Sermon Song of Songs
Occasionally we come across some puzzling things in scripture, one is the Song of Songs, One of two books in the Bible that don’t mention God. However, like the other Esther this has a connection with the Creator.
So, a little bit of background on these eight chapters, they contain thirty poems.. The song is of songs finds its place into the Holy Scriptures as part of the puzzle, the whole Divine Drama that we are all part of. Like all scripture it is inspired by God and covers a number of themes and understandings that are useful to believers, in particular around relationships. Eight chapters of poetry about love and relationships that relates to believers whether they are individuals, couples, or of the wider body that makes up the Church and its relationship with Jesus. Also being an Old Testament book if you were Jewish the Hebrew people and their relationship with God.
The name of these collected love poems, ‘The Song of Songs’ is a title in the same sort of way that Jesus is the King of Kings, and The Lord of Lords. Meaning it is the ultimate song ever written, proof that ‘Tenacious D’ didn’t sing the Greatest Song in the World. (Sorry you had to be there).
Was it written by Solomon, possibly as it has some similarities with Ecclesiastes that Solomon may also have authored. Solomon is also mentioned by name six times in the book.
The main characters in the song, also called the “Song of Solomon” are a young lady who is the main character, the “beloved,” her “friends” and “the Lover,” a young man. The song, the poems are a bit raunchy and physically descriptive of the relationship of a couple who both desire one another’s company and one another completely. However, and this is a big however the book comes with descriptive relationship boundary setting, the understanding of the protection of a right relationship and also describes the dangers of a couple being apart. I’ve already referred to the book being a bit of a puzzle, as I said here, we have a book in the Bible that doesn’t mention God, that is about a couple of lovers, let me qualify that word lovers, a modern New Zealand setting meaning would involve full physical intimacy. In this case, with its historical context they are deeply in love and their desire is for one another, why is this in the Holy Scriptures, how does it enhance our spiritual understanding? Perplexing/puzzling stuff this.
Let me be honest with you here, I have found this book a bit of a mystery myself, a bit confusing. So, I will point out a few things about the book that I have found useful. Only however a few, please note this is one of the books of scripture that can be preached on from quite a few angles. I am going to only address things I think will be useful to us a people here at this time who want to live lives that are right with God.
The verses I will focus on today are these three spoken by the woman, the beloved:
• Song of Songs 2:7
"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."
• Song of Songs 3:5
"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."
• Song of Songs 8:4
"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."
And these two spoken by the Lover, the man:
2:14-15; “My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainsides show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely. Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.”
So those first three verses spoken by the young woman to the daughters of Jerusalem focus on the words; “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." In this day and age when many rush headlong into the depth of physical relationships without considering the emotional, intellectual, physical and most certainly the spiritual outcomes of their actions. The relationship that is designed by God for life, for marriage is played out by some as someone mentioned to me recently, more as a contact sport by many with long term resultant injuries. In the Song of Songs, the “young woman” issues a warning. Is she issuing it as an individual, part of a couple who is counting herself as receiving the warning because she ‘so’ desires her man or is this a warning that the church should continue to sound out again and again. It is said three times in this short book and points to love being a thing that needs to mature and is a warning against premature emotional and physical intimacy. The women of the beloved’s community are told to be patient, not to rush into “love.” There is a call to understand the sacredness of love in its emotional and physical connection phases for Christians. We are talking about within the bounds of marriage, why because it is a powerful thing that is a blessing reserved for a couple alone. Something that should not come about before its time. Back to the puzzle pieces, when the pathways of love are taken out of sequence, it can be like introducing a puzzle piece before its time, or into the wrong puzzle, of losing a puzzle piece into a picture where it doesn’t belong, or trying to be part of something that should never have been.
As the Church, as individuals within the Church, or as a couple saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and having his Holy Spirit, there is also the perspective given that we are called to wait on God’s timing. This includes not forcing either emotional, physical or spiritual experiences but to wait on God. From a New Testament perspective, some of the greatest words written about love start with “Love is patient…” (Ref 1 Cor 13:4). Another perspective for you younger people to consider is if God is first in your life; it is only right for you to consider only a husband or wife who has the same perspective who puts God first, and to be evenly yoked. (Ref 2 Cor 6:14)
From a Biblical point of view these verses “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” direct the reader, the hearer to wait on God’s timing in love. Young ladies it also puts the daughters of Jerusalem in a position of control and power about how they might respond to a prospective spouse. To pursue holiness in relationships, and to trust in God’s grace rather than leaping ahead to what we want as outcomes of relationships. Then as a Church community we collectively are to honour love as sacred, these words are a reminder to pursue holiness in all relationships. An invitation to trust in God rather than force emotional or romantic outcomes. Then as a body of believers to honour love as sacred and not to do anything to encourage awakening it immaturely.
So the two verses from chapter two: “My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainsides show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely. Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom” These verses talk of the beauty of love, the innocence and witness of love and emotional longing. Verse thirteen relates to the longing of individuals within the Church and the whole Church to have a deep spiritual relationship with God. Verse fourteen talks of the dangers that exist that could interfere with intimate relationships, including those relationships a married couple holds dear, and the Church has with Christ our Saviour. The “little foxes” are a metaphor using the “little Arabian fox” that in real life is known to dig around the roots of vines and destroy grape plants. We all know there are things that relationships, even deeply loving relationships can struggle to endure. Thankfully the Bible gives us a good understanding of things that are good when we come to Christ as individuals: any sin can be forgiven but if we enter back into sins, we are in danger of being pruned from the true vine as we stop bearing fruit (Ref John 15:2). Take what is scared to a relationship outside of that relationship and we are ourselves digging up the roots of our own vine.
So where to from here with the Song of Songs? Where to with this piece of what can be the puzzle of Scripture? We get this understanding that love is powerful, sacred, and worth protecting. That if it is worth protecting not to do anything that might destroy the vine that is our love, for one another as couples or as individuals, for our part of this community that makes up the Worldwide Church or our relationship with God, having found him in Christ our Saviour and to continue to build those relationships as we engage with The Holy Spirit and scripture,
