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SOLOMON.S06
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Study No. 6.
SONG OF SOLOMON
BEGINNING OF LOVE CONTINUED - Chapter 2:1 - 7
2:1 - "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys."
The woman is still speaking and her self-image has greatly
improved. Through her re-discovery of the King's presence,
the revelation of His nature and provision for her, the fixed
vision she has of Him and her rest with Him, she no longer
sees herself as black. Her revelation of the King is leading
her on a progressive journey of self-discovery.
She recognizes that changes have taken place in her and she
is now closer to accepting the King's view of her. She still
does not see the unique nature of her relationship with Him,
and tends to compare herself with others and reduces her
relationship with the King to the level of the ordinary and
common. Her faith is not yet ready for a full appreciation
of what He has done for her, but at least she has left the
bondage of seeing herself as black and is protected from
sunburn now.
She likens herself to a tender flower that has grown up in
the quietness of rural life. Sharon is a region between
Tabor and the Sea of Galilee in the neighbourhood of Nazareth
where Jesus grew up in northern Galilee (1 Chron. 5:16). The
rose of Sharon was a flesh-coloured meadow flower with a
leafless stem which, when the grass was mown, appeared by the
thousands in the warmer regions. Humbly describing herself
as a meadow flower, she had understandable fears of being out
of place, a common meadow flower in King Solomon's palace.
The lily of the valley is a beautiful red flower commonly
found in Palestine. She thinks humbly of herself in
comparison to the king and alludes to herself as a common
country girl.
2:2 - "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the
daughters."
a) The King is now responding to her new faith declaration,
but puts it in its proper perspective. He declares that
she is not just a common lily hidden in the valleys, but
that she stands out in this world in sharp contrast to
all around her. Just as He is as conspicuous as camphire
in a vineyard, so she is like a lily among thorns. A
bright spot of beauty amongst the ugly and depraved
things of this world. Phil. 2:15.
b) The lily speaks of Resurrection life, and the King
declares that not only is her beauty in contrast to the
world, but that her life source is different also. The
thorns originated with the curse (Gen. 3:18) and are
opposed to the life of God in us. Matt. 13:7.
c) The King also draws a comparison between her and the
daughters of Jerusalem - the mother's children who made
her the keeper of the vineyards (1:5).
He points out that there is no comparison between her and
those who have not gone on in their spiritual life. They
are the ones who are still entangled in the cares of this
life and bring no fruit to perfection. His special
relationship is reserved for those who really seek Him
and are not content to be merely "saved."
The other group spoken of throughout the book, ie
virgins, daughters of Jerusalem, mother's children,
companions, etc, are always seen in close proximity to
the Bride, but not to the Bridegroom. Many Christian
people find it less demanding to relate to the Church or
to those who are leading in God that to seek Him
personally.
d) Then we see that what she is, is enhanced by where she
is. Those who are not spiritually minded will most often
be the source of opposition to any new move of God. The
King says that this contention against her experience
with Him will only strengthen it. Like Joseph, they may
put her feet in the stocks, but the iron will come into
her soul (Ps. 105:18).
2:3 - "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."
a) The woman responds to the King's comparison of her by
drawing comparisons of her own. The apple tree referred
to here is almost certainly the "citron" - a beautiful
evergreen tree. (The "sons" are those who aspire to lead
us, but have no life to give us [John 10:11].)
There are two things about this that are significant.
i) The King is an evergreen. All the other trees of the
wood are seasonal. Their beauty will fade. His is
constant. The companions of 1:7 cannot be compared to
the King. It was these "sons" who had made her the
keeper of the vineyards and occupied her with
religious duty. Religion is a poor substitute for
life and only He can give it. The sectarianism of 1
Cor. 1, "I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, etc", is
idolatry. He must be first and foremost always.
ii) He is her covering. Her rest is maintained when she
stays under His protection. Previously, she had been
sunburned (1:6), but now she has learnt to avoid
temptation and remain in the only place of safety.
She discovers that there is great delight in this personal
and intimate relationship of His table and our bed. Whatever
pleasures there are in sin cannot be compared to the lasting
joy of a right relationship with the King.
The apple tree is used throughout the Song as a symbol for
sexual love (cf.8:5). In effect, then, the Shulamite is
telling Solomon what a skillful lover he is. He is an apple
tree, skilled at making love. "Raisin cakes, which were used
in fertility rites (cf. Hos.3:1), served like the apples as
an erotic symbol of an increasing level of relationship.
b) "His fruit was sweet to my taste" refers to the produce
of His evergreen - (resurrection) life. This is not just
a revelation of what He is - shown in 1:12, but what
effects are produced by what He is, and has done.
Righteousness, sanctification and the gift of the Holy
Spirit are some of the products of His life and atoning
death. Gal. 3:13-14.
2:4 - "He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over
me was love."
