Whitewashing the Bible

Jesus was not and is not a white man--neither were most of the people discussed in the Bible.

⁵“I am black and beautiful,
You daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
⁶ Do not stare at me because I am dark,
For the sun has tanned me. Song of Solomon 1:5-6 NASB

definition

Whitewash [1]

noun

1. : to alter (something) in a way that favors, features, or caters to white people: such as
   a : to portray (the past) in a way that increases the prominence, relevance, or impact of white people and minimizes or misrepresents that of nonwhite people
   b : to alter (an original story) by casting a white performer in a role based on a nonwhite person or fictional character

Genesis

• Adam is from the Hebrew word meaning red (Edom is from the same word)[2]
• Red, like red clay--remember Adam was created from the "dust of the ground" (Genesis 2)
• Dirt around the world actually matches human skintones (generally) and the dirt that would have been near Eden would have been the kind good for growing plants; this type of soil is dark brown or black
• If two people possess only recessive traits (e.g., blue eyes), the cannot create a baby with dominant traits (e.g., brown eyes)
• Two "pure" white people cannot give birth to a black baby
• Two "pure" black people however can have white babies; there are also black people in Africa with naturally blue eyes and blonde hair

The Non-Existant Curse of Ham

• To justify the mistreatment of Africans, "Christian" Europeans came up with the non-existant curse of Ham (it is actually Ham's son Canaan that is cursed in Genesis 9)
• The curse was said to be dark skin
• Below are some things to consider about this "theory"
  • Canaan actually settles in the Middle East, not sub-saharan Africa
  • The Canaanites intermarry with the Israelites—specifically, the entire line of Judah stems from a Canaanite woman (Genesis 38)—so if the curse is dark skin, the Israelites could not have been white
  • Cush, Mizraim, and Phut who eventually migrate into the main African continent are never cursed

Confusion of Nationality

• The Israelites and the Egyptians had to look similar because they're always being confused for each other
• Joseph's brothers don't notice he's Hebrew when they journey to Egypt during the famine. (Genesis 42:23)
• Pharaoh doesn't say anything about his daughter taking in a Hebrew baby when he's just ordered all of them killed
• The Midianites confuse Moses for an Egyptian (Exodus 2:19)
• Paul is confused as an Egyptian (Acts 21:38-39)
• Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus flee to Egypt to avoid Herod's decree; in fact the Israelites alway fled to Egypt iin times of trouble. Likely they blended in better, just as I would blend in better in Brazil than in Japan.

The Curse of Whiteness?

• DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to suggest that white people are white because they are cursed; it is merely to point out the irony of claiming a curse of blackness to inflict harm when the Bible suggests something closer to the opposite
• In 2 Kings 5 a man named Gehazi, and all his offspring, is cursed with leprosy--the description is that he turned "white as snow" (2 Kings 5:27)
• The leprosy of the Bible which is not the leprosy of today[3] is acutally associated with whiteness multiple times:
  • Miriam's leprosy is associated with turning white (Numbers 12:10)
  • Moses' white hand is called diseased (Exodus 4:6-7)

References

1. "Whitewash". Merriam Webster; visited February 2021
2. "Strong's H119. אָדַם". Blue Letter Bible; visited February 2021
3. Dr. Alan L. Gillen. "Biblical Leprosy: Shedding Light on the Disease that Shuns". Answers in Genesis. June 10, 2007

Lessons Learned from Song of Solomon

A look at what I learned and struggled with during this reading of Song of Solomon.

Love Is Just Complicated

Introduction

Ultimately, Song of Solomon is about love and marriage, both literally and spiritually. Knowing that, the details proved to be more complex than I expected. Reading Song of Solomon was like reading an assignment for AP Lit; sometimes I would read a passage multiple times and still not be able to put my finger on exactly what was being said. Or, in some cases, I would have an inkling about what it meant, but I wasn't sure why it was relevant. Of course, like most of the literature I read in my English classes, there are many nuances and tidbits that can be mined out of Song of Solomon—I'm afraid I've missed many of them on this read through.

For this book, I spent a lot of time reading Bible commentaries to get understand even the flow of the story, which tells me I should revisit it in the near future... While I think commentaries are excellent study tools and can help us see new angles in the text, I don't like relying on commentaries to understand the basic principles of the book. They should be supplemental not used the way we used Sparks Notes in high school.
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Who is Speaking?

One of the harder things to keep straight was who was narrating the song at each point. Sometimes it was the woman, other times the man, but on occasion it was the daughters of Jerusalem! I think beings actively aware of who is speaking and to whom they are speaking is the starting point for understanding the book.

The Marriage Aspect

As a Christian, it's really easy to sum this book up as the love between Christ and the Church. Like the Feast Days, this message was a shadow pointing up to Christ, but the fact that God had Solomon write this so many years before Christ or even heavy Messianic prophecy—such as in Daniel or Isaiah—was given, leads me to believe there's more to it than just that. Readers from Solomon's day were expected to get something from the text as well. Therefore, we should also consider what is being said about Earthly marriages. Marriage is one of two practices God created before the fall. A perfect world would still have had marriage, so it stands to reason that God would want us to cherish it! The other books of the Bible gloss over marriage and love in favor of other key details of the narrative. Song of Solomon takes us back to this gift God has given us so that we can understand it more and truly appreciate it.

Revisit

Because it was difficult for me to put all the pieces together in Song of Solomon (there's so much figurative language!), I don't have much to say outside of the general premise of the book. Once I finish my read through, or perhaps even before then if the Spirit moves me, I will revisit this book for another read through. Hopefully on that pass, I will feel more connected to and understand the text at a deeper level.

Song of Solomon 7&8: A Second Spring Invitation and Happily Ever After

Song of Solomon concludes with a spring rendezvous and the couple together once and for all. Now that the drama of the wedding has passed, the couple is free to enjoy each other's company and begin their life together.

Introduction

Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.Song of Songs 7:11 KJV

Just as Song of Solomon 2 shows the couple rejoice at spending time together in the Spring, the end of Song of Solomon 7 revisits that joy. While it doesn't specifically identify the season to be Spring, we do see talk of pomegranates budding and going out into the fields, both of which would occur during Spring.
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Fruit

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Maja Petric

An obvious and accepted interpretation of this passage is that it pertains to the consummation of their marriage.^[2]

However, I think spiritually, it may reference the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We cannot cultivate or produce these fruits until we have surrendered to Christ (and thus become His bride). Once we do so, the harvest begins and we are to produce as much of the fruits the Holy Spirit has given us as we can. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self restraint.^[1]

Happily Ever After

The final chapter of Song of Solomon shows the two lovers together, living as man and wife. In this chapter, they are finally free to enjoy each other's company and lavish each other with compliments.

Repetition

Song of Solomon 8:4 is an echo of Song of Solomon 2:7 and Song of Solomon 3:5. Once again, the woman is asking the daughters of Jerusalem to be still and not wake the love until the time of his choice. The spiritual meaning of this is obvious: we can't rush God, nor should we run about making a ruckus trying to move Him. In a literal sense, there is a law in Deuteronomy 24:5 that men did not have to work for a year after marrying; that time was supposed to be spent making their wife happy. This may be building upon that principle, suggesting no one bother the groom until he deems it the time to be away from his wife.

