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Song of Songs
(Lexical Notes/Comments)
Chapter 8
Kale. "Her Divine Journey into the heart of Jesus is nearing an end. Grace has brought her safe thus far and grace will lead her home. What tenderness she has discovered, what tender response she has given to Him. Everything He has told her is now bearing fruit. The One who stretched Himself out on a Cross for her now stretches Himself out in fullness within her. She is learning to lean. The two are becoming One."
Nee. He titles 8: 1-4 “Groaning for Bodily Release.”
Verse 1. “Oh, that you were like my brother, Who nursed at my mother’s breasts!
If I should find you outside, I would kiss you; I would not be despised.” Lex. Lit. Origin. Origen saw this verse as the bride longing for Christ to be as close and familiar as a brother — desiring a love so natural and unashamed that it can be expressed even “in public.” The “mother” represents the heavenly Jerusalem. The “kiss” symbolizes spiritual communion with the Word of God without fear or reproach. “Outside” points to the manifestation of Christ in the world, where His love becomes known openly.
She seems to be embarrassed to show her affection for her beloved in public. I don’t understand this. We should not be embarrassed of Jesus in public. In Jewish society, it was improper to show affection in public except between family members.
Wesley. O that — The church here expresses her desire of a stricter union, and closer communion with Christ.
Nee. She wants to be totally released from the carnal man so she can be with Him. The inner man is renewed daily but the outer man perishes day by day. The body will wear out and die. Our body remains a thorn in our Spirit. The whole creation also groans. Ro. 8: 22-23. Public kissing even between Husband and Wife was a breach of decency. The only exception was between blood relatives, such as brother and sister.
Kale. Like a Brother. If he was a brother, she would be able to show affection in public. In the Middle Eastern culture, no public displays of affection. But she is so abandoned with love for Him, passionate love. Her love grows bold, overcoming fear of what others might think.
Bickle. She demonstrates her mature partnership with the King in her boldness and humility in public ministry (8:1-2).
Wurmbrand. He treats 8: 1-7 as a unit. The bride's friends ask, 'Who is this coming up from
the wilderness leaning upon her beloved?' Every 'coming out' from the wilderness is a
'coming up'. The wilderness is exhausting. You cannot come out of it
in your own strength, but only by leaning upon the Beloved. The literal translation is, 'her arm under his armpit' – an expression of great familiarity. She prays that she might keep his love: 'Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.' Men in the Orient sometimes wear, on their breast or on their arm, jewels with the portrait or the name of their bride engraved on them. She wants the Beloved to have such a jewel She would like to be a seal on his heart, so that nothing else might enter. The soul wants to know for certain that it will remain in God's love. The bride's prayer has been fulfilled. John's Gospel tells us that Jesus said on the Cross (tetelestai) — 'It is finished. ' In the New Testament all Jesus' words are translated, for he spoke in Aramaic. The word he must have actually used is kalah. It has two meanings. One is 'It has been accomplished' or ' It is finished'. The other is 'bride'. It is possible that his very last word before death was a loving sigh for his bride.
Love is as unrelenting as death. Just as death is impressed by nothing, and cannot be
bribed or persuaded not to act, so is love. Love for God, just like death, takes away from man the desire for transitory things. Just as death never releases its prey, neither does love. Surely, this is what the love of God towards us is like. For his beloved bride, he puts aside his glory, his
righteousness, his law, his divinity, his eternity. For her he becomes a slave. He dies on a cross -for her. His love is a love to the end. His jealousy is cruel as the grave. It is love's legitimate reaction against any insults brought to it by the beloved. He is jealous when we fall into idolatry. We, for our part, have to be jealous and intolerant of the things that belong to our lower nature. Our prayer is, 'Lord, be jealous of me; and do not give me into the hand of anything else.'
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.' The love of God for the faithful soul will last forever. This is the summary of this whole book, and its moral. 'If a man would give the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be condemned. ' Such love is not for sale. Like wisdom, it cannot be bartered for gold. It cannot be bought with silver.
Verse 2. “I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, She who used to instruct me. I would cause you to drink of spiced wine, Of the juice of my pomegranate.”
“Mother’s house” is the nurturing source — in allegory, the church. The teacher is the Holy Spirit.
Bickle. The Bride expresses deep partnership with Jesus in her intercession for boldness in public ministry (8:1-2).
Wesley. I would — My gifts and graces should all be employed to serve and glorify thee.
Kale. She takes him home with her Mother. I would lead you to the house of my mother - the local church. "I would give you spiced wine to drink" - her most costly adoration. She will give him her most costly adoration. Her adoration becomes His drink.
Nee. I want to lead you to Jerusalem above, which is the mother of us all (that GRACE system of Gal. 4:26). I want to learn to express perfectly the Doctrine of Grace. I must have final deliverance from the flesh.
Verse 3. His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.
Left hand under the head is hidden grace sustaining or supporting the mind; or divine wisdom supporting the inner life. Right hand denotes the power, authority, favor of God overcoming hindrances to Divine love or overcoming outward enemies. Origin. “The Word sustains the soul beneath her thoughts with His left, and with His right draws her into the fullness of love.”
