Song of Solomon Chapter 7
The Beloved- Bridegroom
SS 7:1 How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, The work of the hands of a skillful workman.
She is dancing for him, as we saw at the end of Chptr. 6; it is the dance of Mahanaim! Dancing off her past!
This fits contextually with Solomon’s response to the daughters that alluded to her dancing and the fact that Solomon begins with her feet and shoes. The word feet translates the Hebrew pa’am, which Strong’s defines as “a stroke, literally or figuratively (in various applications, as follow)–anvil, corner, foot(-step)….” Often the term is translated to indicate feet in motion, which fits here and explains why he bothers to mention her shoes. (e.g., Psalm 17:5, 57:6, 85:13, 119:133) The Hebrew term translated ‘feet’ signifies step and foot, portraying her as dancing with her feet going back and forth.
Her thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman or talented craftsman.
The Bridegroom starts describing her body. As mentioned before nothing sexual here, all spiritual context.
SS 7:2 Your navel is a rounded goblet; It lacks no [a]blended beverage. Your waist is a heap of wheat Set about with lilies.
Her navel is like a round goblet, which wants not liquor. In other words, Solomon likens the interior shape of her navel to a goblet or drinking glass (i.e., she is an “innie”) that never runs dry. Similarly, just as her body is figuratively an unending intoxicating drink, her belly is to be likened to endless food, like a heap of wheat set about with lilies.
Navel- symbol of the source of life and creativity- symbol of birth and life.
SS 7:3 Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle.
Continuing upward from her belly, Solomon next describes her two breasts as being like two young roes that are twins. This is almost exactly how he described her breasts in 4:5. The comparison here is two young gazelles identical in appearance standing near one another. These are not only beautiful and graceful animals, but they are young and full of life.
Breasts are symbolic of beauty, motherhood, and vitality.
SS 7:4 Your neck is like an ivory tower, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon By the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon Which looks toward Damascus.
The imagery of a tower conveys strength and perhaps that her neck has a pleasant length and symmetry to it. The imagery of ivory probably conveys the elegance of being crafted from the finest materials, and this is similar to Shulamite’s earlier description of Solomon in terms of gold, gems and jewels, items that are finely crafted and artfully detailed by the great craftsman.
The nose and the eyes- Nose like the “wood of Lebanon” (3:9), “the smell of Lebanon”, the eyes –
Or the Bride to have her eyes compared to the fishpools in Heshbon would have brought to the ancient eastern mind thoughts of beauty, power, peace, and a heart to understand and build. Oh, that in our eyes our Lord might see beautiful spirits…peaceful spirits, but spirits with a passion to eagerly pursue wisdom and growth!
God looks on our spirit, our heart.
1 Sam. 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
Artist conception:
SS 7:5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, And the hair of your head is like purple; A king is held captive by your tresses.
The Shulamite’s head is upon her or crowns her like Mount Carmel, suggesting she is strong and tall. Her hair is like purple. Of course, this is a simile and the purple does not indicate the color of her hair but that her hair is like the royal curtains or tapestries, which traditionally were purple, finely crafted, lengthy and elegant.
SS 7:6 How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights!
The Bride is all delight to Him; her words, her actions and gestures, her comely countenance, her sweet and pleasant voice in prayer and praise, her ravishing looks of faith and love, her heavenly airs, and evangelic walk; in all which she appeared beautiful and delightful, beyond all human thought and expression.
Lyrics to God You are Beautiful
See Your beauty in the wind
See Your beauty in the rain
I feel Your Spirit move within
I feel Your passion in the pain
God You’re beautiful to me
God You’re beautiful
You can be my King
Lover of my soul
Cause You mean everything to me
Any song you sing to the Lord, He sings right back to you because You are in Him and He is in you.
Ex. Oh Son, you’re beautiful. Your face is all I see. And when My eyes are on you my child. My Grace abounds to you.
SS 7:7 This stature of yours is like a palm tree, And your breasts like its clusters.
SS 7: 8 I said, “I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of its branches.” Let now your breasts be like clusters of the vine, The fragrance of your [b]breath like apples,
SS 7:9 ab And the roof of your mouth like the best wine.
