposure to the sun in her agrarian lifestyle. Because a courtly girl would be fair-skinned, this was looked on as “rurally unsophisticated” at the least, and “objectionable/ not fashionable” at the worst. Here is the humility of those acknowledging their faults and sins; their lack before God to enter His courts, what Jesus called being “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). Yet, she also says “comely”. We also acknowledge that the Lord sees past our sins, to see what he has created within us. It’s not boasting; but simple acknowledgement. Here in Cant. 1:5 she gives a comparison of her tanned skin: “the tents of Kedar”. Kedar was one of the nomadic sons of Ishmael, who was the father of the Arab peoples (see Psalm 120:5) — among them, the people of Israel have never found peace. But then, in contrast, she says “as the curtains of Solomon.” Tents... curtains (OF tents)... temporary dwelling places. The first brings no peace; the second brings peace. Our sins, dark like the tents of Kedar, bring us no peace; when we are accepted by the Lord, and He washes our sins away (yet our Daily Walk needs to be cleansed daily) — we have our lives (our ‘tent’ or ‘tabernacle’ as Peter calls our bodies during our earthly sojourn, in II Peter 1:14) before the Lord of Peace, in peace... likened to the curtains of the tent of Solomon (the fabric of his royal pavilion made of rich colours). 

“My mother’s children, or sons” — those of the Church (“the mother”). Here is an interesting Opposite Parallel between Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38 - 42. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet; Martha was angry, or at least irritated enough to complain. “...they made me keeper of the vineyards” sounds like Martha saying “Don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me!” And Jesus replied that “one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42) It sounds like the Shulamite, those with the heart to sit at Jesus’ feet, were told by others in the Church to “get on with church business and ministries”... and that they [as the Shulamite] complied, but at the expense of her own spiritual well-being— “mine own vineyard I have not kept”— another source of a feeling of unworthiness. Here she is “busy, working for the Church, under compulsion” but neglecting the close fellowship of “sitting at Jesus’ feet” that he commends Mary for doing. 

This is the Shulamite in the state of immaturity. This is the setting in the beginning of her pathway to a deeper relationship and a deepening of her heart.

Canticle 2:1 - 4 “I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the valleys.” (This is the Shulamite speaking).

“As the Lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” (This is Solomon speaking).

“As the Apple Tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the Banqueting House, and his banner over me was ‘love’.” (The Shulamite responds.)

   The rose is actually a crocus (Hibiscus Syriacus) which grows in hidden, sheltered places in the valley of Sharon— which means “a wide-open place/ a plain”. This flower is the source of saffron— a VERY expensive spice hand-made from its stamens. Again we see the imagery of HIDDEN BEAUTY. The Bride has a beauty and value that is hidden from most, although growing in a wide-open plain. Those who are close to the heart of the Lord will be “hidden in the cleft of the Rock” (see Song of Solomon 2:14 and Exodus 33:22), yet in the “plain”, that is, in the common society of most people— yet hidden. Jesus knows those who have this heart. 

   The “lily of the valleys” re-iterates the emphasis of humility— flourishing in God, but not noticed by others amidst common life (“of the valleys”). But the lily gives forth a sweet fragrance.

We have the contrast of these levels of love in the very next statement. It’s not meant as a prideful boast: but it does show that there is a stark difference. “Lily” compared to “thorns”; “my love” (Solomon’s affectionate term for the Shulamite) compared to “the daughters”. 

In God’s economy, YOU can choose to develop your relationship with Jesus. 

YOU can be a “lily”, or you can, in contrast, be as a “thorn”. 

YOU can pursue learning to love him with a deeper love, to be called “my love”... or you can remain just as one of “the daughters” (who DO belong to him).

The contrast continues in the next verse. Here, the Shulamite is speaking again. “AS the apple tree among the other trees”... she is comparing Solomon (for us, read: Jesus) to be more valuable, as bearing fruit— more lovely, for they didn’t have such sweeteners as our range today; fruit and honey were about it, in that age. As the apple, or some say apricot, tree provided shade from the hot Mediterranean sun, so Jesus brings us pleasant shade from the heat of life— “...and you will find rest unto your souls”, he promises in Matthew 11:29. But he also give to us “the fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22). 

