This is an excerpt from my book, The Greatest Romance. The book is a ten-week devotional that explores and dissects all the symbolism in the Song of Solomon enabling you to understand and apply the Song of Solomon to your relationship with Jesus. My book is coming out in a few weeks, but here is a preview from chapter 5:10-12.
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A Metaphorical Description of Jesus
The Shulamite bride describes her Beloved with metaphors and symbolism that hardly help us picture Him at all. We will dissect the passage and uncover each truth about our Bridegroom. It will bless your heart. Some of it is quite shocking, so get ready to be overwhelmed by His heart for you.
“My beloved is white and ruddy,
the chiefest among ten thousand.”
SOS 5:10 (KJV)
The bride begins to tell them who He is and why He is so special. She declares that He is white, which does not refer to His skin coloring. It refers to His purity. The Hebraic meaning of white is “dazzling, glowing, clear, and bright.” His glory, purity, and holiness are displayed by a literal brightness as in the transfiguration (Luke 9:28–32). He is ruddy. This means His complexion contains red hues. Ruddy describes the characteristics of Nazarites (Henry). Jesus was a Nazarite, as was His ancestor David. 1 Samuel 16:12 shows that David’s ruddy complexion was appealing.
She boldly declared He is “chiefest among ten thousand.” Chiefest refers to the most significant banner of all banners. Jesus became a banner: “He is himself lifted up as a banner” (Isaiah 11:10). Jesus is the highest of all banners among ten thousand banners. Ten thousand is used in such a way as to communicate a great amount, uncountable, and even an infinite number. “He is higher than the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27). Below is my interpretation of verse 10, where the bride is describing her Beloved.
“My Beloved’s purity is dazzling
with brightness. His appearance is
pleasing and appealing. His glory
is of incomparable perfections and
unparalleled worth. He is the most
significant of all kings.”
SOS 5:10 (My Version)
Let's tackle verse 11.
“His head is as the most fine gold,
his locks are bushy
and black as a raven.”
SOS 5:11 (KJV)
Now she begins to describe specific things about Him. What does a head like gold with black hair tell us about Jesus? Head means a literal head, but it refers to His leadership or His rule over her. "Most fine gold” denotes pure gold; the best gold; shining gold, strong and solid gold. Like gold, Christ’s rule is gloriously beautiful, valuable, and powerful. In Daniel 2:38, Nebuchadnezzar’s monarchy was compared to a head of gold.
She tells them about His locks or hair which refers to His glory. It is bushy and black as a raven. Bushy means “mounded or heaped up and strong.” Bushy comes from a root word meaning “exalted.” Christ’s glory is exalted, mounded, and heaped up above every other glory. Black means “black,” but comes from a root word meaning “the color of early dawn.” His glory is as the dawn when it is still dark but full of the promise of color and beauty. Raven comes from a root word denoting the color of dusk as the sun sets. His glory is in the dusk as well. His glory never changes! James 1:17 tells us that there is no variation or shadow of turning with the Most-High. “For I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). Here is verse 11 in more understandable words:
“His rule over me is solid,
strong, valuable, and excellent.
His glory does not change!”
SOS 5:11 (My Version)
Moving on to verse 12. Be forewarned, this one gets a little steamy.
“His eyes are as the eyes of doves
by the rivers of waters,
washed with milk, and fitly set.”
SOS 5:12 (KJV)
She describes His eyes, saying they are as “dove’s” eyes. Doves have one mate for life. You might say they have eyes only for each other. The word dove comes from a root word that means “intoxicated by wine.” So, gazing at Him intoxicates us and intoxicates Him as well. That makes me smile. We truly do not fathom the impact we have on Him. These doves are by “rivers of waters.” Rivers comes from a root word meaning “a current that gathers or pulls.” His eyes are like a current that captivates us and pulls us in. Waters comes from a root word that means “semen” (Strong). Readers, don’t freak out! Simply put, this means His
look or gaze captivates and impregnates us. Wow!
His eyes have been “washed with milk.” Milk refers to the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2), and in this case, it refers to the cream—the richest, fattest part of the milk (Strong). If His eyes are washed with milk, He sees me through His Word. He does not see me as I see myself or even as the world sees me. He sees me as valuable like cream. His eyes are “fitly set.” This means to be settled as in a marriage covenant (Strong). It is to be content and not wandering. His eyes are fixed on us. We are His love. Here is my rendition of verse 12:
“His eyes are for me and me only;
I am His mate for life.
His eyes are like a current
that pulls me into deep waters
where I am impregnated by Him
and thereby bear fruit for Him.
His eyes see me through His Word,
which makes me look valuable.
They are focused on me
and will not stray or wander.”
SOS 5:12 (My Version)
That's only three verses of this incredibly romantic book! Song of Solomon is packed with metaphors and symbolism. Some of it is hilarious, while some of it makes my jaw drop. Surprisingly, when the symbolism is uncovered, much of the actual meaning is even more shocking -- as in the word waters (above) which means "semen". I hope this whets your appetite for more. I hope you will buy The Greatest Romance when it comes out. It will help you know the love of Jesus on a deeper level.
"That Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being
rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend
with all saints
what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled
with all the fulness of God."
Ephesians 3:17-20 (KJV)
"Let us be glad and rejoice,
and give honor to him:
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and the bride has made herself ready."
Revelations 19:7
It's our responsibility to be ready for the bridegroom. I believe studying Song Of Solomon and applying it to our relationship with Jesus will help us do just that.
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