Song 5:10   My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

The Song of Songs is a love song written, we believe, by Solomon. It exalts in human love, the love of a man for a woman, and it is very wholesome. It is very emotional and very physical. This is how God has made us.

 

However there is a good case to be made for saying that it is also an analogy of Christ and his church. We the church are the women who feels strongly for her man. The man, the lover, is Christ. In the book of Revelation the Church is portrayed as the New Jerusalem, the new dwelling place of God by His Spirit, and thus as a bride: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (Rev 21:2). Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom (Mt 9:15) so it is a valid picture.

 

So here the girl speaks of the one she loves as radiant. In other words he stands out. But he is also ruddy, which is a wholesome picture of a man of the country who spends much time out in the world. Isn't this an excellent description of Jesus. He stands out from every other person in all of history, but he is also the epitome of the perfect human man. There was nothing wishy-washy about Jesus. If you hear the children's song speaking of Jesus being meek and mild, don't be confused; those are actually strong descriptions. This is a man of men who can be himself and not have to conform. This man deserves our love.