Kale. 8:3-4. She rests in His embrace in divine ecstasy. His right arm embraces me" - the full embrace of His love. Displays of power are with the right hand; His left hand is under her head - upholding her thoughts. Holding her like this, He turns to the brides-to-be and says, "Do not awaken love until it pleases." Don't disturb this divine moment with the King. He has spoken these words 3 times in the Song of Songs, but this time He leaves out the phrase "by the gazelles or does of the field. " Her days of fear and timidity are over. Jesus will guard her in His grace until His purpose for her comes to pass.
Nee. On that blessed day of final deliverance, I will be in your full embrace.
Guyon. God’s two arms give you all-powerful protection and perfect love.
Verse 4. “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.”
Bickle. The Bride expresses deep partnership with Jesus seeking her full union with the King (8:3-4).
Origin. This refrain appears several times (2:7; 3:5; 8:4), always at a threshold of deeper union.
Nee. He believes that the Shulamite is speaking here. She dwells on her hope of the Lord’s return.
Verse 5. “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth.” Who is this is a rhetorical question of wonder, a revelation of transformation. Coming up is “arising” or “ascending.” It is a symbol of spiritual elevation.
Origin. “Who is this that comes up from the wilderness?” expresses astonishment at the soul’s transformation — once wandering in dryness, now ascending in love. The wilderness is this world’s trials and temptations, through which the soul is purified. To “lean upon her beloved” shows that the soul now rests entirely upon Christ’s strength, not her own. “Under the apple tree I awakened you” recalls the moment of divine encounter, the place where love first quickened the heart. The “mother” who travailed is the Church, who gives birth to souls through baptism and teaching. “The soul that once toiled in solitude now leans upon the Word, whose fruit awakened her to life beneath the tree of love
Guyon. You walk leaning on your Beloved. God raised you up from the sleep of death and gives you new life.
Bickle. Bickle calls 5:5-14 the Bridal Seal of Mature Love. V. 5-7 describes journey and destination of the Bride. She cultivated a leaning heart. Through His love for her and her love for Him (accomplished by His Grace), she became victorious over sin, satan, and self. V. 5. “Who is this coming up [in victory] from the wilderness [testing place], leaning upon her Beloved? … 6 Set Me [Jesus] as a seal upon your heart…for love is as strong as death… (8:5-6). The theme of the Song is the King sealing the heart of His Bride with His fiery love forever binding her to Himself. The Bride’s journey began with a cry for the kisses of God’s Word (1:2) and ended with a seal of love, eternally binding her to Her beloved. This passage ends the progression of holy passion as the Bride lives victorious in mature love.
The Spirit’s first and primary agenda is to establish the first commandment in my life and yours. The command to love God with all our heart does not begin with us. Rather, begins with God’s heart burning with perfect love within the fellowship of the three persons of the Trinity. From eternity past, God has loved God with all of His heart. The Father loved the Son; Jesus loved the Spirit. God is fully satisfied in the fellowship within the Godhead. We understand the first commandment best by seeing it in its eternal context of the fellowship in the Godhead. Our greatest destiny is to participate in the burning love in the family dynamics of the Trinity. Jesus declared that He loves the redeemed with the same intensity with which His Father loves Him (Jn. 15:9). He said that the Father loves the redeemed with this same intensity (Jn. 17:23). In July 1988 while reading Song 8:6, I began to pray, “Jesus, seal my heart with Your fiery love. This speaks of the message of God’s love, Jesus as the Bridegroom King, and the first commandment being embraced as first in in the body of Christ. We must not settle only for the early stages of experiencing God’s love where Jesus reveals Himself to us as Savior (who freely forgives us), as Provider (who blesses our circumstances), and the Lord of Hosts or Captain of the armies of heaven (who uses us in ministry in His war against darkness). He also wants us to know Jesus as the Bridegroom King who loves us with all His heart and mind.
