How on Earth Should We Apply Song of Songs to our Lives?
(Part 3 of 3)
We’ve discussed what Song of Songs is, and looked at how to read it, but what are we supposed to do with it? Should it be taught in church, and if so how? What is the point? How is it helpful?
One message stands out loud and clear: Our physical bodies are meant to be celebrated— and so are sex and marriage— because celebrating them brings glory28 to God.
28 Glory. Noun. Praise, adoration, fandom, love. Christians are to “glorify God” by knowing and enjoying Him forever. We give God glory by knowing and loving Him.
While this message is obvious, that doesn’t mean it is always taught very well (or that it has always been obvious). For example, in the middle ages when sex and the body were seen as a necessary evil, Song of Songs was read as an allegory;29 all references to the body were assumed to be references to Jesus or the Church. While all of scripture does point to Christ, if that was the only message of the book then why does it talk about breasts so much?
29 Allegory: Noun. A metaphor or story with a hidden meaning, like Aesop’s Fables. For example, Longman points out that in the middle ages the breasts mentioned in Song 1:13 were interpreted as symbols of the old and new testaments, and Christ was the myrrh between them joining them together. This is rather far-fetched, however there is an allegory in Song of Songs that makes more sense: The man represents Christ and the woman represents the church. We see hints of these same allegories in Revelation, Hosea, and most of the Prophets (the Prophets are the books Isaiah through Malachi in the Bible).
The physical references are intentional. They are important because God created our bodies and called them good (Gen 1:31). When he had created both man and woman, he called his creation “very good.” Remember, this was before there was sin in the world, before the world was broken. God didn’t create sex as a necessary evil, but as something beautiful, and he paired it with marriage intentionally.30
Ok, so what wisdom does Song of Songs contain for sex and marriage?
Our commentator friend Van Pelt has some helpful insight here, pointing out that the marriage described in Song of Songs has both steamy hot intimacy (they are really into each other and definitely having sex) and a “rock solid commitment.” If you read all of Song of Songs, you might have noticed that in Song 8 the woman commands that she become a seal on the heart of the man (Song 8:6).31, 32 Western culture33 is completely obsessed with the steamy hot side of this equation, but not the commitment side. Current church culture (in the western part of the world) generally sits on the opposite side of the spectrum and rarely mentions the “white hot” intimacy that should accompany marriage.34 The wisdom of Song of Songs teaches us that both are necessary!
31 Seals in ancient days signified ownership; the woman is commanding the man to be hers alone.
33 Western Culture: Noun. This is a reference to both American culture and the culture of most of western Europe. Not all cultures share the same values.
If you grew up going to church, you may have felt this disconnect between church and culture. Why is sex almost never talked about at church? Friends at school aren’t shying away from the topic, and social media is making it seem like a big deal. Is the body shameful? Song of Songs shouts a resounding “NO!” Many churches in the U.S. would benefit greatly from discussing the body and sex more openly, and not just when talking about sex can lead to sin. Sex is something that God created as “very good.” Within marriage it is an extremely beautiful thing, and it parallels God’s deep love and desire for us to be His.
So what should followers of Jesus do with Song of Songs? Well for starters, it is worth reading (just like the rest of the Bible). It was inspired by God, after all. As part of His Word35 it shows part of who He is and what matters to Him. He cares about sex and designed it intentionally to bring pleasure and to bond two people together permanently. That should affect how we think and talk about sex; it is set apart by God for a unique purpose. It wasn’t intended to be done casually, and it brings God (and us!) joy when it is done within marriage. The way we use and treat our bodies can bring God glory, and glorifying36 God is what brings us truest joy.
35 The Word. Noun. A Reference to the Bible, also known as the Word of God.
36 Glorifying. Verb. To give praise, adoration, fandom, or love. Christians are to “glorify God” by knowing and enjoying Him forever. We give God glory by knowing and loving Him.
There also is an allegory within Song of Songs. The man represents Christ and the bride represents God’s children, the church. Just as the man and women long to be with each other, God has a deep, passionate desire to be with us. He longs for us! And He died to ensure we could have a relationship with Him. Our desire should be for Him; being with Him is what brings our souls the greatest joy. It is what we were designed for, and every earthly craving ultimately finds its fulfillment37 in knowing Jesus.
37 Fulfillment. Noun. Gaining something wanted, promised, or hoped for. Like Amazon fulfillment, where you desire what you purchased and it shows up at your door the next day.
The message of Song of Songs is God saying to you, “Seek My face” (Ps 27:8).
How will you respond?
Thoughts or questions? Post them in the chat below!
Footnotes to Prevent Plagiarism:
- 5 Van Pelt, “Song of Songs,” 419.
- 6 Van Pelt, “Song of Songs,” 423, 428.
- 8 Van Pelt, “Song of Songs,” 426.
- 9 Tremper Longman III and Raymond B. Dillard, “Song of Songs,” in An Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2006).
- 10 Longman and Dillard, “Song of Songs,” 264.
- 16 G. Lloyd Carr, The Song of Solomon, ed. D. J. Wiesman, TOTC (Downers Grove IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984), 114.
- 17 Carr, The Song, 115.
- 18 D. Phillip Roberts, Let me See Your Form (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc., 2007), 169.
- 19 Carr, The Song, 116.
- 20 Carr, The Song, 117.
- 21 Roberts, Your Form, 171.
- 22 Roberts, Your Form, 171.
- 23 Carr, The Song, 118.
- 24 Carr, The Song, 118.
- 25 Roberts, Your Form, 175-176.
- 26 Carr, The Song, 123.
- 27 Roberts, Your Form, 175-176.
- 30 Van Pelt, “Song of Songs,” 420.
- 32 Van Pelt, “Song of Songs,” 432.
- 34 Van Pelt, “Song of Songs,” 432.
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