Solomon frequently visited various parts of his kingdom. One day, as he visited some royal vineyards in the north, he came by surprise upon a beautiful peasant woman who was tending the vines. Embarrassed, she ran off, but Solomon could not forget her. Later, he returned disguised as a shepherd to try and win her love. After he succeeded, he revealed his true identity as the king and asked her to return to Jerusalem with him.
The book opens with their wedding day:) Oh how I love weddings!! According to Middle Eastern cultures in Solomon's day, the bridegroom prepared a place for the bride in his father's house. When the father determined the time was right, the bridegroom would go get his bride, accompanied by the wedding party. Then in a grand procession, he would bring the bride to his father's house for the ceremony. The richer the bridegroom, the grander the procession.
The long awaited day for the bride had arrived and her king soon would be there in a magnificent entourage to get his bride for their wedding. Chapter 6:6 describe his coming like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all scented powders on the merchant with sixty mighty men of Israel, experts in war each armed with a sword. You could not only see a grand procession, but you could also smell the king coming.
This is significant in Matthew 26:6-13 in when Mary anoints Jesus with perfume. She was scorned for wasting the costly fragrant alabaster oil because it could have been sold for much and given to the poor. Jesus responded in her defense saying they will always have the poor, but they will not always have Him. This oil was not only for the purpose of preparing His body for burial, but for Jesus being our King in every aspect. He indeed smelled like a King, which, I imagine, infuriated the chief priests, scribes, and other leaders even more.
The girl was embarrassed by her tan skin because the girls in the city had fair skin and were considered to be more beautiful, but Solomon loved her dark skin. Solomon also loved everything about her physically. He told her poetically in language that seems strange to us. Each comparison was a compliment to her about the physical attributes he loved about her. For example, he said her eyes were like doves behind her veil, her hair is like a flock of goats (black), her teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes (white), lips are like a scarlet thread, temples are like a slice of a pomegranate, neck is like the tower of David, breasts are like two fawns, her curves of her hips were like jewels, her navel is like a round goblet which never lacks wine, her belly is like a heap of wheat, her eyes like pools in Hesbon, her nose like the tower of Lebanon, her head crowns her like Carmel.
She was equally attracted to his physical appearance saying he is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand, he head is like pure gold, his locks are like clusters of dates and black as a raven, his eyes are like doves, his cheeks are like a bed of balsam, his lips are lilies dripping with myrrh, his hands are rods of gold set with beryl, his abdomen is carved ivory, his legs are pillars of alabaster set on pedestals of pure gold, his appearance is like Lebanon choice as the cedars, his mouth is full of sweetness, and he is wholly desirable.
In Chapter 2, they reflected on memories of their courtship. She says she is the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys, which was a common flower. She felt she was no one special and probably wondered why the king would be interested in her, a common worker. The king said in reply that she was like a lily among the thorns. In 2:7 she talks to the daughters of Jerusalem and asks that they don't arouse or awaken my love until she pleases, which encourages us not to force romance but wait patiently for feelings of love and commitment to develop together. Feelings of love can overpower reason and feelings alone aren't enough to support a lasting relationship.
In Chapter 3, they reflected on memories of their engagement and the grand procession is described. In Chapter 4, the groom professes his love to his bride on their wedding night and praises her for her virginity.
Everything is simply a grand love story until Chapter 5. Sometime after the wedding, she felt as though some indifference had developed. With the passing of time and the growth of familiarity, a marriage will start to lose its initial spark. She had a troubling dream about not being able to find her beloved. In 5:7, she said the watchmen who make the rounds in the city found her and struck and wounded her. One of the guardsmen of the walls took away her shawl from her. This image symbolized that she felt intense pain at being separated from her beloved. Being left alone outside during the night was the way a criminal or prostitute would have been treated.
The reason she felt this way was due to the fact that at this time, Solomon had 60 queens and 80 concubines (6:8). He eventually ended up having 700 wives and 300 concubines total. Polygamy, though not condoned, was common in Old Testament days. God commanded Israel's kings not to multiply wives so the king's heart would not be turned away (Deuteronomy 17:17). According to 1 Kings 11, Solomon's foreign wives did in fact turn his heart away to idol worship. Solomon disobeyed God's plan and followed in his father's footsteps, who had nine wives. God's design for marriage is one man, one woman. The consequence in this relationship was unfulfilled mutual love. The woman loved Solomon with her whole heart calling him "her beloved, whom her soul loves," but she only had part of his. However, she was his dove, his perfect one, unique, and praised by the queens and concubines.
The love between Solomon and the Shulammite was as beautiful as their own physical bodies. It was passionate and unique, based on more than just physical beauty. They were also attracted to each other's character. The kind of love that sustains a marriage isn't only physical beauty which is skin deep. It's about deeper, inward things. Things that don't change when your skin spots or wrinkles, when your hair grays or falls out, and when the shape you once had in life deteriorates.
Marriage isn't something we can put on autopilot. We must work on our marital relationships and learn to love our spouses day bay day, just as we have to work on our relationship with the Lord. Love is an action, not a feeling. So many just give up on marriage because "they aren't in love as they once were", but it takes mutual effort to keep the love alive.
The church is called the bride of Christ in the New Testament. One day, He will return for his bride. God created something in us for the desire to love and to be loved. He too loved weddings, because the first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding, and right now He is preparing the wedding feast for all believers. In Beth Moore's Revelation study, she talked about the new love stage..where you are so giddy and consumed you can't even think of anything else. She thinks that in eternity will be set in that attraction phase because Christ is the ultimate groom, and heaven will be completely perfect...beyond our comprehension. Love will not fade or have ups and downs as marriages do here on earth. We don't know for sure yet, but it was an interesting thought:)
Song of Solomon Pick Up Lines
Here are a few songs with lyrics from this book:
Song of Solomon by Sara Groves
Set Me as a Seal Upon Your Heart by Rene Clausen
Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair arr. Rene Clausen
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
I thought I would share my own personal love story, since this study had me reflect a bit on mine personally.
This part, I am a bit ashamed to say, but I called him at college. My mom would not approve of this because I was taught not to call the boy first, but I just couldn't help myself. We started talking on the phone over the next few weeks. We "officially" started dating on November 21, 1995 when I went with Rebecca and her mom to Sara's shower. That was really the first time that we actually got to talk in person. From that point on, I was hooked. It was an all-consuming kind of feeling.
We were engaged on November 21, 1998. Landon planned a wonderful evening for the big date. He took me to the Opryland Hotel for dinner and to look at the lights.
When we were outside, we climbed the fence under the big tree from the flagpole and
then he proposed. I was thrilled and said yes immediately!!
We were married on July 31, 1999...the hottest day EVER!
One of my favorite things in the wedding (besides the groom, of course) was the music. I had some college friends to sing some songs that I had arranged. Our church was hit by a tornado about three months before our wedding and there was no carpet. Although it didn't look the best, it made the acoustics ideal for a choir. It made me cry when I heard it at the rehearsal. Simply angelic:)
We had a wonderful honeymoon in the Bahamas.
Dummy me got on the kayak backwards and when Landon got on we flipped over. As we so gracefully flipped, Landon's oar jabbed into my rear. I had a bruise for weeks.
We finally made it.
We came home to a cozy little first house to begin our new lives together.
I can honestly say that Landon is the perfect match for me. We have been married for eleven years now, and although we don't always see eye to eye in everything (but really who can say that??), we have a wonderful relationship. He is a thoughtful, loving, hard-working, God-fearing husband, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better. I wouldn't change a thing. I ♥ him!!
Thanks to my mother-in-law, Suzanne, for taking pictures!!!