Bickle. COMING UP IN VICTORY (8:5) A. The Bride is described as coming up out of the wilderness leaning upon Jesus as her Beloved. We also come up from the wilderness leaning on our Beloved. V. 5. “Who is this coming up [in victory] from the wilderness [testing], leaning upon her Beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth…. “(8:5) B. Wilderness: This speaks of the testing and temptations that God’s people experience in the wilderness of this fallen world. In wilderness testing, the Lord reveals our pride and weakness. C. Coming up: This speaks of the Church being victorious in love (8:5). She will come up in victory over wilderness seasons. It is a sign of spiritual maturity to see more of our pride and weakness. The paradox of grace is to see ourselves as weak in the flesh, yet strong and beautiful in grace (1:5). Paul saw himself counted faithful by God, but chief among sinners (1 Tim. 1:12-15). 12…He counted me faithful…The grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant… Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Tim. 1:12-15) D. Leaning: This speaks of the Church cultivating a “leaning heart”—abiding in Christ (Jn. 15:4). We are to lean on our Beloved as we live in union with Jesus as our life goal and life source. To lean on Him includes talking with, looking to, and trusting His loving leadership over our lives. 1. Leaning involves looking to the indwelling Spirit as our source of power as we feed on God’s Word. We do not trust our self-discipline, nor in our past victories or failures. 2. The Bride, like Jacob, wrestled with God, thus she limps, leans on, and loves God (Gen. 32). She cultivated leaning, limping, and loving. The Lord’s strategy in our lives is to produce an attitude of dependency on Him and union with Him (Jer. 9:23; 1 Cor. 1:31). 3. The Spirit is preparing the Church in her spiritual identity as a cherished Bride with a loving and leaning heart. We have a natural resistance to leaning on Him. The Lord will “knock away the props” that we lean on for false comfort, success, and significance. 4. The Lord’s strategy is to cause us to be totally dependency on Him (Jer. 9:23; 1 Cor. 1:31). E. The Spirit reminded her of her journey when He awakened her under the apple tree (8:5). The Bride was to remember that the King is her source of refreshing and life and that she will experience Him most when she is nurtured in context of the fellowship of the Church (mother). 5 I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth…. (8:5) F. The Bride remembers how the King awakened her heart to love early in her journey when she sat under the shade of the refreshing apple tree at the banqueting table (2:3-4). 3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my Beloved among the sons [human race]. I sat down in His shade [resting in grace] with great delight…4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner [leadership] over me was love. 5 Sustain me with cakes of raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am lovesick. (2:3-5)
Wesley. Who — This and the next clause are the words of the bridegroom, who proposes the question, that he may give the answer following. Her beloved — He speaks of himself in the third person, which is usual in the Hebrew language. I raised — When thou were dead in trespasses and in the depth of misery. There — Under that tree, either the universal or the primitive church, did conceive and bring thee forth.
Nee. Titles 8: 5-14: “Preparation for Jesus’ Second Coming. V. 5. See 3:6. Her final state was living in all the blessedness of the Lord. She began to leave behind the wilderness. Why is the wilderness mentioned again? One wilderness is inward spiritual wanderings. Another is the world in which we experience so many trials and tests. She comes more and more out from the world and leans, more and more, on her beloved. Gal. 4:26. The apple tree here is the same as 2:3 and is a figure of Christ in the fullness of His love.
Kale. Coming out of her wilderness! The overcoming bride Ascending. The Shulamite has walked up out of the desert into His end-time glory. She will come up out of the wilderness no matter what, because she loves Him. The religious motivation of guilt, shame and fear are not sufficient, but love is. Her walk is the ascension of the hidden stairway. Like the vision Jacob saw at Bethel, the Jesus-Stairway is before her.
There are two people who come up out of the wilderness leaning: Jacob and the
Shulamite. Like Jacob leaning on his staff, you must lean on the Lord as you walk forward. Jacob is the male version of the Shulamite. There was a man who leaned upon the breastplate at the last supper. That is where John got the revelation of the New Jerusalem. Get used to leaning upon the Lord, rather than on your own strength. The ways we lean into Him: To be saved from sin - We must lean on the Cross of our Beloved and find His
blood as the only antidote for sin's guilt. To live above the power of sin - We lean upon His life within us to conquer
sin's power in our lives. To walk in emotional wholeness- We lean on Him to be free from wounds of our past and the difficulties of our environment today. To receive guidance and direction for our lives - We lean on Him for wisdom. It is the only sure way of discerning the will of God. Lean not on your own understanding. If we don't rely upon our own understanding, we will receive revelation. To be provided for and loved - We lean on Him for provision. Jesus alone must be our source of supply. As you lean on Him, you receive revelation. He will shape the way we think on every issue. Under the apple tree I awakened you - Look where she has come from! The apple tree
is a picture of Christ in the fullness of His love. Under the shadow of His eternal love, His amazing grace, her Beloved awakened her to see the Cross.
Verse 6. “Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.” Lex. Lit. Climactic verse of Song, called “The Flame of Yah.”
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Set me/place me is “to set and to establish. Imperative plea for permanence. |
Seal or signet- “to seal, mark, or secure; denotes ownership and irrevocable bond. Love’s power is an inexorable as death. Flame of Yah” reveals the Holy Spirit Himself, the divine fire igniting love within.
Guyon. You ask the Bridegroom to set Himself as a seal upon your heart. He is the source of your life. You are an enclosed garden for Him. He encloses you so completely because He will not allow another God in you.
Kale. The Fiery Seal of Eternal Love
"Seal" - is a homonym for "a prison cell.” Be imprisoned in My love. Be a prisoner of the Lord. Every day put Him as a seal (engagement ring/prison cell) over your heart. Let Him imprison you in love and hope. Eph 4:1, "I, Paul, a prisoner of The Lord.” The seal of fire is the gold prison cell of love that rests over you, that you will never get out of.
In the prison cell of His love, we discover that only His will and pleasure is our delight.
This is the same terminology King David used in Psalm 16:8 "I have set the Lord
always before me (as a seal over my heart). Because He is at my right hand, I shall
not be shaken." Eph 1:13, "Now the Holy Spirit has stamped and sealed every one of us, guaranteeing the rights of our covenant." We are sealed by the Spirit 7 times.
