We have just finished the book of
Ecclesiastes, which I have suggested that Solomon wrote during his later
years. I believe Solomon also wrote the
book we are beginning today, “Song of Solomon”, but in an entirely different
time of his life. Instead of being
life-weary and depressed as he was when he wrote Ecclesiastes, we will see him
as young and in love. This book is
unique, not because it is written as a poem or song, as other parts of the
Bible share that distinction. But rather, it is unique because it contains the
most human emotion and it provokes the most challenges of interpretation (with
the possible exception of Revelation).
But the challenges to interpretations is not within the text itself like
Revelation, but rather the book as a whole.
There have been serious challenges as to its having a rightful place in
the Bible, which is caused by the difficulties of interpreting who or what the
main characters represent. For example,
Bible scholars have disagreed about the meaning of this poem: Some think it is written about one’s love for
God. Some think it is a prophetic poem
written about Christ and His church.
Some think it is a poem about two young people in love. Some think it is a poem about Solomon and one
of his wives. Some think it is simply a
beautiful poem written about fictitious characters with the intention of being
put to music. I’ve read this book and I
must conclude that it is a beautiful poem about a young Solomon and his true
love. And that is the way I have chosen
to teach it. It seems to me that Solomon
and the young girl wrote it together, telling their love story, perhaps
involving the assistance of someone perhaps with more of a flair for
poetry. And we must keep in mind that
this person, as does all writers, takes some liberties in the name of poetic
license which always causes some confusion to one who is trying to gain a
complete understanding. {Maybe I’m just
getting older, but it seems God has been working a change in me in recent
years. This book serves as a reminder of
that feeling. I never cared much for
poetry. I just wasn’t wired that
way. However, when I read this book
today I found it to be absolutely lovely.
The KJV is a bit more poetically lovely than the NIV.}
This book, using bold imagery and
amorous language reveals the innermost emotions of these two people in
love. It seems to me that it was written
mostly from the standpoint of the lady, but includes the words of the man
(Solomon), plus the words of a group of the lady’s friends, to whom I believe
she was telling the story of her thoughts and experiences. So, we will study this book as we have the
others, but while we do that, try to sit back and enjoy the story.
Chapter 1
After verse 1 states its title and/or
dedication, verses 2-4 tell of the lady’s desire for her beloved. I picture her at this time in the harem,
speaking to the other ladies. I say this
because of her statement in verse 4, “Let the king bring me into his
chambers”. She was truly in love as she
says his kisses are more intoxicating than wine. And she acknowledges that all of the women
wanted him. The harem women respond in
the last part of the verse.
She abruptly changes subjects in verse
5. She speaks of the dark color of her
skin and that it makes no difference because she is beautiful anyway. {For centuries, darker skin was not considered
to be feminine because it meant that the darker woman was forced to work in the
fields, being exposed to the sun, thus unable to spend the time to beautify
herself, as the wealthier women were able to do.}
I see verse 7 as her searching for
him. It has the connotation of him being
a shepherd, but this was a metaphor for whatever activity occupied a person
throughout a normal day.
1:9 to 2:7 is a dialogue between the
two lovers. He likens her to a mare from
among the chariot horses of Egypt, considered the most eloquent and beautiful
animals in the world. {I do not
recommend that you tell any lady she looks like a horse. That would not sit well. But it was a compliment of beauty back
then.} Verses 10 and 11 are describing
the way the Pharaoh’s horse is ornamented.
In 12 to 14 she tells him how wonderful
his fragrance is. They continue to compliment
and flatter one another, as young lovers do.
In 2:2, he tells her that she is “a
lily among thorns, and a darling among the women”. This is telling her that she is more
beautiful than all of the other women in the harem. I also noticed that she likes to watch him
sleep in her arms, as she often mentions, and does not want the other ladies to
awaken him because he is sleeping so peacefully.
Now it seems to divert to a different
event in time. It was not during a time
she was a member of his harem, but rather earlier when she was living in the
country with her mother. It was
springtime and it seems they had not seen each other all winter. These verses (8-17) are pretty verses as they
tell each other how strong their love is.
Then starting in chapter 3, she seems
to be describing a dream she has had.
She cannot find him and searches the streets of Jerusalem for him. She asks everybody she sees, if they have
seen her love. When she finally finds
him she will not let him go. She holds
him in her arms until he falls asleep, at which time she quiets those around
her so as not to awaken him.
Then, starting in verse 6 the scene
changes to a royal procession in which Solomon is riding in his royal chariot,
surrounded by his royal guard. {This
might be the actual wedding day of these two.
I’m not certain, but it seems right.}
Next Post – Concluding Song of Solomon
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