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