Song of Solomon 8:5 echoes Song of Solomon 3:6 and is the response of the daughters of Jerusalem to the wife's instruction not to wake up the husband. It is no coincidence that they place the couple coming out of the wilderness. It is out of the wilderness God brought Israel in to the promised land, and it is out of the symbolic wilderness (of sin) that God will bring us to Heaven. Since men were to be the head of the household, the husband should be leading his wife out of the dangers of the wilderness, as well.

A Link to Prophecy

Set me as a seal upon thine heart,
as a seal upon thine arm:Song of Solomon 8:6

Another verse that stood out to me was that of Song of Solomon 8:6. End time prophecy talks about two seals, a seal of God (Revelation 7:2-3 and 9:4) and a the mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:17 and 16:2). Both marks are to be received in the head (i.e., the mind) or in the hand (i.e., actions). When interpreting this love song to be between the church and Christ, it is obvious that this is a plea to put God first. If He is a seal in our heart, our mind will follow. Similarly, if He is a seal on our arms, our actions will follow.

When we enter an earthly marriage, the same concept applies. We must commit to our spouse with both our mind (or heart) and our actions. If we allow our heart or actions to wander, we will likely be led astray and ultimately be unfaithful to our spouse.

Spiritual Interpretation

This is how life will be for God's people after judgment day. After the madness and mayhem of our earthly life, we will finally be able to relax in God's presence!

This also relates to our spiritual journey. Many times, we feel apprehensive about approaching God—the way the bride was earlier in Song of Solomon—becasue we feel we aren't worthy to have His favor. During this time, we struggle to connect with God, but as soon as we move pass that nervousness and allow ourselves to enter into God's presence, we can enjoy our spiritual walk with Him.

References

1. Matthew Henry. "Song of Solomon 7 Commentary". via Bible Study Tools; visited December 29, 2017
2. David Guzik. "Song of Solomon 7 Commentary". Enduring Word. 2013

Song of Solomon 5-7: Second Night of Separation

After the wedding, the couple is once again separated and searching for each other. In between the compliments and longing, we can find much symbolism and meaning.

Introduction

As mentioned in my introduction to Song of Solomon, the book follows a chiastic pattern, which means the text is essentially mirrored. After the wedding, we begin to see reflections of the previous scenes in the opposite order from which they were presented. The last thing to occur before the wedding was the night of separation and thus, the first thing to happen after the wedding is another night of separation.
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Second Separation

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Beto Galetto

Once again, the scene begins with the speaker attempting to rest in bed. Now that the couple is married, there is an allusion to intimacy that was not present before the wedding, however this is cut short due to the disappearance of the lover. It seems as though when the lover attempts to instigate intimacy, the speaker does not oblige.

Like the previous section in which the couple was separated, the searcher enlists the help of watchmen to find the missing lover. In the previous section, the watchmen knew who was being sought after, and though they were not helpful in locating the missing lover, they did not stand in the way. However, Song of Solomon 5:7 tells us that when they found the seeker, they abused her (since they took away the veil, I assume this is the bride speaking).

Confusion

From a literal interpretation, this is quite a bizarre scene. The watchmen are charged with taking away the bride's veil, which implies it is still the wedding night. Why would the groom disappear on his wedding night? Further, why would the watchmen choose to harm the bride who is searching for husband? When I first read this I was completely confused as to what was happening and why God found his important to His overall message of salvation.

Christ's Absence

One of the interesting things I dwelled on, is the difference in behavior of the watchmen before the bride is married versus after. Suddenly they are brutish and injuring a helpless woman for seemingly no reason. What changed?

One of the reasons I don't go out at night is because I fear for my safety. Similarly, if my mom decides she wants to go shoe shopping at 10pm my dad will accompany her. In general, people are less likely to bother a woman who is in the company of a man. This is likely because men are generally expected to be the protectors of their family. Right or wrong, when this woman was seen without her protector, the watchmen suddenly thought it was ok to abuse the woman.

While someone might argue that this could be a statement of the importance of a man staying close to his wife to protect her, I believe this series of events it meant to be looked at from a spiritual angle.

The Israelites waited for the appearance of the Messiah the way a bride waits for her wedding day. When Christ appeared, those who followed Him were left in sorrow and disappointment to see Him die on the cross. However, each of the disciples were considered criminals in the eyes of Rome. Even after Jesus' resurrection and ascent to Heaven, the church continues to seek a connection with Him. These people were heavily persecuted by Rome and many were put to death. Remember, God's true church will be the most heavily persecuted right before He comes back. Perhaps this passage in Solomon is actually prophetic and meant to prepare us for the fate of the church.

Fear of Change

After reading commentaries on this section to clarify what seemed so bizarre, my attention was drawn to several key parts of the story that I had missed! One of the most important things to remember when reading the Bible, is to keep in mind the time period.^[1]

When the woman awakes, the husband is not in the bed with her, he is at her door knocking for permission to enter. At his request to enter, she does not want to get dressed to answer the door. When she finally does decide to give him permission to enter, he has slipped away. This understanding brings about critical details we should pay attention to, both spiritual and literally.

Getting Up

We've all been in that comfort zone where you're nice and toasty in the bed, but something requires you to get up. It takes something of great importance to move you when you're comfortable. We exhibit similar behavior in our lifestyle. When we are use to behaving a particular way, it is difficult to make a change. When God calls us to change (i.e., the husband knocking at the door), we don't want to take the actions necessary to open ourselves to that change (i.e., put on our robe and get our feet cold/dirty).

First Time

Today, people are less likely to actually wait until marriage to have sex, but in Solomon's day the bride was most certainly a virgin. Not only would she have been a virgin, but this was an era in which sex wasn't discussed. Who knows how much, if anything at all, she knew about sex. There was likely a fair amount of nervousness and anxiety about what would happen next. From her own words, we see that while she is hesitant, she is also excited. This also explains her hesitancy to open the door.

His Response

Up until recently, forcing your wife to have sex with you was not legally considered rape, but this passages shows that a man of God would not force his wife. There were many ways in which he could have reacted to her rejection, but he chose to be calm and collected. The husband didn't beat down the door and force his new wife to come to him after being turned down; instead, he gives her time.

A tradition of the time was to mark the bride's door with a scent, which explains why the bride mentions myrrh at the door. This would have been seen as a note to the bride that he had been there.

We receive a similar response from Jesus when we reject Him. He never forces Himself in to our lives. Instead He allows us the opportunity to choose to receive Him. In the case that we reject His call or are slow to answer, He simply leaves us to choose to come to Him.

A Conversation Among "Women"

The bride charges the daughters of Jerusalem to pass along a message to her love, and they respond with a series of questions that basically boil down to asking why is her beloved so special. Is this not the same question we get about God? People often ask why they should serve God and what makes Him the Supreme Authority. People what to know why they should subscribe to these beliefs over those beliefs. Here, the bride is being put on the spot to proclaim what is special about her lover just as the church is always on the spot to speak up for God and proclaim His supremacy.

