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Adam was warned not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or face the consequence of death. Apparently, Adam told his wife not even to touch it. And as we know, the aftermath was dire for them and for the entire cosmos. Proverbs warned, "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant" (9:17). I don’t doubt this is an allusion to the Garden story in the sense that “stolen water” and “bread eaten in secret” (because it was stolen) is like the forbidden fruit.
Is there any surprise that when I was a boy and heard someone warn about the graphic sexual imagery in the Song of Solomon, it became my forbidden fruit? I don’t remember the timeline but I suspect there was a period of resistance to the warning that, over time, was overcome by curiosity. I do remember the first time I gave into the temptation and read it, feeling as though I was doing something exciting but forbidden. I also recall with adolescent surprise that it was not what I thought it would be. Sure, there were intimate details that made me a bit embarrassed, it left me somewhat disappointed. Where was the allure of something secret and forbidden?
As an adult I have read it once per year in my annual through-the-Bible devotional plan. The familiarity of the erotic imagery long ago ceased to have any emotional effect. Even so, I have to say that the reason it ended up in the Bible to begin with escaped me! I’ve read many commentaries and even heard it taught in some marriage conferences. But in all of that there seemed to be something missing.
I won’t detail the diversity of interpretations of the Song other than to say they cover a broad spectrum–from those who view it as an ancient sex manual to those who rid the story of sexual imagery and make it all symbolic of God’s relationship with his people. As always, there are those in the middle who want it both ways.
Even so, it still seemed like I was missing something significant. When I began to appreciate the interpretive framework I now call His Story I was convinced the purpose of Solomon’s song must be covenantal and must, in some way, fit into the larger context of covenant structure.
The Covenant Structure of Song
I now believe the Song has a strategic purpose within the wisdom literature and that even though it describes sexual intimacy in marriage it does so not as an end in itself but as a means to an eternal perspective. I’ve argued in all our lessons of wisdom that the five books of wisdom reflect the five books of Moses which in turn reflect the ancient covenant structure.
The final section of a covenant document laid out the future of the agreement for the next generations. In practical terms, that fifth section was foremost about how covenant relationships could endure through future generations. That’s what was meant by continuity. This is how we can approach our study of the Song of Solomon. And particularly in our fallen world with dysfunctional relationships Solomon teaches us how a marriage covenant is one of God’s gifts to rebuild what was broken in the fall of Adam.
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Before we study the book, let me remind us of the interpretive framework of His Story and particularly wisdom literature. Some call it “redemptive typological.” One of the main features of this framework is viewing every part of Scripture from two perspectives–the “near” (or “now”) and “far” (“not yet”). In Solomon’s Song, the near perspective is the immediate historic events of his relationship with the Shunamite. But that was never the sum total of its significance. In a redemptive typological view of Scripture, “types” are like signposts to God’s eternal redemptive plan. They point beyond themselves and the present circumstances to the future fulfillment of the covenant of grace.
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The Chiastic Structure
It can be challenging to outline the Song of Solomon and there are many ways Bible teachers have tried to outline the contents. Most agree that it consists of eight “songs” exchanged between Solomon and the Shunamite, along with choral chants by her friends, the “daughters of Jerusalem.” The eight songs are arranged in a type of literary form called “chiasm.”
Chiastic structure is a kind of Hebrew poetry, structurally forming a kind of “x” with parallel statements. Of special interest in this study will be the two dream sequences that mirror one another in the center of the poem. It is in those dreams that the theme of relational brokenness is evident as we will see shortly.
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As you can see, the entire song is covenantal in purpose. While it is not wrong to discuss the sexual imagery, we will not appreciate its purpose if that’s all we see.
Relational Desires and Expectations Experienced Now (Songs 1,2)
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Most of the significant relationships in our lives include hopes and expectations of what the relationship will become. The opening verses of Song of Solomon introduce us to the desires in Solomon and the Shumamite for their relationship.
Of course, all relationships come with desires and expectations, not just romantic ones. I believe God planted this desire in us to always remind us (if we pay attention) of our need to have a relationship with him.
In fact, there are two contrasting categories of relationships. Both are in the background of the Song of Solomon.
Covenant Relationships
God’s plan for all relationships (not just marriage) was to reflect the interactions of the triune God throughout eternity: covenantal. Covenants are not just legal documents but create personal relationships that are built upon truth, purpose and always put the needs of others first.
