Him Whom My Soul Loves
A devotional walk through of the Song of Solomon (Chapter 3)
Introduction
After some months now since my last entry in this devotional series, I intend to add a few more articles over the summer. This time we will consider Song of Solomon 3. (For those who have not read any of my previous entries, please refer back to the earlier posts for my method of interpretation and hermenuetical starting point.) As shown in my first entry, the literary genre of the Song of Solomon is extended allegory. This means that a natural and literal intepretation of the book necessitates seeing the book as allegory itself. This is not the same as taking a work of non-allegory and “allegorizing it” (as some would object); but rather it is taking an allegory at face value and interpreting it accordingly.
A similar (and virually identical) genre can be found elsewhere in the scriptures: the genre of parable. Parable is a form of communication which uses related images and concepts in the form of story to convey deeper spiritual truths beyond the mere meaning of the words and images themselves (for ex., see the parable in Ezek 17). This, I believe, is exactly what we find in the Song of Solomon. But this story, is perhaps the greatest of them all: the story of redemption.
In the introduction to the Song of Solomon in the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible, these words can be found:
“The Song of Solomon is given by the Spirit of God to stir up the affections of believers, whether of the Old Testament or of the New, to seek to cultivate secret communion with Christ in prayer and in all the other means of grace. Such spiritual delight was enjoyed by such Old Testament saints as Abraham, Moses, David and the prophets. This book uses the language of love to draw Christians to yearn for experiences in our heart of assurance, joy, and rapture of soul as we taste something of Christ’s love for us, even here in this world.”
And with that, let us consider together the third chapter of the Song.
Song of Solomon 3
Song 3:1-5. This chapter can broken into two parts, 3:1-5 and 3:6-11. In the first half of the chapter we hear from the bride as she seeks out her beloved. In verses 1 and 2 she searches for “him whom my soul loves.” She desired him in the night, and rose in the morning to find him (vs 1). She then goes into the city and inquires of the people there as to where was her lover. In verse 3 she asks the watchmen of the city, “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” Her desire for him is strong and she pursues him until he is found. In verse 4, she is finally reunited with her lover and rejoices! At last, “I held him and would not let him go!” Then she bids a word of caution to her peers that they “do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (vs 5).
One can almost sense the strong emotional bond and desire between the woman and her lover. Intimate love is undoubtedly strong, and the desire for one another between lovers can be overwhelming at times, especially those times when the two are apart. In marriage, periods of lengthy physical separation can certainly breed ravishing desire for each other which quickly becomes obssession-like. This is certainly true of young lovers, at least. And this desire is good and natural! Praise God for the tender gift of emotional, physical, and sexual intimacy between a husband and wife! But if that is all we see here in this passage, I think we have missed the point altogether (see introduction above).
Commenting on verse 1 (and it is applicable through verse 3), the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible says:
“God’s people pray without ceasing, both day and night (Pss. 42:8; 63:6). …At times believers do not have a felt sense of his presence.”
And on verse 4, it says:
“The gathering of the church. …Private experiences of Christ fuel the desire to glorify in public worship.”
Matthew Henry says this regarding verse 2:
“Those that seek Christ must not startle at difficulties… [searching for her beloved] she knew he was not to be found in any blind by-ways. We must seek in the city, in Jerusalem, which was a type of the gospel-church, in holy ordinances [baptism, the Lord’s supper, preaching, prayer, etc].”
And the great scottish divine, James Durham, offers these comments on verse 3:
“[‘Watchmen’ and ‘city’] imports, 1. That the Church is a city in danger, having outward and inward enemies, and therefore needing ‘watchmen.’ 2. That there is an office of a ministry appointed in the Church for guarding against and preventing her danger; and that some are peculiarly designed, and separate from others for that purpose; some who may be called watchmen, which others cannot be said to be; and so they are here distinguished from believers or private persons. 3. This office is most necessary, burdensom[e], and of great concernment to the safety of the Church, as watchmen are to a city; for so watch they over the souls of the people committed to their trust.”
