FROM THE MINISTRY OF

LOVE LESSONS FROM THE SONG OF SOLOMON

DR. J. VERNON MCGEE

 Beloved
LOVE LESSONS FROM
THE SONG OF SOLOMON

The Song of Solomon is one of the most beautiful love stories in the Bible—
yet not many people read it. In history, young preachers have been counseled
not to preach out of it until they become old men. The Jews called it the Holy
of Holies of Scripture. As Dr. McGee said, “Surely any fragile flower requires
delicate handling.”

What’s good to remember when you study this controversial book is that
Solomon wrote this love story about married love as a parable of God’s love
for Israel, and now we see it also as Jesus’ love for the church and His love
for us, individually.

Solomon was the Stephen Foster, the Irving Berlin, and the
Andrew Lloyd-Weber of his day. He wrote beautiful songs.

In 1 Kings 4:32 we’re told, “[Solomon] spoke three thousand

proverbs and his songs were one thousand and five.” We have
only a few hundred of the proverbs Solomon wrote and only one

1
 THRU THE BIBLE

of the 1,005 songs. But don’t be distressed by this loss, for we

have “the Song of Songs,” which is the Hebrew way of saying,
“This is the best one he wrote.”

Through the centuries, the Song of Solomon has often disturbed

believers because of its elaborate, vivid, and passionate language
of the ancient East. It’s painted with bold strokes in bright
colors. It’s actually a delightful, delirious, and divine perfume
when we enter into it, but our Western minds are offended by its
uncensored expressions. There’s also a danger of reading into
the Song a sense of the vulgar and voluptuous, the sexual and
the sensuous.

Critics have used the Song of Solomon to find fault with the
Word of God. But Origen and Jerome tell us that the young
Israelite was not permitted to read the Song of Solomon until he
was 30 years old. (Not a bad idea, I think.)

Although I have preached on the Song of Solomon many times,

I must confess to you that it means a great deal more to me
today than it did 20 years ago. If you compare this poem to other
poems and songs that came out of the Middle East during the
same period, you will find that this one is extremely mild and
restrained. It’s neither as elaborate as the others, nor as vivid as
it first appears to our Western minds.

When you approach the Song of Solomon, you are coming to

the holy of holies. As was true of the Holy of Holies in the temple—
that not everyone was permitted inside its sacred enclosure—so it
is with the Song of Solomon. You are dwelling in the secret place
of the Most High. And the skeptic, the carnal Christian, the man
of the world is apt to say, “What good purpose does this book
serve? Does it have any practical value?” The pragmatist says
today of the Song, “How do you apply a book like this to life?”

May I say to you this book just happens to be more practical

than the pragmatist thinks.

2
 THRU THE BIBLE

#1 SONG OF SOLOMON
PICTU R ES MAR R I E D LOVE

It sets forth, first of all, the glory of wedded love. It tells us of

one of the most important phases of our lives, the sacredness
of marriage. It teaches us marriage is a divine institution. The
Song of Songs teaches what real love is. It reveals the heart of a
satisfied husband and devoted wife.

As you know, our generation boasts of its sophistication and

knows a great deal about sex, but it knows practically nothing
about real love. The old anecdote is told about the father who
took his son aside and said, “Son, I want to talk to you about the
birds and the bees.” And the son responded, “Sure, Dad, what is
it you want to know?”

Witness the frequency of divorces. Shallow folk can’t live

together very long. Why? They know all about sex, but know
little about real love. In modern novels and plays, the heroes are
neurotic, the heroines are erotic, and the plots are tommyrot-ic.
Media takes people through the moral sewers of life. It’s not a
very enticing or engaging trip, my beloved.

So in stark contrast, this Song of Solomon sets before us the

beauty and the glory of marriage. It is a book that ought to be a
primer today for young couples who are entering into the state
of matrimony.

#2 SONG OF SOLOMON
MAKES KNOWN GOD’S LOVE FOR ISRAE L
This little book sets before us the love of God for Israel. This
is where the Old Testament saints, especially the rabbis, found
so much rich meaning. This theme was not new to them—the
prophets had presented this in many, many Scripture portions.
Hosea especially speaks about Jehovah as the bridegroom and
the nation Israel as His bride.

3
 THRU THE BIBLE

#3 SONG OF SOLOMON
R EVEALS CH R IST’S LOVE FOR TH E CH U RCH

Also, the church today has found rich meaning in this little
book. It reveals the love of Christ for the church. God, knowing
your difficulty and my difficulty, uses human affection to convey
spiritual truth to our dull minds, our discontented hearts, our
distorted affections, and our diseased wills. In this beautiful love
song, He portrays something of His great love for us. That is how
practical this book is.

God’s so great love is brought down to a human plane where

you and I can grasp it and then be elevated and lifted to the very
heights. God uses a little book like this to arouse us to respond
to His love and to love Him in return.