Seal of Acceptance (Eph 1:6); Seal of Future Inheritance (Eph.1:13-14); Seal of Full Redemption (Eph 4:30); Seal of Apostleship (Sent by the Spirit - 1 Corinthians 9:1-2); Seal of the Anointing of Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:20-21, 5:5); Seal of God's Eternal Foundation (2 Timothy 2:19); Seal of the Blood of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:20, 13:20-21). We are the 7-sealed scroll as the Body of Christ. He is the Word; we are the book (scroll) and in the volume of the Book it is written of Him. Revelation is the 7-sealed book that is you. Revelation is the unveiling of Christ in you. The Mark of the Christ is the fiery seal of His love. Set me as a seal upon your heart - the heart is the place of love. Set me as a seal upon your arm - the arm is the place of strength. As strong as death - you can't shake the bonds of love. You can't break loose. Once
death holds you; it will not let you go. Nothing will ever come between you and Jesus
Christ. God's love holds you fast and will never let you go. You may run from His love, but He will seek you out. Relentless, omnipotent Love will eventually win. Its jealousy is as unyielding as the grave - unbendable. The grave knows no pity, no sympathy. Just as the grave will not let go of its victims, so Jesus' love will not surrender you or let you go. Never will He let you go. It burns like blazing fire - self-replenishing. Your yielded heart becomes the thing that ignites it. What kind of love is this? To touch love is to touch God, for our God is a consuming fire Deut 4:24. It won’t let go until it’s consumed you completely. You are about to become His burning bush of fire (Ex 3:2).
Like a mighty flame of the Lord - Hebrew, "The very flame of Jah". Jah is not an
abbreviation for Yahweh. Jah is the all-powerful, melt-you-like-wax-in-a-moment God.
The terrifying God. Love is the consuming fire of Jah. It is a supernatural burning of God in the soul. Luke 24:32 Did not our hearts burn within us? Isaiah 4:4 The Lord shall wash the daughters of Zion and cleanse the bloodstains of Jerusalem...by a spirit (wind) of burning. - Most powerful; fire burns and purges and destroys what is harmful. Love is an unending power. Deut 4:24 - one of first revelations of God given in Scripture, "Our God is a consuming fire." Psalm 104:4 "He makes his ministers (worshipers) a flaming fire."
Bickle. SEALED WITH FIERY LOVE (8:6-7) A. The Bride asked the King to seal her heart and arm with His fiery love (8:6-7). The King invited her to receive the seal of fire on her heart and to walk with Him in powerful, holy, jealous love. “Set Me [Jesus] as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for [God’s] love is as strong as death, [God’s] jealousy as cruel [demanding] as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters [sin or pressures] cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised.”
This passage consists of a command, a description, a promise, and an encouragement. 1. The command: to set Jesus as a seal of fire upon our heart and arm 2. The description of the seal: being as strong or comprehensive as death 3. The promise: that nothing can quench this fiery seal of love if we yield to it 4. The encouragement: that this quality of wholehearted dedication will exhilarate our heart in love, leaving us with no regrets for giving so much of ourselves to God. C. Seal: The seal is a progressive impartation of the Spirit pouring God’s love in our heart (Rom. 5:5). The seal of love on our heart is our present tense relationship with the Spirit. Thus, our fellowship with the Spirit is the seal, not our record of spiritual victories or failures. “In whom, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise… (Eph. 1:13)” 1. In the ancient world, kings put a seal of wax on important documents. They poured on melted wax, then stamped it with the king’s signet ring. The royal seal spoke of the king’s ownership, protection, and guarantee that was backed up by the power of his kingdom. 2. This seal is our inheritance and destiny. We must determine that this is ours to walk in. The release of God’s seal in our life is the glory of the New Covenant (Heb. 10:16). D. Set Me: To set Jesus on our heart is to intentionally ask Him to strengthen us by His Spirit until the influences of His love are progressively imparted more to our mind, emotions, and ministry. 1. By the very definition of love, we must invite Him. He will not force us into a relationship of voluntary love. He waits until we invite Him in the matters of our heart. 2. Paul referred to this as putting on the Lord Jesus or putting on the new man. God requires us to cooperate with Him in the grace of God. “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh…” (Rom. 13:14) “…put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him… “” Above all…put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” (Col. 3:10-14) “Put on the new man which was created…in true righteousness…” (Eph. 4:24).
We put Jesus as the seal on our heart by seeking Him earnestly in various ways including prayer, fasting, meditation on the Word, and obedience—these activities, when done in faith and with confidence in grace, position our hearts before God to freely receive more of the Spirit’s work in us. God opens His Word to us progressively (little portions) and in accordance with the time we feed our spirit on His Word. G. Prayer and fasting are not our seal. The power of God tenderizes and changes us, not spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines only position us to receive. They do not earn us God’s power. H. Strong as death: God’s love in us is as strong or comprehensive as death. Death grasp is comprehensive. Likewise, God’s love will not allow any areas of darkness to escape its grasp. I. Jealousy: God is a consuming fire and desires to impart His fire into our hearts. Jesus’ jealous love is as comprehensive in its demands as both death and the grave are. He wants all of our heart. We pray, “Lord we want more of You.” Then Jesus responds by saying, “I want more of you.” “For the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God… “(Exod. 34:14) J. Cruel as the grave: God’s jealous love is as demanding or unyielding as the grave. In other words, God’s love will not allow any areas of brokenness in our lives to escape its grasp. God’s love poured in our heart will conquer every area of sin that we continually yield to Him. K. Its flames: Its flames of fire are a most vehement or powerful flame. The anointing to love God is the most powerful gift that the Spirit imparts to a believer’s heart. (Acts 2:3), (Rom. 5:5), (Lk. 3:16), (Acts 2:3) L. Many Waters: God’s seal is a flame of divine fire that cannot be quenched by the waters of sin, pressure, or persecution. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised. (8:6-7) 1. The enemy sends the waters of temptation, disappointment, or pain, to put this fire out. God’s love, when continually yielded to, is more powerful than the floods of temptation. This fire is stronger than floods of bitterness, addiction, anger, or immorality, etc. 2. A flood speaks of great troubles including end-time persecutions (Rev. 12:15; Isa. 43:1-2); (Isa. 43:2).