Solomon/ the Bridegroom quickly explains by likening her body to a palm tree, and her breasts to clusters of grapes that are ready to harvest. Solomon determines that he will go up to the palm tree and take hold of the boughs or branches with fruit on them. Her breasts shall be as clusters of grapes on the vine for Solomon’s pleasure, and the smell of her nose or breath like apples as he kisses her. And as he kisses her, the roof of her mouth will be like the best wine.
The Shulamite
SS 7:9 cd The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved,[c]Moving gently the [d]lips of sleepers.
Solomon/Bridegroom enjoyed sharing conversation with his bride because she created within him the desire to communicate to her his thoughts as well as hear her thoughts. God loves to hear you speak and it evokes within Him the desire to communicate His love back to you. You have a way of speaking God’s truths in a way that opens doors in the hearts of those who listen to you. This is your God given gift and when you exercise that gift, you are helping others to hear God’s voice.
SS 7:10 I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me.
Now with a single desire, she can enter into the harmony of Heaven and worship the Lord for who He is and find the satisfaction she was created for – her life merged into His life, to become the expression of His life in all the earth. May each of us enter into and experience all that she experienced, that we also might become the expression of His life at this present time. The call of the Lord is yet going out to the individual.
Proverbs 8:31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons (daughters)of men.
WE ARE THE EXPRESSION OF CHRIST’S/BRIDEGROOM’S LIFE RIGHT NOW!!
“I am my Beloved’s and His desire is toward me.” Song of Solomon 7:10
I have come from a salvation experience in which I had been satisfied to escape from God’s wrath ( really passion), into a relationship in which my life is sold out to Jesus. As I long for His fellowship, He can say to me: “Come, My beloved, let us go out into the field; let us stay in the villages. Let us rise up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flowers, whether the tender grape appears, and the pomegranates bud forth; there I will give you My loves.” SS 7:11-12
I will be sent, only after I have first come to Him. Now, as we commune together in the vineyard, I will find all that I have longed for – “There I will give you My loves.”
SS 7:11 Come, my beloved, Let us go forth to the field; Let us lodge in the villages.
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Summary-SCENE IX – Solomon Exposes His True Nature
Son 6:4 -7:10
Solomon makes one last ditch effort to impress her again with the goat and sheep analogy. But he shows his true colors in 6:8-9. “I have 60 wives, 80 mistresses and virgins without number just standing by. You are but one of them (undefiled). The Daughters of Jerusalem taunt her.
(6:4) You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
(6:5) Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me: your hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.
(6:6) Your teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, where every one bears twins, and there is not one barren among them.
(6:7) As a piece of a pomegranate are your temples within your locks.
(6:8) There are 60 queens, and 80 concubines, and virgins without number.
(6:9) My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yes, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.(6:10) Who is she that looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?(6:11) I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.
(6:12) Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.(6:13) Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon you. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
(7:1) How beautiful are your feet with shoes, O prince’s daughter! the joints of your thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman.
(7:2) Your navel is like a round goblet, which wants not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.
(7:3) Your two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.
(7:4) Your neck is as a tower of ivory; your eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: your nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looks toward Damascus.
(7:5) Your head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.
(7:6) How fair and how pleasant are you, O love, for delights!
(7:7) This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and your breasts to clusters of grapes.
(7:8) I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also your breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;
(7:9) And the roof of your mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goes down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
(7:10) I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.
You can just picture the Daughters of Jerusalem lounging around their chamber teasing her about the things the King says to her. Note Rev 7:9 says the great multitude will be clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands. (v. 7:8 above)
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SS 7:12 Let us get up early to the vineyards; Let us see if the vine has budded, Whether the grape blossoms are open, And the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.
Come, My beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give you My loves.” Song of Solomon 7:11-12
And now, we as His Bride, can respond, knowing we have found that for which we had been searching – our Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus
The time that we spend devotionally in His presence is of tremendous importance. Each day, we should come into our “set apart place” to worship Jesus, and with a thankful heart acknowledge His goodness concerning us. We should come into His presence in submission and dependence, as being a branch that is attached to the true vine (the Tree of Life, Jesus/Yeshua) and give expression in audible worship, as we partake of communion with Him, and then devotionally read and study His Word.
