Song of Songs 3-5

God’s Love

Chapter 3 begins with the bride in bed at night. In 1 Thessalonians 5 the apostle Paul says that those who sleep, sleep at night. Night represents darkness and separation from the light. Those who walk with the Lord walk in the light of the Lord. Historically, I believe this represents the time of the Judges where everyone did what was right in their own eyes because there was no king. The King, of course, is God, but Israel had fallen asleep and was in the dark and wants a king like the other nations have.

It is not long before she realizes the one she loves is nowhere to be found and she goes out into the night in search of him. The watchmen represent the priests and judges who are of little help but she keeps searching and soon finds the one she loves.  

 God says in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” NIV

God wants us to seek Him with all our heart. God desires a love relationship with us. Many times people will turn to God when things are going badly and will try to make a deal with God saying something like, "God, if you will get me out of this jam I will start going to church and be a good person," and so on. God in His mercy may deliver them from their jam but if the relationship is to last they must cease loving the world and love God. This is why in verse 5 the bridegroom says let her sleep until her desire for the one she loves wakes her up. He says this to those who are witnessing what is going on between the two of them and he wants them to see it is all about a love relationship.

As she seeks her lover it is not long before she finds him in all his glory represented by King Solomon. We are entering the Kngdom Age now where God has blessed the king to the point where the other nations take notice. This is according to God’s plan for Israel as stated in Deuteronomy 4:1-8. Israel’s witness to the world is to show the goodness and blessing of God for those who love Him. God’s love for Israel is expressed throughout Chapter 4 but in Chapter 5 the bride Israel is back in bed trying to sleep but wide awake because something is wrong.

In Chapter 5 we see the bride asleep but her heart was longing for her lover. They are separated again and in the darkness he is looking for her and calling out to her. She hears his call but she is not ready to respond and by the time she does respond, he has gone away. When she realizes he has departed from her she gets up and goes out into the night in search for him. Things have deteriorated in the kingdom. Worldly darkness has crept in and the love for the Lord has been replaced with the love of the world. In her search for her lover who has gone she runs into the watchmen and guards again. Last time they met her with interference but this time it is open hostility. The Kingdom Age is corrupted but there is always a remnant that loves the Lord. She represents the remnant that loves the Lord and becomes a witness to the onlookers who have seen this love relationship and are now asking questions in verse 9.

We have to leave it here today but stay tuned. There is more to come.

Pastor Dave

Proverbs 31

Song of Songs

 God’s Bride

 We end our study in Proverbs with the excellent wife in Chapter 31. Described here in this section is an overwhelming list for any woman but it is not just any woman Solomon is talking about. Israel entered into a marriage covenant with God at Mt. Sinai after God used Moses to bring the nation out of slavery in Egypt. To break this covenant would be like the nation committing adultery in the eyes of God which is the reason we have Chapters 5-7 and 9.

 The excellent wife here is the nation Israel and the things we see her doing in this section are things and attitudes that have been discussed in previous chapters. The call here, and in the entire book, is for Israel to remain faithful to God and serve Him by producing fruit; that is, carrying out God’s plan in the sight of the other nations that they might turn to God and embrace the Law and His plan. Of course this section also foreshadows the Church to come which is the Bride of Christ, so we, as the Church, need to take heed with what is being said here.  

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the Church is one body made up of many parts. Each part has been gifted by the Holy Spirit for the specific task God wants us to accomplish. As individuals we cannot accomplish all that is listed here in Chapter 31. However, as the body of Christ comes together and uses the gifts we have been given, we can accomplish our task. As the Church allows Christ to be the head of His body the Church, we are as Paul writes in Ephesians 4:16, …being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for building up of itself in love. NASB

 Jesus commanded His Church to love one another and that love is to be our witness to the world. John 13:34&35.

 This brings us to the Song of Songs. Solomon wrote 1,005 songs but only one is recorded so this is the Song of Songs. It is a love story between God and the nation of Israel. God’s love for Israel and Israel’s love for God is being played out before a group of onlookers referred to as the Daughters of Jerusalem who witness the interaction between the lover and the beloved or the bride and bridegroom.  

There are types and shadows in this book which we need to be aware of. The bridegroom king is a shepherd king. He represents God and foreshadows Jesus the Good Shepherd. His love for His bride is always expressed and he never has a critical thing to say about His bride.

In Chapter 1 the bride has a vineyard she is unable to take care of because of oppression that has caused her to slave for others in the heat of the day. This speaks of the slavery in Egypt but also foreshadows the great tribulation. The vineyard represents Israel as we see in Isaiah 5. Israel was to bring forth fruit from the vineyard to the world for the King. Their specific task was to bring God’s Law to a dying and lawless world. Not only were they to proclaim it but they lived it and continue to live it in the sight of the world.

In Chapter 2 it appears the bride is in the Promised Land and at rest.  In verse 8 the bridegroom allowed her to sleep in but in verse 10 he calls her to join Him as there is a new season coming, but she does not go with him. He has come and gone and she has missed him as Israel missed Jesus when He rode into Jerusalem on the donkey and later handed Him over to be crucified. Like the foolish virgins in Matthew 25, they missed the bridegroom and were left standing at the door knocking and will be again in the future.

So, that is enough to get us started. For now, watch out for the little foxes that sneak in and ruin the vineyard. Verse 15.

Pastor Dave