Love’s Benefits: Song of Songs 2

In our previous episode, we saw the beginning of love and romance between the King and his beloved (see Awakening Love: Song of Songs 1).

Now, in Song of Songs 2:

1. She feels un-special in herself (“I am…a lily of the valleys.” 2:1)
2. He teaches her that there is new life in her that sets her apart from the cursed world (“As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women.” 2:2, compare Gen. 3:18 – curse = thorns and thistles)
3. He, unlike all others, has legitimate food and good things for her to receive (“As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men…his fruit was sweet…He brought me to the banqueting house…raisins…apples…” 2:3-5)
4. He is drawing her attention toward him (“His left hand is under my head,” 2:6a)
5. He is drawing her being toward him (“his right hand embraces me!” 2:6b)
6. This love cannot be imitated or manufactured (2:7)
7. She sees the overcoming life in Him (2:8)
8. He calls on her to draw near to Him, explaining that death and darkness has been overcome for them both (“My beloved speaks…’Arise, my love,’…the winter is past…flowers appear…the fig tree ripens…” 2:10-14)
9. He calls on her to confront what threatens fruitfulness (“Catch the foxes…that spoil the vineyards…” 2:15)
10. At this time, her main focus is on the benefits of his love (“My beloved is mine…” 2:16)
11. And thus she is not yet willing to join Him where He has called her; she is waiting for a more “opportune” time (“Turn, my beloved…” 2:17)

Note that in 2:16 she says: “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” Whereas later, when she matures some, she reverses the order: “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” (6:3). At this point in ch. 2, she is looking primarily to the benefits of His love, but seems unwilling to fully invest herself toward Him.

Stick around for how He changes all that.