Our Text today ... verses 4 - 6

I add this here to show you how, in this case, our text in the New King James Version has included, almost like a play, who says what. In vs 4, for example, the Shulamite speaks, then the Daughters of Jerusalem. Although I agree, with their decisions, in this case, it should be made clear that these are not found in the original Hebrew text and are a matter of interpretation. 

In Song of Songs Bite 1, we ended where there Shulamite was saying: "Draw me away!"

Perhaps the most significant thought, for me here, is that she is showing a sense of complete dependence. She is not saying, "I am going to real him in", as many woman would smile and say to one another. She is humble and looking, with a yearning, a hunger and thirst, if you like, for  Solomon, to draw her into an intimate relationship.

We see in our text that the Daughters of Jerasalem say the opposite:

"We will run after you."

Let us read the full text for today...

THE SHULAMITE
Sng 1:4 Draw me away!

THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM 
We will run after you.

THE SHULAMITE
The king has brought me into his chambers

THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM 
We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine. 

THE SHULAMITE 
Rightly do they love you.

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THE SHULAMITE CONTINUES
Sng 1:5 I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. Sng 1:6 Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.

Now if Solomon is a type of Yeshua then the Shulamite seems clearly to me to be a type of the bride. This was first shown to me many years ago by a  Messianic Jewish believer, who told me this. Also, he said,  there is  a connection between Psalm 45 and the Song of Songs. (God willing we can look at that in another Bible Bite, but it speaks in Psalm 45 of Yeshua for sure and at His right hand the Queen in Gold of Ophir and much more - Do take a look at that Psalm.  I will also link Psalm 45 as a song at the end of this eBook.) We also covered reasons for believing this, in Bite 1

In our above text, we see that when the Daughters of Jerusalem speak, they are saying: we will do this or that! "We will run after you." "We will be glad and rejoice in you." "We will remember your love more than wine". The emphasis is on what we will do.

The Shulamite, on the other hand, is very aware of her complete dependence. She is very humble and it is as if she is aware of her being despised by the daughters of Jerusalem." One might consider the view of the early believers, despised by the Judaizers, who saw them as unworthy, because they were not submersed into the Jewish traditions or keeping all the Torah or added on Jewish customs and laws. Yet Yeshua called them "clean", as in Peter's vision. Righteousness is a gift on confession of sin. But thereafter we need to grow, like little children. Paul speaks of going on to perfection, in Hebrews 6.

Draw me away", she says. The emphasis here, is on what He, Solomon can do, or one might say, what Yeshua can do for us in the Spirit! 
"I am dark" she admits. The word used here is referencing her skin colour. It can even mean jetty black, in the Hebrew. She admits that she is black like the curtains of Solomon or the tents of Kedar. (The Shulamite may well have been from   nomadic Kedar peoples. Some have said that the Shulamite  may have been the queen of Sheba. Ishmael's second son was Kedar. (Genesis 25:13, & 1Chronicles 1:29) Later she gained power in Ethiopia. She would certainly have been dark skinned.

But what is being referred to in the spirit here? 

If we look at other words that refer to dark or darkness in scripture, we find a first mention in Genesis 1 

Gen 1:2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.

This word "darkness" can in the Hebrew also mean "misery" and even "wickedness". So what we are seeing, is that the bride of Messiah, if the Shulamite reflects her, is very aware that she is in herself unworthy. Yet she says. 

Sng 1:5 I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon.   

This word lovely, in the Hebrew also has the meaning of being suitable. Moreover according to Strong's exhaustive Concordance, two words are associated as Root Words. I will quote one below, for it is of such significance.

H5116 (Strong) 
נָוָה נָוֶה 
nâveh nâvâh naw-veh', naw-vaw' 
From H5115; (adjective) at home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also (noun) a home, of God (temple), men (residence), flocks (pasture), or wild animals (den): - comely, dwelling (place), fold, habitation, pleasant place, sheepcote, stable, tarried.

Do you see what Strong saw?

She, the bride, is suitable and beautiful to Him, in spite of being dark or wicked in the flesh, because in the Spirit, because of Yeshua, she is already and will be a home for Him,  even a temple or tabernacle for her Elohim. Oh what a miracle our Father has brought about through Yeshua, in reconciling us sinners to himself!

Sng 1:6 Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.

The word of our heavenly Father is very detailed. It is surely not by accident that the SUN is marked as that which causes the darkness or tanning! Sun worship (Baal worship in one form or another) has always opposed the truth. So God's people waver between two opinions. "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. (Read more in 1 Kings 18)
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The Shulamite blames her mother's sons.  So who is the mother and who are the sons?

The mother is certainly the source of something born. Notice, the mother is not blamed. But the mother's sons.  

Gal 4:26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

So the source of our faith and truth is in heaven, but it is those who come afterwards and become false teachers and false prophets, who muddy the waters. Even as Yeshua spoke of the pharasees. For they taught the "Doctrines of Men. And so sound doctrine is lost! But we have God's Word and Yeshua the Word made flesh as a solid foundation. In looking for places of fellowship, be found among those who teach, as Paul did, the whole council of God and teach scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

For as Paul said...

 Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

Note what the mother's sons did. They made the Shulamite the keeper of the vineyards, so that her own vineyard was neglected. Find and be amongst those teachers and saints, who encourage you to study the word for yourselves. Do not be so busy with church programs that you cannot have time to study for yourself.

For in the end, it is not what we have tasted that grows our faith, but that which we have cultivated in our own good soil. You need to spend time alone with God, in the secret place, behind the veil, reading so that His word washes over you and so that He can teach you and by His Spirit lead you into all truth! Do not neglect your own vineyard!

2Ti 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.