When seen in visions, a woman represents a church. As the bride is speaking to these women, it could double as a spiritual message in honoring and praising the name of God among churches of all faiths.

Compliments and Praise

Earlier in the book, the lover bestowed 7 compliments on his bride, now we see the bride praise her husband in response to the daughters' of Jerusalem's inquiry to what makes this lover so special.

White and Ruddy

Many of us associate the phrase "white and ruddy" with the literal description of a white person. The first thing in my mind is pale skin with rosy cheeks, but I'm not certain this is what is being described. Throughout the book and especially the compliments given, most things are symbolic or metaphorical. When you think of symbolism, white usually symbolizes purity and ruddiness was a symbol of youth and vitality.^[2] It is quite possible that instead of giving us a physical description of her lover, she is telling us that he is pure in heart and retains the strength of his youth. This is furthered by the compliment's end, which exalts the lover over 10,000 men.

Head of Fine Gold with Bushy Black Hair

It's interesting that previously, she described her lover as white and ruddy, but now refers to his head as gold; most likely each of these descriptions is symbolic and not indicative of actual coloring. Gold is a precious metal which implies his head is extremely valuable. The head is general synonymous with the mind, thus I believe her likening his head to fine gold is an appreciation of his mind.

Some translations of the Bible refer to his hair as wavy, but the KJV describes his hair as "bushy." As a Black female, I am very familiar with term "bushy" hair and it is definitely not the same as wavy. I read this to mean he has a full head of thick curly hair. The color of this hair is described as black. This again tells us that the man is in his youthful prime because he is not balding nor is his hair turning gray.

Dove's Eyes

If you google "dove's eyes" you'll see that there's a prevailing belief that doves can only focus on one thing at a time. It is thought that doves are innocent and peaceful, thus adding the idea that they have such focus only makes their eyes all the more wholesome. In describing his eyes to be like those of a dove, she is calling attention to his focus and innocence.

Cheeks & Lips

In Song of Solomon 5:13, she praises both his cheeks and lips. She compares his cheeks to spices and flowers. When she describes his lips, she adds that they smell of myrrh. Notice that myrrh is also the scent she found at the door. This again ties into the assumption that the scent on the door is a message of sorts for his bride. Interestingly, myrrh is also what is brought to anoint Jesus' body after the crucifixion. It's a bit odd to see the extreme difference of use, but then, today flowers are the hallmark of romantic relationships and when people die, they bring flowers to the body—I guess it does make sense.

Hands

When discussing his hands, she mentions gold rings set with beryl. Despite my desire to relate the mentioning of rings to their recent wedding, the tradition of wearing rings to symbolize marriage was not popular at the time.^[3] Instead, I guess the focus should be on gold (wealth) and beryl. Beryl is a blue green mineral that comes in several varieties, one of which is emerald.^[4] Both of these represent wealth, but the addition of a precious stone like beryl brings about the connotation of beauty. Since hands are symbolic of action (e.g., get your hands dirty), this may be a statement about his actions. It seems be saying that he is able to create beautiful and valuable things. This definitely makes sense in the context of Solomon being the owner of these hands. One commentary suggests this is referencing his ability to complete God's mission for him.^[1] Other translations of the Bible compare his arms to rods of gold, and the NIV uses topaz instead of beryl.

Belly/Body

She describes his belly as being bright like "ivory overlaid with sapphires." The belly, or stomach, is pretty much the base or foundation of the body, at least for me it is. If my leg hurts, I can usually muster the strength to continue, but if my stomach hurts, I'm down for the count. Because of it's location and sensitivity, it controls the rest of me. In other translations, body is used instead of belly, reaffirming that she is speaking of his whole self.

Some may argue that her comparison of his body to ivory infers that he is white, but the fact that she adds the notion of being overlaid with sapphires (or lapis lazuli in some translations) tells me this is purely a metaphor. So, what do they represent? In today's society, ivory is very valuable. Unfortunately people hunt and kill elephants just for their ivory tusks.^[5] Ivory has been popular for quite some time and is often used for statues, sculptures, and jewelry.^[6] Sapphire and lapis lazuli are both blue stones used for decorative purposes. Both are expensive.^[7] Based on this understanding of the gems, we could say she if calling the person valuable.

I didn't want to miss any meaning, so I also checked to see what the Bible says about these stones. In 1 Kings 10:18 we see the king made a throne out of ivory. Thus, this was not only considered a luxury material even in Solomon's era, but it was a sign of royalty. Sapphire is closely associated with God. In Exodus 24:10, Sapphire is seen below God's feet. Ezekiel sees sapphire in his visions of Heaven in Ezekiel 1:26 and 10:1. Thus, Biblically it would seem to point to godliness and kingship. This directly correlates to the interpretation that the groom is meant to be Jesus and the bride, the church.

Strong Legs

She describes his legs as pillars of marble set upon fine gold. It's easy to gloss over "pillars" and dwell on the luxury and lavishness of marble and gold, but I believe pillars is a better clue to the meaning than marble or gold. Pillars are strong architectural features whose sole purpose is to hold up a building. They are strong and hold up heavy burdens. Marble and gold are rich materials, that are both beautiful and enduring, so it makes sense that you would use such materials to build such important features.

Countenance

She likens his countenance to Lebanon, referencing their cedars. The cedars of Lebanon are what the Temple was forged from, so we know they were associated with worth and holiness. Cedars are tall, strong trees that are not easily blown down, which further solidifies the strength and power of the lover.

Mouth

Once again, she comments on his mouth. At first, she specified his lips, but now, she speaks of his mouth as whole. In the first reference to his lips, coupled with the mentioning of his cheeks, it seems sensual. When I think of lips and cheeks, I think of kisses, but now that she refers to his mouth being sweet and him being altogether lovely, I think more on his words. Your words and thoughts come out of your mouth and what you say combined with what you do (hands=actions) is what make you a lovely person.

Friend

The last thing she says isn't really a compliment, but I thought it was interesting. Disney and Hollywood promote this idea of love at first sight. The focus of relationships in movies is often on romance and passion, but after being asked what's so special about her beloved, she states that he is her friend. Friendship is clearly apart of the relationship, which I think is important to remember.

Concubines and Queens

In Song of Solomon 6:8-9, the lover mentions concubines and queens. Solomon was known for his many wives and concubines, which makes me wonder if these women are the other wives of Solomon? He mentions 60 queens and 80 concubines which would be near the beginning of his collection of wives (in total he had 300 wives and 700 concubines).

Feeding the interpretation that Song of Solomon doubles as an allegory for the love between Christ and the church, verse 9 makes mention of daughters, a mother, and the bride being undefiled. In a literal sense, we take this to speak of her virginity. Most likely she was the only daughter, perhaps even the only child and the other women of the city praised her for purity. Spiritually, we can make connections to churches. Just as there is the bride of Christ, which is His church, Revelation 17 talks about the Whore of Babylon and the mother of harlots. Here we see a false church and her daughters in direct contrast to the faithful (i.e., undefiled) church of God.

