v1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
Solomon is a type of KING JESUS in this
book, his name, "My Beloved," appears 33 times. One time for each of the years of Jesus' earth walk. The Shulamite is typical of the believer that desires a more meaningful relationship with the King .
Every book in the bible has a present day application (2 Peter 1:12). This story pictures the love between the Lord and a believer. Real spiritual growth begins at the point that we first meet the Shulamite in this story. She pictures a believer that has already been filled with the Spirit and has spent enough time in the Word to have received many blessings from the King. She is filled but not fulfilled. The King knows that she has come to the place where He can bring her into His presence and fulfill in her what she was destined to be (Romans 8:29).
This book pictures a love relationship that points to any Christian who will be satisfied with nothing less than a life lived within the Holy of Holies. The redemptive work of Christ has not
only made this life available but has made it a present reality (Ephesians 2:5-6). We must allow our minds to be renewed to the things that are true of us because we are in
Christ. It's important to interpret every Old Testament book in the light of the Pauline revelation because Paul's revelation was given him to fulfill the Word (Colossians 1:25)
.
v2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
(She is speaking)
This verse begins
a description of the spiritual condition of the woman in this story. She reveals that she would be thrilled with a kiss from the king. The word kiss in this verse points to a kiss on the cheek. She will grow much in her experiences with
the King as seen in Song 5:16; 7:9.
She is Spirit-filled as pictured by the "wine" in this verse. Wine in Scripture points to the infilling of the Spirit in the following verses: Luke 10:34; Acts 2:1-40; Ephesians 5:18-19; Luke 5:36-39. This also shows that being filled with the Spirit doesn't necessarily that we are fulfilled. The infilling is a vital step to that end but it is just a beginning step (1 Corinthians
13; Ephesians 13-14; Ephesians 3:17-19; .John 15:12).
Her statement that "love is better than wine" reveals a desire to experience more
than what she currently knows is hers. The love spoken of here is not the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); she already has that, but the love that the Spirit will reveal within us concerning the work of
the cross (Romans 5:5-8). The wine is good but nothing can compare to His love .
In the Bible, a kiss was a rare thing. It was given as a token of espousal; the next time was given at the consumation of
their love, usually a year later (Hosea 2:14-23).
v3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured
forth therefore do the virgins love thee.
(She is speaking)
She reveals that the love that many have for Him is because of His gifts. The virgins in this verse point to all those in the family of God (2 Corinthians 11:2). We all are pure and clean
through His blood. Virgins in this verse means "something that is kept out of sight;" revealing the fact that these are Christians who have not yet come to the point that Jesus can be seen in much of who they are! It's possible
to love the gift more than the giver.
They love Him because of what His name can do. It, the name of Jesus, is most powerful and useful. It brings healing and deliverance (Mark 16:18-20). It gives us things, but things can not take the place of
Him. The name of Jesus is the nature of Jesus. It is all that He is. We must never forget what He does (Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:20), but the Shulamite has experienced what He does and has begun to hunder for who He is! Her love will be developed to mature love as described in Song 6:7; love as strong as death (John 15:13).
They love Him because of what His name can do. It, the name of Jesus, is most powerful and useful. It brings healing and deliverance (Mark 16:18-20). It gives us things, but things can not take the place of
Him. The name of Jesus is the nature of Jesus. It is all that He is. We must never forget what He does (Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:20), but the Shulamite has experienced what He
does and has begun to hunder for who He is! Her love will be developed to mature love as described in Song 6:7; love as strong as death (John 15:13).
His anointing is wonderful (Acts 10:38; John3:34). A study of what went into the making of the anointing oil can be seen in Exodus 30:22-33. We can see that these ingredients are in us as revealed in Song 4:14. The anointing
that was on the Head, Jesus, came upon the whole body (Psalm 133).
Her eyes are beginning to be opened (Ephesians 1:18). He will perfect that which concerneth her (Psalm 138:8).
v4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine:
the upright love thee.