Nee. If she is to make it to the end, it will only be by the Lord’s keeping and sustaining power. Only the Lord’s constant GRACE and POWER will enable her to enter the Bride. The heart is the seat of love and the arm the seat of strength. She is asking Jesus to give her a permanent place in His heart and make her conscious of His firm security to keep her there. “Just as the priests of old carried the names of the Tribes of Israel on their breastplates, so hold me close to your heart and sustain me there with the strength of your arm. I am frail, prone to vanity, and utterly helpless. For me to try to keep myself will bring only failure. All my hope in making it home rests on your power. 3:4. My own strength to hold onto thee was utterly useless. Your love and power must forever hold me, or I will not be held. I don’t dare mention my love to you; only your love to me. Who can cause death to be shaken of its hold? 2 Cor. 11:2. He. 12:29. Your love to me and your jealously over me are as a vehement flame which burns up all that is useless and corruptible.
God’s love is jealous and demanding as the grave.” Jealously here is a Holy Zeal for exclusive devotion (not envy). The Love of Jesus tolerates no rival: it is pure, protective, and passionate. The “coals of fire” and “vehement flame” express the burning, consuming, power of God’s love. It is a fire that purifies and transforms everything it touches. His love is as strong as death. Death claims all and cannot be resisted; so, the love of Jesus is absolute, invincible, and cannot be resisted. Seal me on your arm is for two purposes. First, so that His strength, power, ability will always and forever sustain her, keep her from falling, and give her victory over the troubles of life. 2) second, so that the power, anointing, strength of the Holy Spirit on behalf of other people and ministry to other is fully operate in the Shulamite.
This prayer is for the attainment of perfect love. V. 8:7. This shows the power, purity, and permanence of God’s love. God’s love is unquenchable, undefeatable, eternal. No storm of life, flood, disaster, trouble, distress can defeat it. God’s love can’t be obtained by money, can’t be traded for, can’t be replaced by wealth. Anyone who tries to buy love shows that He doesn’t understand it at all. God’s love is absolutely victorious. The waters represent the storms of life, afflictions, temptations, persecutions, and trials. God’s love cannot be drowned in these things, and neither can the believer. God’s love endures through suffering, inner battles, silence, or even seeming absence. Madame Guyon says “There can come a place in the life of the believer where the love of the Bride is of the same nature as the love of the Bridegroom. It partakes of His eternal steadfastness. In 8:6-7, she has reached perfect love.
Verse 7. Many waters [sin or pressures] cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised. (Song 8:6-7). Lex. Lit. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it; if a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly despised.” Love here is pictured as an unquenchable flame—stronger than elemental forces (waters, rivers) and beyond price. No wealth or possession can purchase it. Words.
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Waters. Trials, persecutions, sins, distractions of the world |
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The “many waters” are tribulations, persecutions, or worldly desires that cannot extinguish true love. Love is the flame of divine Love. It’s unpurchasable, unquenchable, and indestructible. It is stronger than death (cf. Song 8:6), enduring through every flood of suffering or temptation.
Gregory. “He who has touched divine love regards all earthly things as refuse; such love is despised by those who have not known it.” |
Kale. Many waters cannot quench love - love & fire are both relentless. As long as it has fuel, it keeps burning. Your yielded heart becomes the fuel for the sacred flame of God. Water cannot put out this love. Pain, misunderstanding, needs & opposition cannot put it out. A Love Without Price Tags - Worth more than all the wealth of your house. Philippians 3:8 I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
“Fasten me upon your heart as a seal for fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. (Note: The ancient Hebrew word for “seal” can also be translated “prison cell.” He longs for his bride to be his love prisoner, in the prison cell of his eternal love.). My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave. (passion or jealously) all-consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God (The phrase in Hebrew is ‘a most vehement flame’ and is actually two Hebrew words. The first means “a mighty flash of fire” and the second is “Yah” which is the sacred name of God himself. The Hebrew shalhebet-yah could be translated “the mighty flame of the Lord most passionate. Place this fierce unrelenting fire over your entire being.
Bickle. Jesus invites her to receive the seal of fire upon her heart and to walk with Him in holy, jealous love. God is a consuming fire and desires to impart His fire into our hearts. God’s commitment is to seal our heart supernaturally with His fiery love. This refers to walking in the grace to walk in the first commandment to love God with all our heart.
