Today in God's Word—August 2023
East Tallassee Church of Christ
August 21, Song of Solomon 4
You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! - Song of Solomon 4:9-10
Was the woman still dreaming? Was Solomon really there? Had he left Israel, crossed over into Syria and traveled to Lebanon to propose to this beautiful country girl? If he did go, that may explain why he went for her instead of sent for her. Out of his jurisdiction, the king of Israel had no right or power to order a woman in a different country to do anything.
All the animal imagery may be an unintended reminder of the fact that Solomon numbered his women like he counted the animals in his flocks and herds. (Here's a tip to men seeking ways to express affection and attraction: Be careful about plagiarizing Solomon’s words. Women in our culture and time may not hear the compliment if you tell them that their hair looks like a wild goat, or mention that it looks like she still has all her teeth!)
Many scholars believe that there are two love songs, not just one, in this chapter. Most of them attribute the first eight verses to Solomon, and the rest of the chapter to the shepherd the woman loves. The speaker in the second half of the chapter used a different set of images to describe the woman than the first speaker. He described the woman's beauty and appeal with words of fragrant aromas, delicious tastes and paradise-like environments.
The woman was not persuaded by Solomon's splendid appearance or his “wild kingdom” references to her appearance. Instead, she invited the second speaker (presumably the shepherd she loved) to come to her garden and eat its choicest fruits. She couched her acceptance in the same imagery he used in his proposal.
Some expositors make Solomon a type of Christ in their redemption allegory model of Song of Solomon. That is hard to accept or believe when we remember Solomon's ungodly conduct and character through much of his reign. What if there is an allegory, and Solomon represents Satan and not God? He tempted the woman to draw her away from her rightful true love. He adorned the temptation in finery and wrapped it in flattery. But if the woman (in the allegory, the elect bride of Christ) rejects and refuses the king, she remains true to the one she loves with all her heart (the Lord).
The descriptions of the female form and expressions of desire in this chapter caused some scholars to suggest this book is better suited to private reading than public teaching. But there’s a good lesson for husbands and wives in all this talk of love. Love needs to be expressed in words. When husbands and wives do not speak with love and kindness to and about each other, they are starving the affection of their mate. Both husbands and wives need affirmations of their mate's love and attraction. All of us who are married need to remember this and behave accordingly!
Copyright © 2023 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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