Overtures of Grace
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15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Song of Solomon 1:1–4 (ESV)
1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s. 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; 3 your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. 4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
Introduction
The Song of Solomon is an amazing book. It is a series of songs or romantic poems that express the love between a man and a woman which leads to their wedding and their life together. It also personifies the love of Christ for his people and their love for him.
1. The Prologue v1
1. The Prologue v1
1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.
a. Author and Date
a. Author and Date
The author is Solomon, he is mentioned seven times in the book.
5 I am very dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
7 Behold, it is the litter of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men, some of the mighty men of Israel,
9 King Solomon made himself a carriage from the wood of Lebanon.
11 Go out, O daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. 12 My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Megilloth
MEGILLOTH The collective name of the five “scrolls”—Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther—in the closing section of the Hebrew Bible, the “Writings.”
Written about 970/60 BC
b. Characters
b. Characters
Two main characters, Solomon and the Shulamite we do not have much information about her but it would appear that she was a native of Shunem village near the plain of Megiddo just north of Jezreel.
8 One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way. 10 Let us make a small room on the roof with walls and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there.”
Two other groups are mentioned ‘The daughters of Jerusalem’ or friends of the Shulamite and the watchmen, security patrols in Jerusalem.
c. Song of Songs
c. Song of Songs
32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.
d. Interpretation
d. Interpretation
There are three main forms of interpretation.
Allegorical
Naturalistic
Typical
Allegorical
This treats the book as being entirely figurative with no historical basis. It does not recall events that actually take place but sees them simply as pictures of something else.
Naturalistic
This interpretation sees it only as a poem about the wonder of human love and the importance of marriage. There is no mention of it in any way referring to Jesus Christ and believers.
Typical
This view accepts that it is a clear description of the love shown between Solomon and the Shulamite taking their experience and seeing how it leads us to deep spiritual truths. This is the most tenable view.
“The songs should be treated then, first as simple and yet sublime songs of human affection. When they are thus understood, reverently the thoughts may be lifted into the higher value of setting forth the joys of the communion between the spirit of man and the Spirit of God, and ultimately between the Church and Christ.” Dr G. Campbell Morgan
The Jews revered it as uniquely sublime, and sang portions of it on each day of their first and greatest national festival, the eight days of Passover and unleavened bread. To them Proverbs was like the outer court of the temple, Ecclesiastes like the holy place, but the Song of Solomon as the holy of holies. Olyott, S. (1983). A Life Worth Living and a Lord Worth Loving(p. 73). Evangelical Press.
We must be careful in our interpretation of it, let it speak to us rather than impose our ideas and culture upon it.
2. Stirrings v2
2. Stirrings v2
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine;
a. Kisses v2a
a. Kisses v2a
There are deep stirrings in depths of being. It is not lust but the beginnings of a desire for Solomon. It includes physical desire and intimacy but there is much more. Today we often associate kissing with loose infatuation or sensual desire. In the Bible it is an expression of pure and deep love, though it has several other meanings, too: an expression of affection, a pledge of peace, a token of reconciliation and a sign of acceptance.
b. Love v2b
b. Love v2b
The desire for his love is far greater than any other desire.
“Love is all-inclusive. When you love, every part of you is involved. You cannot love in sections of your personality; love is always totalitarian in its demands and responses.” The Final Perseverance of the Saints, 185 David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
3. His Person v3
3. His Person v3
3 your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you.
3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Mary, Martha’s sister - worth nearly a years wages
a. Name
a. Name
The name is that which describes the person.
b. Object of Love
b. Object of Love
Why do not others see him as she does or she understands why they do.
3. Draw Me v4a
3. Draw Me v4a
4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
She wants to be where he is to be part of his household.
4. Praise v4b
4. Praise v4b
4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
She shares her thoughts with others and they delight in her.
We turn now to what we see of Christ’s love for us
5. Stirrings
5. Stirrings
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine;
Charles Wesley ‘21 May 1738 was Pentecost Sunday…[and] the day of Charles Wesley’s conversion.’ Charles said he felt the Spirit of God striving with his spirit ‘till by degrees He chased away the darkness of my unbelief. I found myself convinced…I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ.’
John Wesley 24 May 1738 "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."
a. Kisses
a. Kisses
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Luke 7:44–48 (ESV)
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
b. Love
b. Love
Ephesians 2:4–5 (ESV)
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
19 We love because he first loved us.
6. His Person v3
6. His Person v3
3 your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you.
a. Fragrance
a. Fragrance
2 Corinthians 2:14–15 (ESV)
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
b. Name
b. Name
The name is that which describes the person.
Philippians 2:9–11 (ESV)
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
c. Object of Love
c. Object of Love
Why do not others see him as she does or she understands why they do.
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
7. Draw Me v4a
7. Draw Me v4a
Song of Solomon 1:4 (ESV)
4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
She wants to be where he is to be part of his household.
Romans 8:29–30 (ESV)
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
8. Praise v4b
8. Praise v4b
Song of Solomon 1:4 (ESV)
4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
1 Peter 1:8 (ESV)
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
Conclusion
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.