The Lover's Response

Song of Solomon 6 seems to be the lover's response to being rejected by his new bride. He is not angry, but rather hopeful that she will come to him soon. He praises her and beckons for her to return to him.

Reunited

Song of Solomon 7 reunites the couple. When he greets his beloved, he is not upset about whatever miscommunication they had previously but instead, showers her with compliments and praises.

References

1. David Guzik. "Song of Solomon 5 Commentary". Enduring Word.
2. Holman Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1118. 2014
3. Noreen. "The Origins of Wedding Rings and Why They're Worn on the 4th Finger of the Left Hand". Today I Found Out. September 27, 2010
4. "Beryl". Wikipedia; visited December 2017
5. Sasha Mushegian. "Appalled by the Illegal Trade in Elephant Ivory, a Biologist Decided to Make His Own". Smithsonian Magazine. May 10, 2017
6. "Ivory". Wikipedia; visited December 23,2017
7. Lee Milby. "Blue Sapphire and Lapis Lazuli | A brief history of stones". Soho Gem. August 31, 2014

Song of Solomon 3-5: The Wedding

What's the most exciting and important part of a relationship? Did you guess the wedding? The middle of Song of Solomon gives us front row access to the marriage of a couple deeply in love with each other, with the intent of reminding us of our own upcoming marriage to Christ. It's pretty powerful, if you ask me.

Introduction

The last half of Song of Solomon 3, the whole of Song of Solomon 4, and the first verse of Song of Solomon 5 take us through the actual wedding of the couple. We see the groom lavish the bride with praise and experience the joy of these two uniting in love. This joy should extend to our reunification with Christ, as well! There's tons of metaphors and symbolism throughout these chapters and I'm sure I've missed some of it. Song of Solomon is proving to be one those books I'm going to have to read a few more times before I feel like I truly understand the whole of it.
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The Wilderness and A Pillar of Cloud

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?Song of Solomon 3:6 KJV

The question posed in Song of Solomon 3:6 references the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land. In that time, they were lead by God who appeared as a pillar of fire during the night and a pillar of cloud during the day. The second portion of the question, though not directly related to escape from Egypt, is also tied to God. Frankincense and myrrh are two of the gifts given to Jesus in celebration of His birth. Frankincense is mentioned heavily in Leviticus as the oil priests used to give offerings to God. Myrrh is not only brought to Jesus at His birth, but also at His death (Mark 15:23-24 and John 19:39-40).

Spiritually, this question takes us full circle, from the original covenant with the Israels (born of their escape from Egypt), to the new covenant given to all the world (born of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and acceptance of the role as High Priest).

In the context of the relationship and wedding discussed in the song, I think it is the bride enamored by the power and might of her husband. The next verses go on to describe a display of power and wealth.

King Solomon

King Solomon appears to make a grand entry with many soldiers. The KJV refers to Solomon's bed, while others refer to the object as a carriage. Song of Solomon 3:9 refers to a chariot made by Solomon, so I guess this object was some sort of carriage or chariot used to transport the king. It was ornately recorded with silver, gold, and purple, as well as, guarded by 60 valiant soldiers.

7 Praises

Song of Solomon 4 starts with Solomon praising the beauty of his bride; he gives 7 praises. I believe there may be spiritual significance for each of these, though only a few presented obvious spiritual connections to me. If God ever reveals more about the spirituality of these praises to me, I will of course post the revelation. In the mean time, if you seem something that I've missed, feel free to share in a comment below.

Overall Beauty

First he calls her fair—if you remember from chapter one, we have already been told that the bride has a darker complexion, so we must understand fair to mean beautiful.

Hair

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/广博 郝

He then compliments her hair. He says there are doves' eyes in her hair and it is like a flock of goats. As strange of a compliment as that might be, it has meaning. In Song of Solomon 1:15 and 5:12, doves' eyes are mentioned as well. Newer translations continue this pattern of referring to her actual eyes as being like those of a dove (see the NKJV, NIV, or NLT), while the KJV asserts that the doves' eyes are in her locks (or hair). In the former instances it is a direct reference to the eyes of the bride and groom being focused on one another. Doves, it turns out, can only focus on one object at a time due to the physiology of their body.^[1] So how does that relate to hair? One commentary suggests it is a statement about modesty.^[2]

I haven't been able to verify from a scientific study that doves' eyes work in this way, though it seems to be a very common opinion and phrase (it even showed up in Urban Dictionary!) What I do know is that Biblically, the dove is a sign of hope and humility. It is the dove that brings back the olive branch to Noah after the water has receded from the flood (Genesis 8:11). Doves were also the accepted sacrifice for those who were too poor to offer a larger, more expensive animal. Of all the birds in the bird kingdom, I feel like doves are most often spoken of in the Bible and most exalted. Thus, whatever Solomon is saying about her hair, it must be a compliment.

The reference to goats is much easier to understand. This is a reference to the texture of her hair. Goat's hair was used in the construction of the tabernacle, which means it was highly favored and valuable. It's been a while since I petted a goat, but if my I remember correctly, their hair is thick but soft.

Teeth

If you just read the first few words on Song of Solomon 4:2, you would think he was praising the whiteness of her teeth. However, he goes on to explain that the sheep he is comparing her teeth to, are fruitful to the point of bearing twins and none of these sheep are bear. What does fruitfulness have to do with teeth?

Red Lips

It's interesting that mankind has had such an obsession with red lips for so long. I don't believe I've ever met a woman with naturally red lips... Nonetheless, the real compliment in this verse is that Solomon not only praises the color of her lips, but the words that are produced from them.

Temples

Next, Solomon compliments her temples by comparing them to pomegranates. Pomegranates are sweet and juicy, which seems like an odd thing to say about one's temples. My study bible suggests temples could be translated as lips,^[3] but the end of the verse places the temples "within thy locks," which seems more accurate for literal temples.

Long Neck

For some reason, a long neck has always been desirable. In Solomon's next compliment, he compares her neck to the tower of David, which we can assume to be tall and fortified. I think it's interesting that we generally think of swan's necks as the more poetic comparison, emphasizing grace and beauty, but Solomon chose something powerful and strong instead. Her neck isn't just long to be beautiful but to provide strength.

Bosom

As much as we can argue what is taught versus natural in attraction, it seems inevitable that Solomon would get to his love's bosom. His final compliment is for her boobs. Although it seems self explanatory from a fleshly mindset, I think it's interesting spiritually.

All mammals who come into the world rely on their mother's bosom to provide nourishment, otherwise they will die. Similarly, Jesus relies on the church to go out and spread the gospel. Without believers proclaiming Jesus Lord, millions of souls will be lost.

Without Blemish

We always say that no one is perfect, but God created us perfectly; we are beautiful to him, regardless of society has led us to believe. In Song of Solomon 4:7, Solomon tells his bride that she has no spot, blemish, or fault. When the church is presented to Christ as a bride, the same will be true for us—not be cause we have been perfect in our ways for life, but because Jesus has washed away our spiritual imperfection with His blood.