And from John Gill on verse 4:
“This shews us, that unless Christ shew himself, there is no finding him; for, “when he hideth his face, who can behold him?” Finding Christ, when all means fail, gives the greatest discovery of Christ’s love and grace, the freeness and sovereignty of it; and makes it appear, that it does not depend upon our will or works, but upon his sovereign good will and pleasure. Finding Christ after so many disappointments, must needs be joyful and welcome; she seems to speak it with an air of pleasure, and in an exulting manner, as those disciples did, who said, John 1:41, “we have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ;” for his long absence from her, and the fatigue she had endured in seeking of him, did but serve the more to endear and sweeten his presence to her.”
As Christ’s people, His bride (Rev 21:9), we are called to seek Him diligently in all the means of grace He has prescribed for us. Chiefly, we meet with Christ when we gather with his people “in the city” (Heb 12:22). The watchmen are the appointed pastors within God’s gathered people leading and showing the way to Christ week-in and week-out. This is their very calling and duty (Heb 13:17). However, as the men above show us, even when Christ seems distant, even when when we may not ‘feel his presence,’ yet He has promised to never leave us, nor forsake us (Matt 28:20). Our assurance of Christ’s abiding presence may at times be fleeting, and yet all true believers are called not to dwell in despair, but to rise up and seek once more “him whom my soul loves” (Song 3:1, 2, 4; see also Matt 7:7).
Song 3:6-11. As we come to the second half of the chapter, we are once again faced with images of the king and his beauty. Verses 6-8 ring with echos of Psalm 24:7-10 (ESV):
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory!
This psalm is a classic example of a directly ‘messianic’ psalm, clearly pointing ahead to someone greater than David, or Solomon for that matter—a divine king to be precise. The New Testament teaches us that the future Davidic King of Psalm 24 finds its final fulfillment in Jesus Christ, David’s son and David’s Lord.
The regal and victorious images of king Solomon in Song 3:6-8 depict a mighty warrior-king who conquers his enemies and allows his people to dwell in peace in the city. In verse 7, the king returns with his throng of warriors (“mighty men”) by his side. They are armed with swords. They have gone out and secured victory. And Solomon is riding in his chariot covered in silver, gold, and purple—the true colors of royalty and dignity (vs 9-10)! The image is majestic; one of total victory. Then there is a call to the “daughters of Jerusalem” to behold the king as he returns to his bride (vs 11)! Those in the city are called to “look upon King Solomon” in all his royal beauty! He has secured peace for the city and returns to reunite with her.
Commenting on the warriors returning with the king depicted in verse 8, John Gill says:
“And now, by their holding this sword, is meant, not only their acquaintance with the word of God, and their apprehension of it, but also their retention of, and firm adherence to it: they not only held it forth to others, but also held it fast themselves; which is a necessary qualification in the ministers of the gospel, or in those who are about Christ’s bed; for having this sword always in their hands, they are in a readiness to “war a good warfare;” which they are not strangers to, as appears from the following character of them.”
These warriors of the king (i.e., the “mighty men of Israel”) are God’s appointed leaders of His people: pastors, overseers, shepherds of Christ’s church. They fight for the kingdom with the weapon of “the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17; Eph 6:17; Col 3:17). They are equipped with the Word which is sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4:12). And this “Word” ultimately points to the divine, eternal Word of God (Jn 1:11ff.; Isa 6:5; 49:2).
And Henry Aisworth, also commenting on verse 8, says:
“…feare in the nights] or, dread (terror) in the nights; the dreadfull evills that are secret and unseene, and every night do endanger. For thefts, murders, treasons, and other mischiefes, are often done in the night; as experience, and the scriptures testifie, [J]ob 24. 14. [J]er. 6. 5. Neh. 6. 10. Dan. 5. 30. 1 Cor. 11. 23. Mat. 13. 25. Prov. 7. 9. 22. and then it is needfull to watch, & stand ready armed, Neh. 4. 22. Mat. 24. 43. and 26. 31. 41. So Christians which are to wr[e]stle against manifold te[mp]tations, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in high places; are willed to take unto them the whole armour of God: and to stand, having their loynes girded, &c. Ephes. 6. 12. 13. 14.”
