by Coach Debbie

 I try to read my Bible every morning.  I don’t say this to brag, but rather to point to my need for a Savior.  I want to be like Him, I want to know Him, and I want to spread the good news about Him.  And so I study His Word.  Recently I decided to read Song of Songs.  It’s the Old Testament book about love, including intimate details of sex (woohoo).  I made it to chapter 4 and was skimming right along. 

“Your hair is like a flock of goats”

“Your teeth are like a flock of sheep”

“Your two breasts are like two fawns”

And I just had to stop.  Okay, I get that this is WAY back in the day vocabulary, and I get the general idea that the husband is sharing how physically beautiful his beloved is.  But I knew there had to be more.  Sure, God created sex and pleasure, and He is teaching us what deep love looks like.  But, there’s got to be more.

So I read Matthew Henry’s commentary.  And while I love this romance story on surface level, I had my world rocked.  These are words about earthly marriage, but far more important is God’s love story for His bride (the church).  This is Him speaking to/about us as believers.

“How beautiful you are, my darling!  Oh, how beautiful!  Your eyes behind your veil are doves.” (Song of Songs 4:1)

Look how he repeats “how beautiful” to declare that it is certain!  He takes pleasure in speaking these words.  Beyond the outward beauty is your inner beauty.  Your beauty comes from reflecting Christ who dwells within.   MOM, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

What’s with eyes behind veils being doves?!?  When studying this, I learned it means that there is a humbleness, as well as a modesty.  Those dove eyes are looking towards God!  This is part of your beauty, seeking and then reflecting Christ!   YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE YOU REFLECT CHRIST!

Why are the eyes behind a veil?  Is that just some cultural thing?  While we are the BRIDE of Christ, let’s look beyond that, remembering that her hair like a flock of goats frames those eyes.  Behind the veil, her eyes don’t wander.  In the earthly sense, she only has eyes for her groom.  In the eternal sense, we look toward Christ alone for everything.  Picture your eyes behind the veil; maybe your face was covered with a veil on your wedding day.  You couldn’t see fully, but you could see enough, right?

1 Corinthians 13:9-12  “For we know in part, and prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. ….. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

We cannot fully see our eternal Groom.  Yet.  We know in part, we see some, but we await when “in part shall be done away” and we see “face to face”!   The veil will be removed!

Suddenly this ONE VERSE has exploded in its meaning, right?  God has written us an intricate love letter in His Word.  I won’t go into the 15 remaining verses, so I’ll encourage YOU to go read Matthew Henry’s commentary on Song of Songs 4  --

Know that God loves you, cherishes you, and wants union with you!  May you get to spend time with Him today!

Check out my other article about SEX from Song of Songs HERE!