Contractual Relationships
Though the term is more modern, covenant relationships stand in stark contrast to those that are contractual and transactional. Contracts are not bad, of course. We need them in business and daily life. But they are more than legal agreements. They can describe the relationships created by them. Unlike covenants, contractual relationships are established first and foremost to limit liability for a temporary period and to protect our own interests in the relationship. It is no surprise that many modern couples are advised to create prenuptial agreements as they enter into the agreement. As the historic appreciation of covenants has been all but lost today, I’m afraid the contractual assumption about relationships of all kinds will become increasingly common.
It is useful to view the Song of Solomon and the two main characters in this context. Their story reflects the development of their relationship from contractual to covenantal. In the first two songs, desires and expectations are very focused on the personal pleasures they anticipate. I don’t mean to suggest these were inherently wrong (in the context of marriage). However, the immaturity of the desires is evident. It needed to be transformed from self-interest to the mature interests of the other.
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Relational Desires and Expectations Not Yet Fulfilled
Bible teachers generally agree that God designed the marriage covenant with Adam and Eve. It had three purposes:
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To fulfill the creation mandate given to Adam (“be fruitful and multiply” Genesis 1:28)
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To create a special bond of intimacy between a husband and wife (Genesis 2:24)
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To reflect the covenant relationship between God and his people (Ephesians 5:21-33)
These three purposes are in the background of the Song of Solomon. As such they point beyond Solomon and his bride to a dimension not yet fulfilled in the story. Marriage relationships point beyond themselves to God’s plan for relationships in eternity. The very self-interest in an immature relationship is there as a reminder of something better. We long for more. We long for a relationship without selfishness, one that is not limited in time and will always be satisfying. Even in this world, as relationships mature in a covenant context, self-interest declines and the interests of the other predominate. But even the best covenant relationship in this life fall short of the deepest longing. That’s because we are still plagued with sinful natures and desires to put our own interests first. The promise of God is that one day these deep desires will be fulfilled. That is the eternal hope of the covenant.
Broken Dreams in Relationships Now and Then ​(Read Song 3)
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Like Solomon and the Shumamite, we all have desires and expectations for our relationships that never get satisfied. Why would God put such longings in us if they could not be fulfilled? It's because those very desires are there as a constant reminder that we were not created for this world but for the world to come. Meanwhile, the broken dreams are intended to point to our need for God now.
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For the Shunamite, broken dreams and unfulfilled longings were described in Song 3. This section consists of two sleeping dreams she had in the period of time before the wedding.
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The Shunamite’s Broken Dreams “Now”
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Dream 1
We know these were sleeping dreams because of the language: "By night on my bed" (3:1). In her dream, she frantically tried to find Solomon, running through the city streets at night in her search for him. But to no avail. She could find him.
If you keep track of your own dreams you may recall some like that. They often reflect deep worries and anxieties from our waking life. Admittedly, for some of us the actual thing we are worried about gets lost in bizarre dream images. I can't discuss my theory about why that occurs here. But for the Shunamite, I believe Dream 1 reflects the doubts and worries about the relationship in the days prior to the wedding. Given the immaturity of the relationship anyway, it is no surprise she would worry about it. Fortunately the first dream had a happy ending.
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In the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but I didn’t find him.
The watchmen who go about the city found me;
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
I had scarcely passed from them,
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go,
until I had brought him into my mother’s house,
into the room of her who conceived me. (3:1-4)
Dream 2
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She had another dream. This one was what I would call a nightmare. Like our own, it likely reflected the ongoing unresolved stresses in the relationship about the future. We know this was another dream because of the similar language, “I was asleep but my heart was awake” (5:2).
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This time, Solomon appears in her dream. However, in a bizarre twist, as he knocks at her door rather than to let him in, she tells him to leave! She even makes excuses why she doesn’t want to let him in.
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Here again, the language of dreams suggests this is another expression of her deep rooted anxieties about the relationship. As a counselor, I would tell her that in the dream she tries to protect herself from the possibility of disappointment by pushing him away. Whether or not you agree with my perspective on dreams, I think we must agree that their young love was imperfect and therefore prone to doubt.
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Even if they don't show up in your sleep, we all live with the experience of unsatisfying and disappointing relationships. Some of us take all the blame on ourselves. Others insist it's all fault of the other. In both cases, the result is disappointment, doubt and even more mistrust.