Nee. The Father’s love cannot be quenched by trials and tastings nor by floods of sin that flow from our enemy. There is no substitute for your love, and it cannot be purchased. I cannot earn your love. I can only offer myself as a living sacrifice to you who first loved me.
Wesley. Set me — These are undoubtedly the words of the bride. Let thy heart be constantly set upon me. He seems to allude to the engraved tablets which are frequently worn upon the breast, and to the signet on a man's arm or hand, which they prized at a more than ordinary rate, and which are continually in their sight. For love — My love to thee. Jealousy — my ardent love to thee. Cruel — Heb. hard, grievous and terrible, and sometimes ready to overwhelm me; therefore, have pity upon me, and do not leave me.
Fire — It burns and melts my heart like fire. Many waters — My love to thee cannot be taken off, either by terrors and afflictions, which are commonly signified in scripture by waters and floods, or by temptations and allurements.
Kale. 8:6 The ancient Hebrew word for seal can also be translated “prison cell.” He
longs for His bride to be His love-prisoner, in the prison cell of His eternal love.
Verse 8. “We have a little sister, And she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister In the day when she is spoken for?”
Lex. Lit. “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. what shall we do for our sister
in the day when she is spoken for?”
Kale. The Bride Intercedes for the Immature. What shall we do for our sister? She now understands that she has a responsibility to bless the young, immature ones in Christ. Her breasts are not yet grown - She is still immature. The day when she is spoken for - The day of her wedding is coming. We will enclose her with boards of cedar. The beams of our house are cedar, rafters are fir (cypress, pine) – security. Jesus is the fragrant Cedar of Lebanon (3:9). Boards of cedar enclosing her life
speak of the fragrance of the life of Jesus surrounding her. Enclosed in Him, clothed in Jesus Christ. Where she has strength, we will build upon that, not put her down. We’ll
encourage her, cover her, love her into maturity.
Bickle. THE REWARD OF LOVE IS FOUND IN POSSESSING THE ABILITY TO LOVE (8:7) B. Paul spoke of this love that will pay any price. Paul laid down his status, prestige, honor, and open doors of opportunity. “I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ…for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ… (Phil. 3:8) C. We are the only one who can give God all our love. God will not force us to love Him. It is our gift to Him that we give voluntarily as we cooperate with the Spirit’s work in our life. D. Anybody can quit, except a person in love. When we are tempted to quit, the obstacle in our path is that we love God. God is raising up a people who will not quit.
Nee. She dwells fully in the love of Christ. She had been concerned about the immaturity of other believers. Little sisters were those in whom was a measure of life but who are immature in faith and love towards Him. What shall we do for them, is. her burden. The immature one looked up to the maiden inspirationally. She wanted the same union. Her prayer was in tune with God’s desires for this little sister.
Wurmbrand. He treats v. 8-10 as a unit. Jesus assures the bride that the Holy Trinity will do everything for her. If she be a wall - which means, if she is a person who cannot fall under temptation, if she is strong as iron, if she can resist - then God will do her great honor. But if she is a door, which can easily be opened – if she falls easily in sin, if her virtue is not solid - she will be enclosed with walls of cedar, a strong and durable wood. The weak believer is guarded in a special way, though even believers who are able to resist sin are not left unwatched, because strong castles can also fall.
Verse 9. “If she is a wall, We will build upon her A battlement of silver; And if she is a door, We will enclose her With boards of cedar. The Bride intercedes for the church (8:8–9).”
Lex. Lit. “If she is a wall, we will build upon her a tower of silver;
but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.”
Guyon. If she knows surrender to my will and has confidence in me, we will build bulwarks of silver. But is she has just through the door, we will build her up with grace.
Bickle. In Song 8:8-9, we see her passion and intercession for the Church.
Nee. Door – others able to enter through her to find the true knowledge of God. 5:15.
Verse 10. I am a wall, And my breasts like towers; Then I became in his eyes As one who found peace.
Lex. Lit. “I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace.” The soul that once lacked strength and understanding has been transformed by divine grace into a steadfast wall and a nurturing tower. Her growth from immaturity (8:8) to stability (8:9) to peace (8:10) mirrors the journey of every soul—and of the Church herself—into full communion with the Beloved.
In verse 10, we see her threefold confidence as a wall (selfless motives), as a tower (supernatural ability to nurture), and as one with peace (all emotional hindrances in her are removed).
Guyon. You are a wall of strength, a place of protection for others.
Kale. The Happiest of Endings!
The Shulamite's final declaration in the Song is a revelation of what she has become in His eyes. She knows her own maturity. “I have become in His eyes like one bringing contentment.” Your Lover-King has made you into one who satisfies. The seal of fiery love has transformed you from a nobody into a beautiful partner, a queen, worthy to
share the throne of a King. It is time for the Bride of Christ to see herself as
Jesus sees her...the delightful and desirable Bride who refreshes the heart of
her Beloved. "I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers" She is a mature ministry. She stands as protection for others. The stones and arrows would hit her; she blocks them from harming others. She has the ability to nurture and give sustenance to many.
Nee. Her faith and love, dependent for development and growth on separation from the world, had grown to full maturity.
Verse 11. “Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; everyone for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
Lex. Lit. “Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he gave the vineyard to keepers;
each was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.” The verse portrays a royal vineyard—Solomon’s property—entrusted to caretakers who owe him the fruit of their labor.
