His Banner over me is Love! - Christ's Delight in His People!

In the fields of Solomon(1v16b-2v6).

The Shulamite and Solomon are in the open-air. We know this because of the language of vs 16,17: "Our bed is verdent. "The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs".

The beauty of nature around them inspires their thoughts and provides them with metaphors applied to one another. The use of flower-names in loving conversation is not uncommon and is most expressive for attractiveness both of smell and beauty: "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys'.

If we follow the rendering of the NIV the above words have perhaps been erroneously applied to the beloved and thereby to Christ but the words are that of the Shulamite. Solomon described her as 'beautiful'(v15) but she says 'I am a rose of Sharon'. Sharon is a spacious and fertile plain of arable land, extending from Caesarea to Joppa. The 'rose of Sharon' is not a 'rose' as we understand it but perhaps a bulbous plant related to the Syrian Mountain tulip. Olyott suggests that it is 'a sweet-scented narcissus' or 'a crimson anemone'.

'I am..a lily of the valleys” Equivalent to perhaps what we would call a hyacinth. In effect, the Shulamite says 'you call me beautiful but I am compared to you, a wild and common flower of the plain'. Her language is self-depriciatory. She thinks of herself as wild, common and ordinary. As just one flower among many!

He responds to her by saying: "Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens". He says to her 'If you are a wild flower, then you are the most beautiful of them all! You are a lily among thorns!

Application:

Love is often blind to defects. That can be dangerous in human

relations but when there is a deliberate resolve to ignore the defects

and to go on loving then such love is to be admired. Here again we are reminded that Christ loves us inspite of the defects. We are to Him as

a 'lily among thorns', growing in a world of sin and evil and yet not

being choked but standing out and flourishing!

This love is further highlighted in the verses that remain.

1. In the banqueting hall of love(vs 3-7).

"He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love".

The 'banquet hall' is a 'house of wine', of feasting, of refreshment, of

joy. The language may be figurative here, referring to 'the house of

love' though the Jewish historian Josephus informs us that Solomon had

"a most glorious dining room, for feastings..full of gold and such other

furniture as so fine a room ought to have..and where all the vessels are

made of gold". It may of course be simply a 'panoply'(marquee), set up

in the open-fields.

A 'banner' was an 'emblem of ownership'. To be under the banner of

someone was to be under their protection. The owner of the banner

promises to protect the interests of the one taking refuge whenever

necessary(c/f The markings of a passport which guarantees protection to

its citizens).

The Shulamite therefore senses herself under the protection of Solomon.

Secured in his love.

(i). The protectiveness of love:

"Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest..'

The words 'apple tree' would probably better translated 'citron'. It

is a beautiful evergreen, growing to a considerable size. It has a deep

green leafy foliage providing delightful shade as well as refreshing

aromatic fruit.

To the Shulamite, Solomon was like a noble tree, strong, rich and

ornamental in whom she found shelter, rest and comfort.

How different now is her attitude to that of 1v5,6 where she was almost

afraid of entering into Solomon's presence for fear that her marred and

swarthy appearence would repel him. Now, having realised that Solomon

loved her regardless of her marred complexion, she is confident

"Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am

faint with love. His left arm is under my head, and his right

arm embraces me".

Perhaps her references to 'raisins' and 'apples' are due to the fact

that such adorned the table in the hall. She shows by her analogy that she not only wants to be secure in His love but nourished by him. This

is the language of dependency. He is supporting her and sustaining her

- feeding, supporting, embracing(Heb: 'to enfold' or 'carress').

Application:

When two people enter upon marriage we took vows to love, honour, obey,

endow(c/f Eph 5v25-29). God does not take very kindly any abbrogation

of that duty on our part :

'For the LORD God of Israel says that he hates divorce'(Mal 2v16).

What is ture in the natural realm is also true in the spiritual. God

will not be unfaithful to His people. Christ will never divorce His

bride. The Christian can be secure of Christ's love to him. He can

expect to be honoured, protected, sustained and supported by God(c/f Rom

8v35-39). His 'banner' over us is 'love'. 'This banner rallies around

us all the forces of Omnipotence"(Fausset).