#4 SONG OF SOLOMON
I LLUSTRATES CH R IST’S LOVE FOR YOU

There’s a fourth and last wonderful meaning in this book.

Many have made it very personal. They have found in this book
the love of Christ for themselves, for the individual. Some of
the greatest saints the church has ever produced have gone to
this little book for their personal blessing. The most practical
evangelist the world has ever seen, Dwight L. Moody, loved the
Song of Solomon and said it was his favorite book.

My friend, why don’t you read it in quietness and let the Spirit
of God speak to your heart beyond and above the human affection
that is set before us here? The apostle John put it succinctly,
“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). What a
wonderful thing! And may I say to you, that’s what Christianity is.
We love Him because He first loved us. If you let it, this little book
will break an alabaster box of ointment that will sweeten your life
and give a fragrance to your marriage and your testimony. It’s a
lovely thing!

5
THRU THE BIBLE

6
 The Setting
The Old Testament Hebrews often used antiphonal singing in
their worship of God. Alternating choirs took turns singing lines
and phrases back and forth to each other. The Song of Solomon
was written to be read like this. The bride and the daughters of
Jerusalem sang a question and the other answered back. Then
the bride and the bridegroom took turns singing to each other.

Picture two scenes in this book: One in the poor, northern hill
country of Ephraim and the other in the palace city of Jerusalem.
The action shifts back and forth between scenes. The story looks
back upon events and experiences that have already transpired,
as Solomon’s memory skips back and forth—not in the language
of logic, but the language of love. Let’s invite the Spirit of God to
enable us figuratively to remove the shoes from our feet, as we
stand on holy ground.

The setting that opens us to the key to the book is Song of

Solomon 8:11:

Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon; he leased the vineyard to

keepers; everyone was to bring for its fruit a thousand silver coins.

7
 THRU THE BIBLE

This sets the stage for the love story. It concerned a poor
farm family who rented a vineyard from Solomon. They were
responsible for taking care of it, receiving a small income for
their labor. They were an Ephrathite family—Shulamites. Some
may have called them hillbillies. A father wasn’t mentioned at all,
just a mother, two daughters, and two or more sons.

We could call the oldest daughter Cinderella. Her brothers

made her work the vineyards and when she got through there,
she herded the sheep. She said of this,

“Do not look upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has
tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made
me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not
kept.” –Song of Solomon 1:5, 6

She tells us that she’s sunburned, which meant that she

worked outside (a disgrace in that day). Ladies much preferred
light, soft skin that came from staying inside. This girl says, “My
brothers make me take care of the vineyard, and I’ve not been
able to take care of my own vineyard.” In other words, “I haven’t
been able to preserve my own beauty because I’ve had to keep
this vineyard of Solomon’s.” We can be sure, however, she had a
natural loveliness.

The family lived on or near the caravan route that led from
Jerusalem to Damascus. As she watched the caravans go by, she
would see these ladies of the court—well-dressed and adorned
with their jewels and their ointments—and think to herself,

Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the merchant’s
fragrant powders? –Song of Solomon 3:6

This little girl, watching from the sidelines as she worked in

the hot sun, was painfully conscious of her own appearance. As
she looked at these beautiful ladies with their jewels and their
silks, this girl dreamed.

8
 THRU THE BIBLE

Then one day while she was tending her sheep, a handsome
shepherd appeared, and he fell in love with her. His words make
that clear.

Like a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

–Song of Solomon 2:2

In other words, “I’ve been looking all my life for you. I’ve never
seen anyone like you. To me you are a lily among thorns.” He was
definitely in love with her. Later he says,

Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! …. You are all
fair, my love, and there is no spot in you. –Song of Solomon 4:1; 7:4

You might say he’s repeating himself. So what? “To me you are
fair; you are perfect.” Can you ever improve upon that? If you are
a wife, you may remember when your husband first said that to
you. (Maybe you should remind him of that!)

9
 What Does It Mean?
When you and I look at ourselves and at others in the church we
often see only our faults. But do you know when our Lord looks
at us today He sees us as altogether lovely. He sees His church,
purchased with His own blood. He sees us, the people He loves,
draped in His robe of righteousness.

Let me draw your attention to something wonderful written by

the apostle Paul:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church
and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her
with the washing of water by the word, that He might present
her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or
any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
–Ephesians 5:25-27

You and I have no notion how much God loves His church. Like
husbands need to be careful about criticizing their wives, we also
need to be careful of criticizing the church. We are collectively
our Lord’s bride-to-be, and He says the church is without spot
or wrinkle.

11
 THRU THE BIBLE

Immediately we object to that thought, “He must not know

me, then, and He certainly must not know you.” But He does
know us! My friend, He doesn’t see you as you are. When you
came to Him and trusted Him as Savior, He not only forgave you
for your sins, but He also draped over you His spotless robe of
righteousness. He invites you to stand in His presence!

