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 your enemy using all the pleasures of this world to entice you

away from Jesus your Beloved Shepherd

Daughters of Jerusalem represent people who entice you away from Jesus

Shepherd represents Jesus, your 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

In today’s lesson we examine scene 6

Scene 6 (Chapter 8) – the maiden goes with Her Beloved into eternal freedom

Denied public expression of love for her Beloved

¹O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.

² I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

³ His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.

The world taunts about her failures-

 ⁵Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

⁸ We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?

⁹ If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.

The maiden stands firm in her identity in the Beloved

⁴ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please

¹⁰ I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.

Jesus accepts us, who else matters?

He will present His church without spot or wrinkle-Ephesians 5:

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷ 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.

The Beloved reflects on His presence throughout her life

⁵ Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

The maiden and the Beloved rejoice in their love –vs. 6-7

Love surpasses death

Fulfillment of their union

Triumph of His love over all enemies, obstacles, uncertainties

⁶ Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

⁷ Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

The maiden rejoices over all the obstacles, uncertainties, tricks of the enemy the Beloved enabled her to overcome

¹¹ Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.

¹² My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

Baalhamon – lord of the multitude

200 = insufficient as in even 200 denari couldn’t feed the 5,000-John 6:7

Face-to-face the Beloved wants to hear your words vs. 13

¹³ Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it.

dwellest = abide permanently

Do you see a relationship between the way Song of Solomon ends and the way the Bible ends?

Song of Solomon 8:¹⁴ Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

Revelation 22:¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

²⁰ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

I Shall Know Him – Fanny Crosby

1) When my life work is ended, and I cross the swelling tide,

When the bright and glorious morning I shall see

I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,

And His smile will be the first to welcome me.

(2) Oh, the soul thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face

And the luster of His kindly beaming eye;

How my full heart will praise Him

for the mercy, love, and grace

That prepared for me a mansion in the sky.

(3) Oh, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come,

And our parting at the river I recall;

To the sweet vales of Eden they will sing my welcome home,

But I long to meet my Saviour first of all.

Chorus: I shall know Him, I shall know Him

And redeemed by His side, I shall stand.

I shall know Him, I shall know Him,

By the print of the nails in His hand.

Scene 6 Questions for reflection

1)  What matters most to you about the lessons from Song of Solomon?

2) What do you remember of the day you were saved?

3) What does this verse repeated 3 times in 3 different settings mean to you?

4) Which of the enemy’s tactics is most difficult for you?

5) What is your strategy to overcome these tactics?

6) What is your strategy to remain ready for your beloved

Our focus – 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