Seeds of Jesus in the Song of Songs

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7

TO CHEW ON: "He brought me to the banqueting house
And His banner over me was love." - Song of Solomon 2:4

"The Song is the best of all songs, a literary work of art and a theological masterpiece," says Donald Pickerill, writer of my Bible's introduction to Song of Solomon. He goes on, "The song itself is like its favourite fruit, pomegranates, alive with color and full of seeds" - Introduction to the Song of Solomon, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 859.

I love the idea of this book being full of seeds. Let's find a few of those seeds—the objects and images which appear here and reappear throughout Scriptures, most within the life of Jesus—in today's reading.

Love  (Song of Solomon 1:2, 4, 7, 9):
- John's words describe the extent to which Jesus loved His disciples: "He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end" - John 13:1. Then John describes Jesus washing the disciples' feet.
- Of course we can't think of love and leave out Paul's great description of love in 1 Corinthians 13.

Fragrance (Song of Solomon 1:3):
Paul talks about our lives, fragrant with the likeness of Christ in 2 Corinthians 2:14:
"Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse" - MSG.

Spikenard (Song of Solomon 1:12):
- Mary anointed Jesus with Spikenard - John 12:3

Myrrh (Song of Solomon 1:13):
- The wise men brought myrrh as a gift to the baby Jesus - Matthew 2:11

King (Song of Solomon 1:4, 12):
- Jesus prayed "Your kingdom come" - Matthew 6:9,10
- He talked about His kingdom that was not of this world - John 18:36

Vineyard (Song of Solomon 6:14):
- Jesus said of Himself, "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant" - John 15:5 (MSG).

Flock (Song of Solomon 1:7,8):
- Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10: " I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep" - John 10:11 (AMP)

Dove (Song of Solomon 1:15):
- The Spirit of God in the form of a dove descended on Jesus at His baptism. It's recorded in Matthew 3:16.

Fruit (Song of Solomon 2:3):
- Jesus spoke often of fruit. He spoke of bearing fruit when he spoke of Himself being the vine. He also mentioned fruit in the parable of the sower - Mark 4:20.

Banquet  (Song of Solomon 2:4):
- We recall that Jesus did His first miracle at a wedding banquet - John 2:1-11
- Of course the word banquet conjures up the picture of the greatest banquet yet to be—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb - Revelation 19:9.

In conclusion, here area  few more words from our Song of Solomon Introduction writer:

"In the Song of Solomon, as in other parts of the Bible, the Garden of Eden, the Promised land, the tabernacle with its Ark of the Covenant, the temple of Solomon, the new heavens and the new earth are all related to Jesus Christ ... The very essence of covenant history and covenant love is reproduced in Him (Luke 24:27; 2 Corinthians 1:20).

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for this beautiful love song that speaks in so many ways of Your relationship with the church, and our relationship with You. Help me to be receptive to Your love, and to return it to the best of my ability.  Amen.

MORE: All My Days by Rita Springer

Rita Springer sings her response to our lovely Jesus. Can we sing along?




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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.