As we faithfully do this, day after day, an impartation (stirring up) of “Spirit” (His quickened presence) will flow into the depth of our being to build up our faith and provide us with the necessary “enabling grace” for obedience, so we can live and walk, closer to Jesus. Although we are as close as we can get. He’s in us. We just need to awake to that fact.
“The Lord God has given to me the tongue of taught ones, to know to aide the weary [by] a word, He awakes me morning by morning, He wakes for me an ear to hear as taught ones. The Lord God opened for me the ear, And I rebelled not — backward I moved not.” Isaiah 50:4-5 Young’s Literal Translation
It is essential that each day, we set apart time to be in His presence. Our attending gatherings should not be neglected, but this should never become a substitute for our devotional times alone with the Lord. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to them and also John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.” Luke 3:2. And John on the isle of Patmos received the Revelation of Jesus/Yeshua. Rev. 1
Revelation 1:1 – The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.
Revelation is the Greek word “apokalypsis” which means: revelation, unveiling, uncovering, or manifestation. It is important to note that if something needs to be revealed, then it is hidden.
Communion with Him reveals Jesus Christ/Yeshua Ha’ Masiach to you.
During Jesus time the program of the Church/Temple of that day was in full operation, but they did not have a hearing ear. Therefore, John the Baptist was called apart to be prepared to hear a present word.
“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:22
So, in communion we speak to the Lord, yes, but our main objective is to hear!
As a result of his being alone with the Lord, he came into a oneness with Jesus that could not have been accomplished in any other way. When John was asked who he was, his response testifies to this experience.
Come, My beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give you My loves.” Song of Solomon 7:11-12
We are either involved in “my own vineyard,” or, we are responding to the call of the Lord to enter with Him into His vineyard. The contrast between these two passages of Scripture indicates that a change in both perspective and relationship has taken place.
In the first instance, she seeks to satisfy “my mother’s children” (all those to whom she feels responsible). She is working for the Lord, but recognizes that something is missing and realizes that she has neglected her devotional life. She has been so busy that she did not take time to devotionally spend with the Lord.
In the second, Jesus has become first in her life experience and she is working in communion and cooperation with Him. As she develops spiritually, she is gaining understanding and realizes that previously, she only knew the Lord through that which she received from others. Now, she is able to come into His presence and enjoy the fruit of an intimate relationship with Him.
“Come… let us go forth.” We must first come before we can go. When we come short of this or we fail to respond to the prompting of the Lord, He will “chasten” us in order to bring a correction. This will result in our being better able to hear and respond to the Lord’s voice when He knocks on the door of our spirit.
These “practical disciplines” result from our desire and commitment to live with the “set” of our spirit being toward the Lord, and our continual response to His dealings. This is intended to lift us above all carnal desires and pulls to produce within us an increasing sensitivity to the voice of the Lord.
As we take up “our” cross, we are choosing to put the Lord first and maintain His abiding presence in our daily walk. This will greatly affect our personal comfort, as we die to our self-life. “To the victor will I give the privilege of sitting down beside Me on My throne, as I also have won the victory and have sat down beside My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21 Weymouth
What does taking up our cross really mean? Jesus took up the cross and endured until death so we wouldn’t have to.
So, the true meaning of taking up the cross is: It means you realize that You are already dead to self and you live by what Paul said, Gal. 2:20
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. KJ
But there is a price that must be paid if we are to come into the Lord’s best. We cannot “overcome” unless there is something to overcome. The reward for putting the Lord first is a “prize” that is beyond comparison.
“Jesus answered and said to him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.” John 14:23
This principle is beautifully pictured in the Song of Solomon, where the Lord expresses His desire to go into the places of ministry with His beloved, while enjoying an intimate relationship with her. Once we have tasted ministering with the Lord (let us go forth – together), we will never be satisfied with less.
Before the fall, the Lord walked with Adam in “the cool of the evening.” This was a special atmosphere which was conducive to intimacy in their relationship. When Adam transgressed he hid from the presence of the Lord. The first thing that the Lord did was to look for Adam. He called out to Adam and said, “Where are you?” The next thing he said was, “Who told you that you were naked?” Gen. 3:9, 11a
The Lord knew where Adam was, but He intensely desired the place of fellowship that He once had with him, and was seeking a confession, so this relationship could be restored. And to show Adam what the fall was all about, listening to yourself, or what the enemy said. Living by what you think, feel, hear and see.
