Journal Through the Bible: Week 48 Tuesday

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A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 

Song of Solomon 4:12

Song of Solomon 3:6-5:16

Does God issue any commands?

• God does not speak.

Does God make any promises?

• God does not speak.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Using the imagery of Solomon's assessment of his beloved bride, the New Testament states in Ephesians 5 that Jesus loves the church as husbands ought to love their wives. Jesus gave himself for it that he might present it to himself without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish. The difference between Solomon's approval over his bride's beauty and Jesus' declaration of love for the people who make up His churches is that Solomon merely could admire his beloved's beauty but could not physically make her beautiful whereas Jesus makes His people beautiful by removing all of their spots, wrinkles, and blemishes that come as a result of their sin.
• Just as the bride knows that her beloved bridegroom is different from everyone else and is her one and only love, so do those who love Jesus know that He and He alone is their one true love, their hope of eternal happiness.
• The bride describes her husband as her beloved and as her friend. That is exactly what Jesus is to every Christian. He is my beloved and he is my friend.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• There is a time of longing described in this passage as well as a time of persecution (the bride describes being wounded by the watchmen). The bride grows fearful and weary while waiting for their reunion. Believers wait now for their faith to become sight but one day they will see their Beloved and never be separated from Him again. They will forever be with Emmanuel, God with us!