Song of Solomon is one of the Biblical poetic books and has both a literal and an allegorical interpretation.

This study uses an allegorical rather than literal interpretation.

Characters:

• Maiden represents you and me
• Solomon/the King represents our enemy using all the pleasures of this world to entice us away from Jesus our Beloved
• Daughters of Jerusalem represent people who entice us away from Jesus
  • Shepherd represents Jesus, our true Beloved

Scenes:

Scene 1 (Chapters 1-2) the maiden is captive in the king’s harem

Scene 2 (Chapter 3)      the maiden devises her own plan

Scene 3 (Chapter 4)  –  mutual love is expressed

Scene 4 (Chapter 5)     the maiden has no time for her Beloved

Scene 5  (Chapters 6-7) Solomon and his 700 wives & 300 concubines try to entice her

Scene 6 (Chapter 8) –  the maiden is freed and with her Beloved

Scene 1 Chapters 1-2): the maiden is captive in the king’s harem

Read these two chapters and then look specifically at these verses.

Maiden’s coping strategies

Focus on the Shepherd’s love and person

Chapter 1:

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

³ Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

Chapter 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.

¹⁶ My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

¹⁷ Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

Realize excessive busyness gets in the way of time alone with the Beloved Shepherd

Chapter 1:

⁵ I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

⁶ 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.

Solomon’s  (your enemy) strategies

Flattery of power, praise

Separate her from her beloved

Chapter 1:

⁹ I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.

¹⁰ Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

Note: the neck connects the body to the head

Daughters of Jerusalem (people) strategies

Give lip service to lower your guard

Chapter 1:

⁴ Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Give outward adornments

Chapter 1:

¹¹ We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

Shepherd’s Strategy

Give love better than wine, His love is exhilarating but never intoxicating or degrading

His love always finds a way- Chapter 2

⁸ The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

⁹ My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

Protect-Chapter 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.

Give identity -Chapter 2

⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Provide -Chapter 2

⁵ Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

⁶ His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.

Urge readiness-Chapter 2

¹⁰ My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

¹¹ For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

¹² The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

¹³ The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

¹⁴ O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

Scene #1 Questions for reflection

1) What are some times of intimacy you have had with Jesus?

2) What fragrance of Jesus lingers with you most?

3) What busyness keeps you from times alone with Jesus?

4) Do you see a better way to organize your day or do you just need to ask Jesus for help?

5) Can you think of a time when Jesus surprised you?

6) What about power or riches attracts you?

7) Which inner beauty characteristics do you desire to display?

Hebrews 12:

¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let us run with patience the race He set before us, looking unto Jesus,

Coach Patti