(ii). The purity of love:

"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by

the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until it

so desires"(c/f 3v5;8v4).

These words are a refrain throughout the book and as such proves to be a

key-verse in the understanding of true love between man and woman.

'Gazelles..does of the field' are wild but timid animals which flee

when approached. Even the sound of rustling leaves may be enougth to

startle such an animal. If a hunter wants to capture such an animal he

must be careful not to arouse their suspicion or he will frighten them

off.In the same way the Shulamite counsels these 'daughters of

Jerusalem' that they must be careful not to arouse love when the time is

not right. Such arousal only ends in failure and disappointement.

"Love is a very tender commodity, and easily harmed. It must

awaken itself, and at its own speed, and must not be fanned up

by others"(Olyott).

Love is more that a mere emotional feeling aroused by passion and desire

in external beauty. That kind of emotion('eros') is very powerful but

if that is all our love is it is so 'artificial'. It takes delight not

in the lover as a person but as an object upon which the emotion is

satisfied. Such artificial love is unworthy of the Christian. It is

selfish and lustful and must be avoided at all cost without(c/f Prov

6v20-34) and within marriage:

"Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept

pure"(Heb 13v4).

This then is a timely and practical reminder to us to guard ourselves

from strong temptations to satisfy the lusts of the flesh and flee from

them(2 Tim 2v22;Gal 5v17). In days when we are bombarded with

pornography, and humanistic and hedonistic attitudes concerning sex we

must respond by refusing to be controlled by our passions.

The point the Shulamite is making here is that love is something we can

and must control. No one needs to helplessly 'fall in love'. We must

exercise great caution and only give our love to another carefully.

Don't hand it out in a moment. Don't distribute it freely. Once given

it cannot be easily controled.

Love is a splendid thing! Let us learn to look specifically for a

potential friend as well as a lover. When compatibility is missing in

a relationship, passion alone will never preserve that relationship.

Above all let us learn how to love as God loves, sacrificially,

sincerely, yes and even sacredly.

2. The sight of Solomon(2v8,9).

Verse 8 is the beginning of a new Caniticle. Again the Shulamite is

reminiscing. She is recalling Solomon's visit to her, after an absence

caused by the winter(v11). Spring has arrived , she sees him hastening

toward her home, hurtling down the hillside, leaping over walls, like a

graceful Gazelle or a young stag(v9). She sees him 'standing' by the

'wall', then again 'gazing through the windows and peering through the

lattice"(v9), demonstrating the intensity and insatiableness of his

love.

The sight of Solomon after a long winter thrilled this lady. So a sight

of Christ after a winter of discontent for our soul should thrill us!

3. The voice of Solomon(2v10-14).

Solomon calls beseeching her to come out of the house so that he can see

her face again and hear her voice! He desires that she might

'arise..and come' away with him. It is the season of love:

"In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to the thoughts

of love"(Alfred, Lord Tenyson).

He says in effect, 'The winter is past. This is spring, a time of

renewal and vitality. A time of refreshing and replenishing, a time for

love. All nature is responsive to the signs of summer; will you not, my

love, be responsive to me?'1.

4. Love's Interuption(2v15-3v5).

The Shulamite's brother's interject(see NKJV):

"Catch for us the foxes1, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards

our vineyards that are in bloom".

The Shulamite is torn between her love to Solomon and her loyalty to her

family. What should she choose? Her family may make claim to her

prior attention after all spring is also the time for work. Is she to

follow her head or her heart?

Yet their love is about to burst into fruition and nothing must be

allowed to hinder it for just as 'foxes' may ruin vineyards as they

bloom(1v6) so a love might be ruined by unexpected intrusion on the part

of people or circumstances.

(i). Her choice.

It appears that she follows her head! She takes comfort in the thought

that her 'lover is mine and I am his'(v16). She knows where he may be

found-'among the lilies', but she dismisses him and busies herself at

home promising her love at a later date. In doing this she makes a

terrible mistake. The rugged hills' or 'the hills of Bether' become for

her literally 'the hills of separation', so when the 'day breaks' and

the 'shadows flee', to her distress, Solomon does not return.

