Song of Songs 1:1 - 11 God’s Blessing of Marital Love
I. Introduction A. Need to know who is speaking and who do they address.
B. Poetry - Enjoy the similes and metaphors - you must see the flowers and gazelles
C. Chiasmic Structure An Example: Amos 5:4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live; a but do not seek Bethel, b and do not enter into Gilgal c or cross over to Beer-sheba; * Gilgal will surely go into exile, C and Bethel shall come to nought." B Seek the LORD and live, A
II. Outline for the Song Part 1 - Beckoning - Testifying to Love and Courting Conversations First “Do not awaken love.“ 1:2-2:3
Part 3 - Invitation - 2:8 - 2:17 Her beloved: Come away with me.
Part 5 - Waiting and Dreaming - Longing Hearts Wait for Reciprocation and Consummation. 3:1 - 3:5 Second “Do not Awaken Love”
Part 7 - Love Awakes - Wedding Day, Consummation, and Closure with God‘s Benediction - 3:6 - 5:1
Part 6 - Waiting and Dreaming - Longing Hearts Yearn and Wonder, Waiting for Reciprocation and Consummation - 5:2 - 6:3
Part 4 - Invitation - 6:4-8:4 Shulamite: Come let us go forth to the field. Third “Do not Awaken Love”
Part 2 - Beckoning - Request for Commitment - 8:5 - 8:14
III. A Few of the Broad Issues A. Not your ordinary love song. A special love song. Falling in love with a King.
B. Love goes beyond ranks (and other divisions that divide us) 1. Wonder how a King would be interested in a commoner…
2. Wonder at the gall of the Shulamite to presume that she could marry a King. Note the forwardness in this woman.
3. Wonder how a marriage of Solomon and a Shulamite could picture Christ and the church? This is the beauty of God’s grace.
C. A few more things about love 1. Love does not despise its loved one. 2. Love endures all things. 3. Love longs for fellowship with the loved one. “Let him kiss me.” 4. Love notices and endears. Ungrateful people cannot SAVOR.
IV. The Blessing of Love - There is nothing in the world better than Being Loved by the One You Love. vs. 2.
V. The Beginnings of Love. A. The Shulamite’s love is based on what she knows about him. Vs. 3, also Vs. 4b Name = Reputation
B. The Beginning of Leaving. “Take me away with you.” Vs. 4a 1. The Lover acknowledges the headship of the Husband.
2. Leaving who? Her family and her family’s household business. See also 8:11
C. Love is a Rapid Stream. Let us Hurry. Vs. 4a
D. The Beauty of Love. Vs. 5-11 1. Worked, not pampered and primed. 2. The most beautiful of women. 3. Decoration, Jewelry. Ezek. 16:10 - Accentuates the beauty of her - God’s general creation is beautiful - A Husband has the distinct privilege of marveling on the beauty of his wife - body and soul (as God‘s gift). - The Bible clearly legitimates ear-piercing for women and slaves (Exod. 35:22, Exod. 21:6, Dt. 15:17). - Daughters and makeup & jewelry - A crucial area in which fathers and mothers must train - Makeup can draw too much attention or the wrong kind of attention. - Makeup can also present a superficiality. - Certain forms of makeup can send a strong sensual message. - The Focus (1 Pet. 3:4): nurturing of a meek and quiet spirit - Before she is married, she grooms herself for her father and her family - Then, she grooms herself for her husband.
E. Rejoicing in Love. Vs. 4b (Daughters of Jerusalem)
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