# 33 2024 Dev. SS.5:16. My Savior, My Friend! Read all of chapter five first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
SS.5:16 “His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.”
Song of Songs. For centuries this book has been controversial in terms of how to read it. Is this a literal description of human relationships or is it allegorical, a rendering of the relationship of God and Israel or for Christians, Christ and the church? We have seen all three aspects displayed.
SS.5 completes Ch. 4 and repeats parts of Ch. 3. The validity of the lover, of Christ is questioned by friends, by the world, and it is answered by the lover, by the church.
V.1 He. “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride…”. He, the lover, Christ, has eaten, He has seen the righteousness, the faith, the compassion, the excellent work of the church in the name of Christ. Friends, all those who belong to Christ, are invited to eat. Praise the Lord for His wonderful and all compassing Grace, His Grace surrounds us!
V.2-8 She. “I slept but my heart was awake.” Is this a dream or is this an exercise in reality? “Listen! My beloved is knocking: ‘Open to me my sister, my darling…” He cries out, “Open to me”. She starts to complain about her hair, about having to dress again and wash her feat again. This sounds like a church, full of herself, a church divided, a church grown cold.
But the lover persists, he puts “his hand through the latch-opening…” She is half awake or in lala land. She finally gets up, realizing she has minimized her lover, “but my beloved had left; he was gone… I looked for him but did not find him.” But “the watchmen found me.” The world, the allurements, “they bruised me; they took away my cloak,” my protection, my cover, they left me, my heart exposed as the works of the world does. “Daughters of Jerusalem…what will you tell him?” Tell him I am overwhelmed by my sin. “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).
V.9 Friends. “How is your beloved better than others…?” The question is repeated for emphasis. It is a question asked over generations and now assails us everyday. What is the most important thing in your life? Who or what?!
Vs.10-16 She. “My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.” In other words there is no-one like Him. She goes into a long and detailed description of her beloved. She describes him as He described her. She makes comparisons to gold, mounted jewels, spices, perfume, myrrh, ivory, and lapis lazuli standing for royalty, strength and courage, wisdom and intellect, friendship and truth.
She goes on to say: “this is my beloved, this is my friend…” Yes! This is our Savior and Friend, Jesus Christ. We turn to the New Test. (Hebrews 1:1-3) “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” The Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God.
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