Each is to bring “a thousand pieces of silver”
The King’s vineyard is a picture of the church, the called-out multitude of those who follow Jesus. (Dan. 7:9-10; Rev. 7:9. Baal-hamon can be translated “lord of the multitude”, lord of an uproar; or lord of wealth.” God has a vineyard whose care He has given to His bride, and yet all the members that make up the Bride are the vineyard. He commissioned His angels to watch over the Bride. She gets to partake of some of the fruit.
Bickle. The Bride experiences the power and enjoyment of living before His eyes instead of before the eyes of men. Her sense of importance is rooted in eternity as she has revelation of giving account before God (8:11). She has revelation of her accountability before God. Her sense of importance is rooted in eternity as she has revelation of giving account before God (8:11).
Kale. A Parable of Accountability. "He let out His vineyard to tenants.” This is a short parable that speaks of accountability of the Lord's people. He will entrust us with stewardship in His vineyard and reward us accordingly. A vineyard frequently points to the work of feeding, leading and maturing God's people. (Isa 5, Matt 25, John 15). The Lord of the vineyard will one day return and demand an accounting for what
has been lent to us. "Baal-hamon" means "lord of a multitude" This speaks of the church of Jesus Christ that reaches throughout the earth. Before The Lord returns, we expect a great harvest from among the nations. A multitude of souls redeemed by love. (Rev 14:14-16). "A thousand shekels of silver.” This represents the fullness of maturity that will spring from their labors. Isaiah 7:23 In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns. 1000 speaks of the full measure of what God requires from investment.
Jesus receives his 1000 shekels of silver every time a life comes into the maturity seen in the maiden in the Song of Songs.
Nee. Solomon’s vineyard represents the whole work of the Lord. We have responsibilities as stewards. Baal-Hamon means “lord of a multitude.” Jesus is lord and master of many servants. Solomon’s rule was that the keepers received reward. We are to till, plant, keep, prune and nurture the Lord’s ground and plants and we will receive our wages for the work. What is done for Him is not done in vain. Each keeper was to bring 1,000 silver pieces to the King. The Lord has a portion to receive from the labors and love of a fully mature Christian.
Wurmbrand. He treats v. 11-14 as a unit. She promises Solomon one thousand pieces of silver from the profits of her vineyard and allows two hundred for the workers who tend it. Now it is time for the Bridegroom to depart. He goes into the mountains: the bride remains in the gardens below. His last words are, 'You who dwell in the gardens, the companions [the angels, the glorified saints] hearken to your voice: cause me to hear it.' He asks her to pray. Thus
this beautiful book comes to an end. For the sake of souls like this, our Beloved, who is now
like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of spices, will return. The bride who dwells in the garden of faith amidst sorrows waits for him.
This Song shows how right St Augustine was when he said, 'Love - and do what you like,' or St Paul, when he taught, 'Love is the fulfilment of all the law.' When we experience holy, supreme love, the moral law which defers to deeds stands mute in adoration.
Origen sees in this verse the vineyard of Christ, entrusted to spiritual laborers: Solomon symbolizes Christ, the true Prince of Peace (Shlomo ↔ Shalom). Baal-hamon (“lord of multitude”) signifies the whole world, into which the Gospel was sown. The keepers are apostles and pastors who cultivate the Church. The thousand silver pieces represent perfect teaching and conversion; the fruits of ministry returned to the Bridegroom.
“The soul becomes a vineyard of Christ; each faithful servant must render the full price—the fruit of love purified as silver.”
Verse 12. “My own vineyard is before me. You, O Solomon, may have a thousand,
And those who tend its fruit two hundred.”
Lex. Lit. “My own vineyard is before me; the thousand is for you, O Solomon, and two hundred for those who keep its fruit.” The Bride declares:
Thus, her fruit is wholly for God, yet she honors those who serve alongside Him.
Or You may have the thousand (shekels), O Solomon. The number one thousand is a biblical symbol for the Glory of God. The prize of mature sonship is a truth that defies description, and all the glory of the vineyard belongs to our King, one greater than Solomon.
Bickle. The Bride has a revelation of her spiritual maturity before God (8:12). In Song 8:12, she has confidence in her faithfulness to God. The Bride experiences the power and enjoyment of living before His eyes instead of before the eyes of men.
Her life is fully surrendered to Him
Or “the two hundred.” This is two times one hundred. The number one hundred represents the children of the promise. Abraham was on hundred when Isaac, the promised seed, was born. Gen. 21:5. Isaac was a type of the children of promise, the spiritual seed (Ro. 9:7-8; Gal. 4:28. The number 100 is also connected to Isaac’s sowing and reaping, and the blessing of God. Gen. 26:12. The Lord will receive the hundred-fold fruit of his life in us (Matt. 13:8-9). Jesus has one hundred sheep in his fold (Mt. 18:11-12. The number two is the symbol of witness. Two hundred reveals the witness of God’s sons coming forth. Ro. 8: 19-21.
Nee. She singled herself out. We see two forms of service. 1) labor under law; 2) the other labor as an expression of love. One arises from fear, the other from appreciation. One from duty; the other from joy. Some serve from duty, others from love.
