The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, is one of the most unique books in the Bible. Out of 66 books, it stands out as the only one dedicated to exploring the beauty of romantic and sexual love between a husband and wife. This has led many to wonder why God chose to include such a book in the pages of holy Scripture.
Here are some key reasons the Song of Songs has an important place in the Bible:
1. It affirms the goodness of love and sexuality within marriage.
Many religions in ancient times took a dim view of physical pleasure and sexuality. The pagan gods were often seen as lustful and capricious in their sexual appetites. But the Song presents a radically different view. It shows that God designed the gift of sex for mankind’s enjoyment within the protective care of marriage. The intimacy and playfulness displayed between the lovers in the Song is never crass or casual. It is a picture of the celebration of God’s good gifts.
In a world where love is often depicted as lust and romance often equated with selfishness, the Song upholds the sanctity and mutuality of marriage. It “reveals the nature and meaning of love, its beauty and essence, its romantic as well as sensual aspects” (ESV Study Bible).
2. It Symbolizes God’s Love for His People
On the surface, the Song follows the story of two lovers, their courtship and wedding, and the strength of their devotion. But it can also be read as an allegory – the lovers representing God and His people. Just as the bride and groom delight in one another, God delights in His children and all of creation. This allegorical interpretation does not negate the literal one. But it provides a vivid glimpse of the passionate love God has for His people.
The Song has been understood this way since ancient Jewish and Christian times. God is the Lover and His people are His beloved. He initiates and seeks after them. He delights and rejoices over them (Zephaniah 3:17). And the covenant union between God and Israel is like that of a marriage.
By placing the Song in Scripture, God was communicating the intensity and tenderness of His love for His people. The fulfilled ideal of human marriage is meant to point to the self-giving love of Christ for the Church (Ephesians 5:32).
3. It Extols Married Love as a Gift and Blessing
Three times within the Song the woman adjures the “daughters of Jerusalem” not to “stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, 8:4). This emphasis on waiting for the right time and context underscores that love is not to be awakened or aroused in some fleeting or casual manner. The restraint the lovers show stands out against the backdrop of moral laxity in that era.
Marriage is presented as the fortress that preserves love’s fire. The exclusivity and covenant faithfulness displayed in the Song serves as a rebuke to any view that would cheapen or diminish love’s dignity. It affirms the goodness of marital intimacy as God’s provision for human flourishing. The passionate romance between husband and wife is upheld as holy ground.
In celebrating the gift of love, the Song also extols the blessing of marriage and family. Children are described as a reward and “heritage from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Marriage and parenthood are integral to God’s design for humanity.
4. It Venerates Love as a Mirror of Divine Love
The Song does not just depict human love – it elevates it. Romantic love in Scripture is portrayed as wondrous, delightful, powerful, all-consuming, and almost transcendent. It is a glimpse of the sublime. Some of the metaphors and extravagant language seem to border on divine.
The person the woman loves is “altogether desirable” (Song of Songs 5:16). She declares, “My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand” (5:10). This is the worship-like language of adoration. The man says of his beloved, “You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes” (4:9).
Such intense love between man and woman mirrors the love between Creator and creation. Human romantic love is meant to give us a picture of the God who is love (1 John 4:8). It points to the unconditional love that led Christ to lay down His life for humanity.
The passion of the lovers in the Song is really a faint echo of the extravagance of God’s eternal love. Earthly marriage “has been taken up into God’s eternal love story” (Timothy Keller). As an image of divine love, it signifies that we are made for transcendent purpose.
5. It Portrays the Mutuality of Marriage
Unlike other ancient literature, the Song of Songs presents love as a shared experience of two equals. It subverts the prevailing patriarchal views of its time that regarded women as inferior.
The lovers in the Song are untroubled by power imbalances or stereotypical gender roles. They take turns appreciating each other. In a radical way, they are both the giver and recipient of love. There is no competition between them – only mutual nurture and care.
This serves as a rebuke to male-centered notions of marriage. And it also mirrors the reciprocal nature of God’s love. Within the circle of the Trinity, no Person seeks preeminence. Each delights in the Others. The divine dance displays mutual honor and gladness.
So in the human love relationship, each partner is lifted up. Each gives and receives love in turn. There is no pressure to perform. There is only the freedom to belong and become.
