Who is this coming up from the wilderness

....     Leaning upon her beloved (Song 8:5)? This is one of the places,  in the Song of Solomon,  where the allegory of Solomon as Christ, and his bride as the Christian and/or the church, comes into its own. A word of caution about allegory, we must not allow it to teach us 'truths' that cannot also be clearly found, by sound interpretation, in the rest of Scripture. Concerning our being the Bride of Christ then,  Paul, for example,  says “I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him” (2 Corinthians 11:2). That we were in the wilderness is also clear, for “we were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). And that we are to lean on (depend on) Christ,  is not only necessary ('without Him we can do nothing' John 15:5), it is what sustains and empowers us ('when I am weak then I am strong' 2 Corinthians 12:10).

The passion of the Shulamite is the pure passion of her first love. It is not jaded, not tainted by lust, as love is in most of our culture. This love  is a strong a death (6b).  Death is strong, because in the end it conquers every living thing. Also this love, like death, cannot be  vanquished. In particular “many waters cannot quench it, nor can the floods drown it (7a).  Waters are spoken of over and over in the Scripture,  as trials (i.e. Isaiah 43:2). In other words if we have this love for our heavenly bride, neither trials nor difficulties will quench it. The determination that this be reality is likely present in all newly weds, and it will of course be tested. The passion of our love for Christ will be tested too! This love is also “a most vehement flame” (6c),  literally 'the fire-flame of Jehovah' (Isaiah 6:6). The passion that burnt in Solomon for his bride, is what stirred up and awakened this love in the Shulamite (verse 4). By analogy it is the love of Jesus Christ for us His bride, that kindles this love in us (1 John 4:19). In fact “we love because He first love us” (1 John 4:19).

Within the analogy, the question posed in this morning verse, is an invitation to see the beauty of Christ's bride who is so head over heals in love with her lover.  A firefly passionate love for Jesus, as depicted above, is a huge witness in and of itself.  Such fiery love for the Lord gives meaning and direction to life, the very things the world lacks, and so often seeks in all the wrong places.  We are intended to live and love Christ and each other in such tangible ways,  that the World will proclaim “I don't know what you have that I don't, but I want it.”  And I find myself this morning examining my heart to see where I may need to return to my first love.

Father, You command us to love You with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. Forgive us Lord for places and times,  when and where we have lost our first love. We repent this morning Lord,  and seek to buy gold refined in the fire, and salve for out eyes (Revelation 3:18). We do this so that we may truly see,  and that our love for You be rekindled by the fire of Your passionate love for us. We give You praise and Glory in Jesus Name Amen