Sister?

In the concluding section of Song of Solomon 4, the groom refers to the bride as "sister" three times. Although there were marriages between siblings in the early days, after God gave Moses the law, this type of union was expressly forbidden. As such, we can be fairly certain that the groom is not speaking of literal sisterhood. There are many circles in which unrelated people refer to each other as sister or brother. The church is the first that comes to my mind, though there are many other examples. It is quite common for someone to say "this is my sister in Christ." In fact, growing up, many people referred to their elders as Sister or Brother so-and-so instead of Mrs. or Mr. so-and-so.

I know, I know, you want to know if our modern use of the word sister still holds for Solomon's era: it does. Scholars have studied writings of the same era from Egypt and found the same pattern of using the word sister as a term of endearment.^[3]

The Wedding Night

The final set of verse in chapter 4 and the first verse in chapter 5 is heavy laden with metaphors. From gardens planted with fruits and spices, to hone and milk being under the tongue, there's a whirlwind of metaphors to figure out. The most obvious (at least to me) interpretation is that this is the wedding night and the consumption of the marriage.

I can also see this having great spiritual meaning. The garden speaks of Eden and perfection before sin separated us from God. In the garden was the living water, which we know to be Jesus and provides us with eternal life. In the end, it is our ultimate goal to be restored to this state where we can enjoy the presence of God and He can commune with us.

References

1. Mark Lake. "What I Just Learned About The Eyes of a Dove". Follow the LIFE: Learning to live by Christ in us; visited December 9, 2017
2. John Gills. "Song of Solomon 4:1 Commentary". John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, via Bible Study Tools; visited December 9, 2017
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1115-1116. 2015

Song of Solomon 3: Night of Separation

To understand Song of Solomon 3—well Song of Solomon in general, to be honest—it's nice to understand the customs of a Jewish marriage ceremony. The first half of chapter 3 shows us someone who is distraught that their lover is not with them and goes off to find them. I'm fairly certain that the speaker in these verses is the woman, but don't take my word on that.

Introduction

To understand Song of Solomon 3—well Song of Solomon in general, to be honest—it's nice to understand the customs of a Jewish marriage ceremony. The first half of chapter 3 shows us someone who is distraught that their lover is not with them and goes off to find them. I'm fairly certain that the speaker in these verses is the woman, but don't take my word on that.
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Kabbalat Panim

The portion of the ceremony relevant to this chapter is called Kabbalat Panim, and refers to the bride and groom not seeing each other for a week before the actual wedding.^[1] The song seems to only cover one night, but that does not mean the couple in the song only spent one night apart in total. I'm not positive the night of separation in this chapter is in reference to the tradition, mainly because there are many ways it could be interpreted. However, it is something to consider.

Other Definitions of Kabbalat Panim

The first source I checked about Jewish Wedding ceremonies defined Kabbalat Panim as a period of separation between the bride and groom.^[1] However, when I googled this phrase to get a better understanding of the phrase, I found many sites that such this phase of the wedding is something a bit different. The couple appears to be separated but, tt takes place on the wedding day just before the ceremony. By this definition it is an individual ceremony for the bride and one for the groom used to prepare for the wedding.^[5][6]

Similar Traditions in Christianity

In the Christian faith, we typically think of a wedding as a one day affair: the official ceremony followed by a reception. Yet, we can find similarities in customs. Although Christian couples are not separated for a week before the ceremony, most assert it to be "bad luck" to see the bride on the day of the wedding. As such, couples typically spend the night before their wedding night apart and do not see each other until they meet at the altar to give their vows.

Other Interpretations

Although much of this alternative interpretation is pure speculation, I could easily see this referencing a normal night for the couple. It has only been in recent years that an unmarried man and woman could be alone together; it's still not acceptable in some countries. For the couple of the song to see each other in private, they would have had to be very crafty.

I can envision the young man stealing away at night, when the rest of the city would be asleep, to meet the young woman and gain her company. Perhaps she lay in her bed pretending to be asleep until she received a signal from him, or until an appointed hour, when she would join him. On this particular night, the young man may have had trouble getting to her, causing her to panic when he did not arrive.

As I said, this is merely speculation. Personally, I like the neatness the interpretation that it is following the Jewish wedding ceremony tradition because it seems more purposeful, however, I definitely see flaws in this interpretation (but that could be because of my limited understanding of the Jewish wedding ceremony). My study Bible^[7] and Bible commentary^[8] lean more toward the alternative interpretation I provided. I feel like this imagining is heavily influenced by Shakespearean plays and movies set in the victorian era, but at it's core it speaks to a tradition that very well may be as old as the mankind. After all, people have been falling in love and trying to woo each other since the beginning of time.

Separation

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Paul Garaziar

The speaker in Song of Solomon 3:1-5—I believe it is the woman, but I am not positive—is searching for the missing lover. Without knowledge of the Jewish wedding traditions, it seems as though the lover disappeared without telling anyone. I was definitely confused the first time I read through this passage. The combination of my 21st century mind and lack of cultural understanding told me he was out at the club getting his groove on without her (or her in the club without him, depending on who's speaking).

The Literal Interpretation

However, once I learned about the tradition, it seemed less sinister and appeared that the person is merely missing the other during this part of the process. While I've never been married, I can imagine that not seeing someone you love and are set to marry for any period of time would be difficult. In today's society, people probably placate the act of not seeing each other by texting each other, but in Solomon's day, if they weren't together physically, there was no communication!

When we become accustomed to having someone in our life, it's difficult to experience things with out them. This isn't just about spouses, either! Some people feel this way about their children or best friend. We expect to be able to share our all of our emotions, reactions, and ideas with that person as soon as we have them, but when we can't it is burdensome to carry it alone. It is easy to see how this is a statement about our relationships in life, and possibly just as easy to take it as a statement about how we should feel toward God. If we are separated from Him (by sin, of course), we should hop out of our beds (i.e. make a change) and seek Him.

The Prophetic Interpretation

Interestingly, this separation is kind of what happened with Jesus and the church. We know Jesus was separated from God when He took on the sins of the world. After His resurrection, He spent 40 days on Earth before ascending to Heaven. While we still have a connection to Him through the Holy Spirit, He is no longer physically here and the church is separated from her groom. Before Jesus left, He told the church to keep watch for His return. Similarly, in Song of Solomon, the person is eagerly waiting for their lover to return.

Finding The Lover

At the end of the night, the person finds their betrothed and they are happily reunited. What's most interesting about this part of the song is the person's conversation with the watchman. The watchman is asked if he has seen the missing lover and is of little help. When the person asks, however, no name is mentioned. It is assumed that the watchman already knows who the lover is.

If Solomon was the person being searched for, it would definitely explain why the woman didn't need to give a name, and if Solomon was the seeker, it would still make sense that everyone knew whom he was searching for. The same should be true for when we seek Christ, however. Our behavior and demeanor should tell the world that we belong to God. When we go out searching for Him, people should just know that it is Christ we are seeking. The converse is true, as well. Our demeanor should be such that people know Christ is searching for us.