6. It Depicts the Exclusivity of Marriage
The lovers in the Song reserve their intimate affection solely for each other. The language is intensely personal and exclusive – “my sister, my bride” (Song 4:9), “my lover is mine and I am his” (2:16). No outsider intrudes into the private world the couple has created.
This points to the one-flesh union that lies at the heart of marriage. Two individuals bind their lives solely to one another. They forsake all others and are forsaken by all others. Marriage has a fence – it is a garden locked against intrusion.
Thisunderscores that love requires selection and sacrifice. It means relinquishing autonomy and embracing interdependence. Marriage is exclusive because true intimacy demands undivided hearts. Half-hearted affection dilutes love’s glory.
So in exalting marital faithfulness, the Song also extols the God who binds Himself to His people in exclusive covenant love. Despite their ongoing unfaithfulness, He remains utterly faithful and true.
7. It Affirms the Human Body as Good
Instead of treating romantic passion as a necessary evil, the Song glories in it. It makes no attempt to spiritualize love by downplaying its physical side. Sexuality is not viewed as a necessary evil, but as a gift to enjoy.
This positive view of the body and physical intimacy pushes back against gnostic views that equate spirituality with rejecting bodily pleasure. For the lovers in the Song, sexual love is not a distraction from spiritual devotion. It is integral to flourishing in God’s good design.
The vivid physical descriptions reveal that God crafted the human body with intentionality and artistry. The lovers revel in each other’s beauty and strength. The verbal caresses mirror divine delight in the crown of creation.
So the Song uplifts the sacredness of our embodiment as male and female. Our bodies and sexuality reflect the skillful genius of the Creator. They are intrinsic to bearing His image.
8. It Depicts Romance as an Adventure
Romantic love depicted in the Song has a sense of flair and adventure. The lovers are untamed, free-spirited, even theatrical in their affection. They take pleasure in being wild and uninhibited with each other.
In an age of stiff formality, their passion blazes forth boldly. They run, dance, kiss openly, sneak away together, and make each other their top priority. There is a spirit of fun and spontaneity between them.
This captures the exhilaration of marital love. Even in the ups and downs of daily life, they continue romancing each other. They infuse their relationship with a spirit of playfulness and creativity. Their love story is an ongoing adventure.
So the Song beckons couples to treat marriage as a lifelong quest to surprise and captivate each other. It encourages spouses to keep exploring each other and stoking desire. Familiarity is no threat to a love rooted in wonder.
9. It Portrays the Mystery and Fragrance of Love
Human language falls short in capturing the depth and essence of romantic love. There is an ineffable quality that always eludes description. The passion between the two lovers has an otherworldly grandeur about it.
That is why the language of the Song is so metaphorical. It piles up comparisons as it tries to approximate love’s fragrance and sweetness. But these word pictures are more like brush strokes on a canvas than precise definitions.
This conveys that marital love is mysterious and intoxicating. It has a sacredness that must be approached with wonder. Mere technical knowledge about sexuality falls woefully short. Romance involves sacramentality – outward signs and symbols that point to an inner mystery.
So human love both conceals and reveals the transcendent. It would be grossly simplistic to demystify it. The Song preserves love’s mystery and grandeur, like the faint echo of a siren song.
10. It Shows How Love Requires Risk and Sacrifice
The journey to intimacy in the Song is not instant or effortless. It requires risk, patience, sacrifice and persistence. The lovers endure misunderstandings, separation, trials, and threats to the relationship. Choose love daily in the face of challenges.
They wrestle through seasons when the feelings of love are not as intense. In the low tides of life, they must actively rekindle love’s embers again. Endurance is just as important as passion.
So the Song delivers a sober reminder that true romance takes work. It does not just happen magically. Authentic love is costly because it requires fully giving yourself. But the rewards make the risk worth it.
The God who is Love understands sacrifice. His redemptive mission required entering darkness and agony to rescue humanity. He paid everything to ransom His beloved.
Conclusion
The Song of Songs has a vital message for all generations and cultures. Though short in length, its celebration of the goodness of love is expansive. It pulls back the veil of spiritualized notions of romance. Instead, it shows that our human ability to love deeply images God’s own capacity for extravagant love.
Marriage is upheld as the ultimate human allegory of divine love. Romantic love is part of God’s wise and generous design for human flourishing. Within this gift lies a lens into the heart of God.
