Song of Solomon
Key Word: Love Key Verse — 8:6
The “Song of Songs” is one of the most beautiful and dramatic stories of true love in the Sacred Oracles. It was the choicest and best of the 1,005 songs composed by Solomon (1 Kings 4:32). In the Hebrew the Song belongs to the third division, the Hagiographa, and is the first of the five Megilloth, or “Rolls,” the others being Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther.
There are many opinions in relation to the Book. Some even question its right to be in the Bible. Others misunderstand the book and lightly regard it because it is never mentioned in the New Testament, The Apocrypha or the writings of the Early Historians such as Josephus.
The theme of the book centres around three chief characters, Solomon, Shulamith, and a shepherd lover. It is the story of a simple country girl, a Shulamite, i.e. (Shunem, 5 miles north of Jezreel) from the vineyards of the north country, who is taken from her home and her lover to be one of the numerous wives of King Solomon in Jerusalem. However, her love cannot be quenched, for by day she sings the praises of her lover, and in the night she dreams of his love that is as strong as death. Finally, after his love has stood every test, she is permitted to return to her shepherd lover in her country home. Thus this little book rebukes polygamy so common in eastern lands, resists the empty pomp and pageantry of the world, and proves the truth of the words of Paul, “Love never faileth” and illustrates the “Purity and constancy of pure wedded love.”
In relation to the Jew it is a symbol of the union that should exist between Israel and Jehovah. To the Christian it symbolizes the faithfulness of the true Church, the Bride of Christ, to the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, or the love of an individual soul and the Lord.
1. The Call of Love (1:2-3:5)
2. The Communion of Love (3:6-8:4)
3. The Covenant of Love (8:5- 14)