References

1. Chaplain Shlomo Shulman. "Guide to the Jewish Wedding". Aish. June 30, 2001
2. Maurice Lamm. "The Jewish Marriage Ceremony". Chabad.org; visited December 7, 2017
3. Matthew Henry. "Song of Solomon 3 Bible Commentary". Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, via Christianity.com; visited December 8, 2017
4. John Wesley. "Song of Solomon 3 Bible Commentary". John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes, via Christianity.com; visited December 8, 2017
5. "Kabbalat Panim -- Pre-Chupah Reception". Chabad.org; visited December 9, 2017
6. Aliyah. "Jewish Wedding 101: The Kabbalat Panim, Hachnasat Kallah, and The Chosen’s Tish". Jewish Wedding Blog. August 21, 2013
7. Holoman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1114-1115. 2014
8. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 924. 1995

Song of Solomon 2: Spring Invitation

Reading Song of Solomon is kind of like watching a period love story. I imagine if it were made into a movie, it would look like a Shakespearean play... The second section of Song of Solomon features a conversation between the young lovers that centers on enjoying a spring day together. Once again we see significance for our literal love lives, as well as, significance for our spiritual lives.

Introduction

The second section of Song of Solomon features a conversation between the young lovers that centers on enjoying a spring day together. Once again we see significance for our literal love lives, as well as, significance for our spiritual lives.
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The Excitement of Spring

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Andrea Reiman

Since it's currently winter, I related to the speaker's excitement about the return of Spring easily. While some people love Winter, many struggle with depression through the cold, rainy (or snowy), and bleak months. I am lucky to be living in South Florida, where it is green year-round, but when I lived in South Carolina, the trees would go bare and the grass would turn a little brown. It looked like the Earth had died. So during those days, I would wish for Spring because it brings back warmth and beauty.

The Biblical Significance of Spring

¹¹For, lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone;
¹²The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
¹³The fig tree putteth forth her green figs,
and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.Song of Songs 2:11-13 KJV

In the Western world, we consider the first of the year to be January 1. This is odd, because off the top of my head, January doesn't really have any celestial or religious significance. After doing some digging, I found out that January is named for the Roman god Janus (well, I kind of knew that, but I didn't know anything about Janus). Janus was said to be a two-faced god with one face looking back into the past, and one face looking forward to the future. The tradition of celebrating New Years on January 1 started with the adoption of the Julian calendar which is where the name of January was introduced.^[1][2] Astronomically, the beginning of January represents perhihelion, the point at which the Earth is closest to the Sun—not the Romans would have known that when they chose the date.^[3] Since January is in the dead of the winter, we technically experience winter twice each year, which is pretty depressing to me.

In contrast, the Israelite's religious calendar starts in the Spring. Their fist month of the year was Nissan, which is symbolic of their escape from Egypt. The year is counted from this month because this is the month they gained freedom and truly became a nation. Nissan begins either in what we call March or April,^[4] which is also when Spring begins. This time of the year symbolizes the beginning of Israel's relationship with God.

Spring as it's Related to Life

Spring has always been a symbol of new life, or rebirth. Many people are probably familiar with the phrases "April showers bring May flowers" and "spring chicken." Similarly, in pagan religions, spring time was associated with fertility goddesses. Why? Because the Earth comes to life in spring. Trees regrow their leaves, flowers bloom, and most animals (like chickens) give birth to their young during this time. Despite our tradition of making New Year's resolutions in January, Spring is the true symbol of renewal.

Spring Love

The speaker in Song of Solomon 2:11-13 is clearly excited for spring to come and asserts it to be some sort of beginning or renewal in the relationship. The transition from winter is explicitly stated and much of the above symbolism is referenced.

From the point of view of two lovers, it makes sense to plan a "date" in the spring. This would be the perfect time for a romantic walk or picnic. All though I'm sure that during Solomon's era marriages were arranged and there probably wasn't any dating, I imagine this would have been a prime season for courting once dating did become common.

It's also interesting from a spiritual point of view. The speaker is requesting that the lover arise and come away now that spring has come. Generally I associate "arise" with waking up, but really it is just a command to stir us to action. We see this with the request to "come away." When God delivered Israel from Egypt (in the Spring), He essentially say arise and come with me, just as the speaker says to their lover. Further, in the New Testament, we (the church, a.k.a the Bride of Christ), are commanded to come out (or come away) from Babylon.

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Laura College

Animal References

Sometimes we compare people to animals, but the references in Song of Solomon make it clear that there's a generational and cultural difference between how we think today versus back then. Someone is compared to a roe or young hart, not once, but twice.

Let's start by defining "roe" and "hart," because if you're like me, you know they're animals but you aren't sure what they are specifically. There are several definitions of roe, but the most likely candidate given the context of it's usage here, is that it is synonymous with doe.^[5] A doe is typically thought to be female deer, but can refer to several animals in which the female is referred to as a doe and the male is referred to as a buck.^[6] A hart, on the other hand, is definitely a male deer.^[7]

It's not a typical comparison, but it did make me think.

First, by using a roe and a hart, we see an example of an equally yoked couple. Roe is likely referencing a female deer, which would naturally be the mate of a hart. In today's society, women are typically compared to things that are cute and fluffy like bunnies and kittens, while men are compared to more dominate animals. Solomon's comparison is more in line with God's description of man and woman in the Bible. If you research the origins of the word helpmeet—the word used to describe Eve at Creation—you learn that Eve was to be "directly corresponding to" Adam. In the New Testament, we are warned not to be unequally yoked or mismatched with our spouse. I think we an all agree that a male and female deer directly correspond to eat other and are more equally yoked than, say, a bunny and a bear.

Second, the imagery is actually quite nice. I've seen plenty of deer over my lifetime and while I've never tried to woo someone by comparing them to a deer, I can definitely see why it's a complement. Deer are beautiful creatures. They are graceful and elegant, but they are also fast and strong. The male deer have antlers which give them a look of power and might, but in general deer are very peaceful.

Mountains of Bether

The woman in the song places her lover—as a deer—on the mountains of Bether. Naturally, I asked the question: what's significant about Bether and it's mountains? Bether, actually means separated or divide.^[8][9] Why would she compare her love to a deer on a mountain meant to separate or divide? After reading an exposition by C.H. Spurgeon,^[10[ I realized this is once again both literal and spiritual.

In general, there will be division in relationships at some point. No matter how much you love each other, disagreements will arise. There will also be times when you are physically separated—perhaps one person has to go on a business trip. We should approach these situations gracefully, like a deer, and take time to reassess the situation (in the case of an argument). The author of Believer's Bible Commentary suggests that Song of Solomon 2:15 is actually spoken by the woman's brothers. Based on this, he paints a scene where the lover is essentially standing at her window seeking to see her only to be caught by her brothers and shooed away.^[11] While I can clearly see the scene play out the way they describe, I think it is adding to the word. There is no mention of the brothers nor is there any indication that the words spoken are from someone other than the man or woman of the couple.

