Readings for today: Song of Solomon 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:1
The Song of Solomon isn’t an easy read for us. We feel uncomfortable with the graphic description of the passionate love between a man and a woman. Almost like we’re getting a glimpse of something deeply private and personal in another person’s life. We feel like an intruder as we read. An unwanted observer. It’s tough to see why this book is in the Bible or what God may be trying to teach us. Some believe this book is nothing but an ancient near east love poem. Some believe it describes the love between Solomon and one of his many brides. I think both of these interpretations flatten out what is a much richer, deeper understanding of the text. The ancient Jewish rabbis and early church all believed this book was an allegory describing the covenant love God has for His people. The Jews read this book during the Passover feast. Early Christians read this book as they celebrated the Lord’s Supper. They read this book devotionally as they reflected on the kind of deep, intimate love God has for us. They detected themes of deliverance and salvation within its chapters. And they sought the union with God that the book encourages. “My lover is mine and I am his.” (Song of Solomon 2:16 NET)
Do you search for God like the woman searches for her beloved? Do you long for God like the woman longs for her beloved? Do you rejoice when you see God like the woman rejoices when she sees her beloved? Do you seek the kind of intimacy with God that this book describes? If we’re completely honest, we are unsure we should even think of God in such terms and yet the Hebrew word for “know” suggests the kind of knowing that comes only from the deepest intimacy possible. A “knowing” not just intellectually but a knowledge that touches every part of a person. This is why Christians throughout the centuries have taken time to meditate on this book in particular as they sought to understand the depths of the relationship God desires to have with us. It’s why this book has had enormous influence in art, liturgy, sacred music, and worship. So while it may feel uncomfortable at first, I encourage you to pray through this book. Ask God to reveal the depths of His love for you. Embrace the intimacy God desires to have with you. Don’t resist Him. Let Him into your heart and soul.
Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays