The Song of Solomon. Not often preached from the pulpit, often avoided, and Jewish tradition suggests that young men were even prohibited from reading it! What is such a book doing in the inspired Word of God, anyway? :)
Glad you asked.
The Song of Solomon was, as its title suggests, written by King Solomon. Apparently early in his reign, before he was led astray by the foreign women God forbade him to affiliate with. The book is a poem, extolling the marital relationship between one man and one woman. While God is not specifically named in the Song of Solomon, a careful reading of it reveals not only God’s support for and design of a fulfilling marriage but also His presence and blessing in that relationship.(5:1:e)
The willingness of God to broach the topic of physical intimacy so frankly has made some people uncomfortable with this book through the ages. Thus, the prohibition of impressionable young Jewish males from reading it until marriage was near! But instead of avoiding the book, we should see it as a testament to the beauty of marriage and that marital intimacy is a gift from God - for both husband and wife.
The book upholds the standard of moral purity and character (1:3 , 3:5, 8:4) , addresses the fears, insecurities and petty jealousies that inevitably occur in marriage (1:5,6 , 2:15, 3:3, 5:3-7) and also provides guidance for husbands to understand how to appreciate and extol the unique beauty God designs in a wife.(1:8-17, 2:4-6, 11-17, 4:1-5:9, 7:1-9) Although, I must admit the need for some recognition of some cultural differences - I doubt many of us today would relish our hair being described as a flock of goats or our teeth as sheep who have just been sheared! (4:2)
. All of this reinforces the theme of the goodness of marriage. That is the primary purpose and theme of the book although it is probable that God has layers of meanings therein. Some suggest the book also pictures in a more general way Christ’s love for His bride, the church - Christ is seen as the king, while the church is represented by the Shulamite.
What can we take away from our reading of this beautiful poem? That we, the Church, can know that God’s design for marriage is beautiful, to be celebrated, enjoyed, and protected. The world is confused about marriage, distorting its purpose and truth. We need to hold marriage in the highest regard - revering it, guarding it, desiring for our own marriage to reflect the beauty of God’s design.