Bible 101: Lesson 20

The Song of Solomon

Also known as the Song of Songs, this book of the Bible shows that God is not a prude. It is a work of erotic poetry that describes the delight of a young couple for each other. It may seem strange that such an explicit book is found in the Bible, but it shows that sexuality is truly a gift from God to be openly enjoyed when in the proper context of marriage.

It is also a picture of everything that God intended marriage to be, and the reason why it is historically called “holy”. In the Song there is no separation between love and sex – the two are intermingled. The union of husband and wife was blessed and called “very good” back in Genesis, and here we get an insider’s glimpse into the erotic intimacy between them. There is no hint of shame in the sexuality of either the man or the woman. They are free to enjoy their union in the security of knowing that their love is exclusive.

There are other levels at which this book has also been understood through the ages. The Jews saw it as an allegory of God’s love for His chosen people. Christians have read it as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. On the spiritual plane, it is a picture of a passionate Divine lover and the object of His love – those of us who freely return it. “God is love” we are told by the Apostle John, and the Song of Solomon gives us a glimpse into the intensity of that Divine passion.

Contains no Messianic prophecies.