The Song of Solomon is a collection of love poems between a bride and groom. Major themes in the book are love, adoration, and sex. Sexuality is God's gift, and within the confines of marriage, sex is a deep and profound expression of love that pleases God. Historically, however, the usage of this gift has been grossly distorted, both in Israel and the Ancient Near East, even as it is today. Sadly, Christians throughout church history have also, at times, taught and practiced far from biblical views. God has made us sexual beings, and we need wisdom for stewarding our sexuality. As we learn from these love poems, we must avoid the error of "spiritualizing" this book, that is, trying to read deeper than the face value of the text. It is a book about sex! Yet, at a more profound level, while allegorical interpretations of the book have led to gross comparisons between God and his people, there is a spiritual lesson to learn. The beautiful union of man and wife, which is on full display in the Song of Solomon, does foreshadow the greater union of Christ with his church (cf. Eph. 5:22-33; Rev. 19:6-10). |