Verse 13. You who dwell in the gardens, The companions listen for your voice— Let me hear it!
Lit. Here, after all her growth — from longing, seeking, and testing — the Bride is portrayed as dwelling in the garden (the place of mature love and fruitfulness), while the Bridegroom calls to her gently. “O you who dwell in the gardens, the companions listen for your voice;
let me hear it.”
The Bride — “she who dwells in the gardens” — is portrayed as living among the “gardens,” plural, symbolizing the many communities of souls or the manifold fruits of divine love.
The companions (perhaps the saints or faithful) listen to her voice of praise and prayer.
Yet the Beloved Himself desires to hear her voice directly:
“Let Me hear it.”
Bickle. In Song 8:13, the King gave His final commission to the Bride.
Guyon. The Bridegroom invites you to speak on His behalf and to teach others of Him.
Wesley. Thou — Christ speaks here to his spouse. The gardens — Not in the wilderness of the world, but in the church, the garden of God. He saith, gardens, because of the many particular congregations, into which the church is divided. Companions — The friends of the bride and bridegroom. Hearken — Diligently observe all thy words towards me. Cause me — When I am gone from thee, let me hear thy prayers, and praises, and the preaching of my gospel in the world.
Kale. They sing together. The King's final Desire - "Let me hear your voice.” He longs to hear her voice, the intercession for His coming. "She dwells in the gardens with friends in attendance" She ministers from this place of intimacy to the ones who will become the Shulamite.
Bickle. JESUS’ FINAL COMMISSION TO THE BRIDE (8:13) A. The King’s final commission to the Bride commends her faithfulness in serving the Church. (8:13) B. Dwell in the gardens: The King refers to the Bride as, “You who dwell in the gardens” to affirm that she is still in the midst of His garden, serving people. She neither quit nor retreat into selfish isolation. The gardens (plural) refer to various parts of the body of Christ, the Lord’s garden. C. Listen: The Bride has authority and credibility until the end. This is seen in the companions whom she served eagerly listening for her voice because they saw spiritual reality in her life. D. Let me hear it: The King again called the Bride to worship and intercession. He wanted to hear her voice. The enemy wants to silence our voice, but the Lord wants to hear our voice in four ways. 1. In worship as He forever wants to hear us declare our love to Him. 2. In intercession as we join Jesus who makes intercession forever (Heb. 7:25). 3. In teaching as we speak the Word to one another (Mt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:28). 4. In evangelism as we share the gospel with unbelievers.
Nee. Gardens. Plural. He dwells in many gardens. She and others assumed the art or listening. She nor they were as talkative as they used to be. The whole life of the believer depends on what he/she hears from Jesus. Cause me, Jesus, to hear!
Verse 14. Make haste, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag On the mountains of spices.
Lex. Lit. “Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag
upon the mountains of spices.” “Make haste, my beloved” is a plea for final communion; the Bride calls for His coming. “Be like a gazelle or young stag” are symbols of vitality, swiftness, resurrection life. “Upon the mountains of spices” are not the mountains of division (Bether, 2:17), but mountains of fragrance—the realm of consummated love, paradise restored.
Origin. The “mountains of spices” are the heavenly places perfumed with divine virtues.
The Bride intercedes for Jesus’ presence (8:14). She intercedes with urgency for the King’s [Jesus’] coming.
Bickle. The King gives His final commission to the Bride (8:13-14). Her urgency is expressed in prayer. His last words to her commend her faithfulness in serving the Church. She continued to dwell in His gardens serving God’s people. She did not quit or retreat into selfish isolation. Earlier, Jesus had called her to worship and prayer by telling her that her voice was sweet to Him (2:14).
Wesley. Make haste — Seeing we must part for a time, make haste, O my beloved bridegroom, and speedily finish the work which thou hast to do in the world, that so thou mayest take me to thyself, that I may live in thine everlasting embraces.
Kale. Make haste, my beloved. "The Spirit and the Bride say come.” "The spice laden mountains" are peaks of pleasure that we will experience together. They dance together in unbroken communion...in the high places in the sky.
Bickle. HER URGENT INTERCESSION FOR THE KING TO COME QUICKLY A. The Bride responds to the King’s request to hear her voice as she intercedes for Him to come. She prayed that the presence of the King come quickly to her and the others. The King was compared to a gazelle and stag because they move so quickly. The New Jerusalem is described as the mountains of spices. B. My beloved: Her love for Him stayed fresh and strong until the end. C. Revelation 22:17 and Rev. 22:17-20. D. The prayer “Come, Lord Jesus!” has at least three applications: 1. Come near us in intimacy: an individual breakthrough of my heart in God 2. Come to us in revival: a regional breakthrough of healing, revival, justice, and transformation 3. Come for us in the sky: a historic breakthrough at the second coming of Jesus.
Nee. This is the same appeal as at 2:17. There are two returns: 2:17 and 8:14. In 2:17, she appeals that he returns for fellowship. Here, she refers to His second coming. His Kingdom will be fully established. Not the Mountains of Bether, but the Mountains of Spies. Her hearts affections are in another world.
What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace. When he takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land, what a day, glorious day, that will be.