(She is speaking)
Her cry to be drawn reflects her lack of knowledge about the inner workings of the cross (John 12:31-33). He HAS drawn all men unto Him in all that was accomplished from the Cross to the Throne. The Cross
was a spirit thing. It was the Father working on what was wrong with us by dealing with the Spirit of His Son (John 6:44). All of lost humanity was drawn into Christ and there punished for the sin we all
inherited from Adam's transgression (Rom. 5:14)
Real running will come after this drawing is known. We could point to the spirit, soul, and body that will finally all become united at the full understanding of what has been
accomplished already.
Every Christian must see Jesus as the King. He is seated today at the right hand of the Father in the heavenlies (Ephesians 1:17-21). Through His redemptive work and our
identification with that work, we have been brought into His chambers. We are IN Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The remainder of this chapter will bring out truths that are revealed to her that relate to her
being in Him. She will receive more light into these truths as she is brought to the banqueting house in Song 2:4.
v5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, asthe curtains of Solomon.
(She is speaking)
The
Daughters of Jerusalem in this book point to carnal Christians. Every believer desires to see the King but the result of seeing Him is never like we expect. One look at the King and she sees the blackness of her own self. Instead of a
vivid description of Him, she speaks of an awesome awareness of the needs in her own personal life (Isaiah 6:1-5). She has looked in the mirror of the Word (James 1:22-24) for a
picture of Jesus, but instead she has seen her own natural face. He is the Word (John 1:1). She sees first the blackness of the residue of her old man in Adam instead of her beauty of her new man
in Christ.
She also sees a need in her life. The darkness must be removed. This darkness will only be abolished by the impartation of the Light of the glorious gospel (Psalm 119:130). She will see
herself as a perfect reflection of Him (Song 6:10). For eight chapters, we will follow this woman through a learning experience that will finally end all her self effort to remove the blackness. Oh that we would all learn this lesson
quickly. At this point, it is plain to see that she still has a carnal mind (Romans 8:1-13).
Her mind is unrenewed at this point, for she focuses on the old man instead of the new. He past teachings have
caused her to see an imperfect and distorted reflection of herself in the Mirror of the Word. (James 1:22-24). She will one day focus on the light instead of the darkness and begin to grow (Proverbs 4:18;2 Peter 1:19; Isaiah 60:1-5). This is a new day for her but God's day always begins in the evening. Soon she will have to bring into captivity all the thoughts that don't agree with what
the Word says about her (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). The growth will be slower that she would like, it always is, but she must stay in front of the mirror until she sees herself as a reflection of Him and grows from that (2 Corinthians 3:18).
"Tents" point to that which is "passing" or "temporary." "Kedar" was a son of Ishmael, who was a product of Sarah's Head and Abraham's Loins, (human wisdom and human strength) (Genesis 16:1-4);
Galatians 4:21-31). Her dependency on human wisdom and strength is a temporary and passing thing.
The curtains in Solomon's temple were meant to be permanent. This points to the New Man within, that someday will allow her to bear
the Glory so that others will see Him in every facet of her life. She is already what she wants to become (Colossians 1:21-22; Romans 8:28-29), it's easier to DO than to BE
.
v6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me:my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards;but
mine own vineyard have I not kept.
(She is speaking)
The word "look" means "inspect." One sure sign of carnality is to compare ourselves to other Christians in order to determine how spiritual we are. This is not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12). Our only standard is Christ (Isaiah 49:22). The Daughters of Jerusalem have looked on her outwardly and become angry because of what they saw. She wanted to grow, and she wanted them to look on the King (Philippians 3:13-14).
When you begin to understand the need for spiritual growth, don't be surprised if other's fail to comfort you (Galatians 4:29). Anyone who chooses to climb higher in the things of God will put pressure
on others who are satisfied with where they currently are.
Also involved in this verse is the fact that all spiritual growth will be accomplished by entering into the finished work of Christ and not by self effort in the Church.
Doing real life changing things in the Church is a result of growth in Christ. You must learn to keep your garden before you can help other keep theirs (Proverbs 4:20-24). We labor in the Word in order to rest in the finished work of Christ (Hebrews 4:9-11).
The Son (Malachi 4:2) had looked on her and she would never be the same. She has begun to see the vanity of much that she has done in her past (Luke 10:23-42),
and she has chosen ;the best part which will never be taken away.
I pray that we will all face the realities of the hunger within us and begin to seek the Lord of the Word as we study the Word of the Lord.
Chapter 1 vs 1-6