Song of Solomon: Our Loving Bridegroom

The forbidden book. Intimacy 101. So many names given to the book of Song of Solomon intended to "help" us avoid it, yet we often forget that it was put into the Bible for a reason. God had a purpose in including Solomon's "Song of Songs," as it is sometimes titled, in the Biblical canon. So where can we find Him and His Son here? As the loving bridegroom. 

Song of Solomon is really a collection of songs and choruses strung together, talking mostly about love, romance, marriage, and other "mushy" things. But it is truly beautiful in its language. Song of Solomon 6:3 says, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine:" While this reference is between Solomon and the Shulamite woman, it can go so much deeper than that.

The Bible often refers to the marriage relationship as a parallel between Christ and the church. Paul admonishes husbands to love their wives just like "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" The book of Revelation refers to a coming banquet with the church and Jesus as the marriage supper of the Lamb. But perhaps no story of a bridegroom is more poignant than the parable told by the heavenly Bridegroom Himself in Matthew 25.

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

When Jesus told this parable, He was in the middle of the Olivet Discourse. In this discourse, He is describing the events to come in the future. He compared His coming to the coming of the bridegroom to a wedding, where He is preparing to meet His bride. At the site, there are 10 virgins, attendants for the bridegroom and the bride as He prepares. Here, 5 are ready to meet the bridegroom with their candles full of wax and 5 are not. As the 5 wise who have prepared meet the bridegroom, the 5 foolish desperately try to prepare themselves after the announcement of the bridegroom.

But it is too late.

These 5 who professed to be attendants of the bridegroom and carriers of light for Him are not prepared for when He comes. They have no light in their candles to show Him or to help keep light while they attend to Him. He wants them at the marriage supper, but because they were not prepared, He is not able to have them there. 

Let's think about what's happening here: this bridegroom is about to marry his bride, his love. He wants her to have as many people there as possible. He wants to be able to say, you are welcome to the wedding. But when these are not prepared, they are not able to come. This is a call to all of us in the church to be prepared. Verse 13 there says, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." The bridegroom is coming. Will we be ready to meet Him?