Introduction: The Shulamite was a great story-teller! She had captured the attention of each one of the court ladies. In fact, they became so enthralled by the story, they asked a question of the Shulamite in Song 5:9, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?" In other words, what makes your shepherd so special? Her personal witness of her betrothed shepherd drew the others to him.
The Shulamite answered them in Song 5:10-16. This was her opportunity to tell the others about the one whom she loves! In a previous talk, the shepherd told her what he admired about her. He mentioned:
* Her eyes.
* Her hair.
* Her teeth.
* Her lips.
* Her speech.
* Her temples.
* Her neck.
* Her bosom.
It was her turn now to describe him to the court ladies. So, she described him to them in Song 5:10-16. She mentioned:
* His complexion.
* His head.
* His hair.
* His eyes.
* His cheeks.
* His lips.
* His hands and nails.
* His legs.
* His countenance.
* His mouth.
* His loyalty and friendship.
She loves everything about him as well. Was he perfect? To her, he was. She recognized in him the same things he saw in her. She thought he was very handsome, very strong, and very kind to her.
She knew he was a one-woman man, because he had "doves' eyes" as well. He said this of her in chapter 4:1, "Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks..."
In Song 5:16, she said, "...he is altogether lovely." This phrase is only found here in the Song of Solomon, and it means he is "fervently cherished and desired" by her especially.
This brings us up-to-date for this study. After giving such a sweet and emotional description of her beloved shepherd, the court ladies speak.
1. The question of the court ladies. - Song 6:1
"Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee."
- As already stated, the Shulamite was a great story-teller. That is why this book is called the Song of Songs, the best of the best, the highest of the highest, the sweetest of the sweetest.
- The rest of the harem is thoroughly convinced by her witness that her beloved was better than ten thousand as mentioned in chapter 5:10.
- When I read this, I am reminded of the story found in Acts 16. Paul and Silas had been imprisoned for preaching in the name of Jesus. As the story goes, neither of them moped or bellyached about their circumstance, rather, they prayed and sang throughout the evening hours.
- At midnight, God sent an earthquake that broke up the prison right down to the foundation of the building. All the prisoners were loosed and fled the premises...all but Paul and Silas, that is.
- This meant certain death for the guards no matter what the circumstances.
- Acts 16:25 says the, "...prisoners heard them" sing.
- Rodney Griffin penned:Their chains were fastened tight
Down at the jail that night.
Still Paul and Silas would not be dismayed.
They said, "It's time to lift our voice, sing praises to the Lord,
Let's prove that we will trust Him come what may."God wants to hear you sing
When the waves are crashing 'round you,
When the fiery darts surround you,
When despair is all you see.
God wants to hear your voice
When the wisest man has spoken,
And says, "Your circumstance is as hopeless as can be."
That's when God wants to hear you singHe loves to hear our praise on our cheerful days,
When the pleasant times outweigh the bad by far.
But when suffering comes along,
And we still sing Him songs,
That is when we bless the Father's heart.- If the prisoners heard them, so did the guards. Paul and Silas' witness through prayer and singing made a difference in the life of at least one of the guards. His response is recorded in Acts 16:30-31 where he asked, "...Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
- All that to say that our witness of Jesus ought to cause those, who do not know Him as Saviour, to desire Him.
- In 1866, Katherine Hankey penned the well-loved hymn "I Love to Tell the Story."I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.Refrain
I love to tell the story, 'twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.I love to tell the story; 'tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God's own holy Word.I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
'Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.- As previously stated, we ought to be able to willingly and freely talk about the One Who saved us.
2. The reply of the Shulamite. - Song 6:2-3
"My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies."
- Suspicious of their motives, the Shulamite cautiously answers their question. Why would she be cautious? She didn't trust their motive. These girls did not have a good reputation. Even the townspeople referred to them as the "daughters of Zion" in Song 3:11, a term always used negatively throughout the Bible.
- She said, "He's busy in the field feeding the flock."
- Then, she tops off her statement by stating emphatically in verse 3, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies." In other words, "I am his, and He is mine; he's busy!"
Conclusion: Is our talk appealing or repelling? The
Bible says our speech is to be full of grace, "Let
your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians
4:6) Paul and Silas drew the lost to Christ by a sweet and kind
witness. The Shulamite drew the court ladies to the shepherd by
her kind and gentle witness. We should draw the lost to Jesus
in the same way!