Seeing The Bride in the Song of Songs

In this second book of the "Women God Moved" series, Bible teacher Andy McIlree explores the often neglected Song of Songs. Some question whether it should be in the Bible at all, while many have struggled to understand the purpose of its poetic imagery. But there's no need to be afraid of this very human and very devotional book, that has been described by one Jewish rabbi as the holiest of all of Israel's scriptures. It's a sequence of love letters between a young couple, expressed in words and behaviour that would have been so meaningful to them, although they may at first seem peculiar to us today. Andy invites us to allow its language to first of all lift our thoughts to see God being exalted in His relationship with His people, Israel; these eight chapters is displayed the supremacy of God, clothed in His fervency and intimacy - and even under Law, His working with His people had much grace blended with it. Then, on another level, His Spirit can exalt His Son as we draw lessons that relate to our walk with Him. God has included this Song in His Word for our good, so that He may share with us something from "the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness toward us in Christ." May we allow the Holy Spirit to interpret and apply the beauties of this allegory richly to our Christian lives, until truths become evident that will shape the course of our spiritual will and our discipleship walk.