Rebuilding Covenant Relationships Now and Then
Song of Solomon is wisdom literature. As we’ve seen, it has both near and far dimensions and especially in the context of wisdom, the already and not yet dimensions of their covenant bond is central to the book's wisdom purpose. Three times in the book we find the wisdom warning: “do not awaken love until it is time” (2:7; 3:5; 8:4). Bible teachers agree that the repetition underscores its significance to understand the entire story.
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Rebuilding Relationships Now
God’s plan for covenant relationships in our fallen world requires wisdom. We found that theme in Job, Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. In those books the phrase, “fear of God” is linked to wisdom. I admit it is not explicitly referenced in Song. However, I do think it is hinted at in one of the vows they exchange. They describe their love as divinely ordained like "the flame of Yahweh" (8:13,14). In my view, this is a poetic allusion to the fear of the LORD.
In addition, the thematic phrase comes as a covenant warning that can be connected to the fear of God. “Do not awaken love until it is time” warns of the consequences of pursuing the pleasures of sexual intimacy apart from God's decree. Arousing the sexual elements must take place in God's time not our own. God’s law has always required that sex wait until marriage. Jesus warned about the “adultery of the heart” that arises from unbridled lust (Matthew 5:27,28). Couples who indulge in unlawful intimacy before marriage not only violate God’s law but will always face the consequences of their actions later on. I've done much marriage counseling over the years and it is always evident that couples who were promiscuous before marriage have greater challenges in the marriage itself--even when the infidelity was with each other.
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This is why the warnings about arousing love before it is time are important for wisdom in the relationship. We can’t know from the text to what extent Solomon and the Shunamite practiced sexual purity prior to the wedding. But that doesn’t change the warning and the ample evidence of Scripture.
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This principle extends beyond the marriage relationship to all relationships, however. For timing is not about sexual experience alone but involves our view of the mechanics of building any personal relationship. Relationships consist of patterns and habits. Rebuilding relationships means new patterns and habits. This is so much more than expectations and hopes. It is not limited to particular events or promises. Rebuilding relationships is always a process. By definition, processes take time. Usually the process takes longer than we think it should.
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Consider how the Shunamite’s fears about the relationship resulted from her own doubts. If I were doing their premarital counseling I would use the dreams as a way to discuss her trust issues. Trust is foundational in all relationships . Without a sturdy foundation of trust the relationship will be perpetually plagued by suspicion and doubt. If and when trust has been broken by the other it is even more difficult to rebuild.
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Rebuilding Relationships Then
There is a future, eternal dimension to God’s plan for relationships. God promises to fully restore them! I think we find glimpses of this promise not yet fulfilled in the final words of the Song. In the chiastic structure, Song 8 is parallel to Song 1. Song 1 describes her unfulfilled desires while Song 8 is its fulfillment, described in the context of the marriage covenant itself. The wedding ceremony is pictured as the two walking arm in arm from the wilderness. In the poem, they exchange vows. The six statements beautifully express the difference between covenant and contractual relationships.
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The Song of Solomon does not explicitly locate the fulfillment of these promises in eternity. Based on the whole testimony of Scripture it is proper for us to do so, however. It is appropriate for us to imagine Solomon and the Shunamite walking arm in arm into the sunset. It is okay to hope all their expectations for their relationship were satisfied. But we know enough about the real world to know they would face many troubles and have many episodes of conflict to overcome.
However, as I read the last verse, I find a hint of eternal destiny that moves from their experience now to the not yet of eternity.
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Solomon says to his new bride, “Come away my beloved! Be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountain of spices” (8:14).
Many commentators understand the “mountain of spices” as an allusion to sexual pleasures that awaits them in the marriage bed. That is no doubt true in one dimension. However i think the mention of a “mountain” points beyond their present pleasure in this world to the consummate pleasures of the world to come.
I can only mention it here, but the Old and New Testaments are filled with what I call Mountain Theology. Many believe the Garden of Eden was on a mountain and that is why the four rivers flowed down from it to water the rest of the earth (Genesis 2:10). In the final chapter of Revelation the new eternal city descends from the mountain of God to earth (21:6).
These mountains and others are described as the dwelling place of God and point beyond geological formations to the place where God dwells–the sacred space in which the covenant fellowship of creator and creature will be experienced.
