Addresses on the Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon is a little book which has had a peculiar attraction for many of the people of God all through the centuries, and others of them have had great difficulty in understanding just why such a book should have a place in the Canon of Holy Scripture at all. As far as that is concerned, it is not left to the Church in our day to decide which books should belong to the canon of Scripture and which should be omitted. Our blessed Lord Jesus has settled that for us, at least as far as the Old Testament is concerned. When He was here on earth He had exactly the same Old Testament that we have, consisting of the same books, no more and no less. If we grant that the Song of Solomon is inspired, what then are its lessons? Why do we have it in Holy Scripture? Many of the Jewish teachers thought of it simply as designed of God to give a right apprehension of conjugal love. But down through the centuries, the more spiritually minded in Israel saw a deeper meaning in this Song of Solomon: they recognized the design of God to set forth the mutual love subsisting between Jehovah and Israel. And then all through the Christian centuries those who have had an insight into spiritual truth have thought of it from two standpoints. First, as typifying the wondrous relationship that subsists between Christ and the Church. And then, as setting forth the relationship between an individual soul and Christ. How many a devoted saint has exclaimed with gladness, "Oh, I am my Beloved's, and His desire is toward me." -- Jacket flap.