It has always been so weird to me that we act like the Song of Solomon doesn’t exist. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it read from in the pulpit or used in a Bible class. I mean even in our marriage class for just my husband and I we didn’t read from it and it was only referenced. That is so weird to me – it is almost like we act like we know better than God about if this series or correspondence between Solomon and his wife should have been included in the Bible. Clearly, we think no.
So in an effort not repeat that error studying the scriptures, we are not going to skip over it! We will not give the world the only say on love and marriage or even intimacy. God gave us this book so we would have a Godly approach to love, marriage, and intimacy (of all kinds). He gave us this book so clearly He wanted us to read it and learn from it.
To start, I’d like to point out an interesting parallel. Christ and the church (NT) and God and His people (OT) are repeatedly depicted as being like a married couple. So, off the bat we can see that the marriage relationship is so special to God He repeatedly uses it as a metaphor for His relationship with His people. This should give us more motivation to read through the Songs of Solomon. Here is a married couple vastly in love with each other. They are devoted to each other. They only see each other. This is how God sees us and this is how we should see God. We should be devoted, singled minded, and full of love and gratitude toward God.
In reading the Songs this morning and thinking back on a book I recently read a verse popped out to my attention. Solomon prepared for His wife an amazing banquet table and His banner for her was love. It reminded me of Psalm 23 which David says God prepares our table and our oil overflows. And it reminded me of the wedding feast parable Jesus – where God the groom prepared a great feast to demonstrate His love (yet people do not want to come.) Solomon went above and beyond to show His wife through the banqueting table how much he loved her and the message was received – “his banner over me was love.”
Like Solomon, God has prepared an amazing banquet feast for His people. He has covered them in the banner of His love. He does not withhold His love from us. He actively seeks to show it and show it in abundance. We are the Bride of Christ and just as Solomon loved his bride, even more so does Christ love His people.
If you ever feel alone or unloved, remember God had prepared the banquet feast for YOU and He has covered YOU in love.
Adonai's Appeal 