Part 3 of 7 of the theme 'Lessons from Song of Songs' by Gijs van den Brink
The Song of Songs sings of five encounters of the two lovers. At the third meeting, they marry. Each encounter exhibits the same characteristics:
- The woman longs for the man
- He visits her and she compliments
- He compliments and desires her
- She invites and desires him.
There is also an admonition that recurs again and again and again at the same time in the song. The admonition is addressed to the girls of Jerusalem: "Girls of Jerusalem, I beseech you by the gazelles, by the hinds in the field: do not awaken love, do not let it awaken before it wants to." (2:7; cf. 3:5; 5:8; 8:4). In the face of the bride's burning desire for the bridegroom, this warning to the girls of Jerusalem sounds again and again.
The love relationship between husband and wife is described in a beautiful and pure way and with much oriental symbolism. Love is never described coarsely or crudely, but often intimately. Intimate marital love between husband and wife was also created by God and is detailed in the Bible.
You can read everything about that here. About being attractive, having desire for each other, friendship, enjoying each other, fidelity and respect.
For example from him in 1:15 "You are so beautiful, friend of mine, you are so beautiful! Your eyes are doves" and from her in 1:16 "How beautiful you are, my love, how charming you are. The green is our bed". Then from him again in 2:2 "Like a lily among thistles, so is my friend among girls" and from her in 2:3 "Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my love among boys. I long to sit in its shade, with my tongue I want to taste its sweet fruit".
In chapter 4, the bridegroom compares his bride-to-be to a garden in bloom in which a fountain of water springs up. "You are a spring surrounded by gardens, a well of clear water, a mountain stream of the Lebanon"(4:15). But this garden is still closed to him. "Sister, bride, a private garden are you, a closed garden, a sealed well" (4:12). The virginity of the bride is compared to a "closed garden" and the bridegroom does not enter the garden until the marriage is consummated.
Next time: Part 4 of the series 'Lessons from Song of Songs' is entitled 'The wedding night and marrying for love'
Also see: Part 2 of 7 from the theme 'Lessons from Song of Songs' The great value of marriage
Author: Gijs van den Brink
From: Study Bible Magazine
This is part 3 of 7 from the theme "Lessons from Song of Songs" Some of which we will be posting online in the near future. We hope this will help you understand the Bible better!
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