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SOS 1:1-2 Christ and His Bride

Preached: October 18, 1978 by James R. Reynolds, Sr.

Encouragement to Make Notes

I trust that you have brought a paper and pencil with you. I would not expect you to retain all that we are going to be saying or all that we are going to be putting on the board. But if you can at least put down what we have put on the board, it will help you to remember. Many of the thoughts you will be able to recall, the Spirit will be able to bring them back to your mind.

And Not only what we say, but what the Spirit will say. You jot the things down. Alot of the times the Spirit of of the Lord will help me to say things while I"m preaching to say things I had no intention of saying. And then many times the Spirit will reveal something to you as an individual the preacher didn't even say.

If you don't write it down, I find, that usually you forget it.

Reading of the Text

Song of Solomon chapter 1 verses one and two.

Song of Solomon 1:1-2 — The song of songs, which is Solomon's. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine

I. The Earthly Setting of the Song

We gave you a bit of background material last time in relation to the book. Now I want to give you an overall view of the book.

This is a song that is actually a compilation of 5 songs. The lesson contained concerns Christ and his Bride. Although this story has an earthly setting including King Solomon of Israel, the meaning of the song goes far beyond that earthly setting.

THE KING There is the king, Solomon, who is sitting and reigning on the throne who is an heir to wealth, success and all that goes along with the kingdom.

THE MAIDEN King Solomon sees among all the other young maidens in the kingdom, a young woman that is just the delight of his eyes. She stands out from all the rest. Throughout the story, we the king making overtures to this young maiden trying to attract and draw her to himself, but she has none of it. She is not seduced by his position, popularity or propserity.

THE SHEPHERD All the attentions the king spends upon her does not get her attention because she has a single eye for one shepherd boy that is out on the hillside, and she loves him beyond anything that Solomon can offer to her as king. SOS 1:7;

  • Some believe that is the little lady that they took and brought into David when we was an old man and dying to keep him warm (1 Kings 1:1-4)
  • NOTE: According to many historians, Solomon’s women could have just as well numbered seven wives and three concubines as 700 and 300 respectively. (1 Kings 11:1)
  • King Solomon has the privilege to seduce any young maiden that he desires by his riches, by his success by his position as king, and he has chosen to seduce her. Solomon could not attract the attention of this maiden away from the shepherd. (1 Peter 2:25)

THE CONFLICT Solomon, as king, drew the attention of Israel away from God. They needed to have a singleness of eye for the Lord. (Acts 2:46; Ephesians 6:5;Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; 1 Samuel 8:5-9; Hosea 13:11; Psalm 106:15) The wealth and prosperity, success of Solomon as king, speaks of the world. (1 Kings 10:14; 2 Chronicles 9:13; Revelation 13:18)

Solomon as the king in this song reigning on the throne with all of his riches and finery of life speaks of the world and all it’s riches making it’s appeal for the soul, drawing, attracting and seducing. The shepherd boy speaks of the One that is the Shepherd of the soul. The Shephered offers not the trinkets of the world, but Himself. Only in Jesus can we be totally satisfied.

All the material wealth of the king does not appeal to the young maiden.

She has a satisfied, but dissatisfied feeling. She had just enough to want more. She has been near him but not near enough to satisfy her.

In this study we are not speaking of earthly things, but of Heavenly things—of Christ and His Bride.

II. This is a Song

  • Song of Songs Song of Solomon is five songs compiled into one.

I Kings 4:32 — And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five

  • Out the thousand and five we have but five. All the things that the LORD has wanted us to have have been preserved in the Bible. There is nothing lost that He wanted us to have, nor is there anything in the Bible that He didn’t want us to have.

1. The Author of the Song

“The Song of Songs which is Solomon’s”

a. The Heavenly Solomon is the Author

  • The earthly Solomon is the writer but not the author.
  • The name Solomon means Peaceful or Prince of Peace.
  • Solomon typifies the peaceful reign of Jesus in His millennial reign.

I Chronicles 28:3 — But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood

I Chronicles 22:9 — Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

David is a type of the Son that fought the great battle overthrowing the enemy. Solomon is a type of His returning as a ruling King reigning in peace. (Revelation 20:2-7; Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3; Hosea 2:18)

  • Jesus is the Prince of Peace because He gives us peace.
  • He has made a covenant with us also

    and it cannot and will not be broken

Matthew 24:35 — Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33)

Isaiah 9:6 — For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

We are talking about the One that has authored this book rather than the writer. The Song of Songs by the Heavenly Solomon expressing His feeling toward the little maiden and the expressions of that maiden’s feelings toward Him.

The intent of this song reaches beyond the human comprehension. It is not vulgar, but is beautiful. It is not a song of one who has been attracted to an earthly person, but one who has fallen in love with a heavenly Bridegroom.

2. The Greatest of Songs

The Song of Song’s which is Solomon's

Revelation 17:14 — These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Hebrews 9:3 — And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Nehemiah 9:6 — Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

II Corinthians 12:2 — I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

  • FIRST HEAVEN: The Atmosphere is called Heaven.
  • SECOND HEAVEN: The Outerspace is called the Heavens.
  • THIRD HEAVEN: God’s throne is called Heaven of heavens.

As there is a place above all other places, this is a song that is above all other songs. This song is not just an expression of human feeling, but is the expression of the Eternal Son in relationship to those who love Him and He is calling them to Himself.

3. The Ineffable Song

The ineffable song because its expressions are almost unspeakable and uncomprehendable. This is a song that will not be understood by you if you only hear with the natural hearing.

