Growing Anticipation

Song of Songs 4

After the troubling dreams of the night, a new scene opens; maybe it isn’t a scene at all, come to think of it, for nothing is included here to set a scene. We know that the dream that “She” had is over because “He” is doing almost all of the talking.

“He” has only had a few lines in the first 2 chapters, and his part in the tale has been very short. Thus, it seemed to me that in the book up to this point, “She” has been crazy in love with him, while “He” has been much more reserved; willing yes, but reserved. All of that changes here in chapter 4 as “He” begins to become very personal about his feelings for “She”. Take a few moments and read through verses 1-15, and as you do, notice the way “He” describes his love in such very personal terms as he notes her various charms. Notice also how he refers to her; is “He” looking farther down the line for this relationship that even “She” is?

 

Oh good, you’re back. Well how did that strike you?

I was thinking that there can be no doubt about how “He” feels about “She” at this point; he’s got it bad for her, too. So much so that “He” is already calling her his bride. Then “She” speaks:

Awake, north wind,
    and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,
    that its fragrance may spread everywhere.
Let my beloved come into his garden
    and taste its choice fruits

Song of Songs 4:16

Her passions are running high as her anticipation of his coming increases. Both of them are yearning to come together, anticipating their union; they are excited about each other.

But they are not together, nor have they been together at any point in the first half of this book! Where’s all of that graphic sex everybody talks about? Hold on a sec… yes, I’ve got it! The second half of this game is going to be a barn burner!

One more little tidbit. If “She” represents the people of God, and “He” represents God, then what do you suppose God wants us to see in the first four chapters of Song of Songs?

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About Don Merritt

A long time teacher and writer, Don hopes to share his varied life's experiences in a different way with a Christian perspective.
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5 Responses to Growing Anticipation

  1. pipermac5's avatar pipermac5 says:

    Awake, north wind,
    and come, south wind!
    Blow on my garden,
    that its fragrance may spread everywhere.
    Let my beloved come into his garden
    and taste its choice fruits

    If that isn’t an invitation to love-making (sex), I don’t know what is. Eating and drinking are metaphors for love-making. Immediately-preceding this invitation, he makes note of her virginity, her unavailability, which she desires to unlock and offer to him.

    A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
    a spring locked, a fountain sealed. (SOS 4:12)

    Am I the only one that sees this? Is it a figment of my imagination?

    Steve

    • Don Merritt's avatar Don Merritt says:

      I agree with you entirely Steve that it is an “invitation”, one of many in fact. Sadly, in the story the two are never actually together physically. Even in her dream, when he came to her door and knocked, she tarried and only opened the door after he was gone. But of course the Good News is that the marriage does take place in end… 900 years or so later.

  2. Pingback: DECIPHERING A LOVE STORY | Citizen Tom

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