We should not be found in the position where the Lord has to “look for us” in our busy schedule. We must fully understand and respond to His desire for our fellowship.
May this principle that we are to first “come” before there is any outworking of ministry, change our daily pattern of activity. If we will become quiet enough to listen, Jesus will be heard saying to us, “come,” that He might have those whom He can send.
Are you ready to accept this principle?
“If we will build the Lord a house of devotion, He will build us a house of ministry.”
All this begins with our response to the cry that comes from within the heart of the Lord, “Deep calls.”
I believe that the very Essence of Father’s nature is calling out, drawing us to Himself, searching for something inside us that RESONATES with His voice. Truth resonates within the spiritually hungry. There’s not much in modern ‘Churchianity’ that resonates; it is not really a ‘voice’, it is merely an echo. “Deep CALLETH unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.” (Psalms 42:7) Deep- the very depth of Who God is- is calling to the ‘depth’ within us.
That word translated as deep, bathos in Greek, means profundity, extent, MYSTERY. It seems that you don’t hear much about ‘mystery’ these days in Church. It’s just a little too ambiguous a term to use, too mystical, seems a bit scary, it’s too hard to fit into a neat package. I believe it’s time to “launch out into the MYSTERY.” Allow me a moment to look at a bit of what the Bible has to say about ‘mystery’. Firstly, I find it interesting that the very GOSPEL itself is referred to as a mystery; “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the MYSTERY of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:19)
Mysteries are being opened up to us through communion with Him. Jesus Christ revealing Himself to His people.
We are living in the time of the last days. The Lord will demonstrate through the present- day overcomers – those who have made this level of commitment, His life and power to this world.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
In the Body of Christ there is neither male nor female. We can all function as we are enabled by the Lord, totally irrespective of gender. Male and female become a type of our relationship to the Lord. As a “Bride,” I am dependent and become “One” with Jesus. As a “son,” I enter into a cooperative relationship with the Lord. I “rise above” the earthly as an “overcomer,” and His power – His very life begins to flow out through my life. I am then able to give expression to the life of the Lord, as my life becomes the witness of His life. As “ the Bride.”
We are approaching the last days, the time of the closing out of the Church Age and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom, which is the government of God ruling all mankind.
“And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” Matthew 25:10
Those who are prepared to enter with the Lord into the marriage feast, will be able to say in that day,
“And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy …and have made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelations 5:9-10
SS 7:13 The mandrakes give off a fragrance, And at our gates are pleasant fruits, All manner, new and old, Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.
Mandrakes
Mandrake (Mandragora officinaruim), nearly forgotten today, is one of the most famous plants known to humanity. For thousands of years, this plant was revered by many cultures, which ascribed to it mysterious qualities. Mandrake is mentioned in the Bible (Gen. 30:14-16) and its Biblical use is generally attributed to its aroma and fertility power. Remember, Rachel wanted Jacob to eat mandrakes because it was thought to aide desire or fertility. Rachel, barren till then, wanted them so she could conceive.
This speaks symbolically as the Seed of Christ in you.
I Peter 1:23, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through [by] the living and enduring word of God”
The Word of God in our heart grows and flourishes and brings us to maturity.
“You, however, are controlled not by the [flesh] but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9)
The Bride is speaking to Solomon and expressing her desire to bring him into the places of her past that impacted her the most. When you grasp the depth of God’s love for you, you want to take The King of Kings into every area of your life and you desire for Him to share in every experience that you have. He is truly your life.
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Discussion questions from C-7:
1. What is the significance of the narrator’s introduction of Shulamite in 6:10?
2.What can we glean from verses like 6:11 that present Shulamite initiating this experience with Solomon/Bridegroom?
Discussion question C-7.
3. What sorts of experiences must be abandoned or limited as the role of the Bride is embraced?
4.How is Solomon’s praise of Shulamite’s beauty qualitatively different in 7:1-7 than in earlier descriptions?
5. What do you think Shulamite means when she says she will show Solomon “pleasant fruits, new and old” that she has “laid up for” him? What are some ways you can store away some things “new and old” for your communion with the Lord, your Bridegroom.
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