IGNYTE I will ignite the kingdom life within you,a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out -Matthew 3:11-

Hi guys!

Our journaling today brings us to Song of Solomon 3: 1-5. I thought I would write something about this passage so that you can understand it better. After commenting on this passage, I will write down what I have written in my journal for today.

Remember: The heart of journalling is to encourage YOU to go to the Word of God daily to feed YOURSELF on His Truth. It is to allow the Word of God to study us and to transform us more and more into Christ's Likeness! "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." (John 6: 63)

The Song of Solomon, also known as Songs, is a love song written by Solomon and is full of metaphors and oriental imagery. As we look deep into The Song of Solomon we see a depiction of life finding its highest fulfillment in the love of a man and a woman, so spiritual life finds its fulfillment in the love of God for His people and Christ for His church. As we read The Song of Solomon we see the book is arranged like scenes in a drama with three main speakers: the bride (Shulamite), the king (Solomon) and a chorus (daughters of Jerusalem). Today’s text (3: 1-5) shows the bride (Shulamite) searching for her true love and in that setting is where we begin today.

The words of the Shulamite girl to King Solomon’s court ladies continues in this chapter. She is relaying things about the search for her true love.

This short and sweet little passage is often misunderstood.
We must remember, the Shulamite girl and the shepherd boy
are only betrothed to one another!

Let’s take a closer look at what she is saying.

1. On my bed, I sought him.
Song 3:1
THE SHULAMITE
By night on my bed I sought the one I love;
I sought him, but I did not find him.

The Shulamite girl and shepherd boy were engaged.

Verse 1 does not teach that they were in bed together…
nor had ever been in bed together.
It teaches very simply, while she was separated from her betrothed:

She thought about him at night while lying in her bed.
* She missed him terribly.
* She deeply desired to be with him.

2. I will rise now, and go about the city.
Song 3:2
"I will rise now," I said, "And go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I will seek the one I love."
I sought him, but I did not find him.

She told these other women that she could not sleep!
- She got up and went looking for her shepherd.
* Her great desire for her shepherd is seen in this verse.
· She even asked for help in finding him!

Song 3:3 The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said,
"Have you seen the one I love?"

- Unfortunately, she could not find him!
- At least, not yet.

Her heart was truly broken.
Remember, she is vividly telling this story
to the rest of the women in Solomon’s harem..

She could not have that desire fulfilled now.

3. I found him the one I love.
Song 3:4
Scarcely had I passed by them,
When I found the one I love.
I held him and would not let him go,
Until I had brought him to the house of my mother,
And into the chamber of her who conceived me.

- It wasn’t long, though, that she did find him!
- She only passed by the watchmen a few times.
- She kept looking until she found the shepherd!
- Notice these facts about this meeting:

#1 She found him.

· If you are not looking carefully enough,
you won’t find what you’re looking for.

#2 She held him.
This is an interesting word.
When we read it, we think "hug."
It’s much more than that!
It means, "to grasp, to take hold, to seize, to catch, and to fasten."
She looked for him so long and so hard
that when she did finally find him,
she wasn’t going to let him get away!
She latched onto him and would not let go.

#3 She brought him.
The "chamber" here is not a bed chamber!
It was an inner-parlor in her mother’s house.

4. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song 3:5
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the does of the field,
Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.

These are the same words she used in chapter 2:7.
It is even spoken of in the same way.
- She strongly urges these harem women…
not to try to excite or entice her
to change her affection from her shepherd
to the king or anyone else.
- This shows her deep commitment to the shepherd boy!

Conclusion:
This ends this part of her story to the rest of the harem.
No matter what they had to say or offer her,
her mind was unwavering and sure.
Her heart was fixed. She turned her desire into action.
She didn’t just stay in the bed and wish to find her shepherd.
She got up and did something about it.
She wanted her shepherd, not the king.

The Song of Solomon is about our relationship to our Betrothed, Jesus.
Many Christians just sit and think about what it might be like
to have a sweet relationship with the Savior.
Others love Him enough to actually do something about it.

- The Shulamite girl did what it took to find her betrothed.

What are you willing to do
to have that kind of relationship with the Lord Jesus,
the Lover of your soul?

My journal entry (SOAP)

Date: 24.8.09

Title: My Soul longs for you

Scripture: Song 1: 2: I got up and went around the city, in the streets and squares looking for the one I love. I looked for him, but I could not find him.

Observation: The Shulamite lady longed so much to find the shepherd boy that she could not sleep at night. She got up from her bed and went out in search of him. She looked around the city, in the streets but she could not find him. The city and the streets represent the world and all its distractions, like the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. But as soon as she left all these, she found the one she loves. Likewise, there should be a longing in our souls for God, the lover of our soul. We look in the wrong places to satisfy our longing. But as soon as we leave those things or places that distract us, we will be able to find Jesus who is the One who can really satisfy us. So there must be a longing, a searching, a finding, a holding on and not letting go.

Application: My soul will long to have fellowship and communion with Jesus. I will search for him and once I have found him, I will not let him go.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, my soul longs for you, as the deer thirst for the waters. You alone can satisfy the longing and fulfill the desires of my heart. In You will I find true happiness, joy and peace. Amen.