REMEMBERING THE COURTSHIP

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SONG OF SOLOMON 2:8-3:5
Lesson #03
REMEMBERING THE COURTSHIP

• Memory Verse: Song 2:16
• The passage in chapter 2:8-3:5 occurs in the past before the wedding of Solomon and Shulamith.
• Shulamith rembembers the days of courtship when she first began to know King Solomon.
• The Narrative:
• Song 2:8-14 A visit in Spring
  • Shulamith: “The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.” (2:8-9)
    • The mountains of Lebanon are a white limestone ridge with snow six months of the year. These mountains protected the coastline from inland invaders.
    • The lower slopes of the mountains were beautiful with vineyards, orchards, and olive groves.
    • Shulamith sees Solomon coming over the mountains, probably on horseback.
      • He periodically visited his vineyards throughout the nation of Israel.
      • He took advantage of these vineyard visits to visit Shulamith to get to know her better.
    • He is eager to see her. (2:9) This tells us that they already have a budding relationship.
    • She is eager to see him. (2:9) The lattice is a shutter with slats that can be opened or closed to let in light.
  • Shulamith: “My beloved spake, and said unto me…,” (2:10a)
  • Solomon: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” (2:10b)
    • “For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;” (2:11)
    • “  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;” (2:12)
    • The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” (2:13)
    • “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.” (2:14)
      • Spring has arrived in Lebanon with everything blooming. (2:12-13)
      • Solomon asks her to go for a walk with him in the rocky paths of the mountains. (2:14)
        • Her home was probably close to the rocky paths that progressed up the mountain like steps (stairs) (2:14)
        • Doves built their homes in these rocky crevices of the mountains.
• Song 2:15-17 The Little Foxes
  • Shulamith: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” (2:15)
    • Remember that she is in charge of and responsible for the vineyard. She as an expert recognizes a problem that will affect the future of the vines and their harvest.
    • While walking they pass a vineyard where little foxes (less than 15 inches tall) have dug holes and tunnels around the roots of the vines spoiling the vineyard. These small foxes gnawed at the roots of the vines and loosened the soil around the roots.
    • These foxes cause a lot of damage to the vines underground. If the problem is not dealt with, the vines could die.
    • She asks him to catch the foxes that spoil the vines.
      • The symbolism = Their love-relationship is new like the vineyard in Spring. It is just beginning to show small grapes on the vine that promise a fulfilled harvest in the future.
      • The little foxes represent the small things in their relationship that spoil the future of that relationship. (15) (Neh 4:3 Eze 13:4)
      • Stopping the foxes:
        • In Israel it was difficult keeping the little foxes out of the vineyards.
        • Vineyards were surrounded by stone walls with a hedge on top of the wall. The foxes dug under the walls.
        • All the family members were involved in watching over the vines and protecting them from wild animals.
• Shulamith: “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” (2:16)
• “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.” (2:17)
  • What problem does she see that could spoil their relationship?
    • She begins with a declaration of love. (16a) Then she reveals the problem. (2:16b)
    • A shepherd would never graze his sheep among the lilies.
      • Solomon is looking for a wife outside of the city and outside of the rich and beautiful palace. He is looking for a wife in the country.
      • She is concerned about the big difference in their lifestyles. As the shepherd of the nation he is going to be very busy with life at court.
        • How is she going to fit it with his lifestyle?
        • How much time will he have for her when he is responsible for feeding a whole nation?
  • This same problem resurfaces later after they were married.
  • After their walk in the mountains, Solomon had other business to attend to. Therefore he did not come to Lebanon only to see her.
    • She requests that he return to see her that evening after his other business dealings on the other side of the mountains, and before he returns to Jerusalem. (2:17)
    • She tells him to hurry back. The “young hart” is a gazelle noted for its speed.
    • The word “Bether” is not a geographical name but means = mountains of division or separation.
• Song 3:1-5 A Dream on Love Refused: Counting the Cost
  • Shulamith: “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.” (3:1)
    • Meanwhile, living at home in Lebanon she has a recurrent dream.
    • With his busy lifestyle and being the king of the nation, probably she would not see him very much.
  • “I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.” (3:2)
    • Notice that in the dream she is not in the country but in the city.
    • In her dream she looks for him but can’t find him in the city streets.
  • “The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” (3:3)
    • She asks the palace guards if they had seen him.
    • Finally she finds him.
  • “It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.” (3:4)
    • In her dream, when she found him, she immediately took him to her home.
    • That was the most secure place for her.
    • If she could marry him and live in the country where she feels secure, she would be happy. But considering who he is, that is impossible.
    • She must decide what is more important to her, living in the country or living in a love-relationship with Solomon.
  • Shulamith: “I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.” (3:5)
    • Here again is the warning Shulamith gives to the women in the chorus.
    • Don’t be like the animals of the field. Don’t awaken love before it’s time. .
• Theme #1: Marital Relationship
  • Solomon’s robust activity “leaping on the mountains” and “skipping on the hills” refers to the energy and sexual virility of his youth. (2:8)
  • Solomon has a pet name for her which is “dove” that reflects her innocence. (2:14)
