Song of Solomon 1 EXPRESSIONS OF AFFECTION The kiss of affection is far different than the kiss of reconciliation. The kiss of affection is proof of abiding love after being absent from a beloved person for a long time. There is no guilt associated with the unbridled emotion of a young woman running and kissing a returning soldier, or a traveler who has been away for extended period of time passionately kissing a loved one for whom the heart has longed. Those passionate kisses are the best way to express gladness of heart and an overflowing cup of joy for a loved one finally being here. It is a demonstration of love which we have as the bride of Christ when our joy in the Lord Jesus passes the boundary of verbal expression. Surely, we find our joy in Him far greater than all the joy that earth can give.
The words of an old hymn seem so appropriate here. “The name of Jesus is so sweet; I love its music to repeat. It makes my joy full and complete; the precious name of Jesus. Jesus, O how sweet the name; Jesus, every day the same; Jesus, let all earth proclaim; the precious name of Jesus.” All of the titles, honors and names of our blessed
Lord Jesus Christ bring a fragrance of holiness that we appreciate deeply. His unchanging and unfailing love for His people is always wonderful to me. But in a special way, when as a company of God’s people of “like precious faith,” join their voices in prayers, praise and worship both silently and audibly, there is something that rises above description.
To believers in the Old Testament times, Jehovah was the name revered and was as “ointment poured forth.” The same is true as New Testament believers speak the name “Jesus,” and experience the blessing and wonder of the fact that “the Son of God loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Our Lord has drawn us to Himself, and He does it again and again when we get our eyes off Him for some reason. The One we run after is not the person who preaches or the one who teaches about Him. We follow “hard after” our Lord Jesus Himself who is our life. The blind man, women from Galilee who ministered to Him, the disciples and others ran after Him when He was here. The love of His people today for Him has them running after Him in a similar way with the same desire to be where He is.
There is a normal human response to what we see with our eyes, and on the “first impressions” we often make a judgment and come to a decision. The Shulamite woman indicated she was black from being out in the sun laboring in the vineyard and the fields. The church is in the world today and under the heat of the world system that opposes the Father; Satan who opposes the Son; and the flesh that opposes the Holy Spirit. There are unmistakable signs of being “in the world, but not of the world.” Even though there are things in the world around that affects us in negative ways, the bride of Christ is still “comely (lovely).”
Opposition against the people of God often comes from those who are nearest to us by nature. The young woman apparently neglected what her brothers thought she should be doing for the family benefit, in order to meet the needs of others. Our efforts in outreach with the Gospel are not to be at the expense of our fellowship and communion with the Lord. It is possible to be so taken up with what we are doing, that we forget and neglect the One for whom we are doing it. We need to be where our Shepherd feeds His people. “There is a place of quiet rest; near to the heart of God.” That is where we find the green pastures and still waters that restore one’s soul. The connection and closeness of the Shepherd to His flock should never be jeopardized by our own efforts to fill the needs of others and our own wants.
The first words of the Beloved in this book to the one He loves, are words of instruction to follow in the footsteps of the flock. It is there she will find the right place to feed and rest, and find Him. The flock will not follow the hard-beaten path of man’s tradition that has the same routine to follow over and over. The under-shepherds who are there with the flock, are those who care for the young. When the Beloved describes how He sees His own bride-to-be, they are very impressive. She is beautiful and swift; trained and ready to serve like those beautiful Egyptian horses. She is controlled and able to work together with others like a beautiful band of mounted steeds that are so glorious. They are submissive and orderly at the same time as they are strong and beautiful.
The jewelry she wore was to make her stand out before those who looked on her as the object of her Bridegroom’s love. More importantly, they would look at Him who she loved and she had adorned herself to bring glory to Him. The point of the jewelry and the beautiful garments is to please the Bridegroom and to direct the attention of onlookers to Him in the same way she does. Her presentation of herself comes first and then what she does for Him comes as a result of His acceptance of her. That is how the church and the Lord Jesus Christ relate to each other.
Love is seen not only for the joy of shared blessings, but love is most evident in what it suffers for the sake of another. When we think of all our Lord Jesus went through for us, and what He suffered for us, our love for Him seems greater than when we are blessed by what He daily provides for us. The remembrance of our Lord on the first day of the week is often the most significant time of the whole week for many of the Lord’s people who gather to Him in His name. That is because we remember Him, and make a proclamation of His death and the sufferings He endured on our behalf.
In all of these descriptions, we are impressed with the joy the Beloved and the lover find in each other. It is in this setting that the bride now speaks only of her Beloved, not of herself. There is nothing in her that refers in any way to the world, the flesh and the devil. It is our Lord Jesus Christ and only Him, who brings fullness of joy in this favored place. There is full fellowship that brings happy unity – the oneness with our Lord that deepens joy beyond expression. “I am the Lord’s, O joy beyond expression. O sweet response to voice of love divine. Faith’s joyous Yes to the assuring whisper. Fear not, I have redeemed the, thou art Mine.”