Songs3

Go through each description before you read on and think what those “things” were like that he might use them as descriptions of her features. What does it say about him?

C. Comment:

When we come to his descriptions of her, some of us might feel embarrassed at such blatant emotional and physical language. That is simply because we've got a wrong view of life. God has made our bodies for enjoyment with our marriage partner, and that is to be celebrated not to be ashamed about. Others of us may read these verses and wonder at the strangeness of his comparisons. That means we haven't yet appreciated the simplicity of rural life at that time.

Her eyes were like doves behind the modesty veil she wore. Doves are easily frightened and fly away. Her eyes reflect modesty and she easily turns them away. Her hair being like a flock of goats? Imagine the scene: they are in the countryside and suddenly they see a large flock of goats coming down the hillside, flowing down and out on the hillside. Her hair is just like that, flowing and spreading out. Her teeth like sheep? Yes, freshly shorn sheep that are spotlessly white coming up in pairs, not alone. Her lips - that's straight forward. Her cheeks? Imagine a pomegranate, smooth and round. So are her cheeks that protrude either side of the small veil that covers the centre of her face. The tower of David was smooth, straight and beautifully built, often hung with shields. It matches her neck hung with a necklace. Fawns are strong and shapely and similarly, so are her breast. These are the descriptions of a love-struck shepherd, used to country life. Very meaningful!

D. Prayer Suggestion:

Lord, release my emotions in my love for you.

Chapter: SONGS 4

Passage: SONGS 4:6-9

A. Find Out:

1. To where does he say he will go? v.6

2. How does he describe her? v.7

3. Where does she come from? v.8a

4. What has she done to him? v.9a

5. How? v.9b

B. Think:

1. What similarity is there between 2:16,17 & 4:5,6?

2. What do we learn about the girl here?

3. What effect has she had on the young man?

C. Comment:

Punctuation in scripture is difficult. Verse numbers, of course, were not in the original. 2:16,17 could be “he browses among the lilies until the day breaks..” In 4:5,6 it could be, as he describes her breasts, “twin fawns… that browse among the lilies until the day breaks”. Lilies feature again and again in the Song. Earlier she was compared to a lily (2:1,2). In 2:16 it was the man who browsed among the lilies, and now the reference is to fawns that browse among the lilies. The picture in these last two references is of peace and tranquillity, restfulness.

He will go to the mountain… the hill? An indirect reference to her breasts, perhaps, on which hang bags of perfume? He sees as simply beautiful and without flaw.

So he calls to her to come with him, to come from Lebanon (in the north), from the mountains of the north. Literal? Perhaps that's where she came from. Perhaps it's simply a way of saying come from afar, stop seeming so distant, come near. Why is he saying this? Because he's “crazy about her”! She just had to look at him and he was won. At this point, trying to spiritualise it is difficult. God sees us in Christ's righteousness, He sees the potential in us, perhaps what we will be like in glory - utterly perfect. He wants to come close to us, He wants us to stop being so distant with Him.

D. Prayer Suggestion:

Oh Lord, forgive me that so often I hold myself at a distance from you. I know everything you say and do is to draw me near to you.

Chapter: SONGS 4

Passage: SONGS 4:10,11

A. Find Out:

1. How does he describe her love? v.10a

2. What, first does he say it is better than? v.10b

3. What also does he say of her is better than what? v.10c

4. What does he say about her lips and tongue? v.11a,b

5. To what does he compare her fragrance? v.11c

B. Think:

1. What 3 things does he speak about in these two verses?

2. How does he twice describe her here?

3. Read 2 Cor 2:14-16. What smell are we?

C. Comment:

In these two verses the man speaks about her love, her smell and her words. Let's consider first of all her love. It is more pleasing than wine. Wine produces a light-headedness and can be good to taste. Her love, also, is intoxicating. It is quite delightful. Deut 10:15 in the literal version says “the Lord delighted in your fathers (Israel) to love them”. In Lk 10:21 Jesus said the Father took good pleasure (delight) in revealing His love to childlike believers. Yes God actually delights in giving love and in receiving our love. We bless Him.