  • It is the responsibility of the woman to express to her future husband when there are little problems of incompatibility in their relationship. (2:15)
    • If she does not express them before marriage, they may never get solved.
    • This is the reason it is a good idea to get to know well the compatibility of the person you are going to marry so that you reveal and deal with the little foxes before they can spoil your relationship.
    • Not only do you discover the little foxes before marriage, but you also discover how you will be able to work together to solve both small and big problems.
  • Notice that during this visit to her home, Solomon does not bring her expensive gifts or take her to expensive places.
    • You would think a very wealthy man like Solomon would have done that.
    • Instead of spending a lot of money on courtship, the important aspect is to get to know each other by spending time together doing simple, inexpensive things.
  • After the dream sequence, the warning against arousing sexual passion before marriage is important. (3:5) Why?
    • When you arouse sexual passions before marriage you don’t discuss the other issues that come up about your compatibility one with the other.
    • Even though they may be “little foxes”, they can grow to bigger problems after marriage.
  • Count the cost of marriage: Some things to know about the other person before you marry: [From Solomon on Sex by Dillow]
    • =1= What is their relationship with Jesus Christ? (2Cor 6:14) Don’t be unequally yoked.
    • =2= Does the person make you feel unconditionally accepted? (1Cor 13:4-7)
    • =3= How does the person respond when hurt? (1Pet 3:9)
    • =4= What are the person’s priorities in life regarding family and job? (Deu 24:5)
    • =5= Is this person financially responsible? (Luk 16:11)
    • =6= Is this person committed to God’s perspective on sex? (Song 2:7; 3:5; 8:4)
    • =7= Is this person submissive to constituted authority? (Eph 5:21-22)
  • For women to ask: (From Solomon on Sex by Dillow)
    • =1= Has he demonstrated that he has died to selfishness? (Eph 5:25 Mar 8:34-35)
    • =2= Does he set a spiritual example? (Mar 10:45 Joh 20:21)
    • =3= Does he express a desire to protect you from danger and/or difficulties? (Song 1:7 Rom 7:2)
    • =4= Is he able to provide for a future family? (1Tim 5:8 Gen 2:24 Gen 3:19)
    • =5= Does he assume leadership responsibility in your relationship? (Song 1:7 1Tim 3:4-5)
    • =6= Does he demonstrate sympathetic understanding? (1Pet 3:7)
    • =7= Does he give you honor? (1Pet 3:7)
    • =8= Does he cherish you? (Eph 5:29)
    • =9= Does he demonstrate concerned involvement with your problems? (Mat 11:28 Eph 5:27)
    • =10= Is he at ease demonstrating romantic love? (Song 4)
  • Questions for men to ask: (From Solomon on Sex by Dillow)
    • =1= Will she make a good mother to your children?
    • =2= Does she seem to respect you?
    • =3= Is she willing to find her primary identity as your wife and mother of your children?
    • =4= Does she have a free and healthy attitude toward sex?
    • =5= Can she find joy in accommodating her lifestyle to yours? (Pro 31:11-31)
    • =6= Is she industrious and a self-motivator?
• Theme #2: God and Israel:
  • Read Eze 34:2-11
  • God’s concept of the king as the shepherd of the nation included:
    • Protection
    • Provision
  • God promised both protection and provision for Israel, His wife.
    • Symbolism of the fig tree (2:13) = the fig tree represented the leadership of the nation of Israel. (Hos 9:10)
    • Jesus cursed the fig tree in Mat 21:19.
    • Symbolism of the vineyard (2:13) = the vineyard represented the nation of Israel.
    • Read Isa 5:1-7
• Theme #3: Christ and the Church:
  • The passage gives us an illustration of the second coming of Christ.
    • Christ will return for his bride at the rapture of the church.
    • Christ comes quickly with a shout as Solomon came quickly inviting her to come away with him. (2:10)
    • The church is invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Rev 19:9)
  • However, the church must keep walking in faith to not let little things spoil our relationship with the Lord.
    • The foxes that spoil the vines:
    • These represent the character qualities and practices that believers display in their lives.
    • These are the things that spoil our relationship with Christ and/or they spoil the fruit of the Spirit in Gal 5:19-23
      • An unteachable spirit.
      • Neglect of our prayer life.
      • Neglect of reading the Word of God.
      • Disobedience to revealed truth.
      • Cares of the world.
      • Sin, etc.
  • Just as Shulamith needed to count the cost of what a marriage to the King would mean in her life in regards to a change in lifestyle, the believer in Jesus Christ is supposed to count the cost of being Jesus’ disciple.
    • Read Luk 9:57-62 Read Luk 14:25-33
    • In the believer’s relationship with Christ, we may love Him truly but not totally. We often let the little distractions of life keep us from being His totally. (1Joh 2:15 Love not the world) (Jam 4:4 Friendship of the world is enmity with God)
    • Christ’s church is hidden in the clefts of the rock for protection. (14)
    • Jesus likened our relationship to him as the vine and the branches of a vineyard in Joh 10:5-11.
      • Even though little foxes may spoil our relationship with Christ, our eternal position with God is securely assured in Jesus Christ. (2:16a).
      • Even in the midst of dark problems we may feel alone and separated from Christ and think that is our current reality. However, He is always found to be close by us. We only need to seek Him. (3:4)

Homework

Song of Solomon 3:6-5:1

• Application of Song 2:8-3:5
  • In your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, what specific things in your life keep you from having a very intimate relationship with Him in prayer and in reading the Word?
  • Because He is more eager to hear from us than we are to hear from Him, what will you do to remedy your situation?
• Preparation for Song 3:6-5:1
  • Read Song 3:6-11 Wedding Procession
    • Read Isa 61:9-11 When in Israel’s history is the fulfillment of this prophecy?
  • Read Song 4:1-5:1 Wedding Night
    • Read Eph 5:23-27 Find one verse in Songs 4:1-5:1 that is echoed in Eph 5:23-27 and explain how it is related.
• Memory Verse: Song 4:7