Spiritually, it's interesting that the lover is a peaceful and gentle deer standing on a mountain meant to set boundaries and divide or separate countries. Similarly, when Jesus, who we think of as gentle, returns, He will be dividing. From the beginnings of Israel unto this day, God's people still argue about doctrine. These doctrines create dividings line in the church. When we speak the truth about God, whether to fellow believers who may not have accepted certain truths yet, or to non-believers, it often has the effect of causing a stir and dividing. Similarly, when we refuse to accept God's truth, we are separated from Him.

His and Hers

Possessiveness is not new to our generation. In Solomon 2:15, the woman in the song makes it clear that the man she loves is hers and she belongs to him. I don't think it's hard to parse out this statement, but I wanted to call attention to the spiritual parallels. Our relationship with God is the same way. He is our God and we are His people. We do well to remember this.

While I think Believer's Bible Commentary adds to the story in many instances, the author makes a point about the woman in Song of Solomon conveying her love as voluntary, spontaneous, and free. The issue the Israelites, and many of us today, think of loving God as required, religious, and structured. This is where we fail to understand the point, how we take things out of context, and why we find it hard to cultivate our relationship with God. Jesus constantly reminds us that love is the most important thing. Many people seem to old the belief that because we do what God commanded or because we go to church each week, we love God. However, the truth is that we do things to please God voluntarily because we love Him. It seems like such a minute changing of words but it really is a profound difference.

There was a man who was in love with a woman. They were married. When things in the relationship became strained, he decided to buy her flowers often to show his love. They still ended up in divorce court. When the judge dug into the issue, the woman complained that she had explained over and over that she didn't like flowers, she wanted time and thoughtfulness. The man thought that if followed a generic, preset script, without really trying to understand his wife, it was the same as loving her. This is the major difference that happens when we act out of love verses acting to imply love. In the first case we move because our lover (God) has told us what He wants and we want to please Him. In the latter, we do things hoping to please God without consulting Him, come up short, and are confused as to why the situation doesn't turn out the way we hoped.

References

1. "January". Time and Date; visited December 1, 2017
2. "45 B.C. New Year’s Day". This Day in History, via History. 2010
3. "Perihelion, Aphelion and the Solstices". Time and Date; visited December 1,2017
4. "The Jewish Months". Chabad.org; visited 2017
5. "Roe". Merriam Webster; visited December 1, 2017
6. "Doe". Merriam Webster; visited December 1, 2017
7. "Hart". Merriam Webster; visited December 1, 2017
8. Bether". Bible Hub; visited December 1, 2017
9. Andrew Robert Fausset. "Bether". via Bible History; visited December 1, 2017
10. C.H. Spurgeon. Over the Mountains". via Bible Bulletin Board; visited December 1, 2017
11. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 923-924. 1995

Song of Solomon 1&2: The Love Story Begins

The first two chapters of Song of Solomon introduce us to the leading lady and her lover. Solomon switches from her point of view to his point of view throughout the book, making it important to constantly re-evaluate who is speaking to whom as we read. Within these first chapters we find much inspiration and many lessons that apply to our own lives today.

Introduction

The first two chapters of Song of Solomon introduce us to the leading lady and her lover. Solomon switches from her point of view to his point of view throughout the book, making it important to constantly re-evaluate who is speaking to whom as we read. Within these first chapters we find much inspiration and many lessons that apply to our own lives today.
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Longing

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.Song of Solomon 1:2 KJV

The first emotion presented to us is longing. The woman speaking desires to be with her love and informs us that he is sought after by many virgins. Virgins to convey desirability as women who were not virgins were expected to be married and thus, not lusting after a man other than their husband. Her statement that virgins desired this man is equivalent to saying he was desired by all the single women.

This longing is probably familiar even to those who have not been in love, but have had crushes. We can't wait to see the face of that special person or talk to them about the day. When we search for deeper meaning, however, this is also the way we should feel about building a relationship with God.

King Solomon

The interpretation of the book hangs heavily upon Song of Solomon 1:4. Here, the king has brought the woman to his chambers and someone is both running and rejoicing. Some view this verse as saying something along the lines of "even if the king should desire me, I would seek after you and rejoice." Others see this as identification of the lover as the king, and conversely as Solomon.^[5]

Black?

I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,
as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Look not upon me, because I am black,
because the sun hath looked upon me:
my mother's children were angry with me;
they made me the keeper of the vineyards;
but mine own vineyard have I not kept.Song of Solomon 1:5-6 KJV

I find Song of Solomon 1:5-6 to be interesting for lots of reasons. These verses point out the fact that the woman in question has a darker complexion than was expected and provide an explanation of why she is darker. First, it shows us something about humanity that hasn't changed. Second, it reminds us that God's people were pulled from all walks of life. And third, it gives us a glimpse of a struggle we can still relate to today.

The History of Colorism

Colorism is the issue of preferring, privileging, and uplifting people based upon the color of their skin.^[7] If you aren't familiar with the issue, you probably think that definition sounds like racism, but colorism occurs even within races. In America (an when I say "America," I'm referring to both American continents, not just the United States), for example, this can be seen among blacks, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic. When you take into account the fact that the complexion of African people varies from nation to nation, then account for Africans brought to the Americas having consensual and non-concnsensual relationships with people of European and Native Americans ancestry, you get a very broad spectrum of complexions. South Africa and other colonized nations have similar legacies. In these nations, lighter skinned blacks were given more privileges. Whether it was because they were seen as "less black" or simply because their white or Native American parent was able to provide things two black parents could not, the fact remains that these people were seen as a special subset of their race and deemed "better" than their fellow blacks who happened to be darker. This issue still prevails in our media and mentality, even within our own communities and how we view ourselves.

As an American, it's easy to focus on the history of colorism as it relates to slavery and the ideals that black people were inferior, but there's another component to colorism that needs to be addressed before diving further into these verses. During Biblical times, it wasn't particularly common for people to migrate long distances. It's not like someone in Israel could buy a plane ticket and move to present day Russia. This means there was probably quite a bit more homogeneity in many places of the world. Israel being a prime route for trade, may have had more diversity than most nations, but let's talk about colorism in homogenous nations. Countries like Japan have almost no non-native citizens; this means the gene diversity in the country is not very high, particularly when it comes to skin color. In these countries, being darker or lighter isn't about being descended from a group of people that were beaten down and considered less than human. Instead, skin complexion told people your economic status.

Generally speaking, the longer you sit in the sun, the darker you become. A rich man who owned a farm would pay someone to do the work of upkeeping the farm. Conversly, a poor man would be more likely to work in the field to pay his bills. The person who was able to pay someone to work the fields wouldn't have to labor in the sun. As such, they would automatically be less likely to have their skin tanned due to working in the heat each day. A dark complexion was evidence of field work and this meant you were either poor or working class. Thus, coloring was a marker of status. Because of this, even in countries that do not share the tragic history of American slavery, colorism is still alive and well.

The woman in Song Solomon explains that her skin is black because of working in the fields, implying that discrimination against her is rooted in this latter cause of colorism.