The Banqueting House not only was for feasting— it was a House of Wine. We store our barrels of wine in cool cellars; they stood their amphorae, or stone or clay wine jugs, along either side of the wall in the feasting chamber. Solomon, as Jesus will in our future, brought Abishag from her country home to an exalted position of a Royal Feast, with the Wine “that maketh glad the heart of men”, representing the fulfilment of joy in the Lord. 

And “his banner over me was Love”— his Royal Standard, or flag, pronounced “I love THIS one”, just as if he planted a flag of victory at the top of a mountain won in a war campaign. It is true that God loves everyone. But there is a special relationship to which we can attain. Salvation is FREE... and Grace, by its very definition is “un-merited”. But we know from all Gospel accounts, plus Paul’s Epistles, that there are rewards, beyond the starting point of Salvation, and Christians will stand before the Judgement seat of Christ (NOT “the Great White Throne” in Revelation 20:11 —THIS one is for Saved Christians, Romans 14:10) and shall be rewarded according to their works. Paul speaks of running to win in a race (I Corinthians 9:24), and in Philippians 3:14 writes “I press toward the Mark of the Prize— of the High Calling of God, in Christ Jesus.” 

Canticle 2:7 “I charge you, O ye Daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field: that ye stir not up, nor awaken Love, until she please.”                                               This is repeated thrice: in this verse, and in Cant. 3:5 and 8:4. I fixed the King James Version— it doesn’t actually say “my love”, just “love”... and the pronoun is feminine, not the masculine “he” as the KJV has it... indicating that the love pertains to the Shulamite. 

However, the Berean Study Bible puts it as “Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.” 

The Christian Standard Bible says “... until the appropriate time.” 

The Contemporary English Version says “...to awaken love before it is ready.” 

The International Standard Version says “...awaken or arouse love before its proper time.” But because of the feminine pronoun, this “charge” or command is to the Bride. Thrice-repeated times in Scripture usually indicates intensity, such as in Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God of Hosts...” or in Ezekiel 21:27 “A ruin, ruin, ruin will I make it...” or in Jeremiah 22:29 “O land, land, land, hear the Word of the LORD!” So this is a VERY IMPORANT charge, or command... it has an intensity to it throughout the book. There is a RIGHT TIME, and a wrong time, to “stir up love” or to “awaken love” in the heart. People, although well-meaning, may not be in the right place for this. But as the End Times approach— I am exhorting everyone to GET YOUR HEARTS READY... get your hearts INTO that place where your love for the Lord of Glory is able to come forth, and be made plain. It’s time for maturity to ripen into its fullness! 

Now, the daughters of Jerusalem were the court women, some of them wives of Solomon’s political alliances; they belonged to the King as much as did the Shulamite; yet, one can see their lesser status in Relationship. In Song 3:9 - 11 one can see that they are called “daughters of Jerusalem” equated with daughters of Zion... but in Isaiah 4:4 God must cleanse them of their filthiness. Keep this in mind for the prophetic application— there are Christians who indeed belong to the Lord, but they have no intimate communion with Him— yet they ARE HIS.               And some even are quite carnal, and like those later in Isaiah’s day, must be cleansed. This fits in with Paul’s cry for husbands to love their wives, “...even as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it: that he might SANCTIFY and CLEANSE IT with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing— but that it should be HOLY and WITHOUT BLEMISH.” (Ephesians 5:25b - 27)

Let us remain pure before the Lord at all times! 

“By the roes and by the hinds” —both male and female deer, lithe and fast. This applies to both men (as “roes, roebucks”) and women (as “hinds”) in the Body of Christ.... and the Lord is wanting to do a quick work; and the thrice-repeated charge indicates the urgency and intensity of it. It is important.  

But here in this verse, it appears that Solomon is the one speaking: it is the Lord, calling to those in His church who look for Him, to only awaken the heart of love in His bride, at the proper, or appropriate time. 

Next section is Part 4/6.