Next he refers to her scent, her perfume on her clothes, like the fragrance from the plants and trees of Lebanon. When he smells her scent, he knows she is near. The prayers of God's children come up to Him like incense (Rev 5:8), coming before Him as a beautiful scent. We ourselves are a fragrance bringing the knowledge of God, the presence of Christ, into the world (2 Cor 2:14-16). When the world smells the scent of Christ in us, they know that God is near.

Then there is reference to her lips and tongue. There is here reference to honey, to sweetness. Her words are pure joy to him, they bring pleasure. The Lord likes to hear His children talking to Him. The parent whose child never speaks to him is indeed miserable. The Lord delights to hear us come to Him.

D. Prayer Suggestion:

Oh Lord, may I be a pleasing smell coming up to you as I pray. May I truly be a pleasing smell as I convey Christ to the world.

Chapter: SONGS 4/5

Passage: SONGS 4:12 - 5:1

A. Find Out:

1. How does he next describe her? v.12a

2. What is within the garden? v.12b,15

3. What grows within the garden? v.13,14

4. What does she ask to happen, to what end? v.16

5. What does he go on to say he has done? v.1

B. Think:

1. What picture does a garden produce in your mind?

2. How may that be applied to the girl?

3. What was she asking for in v.16?

C. Comment:

He describes her as a garden. A garden is a place of growth, peace and tranquillity. But he sees her as locked up, inaccessible. There is within her a spring, or a fountain, and yet that too is closed and sealed. Yes, within her are many beautiful things (v.13,14), yet she does not allow him access to all these things. But even as he speaks, he senses a change, so he describes her as a fountain that is flowing, life pouring forth. Perhaps he senses that his words have effect upon her and there is a response of life within her, a rising up and response in her towards him.

Indeed he is correct, for her response is for change and accessibility. North and south winds have different effects on the garden, for even as winds from different directions in our country bring different temperatures, so these two winds will stir up the garden and release the fragrance. Come, she says to him, and taste of the fruits of the garden. His next words indicate he has taken her up on her offer. Love has been poured out and received (presumably physically) and she has been fully accessible to him.

In our relationship with Jesus, are we inaccessible, do we hold back ourselves from him? Do we need the circumstances to open us up so he can come with the most intimate communion?

D. Prayer Suggestion:

Oh Lord, I know deep down I can trust you fully. I want to be completely open to come. Come close to me, please.

RECAP - "Appreciation of Beauty" - Songs 4-5

SUMMARY :

In this third group of 4 studies we have seen :

- The lover (Solomon) speaking of her beauty

- He works through her physical attributes

- His language is of deep appreciation

- He uses country pictures to describe her features

- Thus there is delicacy in physical description

COMMENT:

Contrasting with the second set of Studies where we suggested there were three scenes to the Act, this passage is pure description by the man of the woman. Unlike modern pornography which is blatant and obvious and crude, this is the language of love brought with great care, using country pictures to describe her obvious physical attractiveness and it brings with it a blend of open admiration with poetic or linguistic approaches that don't just strip her down, but compare her beauty in a variety of ways with the life of the countryside.

LESSONS?

At a spiritual level can we imagine God expressing His love for us in ways that go beyond the simple, “I love you”? His love for us is pure appreciation of the wonder of who we are as parts of His creation but also now members of His family. Have we ever caught the tenderness and gentleness that the Father desires to convey to His children and the Son desires to convey to his bride? Dare we think of being Jesus' bride (Rev 21:2,9)?. Do we allow the circumstances of life, both good and bad, to open us up to receive more and more of his love?

On a physical level, can we express our love and appreciation to our spouse in caring, carefully considered ways that let them know that we have looked – and we so much appreciate what we see?

PRAY:

Thank you Lord that there is nowhere and nothing that can separate us from His love (Rom 8:35)

PART 4: "Comings and Goings" 5:2-6:13

This next Part is has movement in it and questions and searchings, a very different feel.