Let me introduce you to a lesson we can learn from the Song

of Solomon about God’s love for His bride. He says, “You have
ravished my heart …. How fair is your love …” (4:9, 10).

This little book is a beautiful metaphor of God’s love. One of

the pictures is of Jesus’ love for His church. He is the bridegroom
here, speaking of the church and of each believer, including you
and to me. Because He cleanses us by His blood, we have the
forgiveness of sins. “That he might present it to himself a glorious
church, not having spot or wrinkle …” He now can look at the
church and say, “Thou art all fair, my love. There is no spot in
thee.” Why? Because He has cleansed us, because He loves us.

Paul found out how much God loves us, and it broke his heart.
Before Paul was Jesus’ apostle, he hated Jesus and persecuted
the early church. Paul called himself the chiefest of sinners. In
my imagination, I see him standing with the chief priests at the
cross on the day Jesus died, ridiculing Him saying, “If You are the
Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40).

But then came the day on the road to Damascus when

Paul met Jesus in a supernatural way. Paul discovered then
how much Jesus Christ loved him. Listen to him as he relived
again the Crucifixion: “[He] loved me and gave Himself for me”
(Galatians 2:20). Can you ask Him to do anything more for you
to show His love?

Paul said, “He loved me.” John says, “We love Him because He
first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Peter said, “Whom having not seen
you love” (1 Peter 1:8).

12
THRU THE BIBLE

13
 THRU THE BIBLE

God pity the man who is married to a cold and indifferent wife.
But what about Jesus, our Savior, who pours out His love and
affection on His beloved, but is received by only a bunch of cold
and indifferent saints, unresponsive to His love?

My friend, let’s learn a lesson from the beloved bridegroom.

Let’s speak of our love. Tell Jesus how much you love Him. Stir
up each other’s affections for Christ, by telling each other of
God’s love.

He isn’t concerned how busy you are in the church, how many
committees you’re on, or whether you are a member of the board.
He doesn’t care today how active you may be in Christian service.
He doesn’t even care whether you are a preacher. But He would
love to know whether you love Him or not.

The real test of your Christian life is not faith—that’s the way
you got saved. Nor is it your service, your sacrifice, nor your gifts.
The real test of your Christian life is your love for Jesus.

Do you love Him? Why don’t you tell Him so right now.

14
 He Is Coming Again
Picking up the thread of Solomon’s lovely story, we take another
look at this very unusual shepherd. He didn’t seem to have any
sheep, and one day the girl asked him,

Tell me, O you whom I love, where you feed your flock, where you
make it rest at noon. –Song of Solomon 1:7a

In essence his answer to her was, “You don’t need to ask any
questions; just trust me.”

Then he came to her one day and said, “I’m going away for a
while, but I will come back. And when I do, I will make you my
bride.” And he left. Days went by. Then weeks, even months. Her
family began to ridicule her: “Where’s that shepherd you’ve been
talking about? What happened to him? Isn’t he coming back for
you?” The neighbors began to say unkind things.

Around two thousand years ago, our Lord returned to His

throne in heaven. But before He left He said, “Don’t let your heart
be troubled. I’m going to prepare a place for you in My Father’s
house. Since I am going to prepare a place for you, I will come
back and receive you to Myself—that where I am, there you may
be also” (see John 14:1-3).

15
 THRU THE BIBLE

And, friend, we’re living in the time period of which Peter wrote,

Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking
according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of
His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue
as they were from the beginning of creation.” –2 Peter 3:3, 4

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience when someone asked

you, “Where is this Jesus you’re talking about?” Or “Do you
mean to tell me that you’re one of those fanatics who believe He’s
going to come back to this earth again?” But our Lord said, “I am
coming back.”

Well, Solomon had made that promise to this trusting country

girl, and she believed him. She loved him. She actually dreamed
of him:

By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did
not find him. –Song of Solomon 3:1

One night she lay restless on the couch when she smelled a
fragrance.

I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with

myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.
–Song of Solomon 5:5

The custom in that day was when a man who was engaged
to a girl wanted her to know how much he really loved her, he
would slip over at night to her home. Since the handle of the
door was on the inside where there was an opening, he would
reach through to the inside and put myrrh on the handles of the
door. When she would open the door, she would get myrrh on her
hands, and the fragrance would fill the home.

So this particular night when she smelled the fragrance of

myrrh, she knew her beloved had been there, and she knew he
would come for her someday.

