The Bible’s Song of Love

Verse by verse through the Song of Songs Part 6b Chapter 8:7‑9

All references RV unless otherwise stated

8:7The divine love will never wear out "MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE, NEITHER CAN THE FLOODS DROWN IT." "Nor height, nor depth," says Paul "nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus." (Rom.8:39)

"The last failure of the bride was not the failure of a young Christian. It is not given at the beginning of Canticles, and therefore warns us that only love for Christ will keep us true to Him under all circumstances. Zeal in His service will not do it; even a knowledge of His word is not sufficient in itself. Christianity is not a religion, but centres around a Person; it is personal friendship with Christ, whom having not seen, we love." (M.M.B)

Love is the divine expression of life. It is the life principle as shown in our relationships with others and with our Lord, and with the Heavenly Father. "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death." (1 John 3:14)

Christian love has been beautifully reviewed in the following words:‑

  1. Its authority–"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another." (John 13:34; 15:12,17; 1 John 3:23; 2 John 6
  2. Its measure–"Love one another; as I have loved you." (John 13:34; 15:12 KJV
  3. Its source–"Love is of God." (1 John 4:7)
  4. Its witness to discipleship–"By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:35)
  5. Its characteristic–"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:10,11) i.e. to love, unloved.
  6. Its results–"If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:12 KJV)
  7. Its obligation–"we…ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11). It is a debt we owe to God which can never be discharged. (Rom 13:8)
  8. Its Teacher–"Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." (1 Thess.4:9) It comes not from the natural heart.
  9. Its importance–"This is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." (1 John 3:11)
  10. Its purity and fervency–"Love one another with a pure heart fervently." (1 Pet.1:22 KJV) (Henry Groves)

At this point in the Bridegroom’s discourse He seems to hark back to His last words to the daughters. It is as though He were thinking "If only those who follow me would learn that I want their love not their duty. Sometimes they appear to hold up their consecrated life as a price for my love. If only they would learn that "IF A MAN WOULD GIVE ALL THE SUBSTANCE OF HIS HOUSE FOR LOVE, HE WOULD UTTERLY BE CONTEMNED (SCORNED)." Why then should the Lord’s people so often try to establish a claim on His love by reason of their efforts to please Him?

But Love is a sovereign principle, whether it be human or divine. It is in itself its only reason and is often bestowed unalterably on most unworthy objects.

Love cannot be compelled in anyone; it is free or not at all.
Love cannot be purchased at any price, it is incorruptible.
Love cannot be persuaded or bribed or entreated into existence.
Love must be freely bestowed, and of its own accord.
Love creates and throws an atmosphere of its own around its object, and makes it lovely for itself.
Love in any heart can be begotten and produced only by love.
Love is the only acceptable return and response to the love that calls it forth.

See then the inestimable treasure God has bestowed, and the wealth of return (in His estimation) we, the poorest of us, can make Him, "give me thine heart."

"…in fact, love cannot be defined, it is itself a definition. ‘God is love’." (Rainsford)

"There must be in some way the giving of the person himself, the disclosure of his own heart, to truly win the affections of another. And this has been done in the fullest way, in the highest degree, by the Son of God...(Gal.2:20). ‘Hereby we have known love, because He has laid down His life for us.’ (1 John 3:16 Darby)…There is a general aspect of His death, in which He died for all, and gave Himself a ‘Ransom for all.’ But when we think of the elect—of those given to Him by the Father—there was something directly personal about His giving Himself…Anything short of this would have been inadequate to express His love, or to procure love for Him…If we retired more into the contemplation of His personal love to us, and the self‑sacrifice to which it moved Him, it would have a marvellous effect upon us." (CAC*)

True love is never self‑centred. It looks for expression in the desires of the one who is loved and so the Bride speaks to her Beloved of that which is now very much in His heart, namely that Israel of old which is beloved for their fathers’ sakes.

8:8With the return of our Lord comes the first signs of the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isa.49:6 which speaks of the Messiah coming to "raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore (bring back) the preserved of Israel." And so it is of this little sister ("born of the bondwoman"—Gal.4:22,23:31 KJV), the joint concern of the Beloved and His Bride, that the Bride speaks.

"WE HAVE A LITTLE SISTER...WHAT SHALL WE DO FOR OUR SISTER IN THE DAY WHEN SHE SHALL BE SPOKEN FOR?"

This verse pictures immaturity and illustrates the early stage of growth as Israel is restored to divine favour.

"Brethren," says the Apostle Paul, "my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." (Rom.10:1 KJV)

Such sentiments must find an echo in the hearts and minds of the Bride class. There must be (1) a recognition of Israel’s place in God’s purposes (Acts 15:14‑16) and (2) a genuine interest in Israel’s welfare.

God spoke of these early days of Israel’s return to favour through the prophet Isaiah in the words "Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth at once?...Rejoice…and be glad for her…that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory." (Isa.66:8,10‑11) The little sister...there will be a time come, when she will be mature, "that will be ‘the day when she shall be spoken for’ by the eternal lover whom she has slighted so long." (C.A.C.)

8:9The Bridegroom replies "IF SHE BE A WALL, WE WILL BUILD UPON HER A TURRET OF SILVER."

The foundation is already laid—Israel is already a "little sister" related to the Bridegroom and His beloved through the Abrahamic promise—"Thy seed (shall be) as the stars of the heaven (spiritual Israel), and as the sand which is upon the sea shore (natural Israel)," (Gen.22:17) The "wall" is to be built on this.

A wall suggests security and protection, and separation from all outside.

Only when Israel is well‑founded, recognising her place in the purpose of God, and separated from the surrounding nations will she be "built upon." Israel will yet be "the joy of the whole earth." (Psa.48:1‑3)

It is interesting to observe that the Hebrew word translated "turret" is also rendered "habitation" in Psa.69:25, a verse which seems to prophesy the desolation to come upon the habitation of Israel. Now the Bridegroom speaks of a new habitation of truth—"a turret of silver."

Once again it is the Bridegroom and His bride who are associated with the work "we will build…" reminding us of the Apostle’s words concerning the blessings to come to the faithful of Israel of old "…that they without us should not be made perfect." (Heb.11:40 KJV)

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