Application:

Many times choices have to be made between our love and our labour.

These are not easy choices to make. Yet in making such choices we must

ask ourselves, is my relationship with those I love suffering because of

the sheer volume of my labour? Am I allowing my labour to come between

me and my wife, my family, my Lord? It is a question of what takes

precedence? Demands are very real and very great in the modern world.

If a man will not work he should not eat! Yet, workaholics do exist and

much uneccesary labour is done by those who should take time out!

When it comes to our relationship with the Lord we must remember that

God is a jealous God, He will never accept a divided heart. No rival

may participate in the affection due to Him alone:

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy

of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not

worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever

loses his life for my sake will find it"(Mtt 10v37-39).

"Let us use the world, but love the Lord"(Thomas Adams).

"A godly man prefers grace before goods, and wisdom before the world"(Richard Bernard).

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1. 'doves'(v14) is a reference ot a rock-pigeon which chooses to hide itself in the clefts of high

cliffs or deep ravines(Jer 48v28). Some have suggested that as a migratory bird, the sound of its

'cooing' was yet another indication that spring had arrived.

2. 'foxes' are possibly equivalent to what we know as jackals which often burrow in holes in hedges

and feed on grapes.

(ii). Her distress.

Most commentators take this as a desription of a dream. She has been

preoccupied with Solomon all her waking hours, it is natural that she

should dream of him because she was distressed at his failure to return.

In her dream she is looking for Solomon but cannot find him. She gets

up to go and look for him but unsuccessfully. She asks the city

watchmen on night duty(c/f 5v7;Is 21v6-8,11,12) but they cannot help

her. Then she sees him :

"I found the one my heart loves. I held Him and would not let

Him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room

of the one who conceived me"1(3v4).

The intensity of her love is obvious. She cleaves to Solomon, she would

not be separated again!

Again we hear the refrain :

"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by

the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until it

so desires"(c/f 3v5;8v4).

"She had known what it meant for love to be unsatisfied. Separation had

caused her untold pain and measureless grief. It had only found its

satisfaction in the presence of the lover. The previously broken heart

now welled up with measureless joy. Love is prone to extremes of

feeling, and for this reason must be handled with the utmost care. This

is why it should not be aroused before the proper time"(Olyott).

Application:

Love creates a perpetual dread lest the loved one should be lost(i.e.

like fearing the death of a partner). This in turn leads to a desire to

preserve and protect the relationship to the best of our ability. This

is true in the spiritual as well as the natural realm. We who know

Christ dread nothing more than losing Him! It is only as we fear that

loss that we are safe. To fear loosing Christ will keep us sensitive

and watchful!

Yet when we are conscious that He has withdrawn where shall we find Him

again? 'Where we lost Him'(Spurgeon). Christian in Pilgrim's Progress

was told 'look for a thing where you dropped it, it is there!"(p. 46-

49). If we lost Him by neglecting private prayer, it is in prayer that

we shall find Him again. If we lost Him because of unconfessed sins, we

shall find Him as we confess and repent of those sins.

And let us remember when He returns to us again, we must hold on to what

we have :

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1. Their houses are often large and spacious, frequently serving a whole family. Their beds would be

separated by veils. There is therefore nothing which need suggest immorality in this statement.

"We are cautioned when we are full lest we forget God(c/f Dt 32v

15). Noah, who had seen the whole world drowned in water, was no

sooner safe on shore, and in the enjoyment of plenty, than he

forgot God and drowned himself in wine"(Gurnall).

The best antidote to backsliding is fear of backsliding. We will not

lose Christ if we fear to lose Him!

"I lift my heart to Thee,

Saviour divine;

For Thou art all to me,

And I am Thine.

Is there on earth a closer bond than this,

That my Beloved's mine and I am His?

"I pray Thee Saviour, keep

Me in Thy love,

Until death's holy sleep

Shall me remove

To that fair realm where, sin and sorrow o'er,

Thou and Thine own are one for evermore"

(Charles Edward Mudie).

His Banner over me is Love! - Christ's Delight in His People!

Song of Songs 1:6-3:5