As the Shulamite sits in Solomon's (protective care), she
immediately associates his "banner" with his love, since his
love provides security, care and protection.
a) She has now returned to the King's chambers. Once again
the King is bringing her in. The banqueting house can be
translated "house of wine." It is a place of feasting
and joy. It compares with 1:4, and shows us that far
from being the high point of our relationship with the
King, the beginning will be eclipsed by a deeper and more
meaningful experience between Him and ourselves. This
restoration to the King's chambers is as a wiser believer
and one more committed to Him than to anything He does
for us.
This joy and gladness are absolute necessities to our
relationship with the King (Ps. 126:2).
This verse also contains the first clue to the real
purpose of the Bride's relationship. "His banner over me
is love." One of the names of the Lord is "Jehovah
Nissi" - Ex. 17:15-16. It means, "The Lord our Banner",
and was symbolized by Moses' upraised hands as a banner
of war over Israel in their fight with Amalek.
This gives us to understand that the King's love poured
upon us is for a purpose. It in turn produces a response
of praise and worship shown in the upraised hands. The
love between the King and the Bride is not just for a
happy introverted spiritual experience, but for
aggressive displacement of enemy power. The Bride is
destined for spiritual warfare and all of the blessings
such as revelation, covering, the gift of the Holy
Spirit, the fruit of righteousness, joy, etc, are the
means of preparing her for this high destiny.
2:5 - "Stay with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick
of love."
The phrase "I am lovesick" is literally "I am sick with
love." She means that at this point in their relationship
she is completely overcome with intense desire. In order to
alleviate the "lovesickness" she requests that Solomon
sustain her with raisin cakes and apples (symbols of love).
The new depth of her experience with the King had reached the
limits of her capacity to contain. She felt the need for its
mystical and spiritual effects on her to be balanced with
something practical and tangible, lest she become so
"heavenly minded that she was no earthly good."
Spiritual experiences always contain the danger of mysticism
and it is possible to develop a "super-spiritual" attitude to
life. Spiritual experience must always be related to
practical living and include meeting the needs of others.
2 Cor. 4:7 tells us that we hold God's treasure in earthen
vessels and often the light is more intense than the vessel
can bear. Note Moses' request to see the glory of God (Ex.
33). He couldn't see it all. There is then a need for a
different approach to spiritual things so that the experience
may be fully assimilated, understood and applied.
2:6 - "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth
embrace me."
All we know of God is in Christ. All the promises of God in
Him are yea and Amen (2 Cor. 1:20). He is the Son of the
right hand (Matt. 26:64, Mark 16:19, Luke 20:42, Acts 2:33,
7:55-56, Col. 3:1, Heb. 1:3, 1 Pet. 3:22). "His right hand
doth embrace me", refers to our love relationship with Jesus
Christ as the representative of the Godhead and the
expression of God's love to us. John 3:16. "His left hand
is under my head", speaks of the Holy Spirit sustaining our
mind.
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
awake my love, till he please."
"Do not stir up love till love itself shall please" (Berkley)
- the King speaks.
Shulamith does an amazing thing from the point of view of
today's attitudes about sex. She emphatically warns the
daughters of Jerusalem not to become sexually involved with
any man other than the one they intend to marry. This
warning for maintaining chastity is repeated in 3:5 and 8:4;
thus we know God wants us to pay special attention to it.
As an orthodox Jewish girl she was raised in a home where
pre-marital chastity was stressed (4:12,8:8-12), yet she
seems to have nothing but a healthy, positive attitude about
sex in marriage. Sex education in the home is often an
attitude communicated by the parents rather than actual
information or rules regarding sexual behaviour. Thus, a
home with very specific standards will not produce children
with negative attitudes about sex as long as the attitudes on
sex and the spirit of the physical relationship between the
parents is healthy. A child often picks up attitudes about
sex from the spirit emitted by the parents.
a) There is a right time to be aroused in love. It is not
possible to live continually on an emotional high. The
King is saying that this is a time for rest and for
"waiting" on Him and learning to surrender the initiative
of our spiritual walk to Him.
The daughters of Jerusalem, the uncommitted believers who
are more interested in sensation than sanctification.
b) The roes are of the gazelle family and are a very
sensitive species. They are easily alarmed. This
section speaks of the wisdom needed in bringing people to
an in depth relationship with the King. Soulish stirring
will deter rather than develop the seeker after God.
c) It is often difficult to handle apparent inactivity and
some feel the need to constantly keep things "stirred
up." This can be distracting when the King is seeking to
develop their relationship by His embrace or the re-
assurance of:
i) His love for her
ii) Her place of security in Him
d) The hind of the field is a specific reference to the
Resurrection life of the King (note verse 8-9). He
always deals with us by new life which grows and develops
in us rather than by sensations which are imposed upon
us.
This concludes the first section of the book - "The Beginning of
Love."
In this period the Bride has discovered much that is
disappointing about herself and has to learn to accept her
identification with the King. This is brought about in the main
by a revelation of the King's character and work for her, the
futility of trying to keep the vineyards as a means of buying His
favour, dealing with her "horse nature", and learning to " rest "
in Him.
END of STUDY SIX