This is all to say that what we find in verses 7-8 is a description of Christ’s church militant. Christ’s church must be ready for spiritual battle at all times as it faces the trials and temptations of this life. It must also fight to remain pure within a dark, sin-infested world. The world loves neither Christ nor His church. His church is a manifestation of His kingdom. And the scriptures teach that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and principalities in heavenly places. The church’s battle is a spiritual one, and must be fought by spiritual, not carnal, means. The church must be equipped and ready to wield the sword of Christ (i.e., “the word of Christ”) against its enemies. This is to follow the example of the Lord himself in his wilderness temptation (Lk 4:1-13).
The battle rages on now, but one day every knee will bow before the king (Ps 2). They will either bow willingly or they will be forced against their wills. No one except Christ’s people will be able to stand in the Day of the Lord (Ps 1:6). This evokes the glorious image given in Revelation 19 of Christ, the Great Conquering King:
“11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible offers a helpful devotional thought on this passage:
“Christ is most glorious and powerful. A sight of Him will change you. The unbelievers in Jerusalem wondered at the changed lives of the apostles: “they took knowledge of them; that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). This alteration will be perfect at last in glory, when believers will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:43). The happiness of heaven will very much consist of gazing upon Christ and appreciating His love and divine beauty. The Day is coming when all His people, being spiritually espoused to Him, will rejoice with joy unspeakable at the sight of His glorious majesty as He comes upon the clouds to marry His church to Himself forever. How can this give hope?”
Oh what a wonderful thought! And what an important question: where do you find your hope? Is your hope Christ-centered, or this-worldly? Is your hope built upon nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousess? The King is coming, look up and see him arrayed in “the splendor of His majesty” (Is 2:10, 19, 21). He is the King who will one day slay His enemies and redeem His bride, once and for all. For those who love the Lord, the Day of His returning (the “Day of the Lord”) is a glorious thought; but those who reject the Lord, the Day of His returning is to be a dreaded reality.
But James Hamilton admonishes all of God’s people:
“Lift up your eyes, church. Your redemption draweth nigh. Behold, the Bridegroom cometh! Blessed are those who have washed their robes and made the white in the blood of the Lamb, those who will be ready when the marriage of the Lamb has come (cf. Rev. 7:14; 19:7).”
(Hamilton, Song of Songs, 77)
Conclusion
We close this installment with a brief thought. Are you presently a member of Christ’s kingdom? Are you standing with the King of kings and Lord of lords? If so, then the future is bright and there is great hope. But if you are not a citizen of His kingdom, you are at this very moment His enemy. And on the final day of His coming, none of His enemies will be left standing. He will inflict maximal destruction and devastation upon all who reject and oppose Him. Just as the exodus from Egypt (Ex 14-15) and the flood in Noah’s day (Gen 6:11ff.) typologically depict the future end-time judgment on the enemies of God’s people, so also the dragon, that ancient serpent, (and all those who are with him who oppose Christ and his people) will be totally consumed by the flood waters of final judgement.
G. K. Beale, commenting on Revelation 12, helpfully points out:
“In Isaiah and the Psalms the Lord was seen as defeating the evil dragon himself by cutting him to pieces when he delivered Israel by cutting through the Red Sea and drowning Egypt: “Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea … for the redeemed to cross over?” (Isa. 51:10). “You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters. You crushed Leviathan’s heads” (Ps. 73:13–14; so also Ps. 89:10; Isa. 30:7…) Interestingly, Ezek. 29:3 and 32:2–3 identify Pharaoh with the sea dragon.”
(Beale, Revelation, 675–676.)
Will you trust in Christ today?
“13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.” (Rev 12:13-17, ESV)