Literal or Figurative?

Translations vary in using "black" vs. "dark" when translating the verse in to English,^[4] but either way, most commentaries approach the statement as a literal description. Although they agree that the woman is not literally black in complexion—just as black people are not literally black—they interpret her statement to mean she is tanned and darker than most. This is supported by her next statements, which explain that she was looked upon by the sun, and forced to keep vineyards. As I discussed previously, a tanned complexion indicated that she worked outdoors.^[1]

Kedar

However, I see another layer to this. The woman compares herself to both the tents of Kedar and the curtains of Solomon. The curtains of Solomon were known for their beauty and the their equisite design, literally, but symbolically, they represent the holiness of the Temple. The curtains of Solomon were not just any curtains and they weren't just hung in any place. These curtains were built specifically to hang in the presence of God. Conversely, the Kedar is a reference to a son of Ishmael (see Genesis 25:13). In referencing these tents, the woman is drawing upon the contrast between the descendants of Ishmael, who did not inherit the covenant from God, and the descendants of Isaac, who were God's chosen people (Galatians 4).

Vineyards

What continues my interest in this line of thought, is the reference to working the fields. In Genesis 3, right before mankind is expelled from the Garden of Eden, God issues a series of punishments. One of these punishments is that of tilling the ground. Before the fall, everything grew from the Earth effortlessly, but upon the fall, man would have to labor to bring forth crops. The woman is stating her position in life as having to work in the vineyards, just as God commanded after the fall. She goes on to say

A Mother and Siblings

The woman immediately identifies herself as having a family. While she doesn't mention her father, she does mention a mother and siblings. We learn that her siblings were angry with her and it is because of them that she was forced to keep the vineyards. Another place in the Bible where we see siblings angry with a particular sibling and subsequently punishing that sibling, is in Genesis 37 with the sons of Jacob (Israel) punishing Joseph.

Further, in the Bible a woman usually represents a church (Jeremiah 6:2). When you look into prophecy, you will find two main women discussed in Revelation. One is described in a manner befitting the church of God and is persecuted, while the other is described as the "whore of Babylon." The whore of Babylon represents a wayward church filled with sin and following it's own desires. Not surprisingly, this woman is also described as the mother of harlots (Revelation 17). From this wayward church, springs other wayward churches, and together, they persecute God's faithful people. The woman in Song of Solomon is experiencing a similar fate. She is forced out of the comforts of a home or simple job and not the hot, sun laden fields at the persecution of her mother and siblings.

Conclusion

From a symbolic point of view, the phrase "black but comely" could actually be saying that she is a sinner (we all are sinners), but she has been redeemed into beauty through faith. Many believe the song to be about the remnant church of the end times, and here I see how that could be a possible interpretation.

Does She Really Mean Black?

Photocredit: Demilked/Khoudia Diop

Now, me being an African-American, I really want to say that the leading lady in Solomon's song is declaring herself to be a radiant beauty with beautifully dark skin and African features. I'm seeing someone like Khoudia Diop or Nyakim Gatwech.^[2][3] However, my experience with people of different races reminds me that this may not necessarily be the case. I had a friend from China once declare she was "black" after being in the sun for a day. Her tanned skin wasn't even as dark as me and I'm often mistaken for being mixed... Apparently "black skin" is relative.

That being said, the fact that Israel is so close to Africa and Arabs at that time would have been more brown (since they hadn't intermarried with Europeans yet), I think it's reasonable to assume she was much darker than a tanned white person.

Regardless of Color

The beauty of the woman's admission is that she is still the star of the story Solomon tells and God chose to preserve that story. It is a statement that despite mankind's tendency to diminish darker and poor people, God still views us as beautiful ("comely") and worthy of being included in his kingdom.

Whether the woman represents God's church/people, or is merely a woman, her beauty is not limited to physical beauty. She is setting the stage by revealing that she has been mistreated and is looked upon as lowly by society. This mirrors the statements given in the Beattitudes (Matthew 5) as well as the laws concerning the less fortunate. God reveals this information about the leading lady to remind us that it is not the color of our skin that matters, but the character of the person beneath it.

Beauty

Song of Solomon 1:8-11 is told from the point of view of the lover. He reassures her that she is beautiful. His words are followed by similar words of praise from the woman. What is important here is not that either person was physically attractive, but the fact that feelings were mutual and appreciation is flowing in both directions. Relationships are most successful when the people involved love and respect each other equally.

Lilies and Apple Trees

Photocredit:Unsplash.com/Mayor Gala

Song of Solomon 2 begins with two interesting metaphors and juxtapositions. The woman says she is a lily among thorns and an apple tree among forest trees. In both cases, the woman compares herself to something of pleasant and useful among the unpleasant and useless. My study Bible interprets this to mean that love represents safety in our dangerous world.^[6] I think it is also about standing out. In the New Testament, we are charged with shining Jesus' light in the world. We are also called to be set apart. If we are following the Will of God, we will subsequently bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is good fruit. Meanwhile those who do not surrender to God will be known for their bad fruit. Thus, we are like lilies among thorns and apple trees among barren trees.

God is love, and our relationship with Him is about love. Thus, this metaphor should apply to love itself as well. Love is rare, but a beautiful sight to behold when spotted. I also think it might indicate that love is obvious. We often say love is blind, because we allow our self to love thorns whose purpose is to injure us. However, when we follow and trust God, love should be obvious, like a lily or an apple tree.

Patience

The woman, though longing for her beloved, asks that no one wake him. Although she can't wait to spend time with him, she desires for him to get his rest and join her on his time. This patience apply to both earthly relationships and our spiritual relationships.

We are often impatient in the pursuit of love. We want our knight in shining armor to appear right now, and we want him to be ready to be our knight that instance. We want to fall in love overnight like a Disney movie and be swept away in a whirlwind of romance. However, it doesn't always happen like that (does it ever happen like that?). Each of us is a work in progress, so our beloved will not be perfect when we meet him (or her, for my male readers). Also, it may take time. As the person is developing, we have to give them room to grow. We cannot pressure someone to return our affections simply because we want them to.

Similarly, we become impatient with God. Whether it is because He has not returned yet, or because we have asked for something and not received it yet. God works on His own time. He knows when He should "wake" and will be happy to see us when He does. It is up to us to be patient in our pursuit of Him.

References

1. "Song of Solomon 1:5 Commentary". Bible Hub; visited November 25, 2017
2. Andrius. "Girl Was Bullied For Her Incredibly Dark Skin, Now She Became A Model And Internet Sensation". Demilked. November 2016
3. Siofra Brennan. "'You are beyond beautiful': Sudanese model dubbed the Queen of the Dark encourages black women to love their skin - after an Uber driver asked if she'd bleach herself for $10K". Daily Mail. July 4, 2017
4. "Song of Solomon 1:5". Bible Hub; visited November 2017
5. "Song of Solomon 1:4 Commentary" Bible Hub; visited November 26, 2017
6. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1113. 2014
7. Lori L. Tharps. "The Difference Between Racism and Colorism". Time. October 6, 2016