16
THRU THE BIBLE

17
 THRU THE BIBLE

Our Lord told us, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age” (Matthew 28:20). When Paul was arrested, he was put
into the Mamertine prison—that dark, dank dungeon in Rome.
And if you would have gone there, as many believers did, to
sympathize with him and say, “Poor Paul, it’s awful to be in this
stench and darkness,” I have a notion he would have said, “No,
you’re wrong. Last night this dungeon was filled with a sweet-
smelling fragrance.” You would sniff and say, “That’s not what I
smell!” Paul would explain, “The Lord stood by me. He was here,
and His fragrance filled the place.”

My friend, today the essence of the Christian life is to live in the

presence of Jesus Christ. It’s to have the fragrance of His person
in our lives—in the workplace, the marketplace, and especially in
our homes. Again, let me repeat it: The real test of your Christian
life is not faith—that’s the way you got saved. And the real test
today is not your service, your sacrifice, or your gifts. The real
test is love. Do you love Him? Paul said,

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have
not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal
…. And though I give my body to be burned, but have not love,
it profits me nothing …. And now abide faith, hope, love, these
three; but the greatest of these is love. –1 Corinthians 13:1, 3, 13

In this moment, is Jesus Christ real to you? He asks the

question, “Do you love Me?” He said to the church in Ephesus,
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first
love” (Revelation 2:4). Would He say that to your church or to
mine? Have we left our first love? Is there the fragrance of Christ
in your life today?

One day the bride-to-be was busy in the vineyard when down
the road there came a cry: “The king is coming! He’s coming!”

Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the merchant’s
fragrant powders? Behold, it is Solomon’s couch, with sixty valiant

18
 THRU THE BIBLE

men around it, of the valiant of Israel. They all hold swords, being
expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh because
of fear in the night. Of the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King
made himself a palanquin. –Song of Solomon 3:6-9

And here came the king in a fancy couch borne on the

shoulders of his servants! Everybody was excited and rushed to
the roadside. Somebody said to her, “Aren’t you coming?”

“No, I’m not interested.”

“You mean you’re not interested in King Solomon passing by?”

“No.” She was preoccupied with her work and thoughts of the one
she loved. And while she was still busy at the vineyard, there came
up to her a servant who said, “King Solomon wants to see you.”

“Me? He doesn’t know me.”

“Yes, King Solomon wants to see you.” So they took her along
with them. When she came into King Solomon’s presence she
bowed, and when she looked up, she found herself looking into
the face of her shepherd!

He has come now. He came the first time as a shepherd; he

has come again as a king. This was beyond her expectation, and
it was finally her experience. Listen to her:

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes leaping upon the

mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking
through the windows, gazing through the lattice. My beloved
spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come
away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The
flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and
the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts
forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give
a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!”
–Song of Solomon 2:8-13

19
 THRU THE BIBLE

Notice that he then says in verse 14, “O my dove …”—the church

is to be as harmless as a dove and as wise as a serpent—“… in
the clefts of the rock….” That’s where His believers are hidden
today, secured by the shed blood of Christ. As someone has well
said, “I got into the heart of Christ through a spear wound.” In
the secret places of the cliffs, His own have access to Him. Notice
what He wants from us: “Let me see your face, let me hear your
voice.” My friend, our Lord wants to see you before He hears you.
He wants you close to Him. “For your voice is sweet, and your
face is lovely.”

Beloved, the expectation and hope of every believer today is

simply this: He says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me” (John 10:27). One of these days His voice is
to sound, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
Even the dead in Christ are going to hear Him and—together with
those who are alive—they are to be caught up and presented to
Him as the bride that He loved and for whom He gave Himself!

Some have said the Song of Solomon does not have a climax.
But look—it has the same climax as the New Testament closing
the Bible. Notice the last verse of Solomon’s song:

Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag

on the mountains of spices. –Song of Solomon 8:14

The New Testament closes the Bible with the prayer,

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” …. He who testifies to
these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so,
come, Lord Jesus! –Revelation 22:17, 20

That’s the climax of the Bible, and it’s the highpoint of our
faith and of our love for Him and His love for us.

Even so, make haste. Come, my Beloved.

21
 LEARN HOW TO SHARE
THE MOST
IMPORTANT
MESSAGE OF
YOUR LIFE.
TTB.org/HowCanIKnowGod

GET ANSWERS TO YOUR

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
BIBLE AND LIVING THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE.

TTB.org/booklets
KEEP YOUR BIBLE BUS JOURNEY
GOING ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME.

TTB.org/listen

GET THE GOSPEL TO THE

ENDS OF THE WORLD
WITHOUT LEAVING
YOUR HOME.

TTB.org/give
Connect with Thru the Bible
Box 7100, Pasadena, California 91109-7100
P.O. Box 25325, London, Ontario, Canada N6C 6B1

1-800 65-BIBLE (24253) Fax: 626-449-4430 TTB.org BibleBus@ttb.org

/ThruTheBibleNet /ThruTheBibleNet /TTBRadio /ThruTheBibleNet