The Song of Solomon portrays Christ as the Groom romancing—wooing—the Church, the Bride of Christ. But it is also a romantic story about two young people who flirt and chase each other through town and forest. The man pursues. The woman pursues. He describes her beauty in language no one could top (“You are absolutely beautiful, with no imperfection in you… You have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes” S.O.S. 4:7,9.) She adorns herself with perfumes from all over the world. They eat apricots, raisins, and other sweets, enthralled with each other.
The song illustrates the overwhelming nature of romantic love at its most passionate. And then the bride speaks lines that strike me as the most important in the whole book:
“Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and the wild dogs of the field: DO NOT STIR UP OR AWAKEN LOVE UNTIL THE PROPER TIME” Song of Solomon 2:7; 3:5; 8:4.
Do Not Stir Up or Awaken Love. Three times the warning is repeated. Do not stir up or awaken love until the proper time. Why do you think this warning is given? Why NOT stir up love? Why wait? (People already tell you to abstain from sex until marriage—now they’re telling you to abstain from EMOTIONS too?!)
The woman is warning her young friends: don’t play with fire. Romance can be DANGEROUS. It is overwhelming—and can TOTALLY DISTRACT you from your goals. Worse, it can cause heartbreak, grief, unwed mothers, and illegitimate children. When you stir up romance too soon, the consequences can be HUGE.
Besides being a metaphor about Christ and the Church, Song of Solomon is a picture of Godly romance. But it is also a warning: Enjoy God’s amazing gift of romantic love, but DO NOT AWAKEN LOVE UNTIL THE PROPER TIME. Let it sleep.
Until then, enjoy the gift of singleness—and use it to grow in Christ and cultivate a passion for Him.
God, give us the self-control to say NO or WAIT when romance comes at the wrong time. Bless us with wisdom and amazing relationships at the right time.
ΑΩ
Household Words: 