The Song of Solomon 8
THIS closing chapter stands alone, but the theme is still, Christ as the Bridegroom; and the poor, outcast Jews as the bride, who will put their trust in Him in the interval between what is foretold in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17), and in Matthew 24:27-4427For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:27‑44).
Chapter 7 ends with the Bridegroom and the bride together in the glory and blessing of the Millennium.
Chapter 8 goes to the beginning of this action of divine grace to complete the story.
Before chapter 1, in order of time, stands verse 1 of chapter 8. There will be a longing on the part of the redeemed to know their Redeemer and King, to have Him with them. They have learned of His love, have seen His power on their behalf, and would lavish their love upon Him to whom they owe every blessing.
If He were as a brother! Now in infinite grace He will take that very place with them. (See Psalm 22:2222I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. (Psalm 22:22); Matthew 12:46-5046While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46‑50); Matthew 25:4040And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:40), and Joseph’s dealings with his brethren (Genesis 42- ,15) which foreshadow Christ’s dealings with His earthly brethren).
The “mother” spoken of in verses 1, 2, 5, as in chapter 1:6, and chapter 3:4, 11, is Israel. Verse 4 gives the Bridegroom’s voice, and “he”, at the end, is properly read “she.” He desires that the objects of His love and grace shall rest in the enjoyment of His gifts. This we have seen in chapters 2:7, and 3:5.
In the fifth verse our spiritual gaze is directed toward the bride. “Who is this?” is asked, to occupy our minds with the amazing change which divine love has brought about. What hath God wrought! as Balaam truly said in Numbers 23:2323Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! (Numbers 23:23) of Israel’s yet future glory. Behold then the bride, the earthly bride (for the Church, the heavenly bride of Christ, is entirely distinct), coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved! The wilderness scenes and experiences will then be forever behind, but memories of grace and mercy amid her failure, sin and coldness of heart will remain. And thus the day of Millennial glory dawns on this earth.
I, says the Beloved, I awoke thee under the apple tree (properly we believe citron tree, as noted in connection with chapter 2:3); there thy mother (Israel) brought thee forth. The natural birth is not enough; new life must be received from the Life Giver. (John 5:24, 2524Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:24‑25); Ephesians 2:11And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)).
Verse 6 begins the bride’s response with which this lovely little book draws to its close. She desires that she may be set in tokens of His love and His power as a seal upon the Bridegroom-King’s heart and His mighty arm, there to abide. Thoughts of His love, proved strong as death, unquenchable by many waters fill her heart. What songs of praise will well up from grateful, adoring hearts!
The bride has a “little sister” (verse 8); this is evidently Ephraim, —the ten tribes lost to our sight since 2 Kings 17, but to be brought back, as Hosea 1:10, 1110Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. 11Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel. (Hosea 1:10‑11); Zechariah 10:7-127And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. 8I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. 10I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. 11And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord. (Zechariah 10:7‑12), and other scriptures foretell. These other Israelites have never known what the Jews have experienced; Christ’s earthly ministry was unknown to them; they had no part in His crucifixion, and only after His return in glory, and delivering the sorely tried remnant of believing Jews, will the long hidden ten tribes return to the land of Israel.
So the bride will instruct and build up her sister (verse 9). She herself is strong, through the grace of God, and well favored (verse 10); “then was I in His eyes as one that findeth peace” (see the marginal note).
Solomon and his vineyard (verse 11) are figures of speech; it is the Lord Jesus and the whole earth that are in view. All will then bring to Him His due—the converse of Matthew 21:33-4133Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. (Matthew 21:33‑41).
The Bridegroom speaks in verse 13 to His bride. All the world will be looking toward Jerusalem, but He says, “Let Me hear thy voice.”
Blessed Lord, Thou shalt hear our praises in the endless ages of eternity, the voices of the redeemed will never weary of Thy praise.
Verse 14 fitly closes this Song of Songs with a call to the Beloved to hasten, to come with all speed. So does the last book of the Bible close: “Surely, I come quickly;” “even so come, Lord Jesus!”
This Song is for the future earthly bride, but how much there is in it that fits the saints of God today. It speaks of a heart affection for the Lord, of desire toward Him. May this be deepened in our hearts!
ML 03/12/1933