April 26. 2025-Meditation, Song of Songs 4:1–5:1 The Beautiful Wedding Night

 

Song of Songs 4:1–5:1
The Beautiful Wedding Night

We have been continuing our meditation on the Song of Songs. The content of this book describes the deep and intimate love between a man and a woman. Because of this, some theologians have questioned whether this book belongs in the biblical canon. Their reasoning is that it deals with secret, romantic love between a man and a woman.

Yet, no one calls the tender love of a parent for their child “secular.” In fact, no one objects to using such love as a metaphor for God’s love toward us. However, when it comes to romantic love between a man and a woman, there seems to be some resistance. Perhaps this is due to a distorted view of love. But even in romantic or marital love—between a bride and groom—we can find a deep and affectionate love.

Those who have a distorted understanding of love will likely take issue with the idea that the love between a bride and groom is a metaphor for the relationship between Jesus and a Christian.

However, Jesus likened Christians to a bride preparing to receive her bridegroom. He also described His second coming as the wedding feast of the Lamb. Therefore, the Song of Songs beautifully describes the relationship between Jesus, our Bridegroom, and us, His bride.

In today’s passage, we see the bridegroom delighting in his bride. In Song of Songs 4:1, it says:

“How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.”

The bridegroom calls the bride, “My love.” In verse 8, he calls her “My bride,” and in verse 12, “My sister, my bride.”

These are terms of endearment, expressing affection. In this scene, we must reflect on how Jesus, our heavenly Bridegroom, sees and calls us, His bride. To the bridegroom, the bride is more beautiful than any flower or fragrance. This declaration of beauty is not based on outward appearance, but simply because she is his bride.

In the same way, our worth in the eyes of Jesus is not based on how we look or what we do, but simply on the fact that we are Christians—God’s people. That alone makes us beautiful and lovable in His sight.

We often say that “God’s love is unconditional.” But we say this in contrast to the conditional love of the world. In truth, God’s love is firmly rooted in a condition: He loves us because we are His children. That is the reason God loves us and calls us “My love.”

When we look at our outward selves, we may feel we don’t deserve God’s love. Nothing about our external condition seems worthy of such love. But God doesn’t love us because of our outward appearance. He loves us because He has made us His children and because we confess Him as our Father. That is the reason for His love.

Do you feel like someone who is deeply loved by God today? Or are you looking at your outward condition, feeling small and insignificant, thinking you're unworthy of God's love? Do you think of yourself as unlovable, that no one would care for or value you?

But God has made you His child. That is why He loves you endlessly and without limit. Because of this, we should live with confidence and joy. We must not forget that we are loved more deeply than anyone else can love us—that we are precious to God. Let us live today with strength and assurance, as those who have received this incredible love.