  1. It takes Revelation of the Spirit of God
  2. It takes Illumination of the Spirit of God
  3. It takes Inspiration of the Spirit of God

II Timothy 3:16 — All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

“Joy unspeakable and full of glory.” [song].

I Kings 10:7 — Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Surely when he see Him with all the expressions of men combined, still the half will not have been told. He is unspeakable! The Song is so vast and is a well with no end.

Ephesians 2:7 — That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

4. The Pre-eminent Song

Pre-eminent not just because of the song itself, but because of whom the song is about. Christ is the hightest over all and so this song is the pre-eminent song being about Christ.

Isaiah 6:1 — In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple

Colossians 1:18 — And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

III. A Song of Love

This is a Love Song of Christ and His Bride

  • Divine The Bridegroom is Jesus and He is expressing Himself.
  • Maiden The Bride is in love with Jesus and His Word and she responds with true expressions.

1. A Love Song

This song is a deep expression of true love, real love. The words of the Bridegroom are revealed by the Spirit.

a. Let Him Kiss me

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth:

The Bride never mentions the name of the Bridegroom but describes Him as O thou whom my soul loveth or Her Beloved and the King

"Let Him" She has a singleness of eye and expects as she talks of Him who she loves, we will know whom she is talking about. I have no feeling for anyone else, but Him. Her eye is so single, she cannot see anyone else. She has one love and there is no other that has her attention. She is totally committed to Him.

The church of today is embracing the world and the world is putting kisses all over her. God will not embrace you while you embrace the world. God is a jealous God and He wants you for Himself — hands off to everyone else! He is the first, last and only in her heart.

b. Let Him kiss me

Her lover is absent and she has an inner longing for Him. The great love of the maiden and the expression of her desire. She would not be saying, "I wish He would kiss me" if he was right there.

The cry of the soul, is to be in His presence, to be near Him and feel His embrace in her sould. Though Jesus is absent from us yet He is near at hand.

(Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:33; 7:55-56; Eph. 1:20; Col.3:1; Mark 16:19; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2)

The touch of His presence totally satisfies our needs. Burdens? Trial? Pressure? Torment? Problems? He kisses away all our troubles and our problems. Get closer to Him so He can kiss you.

c. The kisses of His mouth

The love, in the song of her lover, expressed to her, in the fact that she so desired His kisses.(Psalm 2:12) We see the love of her lover in this song and not just her love for Him. Do you know what the kisses mean in the bible?

  1. The kiss of Reconciliation. Those that were separated from their family setting, when they came back they received a kiss and restores us into fellowship.

    2 Samuel 14

    33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

    Lu 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

    Lu 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

  2. Kiss of Acceptance. He accepts us as we accept Him.

  3. Kiss of an Expression of Real Love. The Spirit of God touching our lives, the Graces of God being made manifest in our hearts.

Song 1:2 ¶ Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth:

The expression of real love, real intimate feelings. Living and moving with Him in the Spirit.- a relm most do not understand.

Demands a close relationship to Him. To receive the kisses of the Lord you have got to be close. Nothing demands our attention as much as Jesus.

Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

"You don't love me like you use to!" The Lord is not in the place He use to be in His church, the world has caught her attention and taken His place.

There is an expression among some cultures to kiss their own hand. Do we want the kisses of the world and our own mouth or of His? IT’S NOT THE BRIDE IT IS THE BRIDEGROOM. Let us not be "kissing ourselves" but yearn for the kisses of the Bridegroom.

IV. The Song of Deep Love

Song of Solomon 1:2 — Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

1. The Tokens of His love — "better than wine"

The Wine is a Type of prosperity and of all desirable things

  • The many things that He shares
  • The many things that He gives.

Philippians 4:19 — But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2. The Excellence of His Love

In wine we have the expression of joy (Acts 2:13-18; Ephesians 5:18)

a. His love brings Joy

His love cheers us. His love strengthens us for coming trials and as His Bride. His love excels all Joy. (Ne 8:10)

b. His love brings Pleasure

Ps 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

c. His love brings Strength and Courage to be Bold

Wine may give a false sense of boldness, but His love gives REAL boldness and strength.

3. The Purpose of His Love

It is necessary for us to have His love that we may express real love.

1 John 4:19 — We love him, because he first loved us

(John 14:21,23) The more that He loves us, the more that we can love Him. How does He "love us more"? By close felloshwip, communion in His presence, walking in obedience. Until we come to that place of love for Him without reservation.

THIS IS NOT A NATURAL EXPERIENCE This is something you can only get by getting lost in His presence. A TIME IN THE SPIRIT WHERE FOOD LOOSES IT’S ATTRACTION AND TIME IS LOST. You are not watching your clock to see how long you prayed.

The Bride is calling out to Him, and there is a return call, He is calling out to her. She is not where she should be, and He is drawing and calling her. He is making overtures to her. Let us get our cup filled not with wine, but with His love.

Matthew 5:6 — They that hunger and thirst … [a craving in our heart]

Psalms 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

The Bride is going to thirst after Him. She is not going to thirst after all the things He could give, but Him — His love, His presence —are better than wine.

God wants to manifest Himself in us and through us in a measure that this old world has never seen before. How much of His presence do you have? If you have enough to be satisfied than you do not have enough—WE NEED MORE. Is all that we have a ‘church affair’? Are we only satisfying the natural and glorifying the flesh and not glorifying God?

Conclusion: DRAW NEAR TO HIM

Let Him develop His love in our hearts so that we can really love Him the way we ought to love Him.

If you got enought, you would not be satisfied. The more you get of Him, the more you will want.