It is a shame that virtually no one ever hears a message taught on this love story anymore, because it is the one book in the Bible that should make a follower of Jesus tingle all over. Unfortunately, most people just push the book to the side as only being a love poem from Solomon to his cherished love. Some people think about the book as being a picture of the way a mortal man and his wife should perceive each other. In reality, though, both perceptions are right, the deeper meaning, the spiritual meaning, is the one God wants us to fully understand. Song of Songs is the most incredible picture of the love Jesus has for us, His bride to be.

        To uncover the treasure of the shadow I want to briefly discuss, lets look first at Matthew 24:32-33, in which Jesus, talking about the end times, says, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (KJV)  The interesting thing is that every other time Jesus told His listeners to learn of a parable, he went into a long story about something. In this case, however, He didn’t. That was probably because He knew that His listeners were familiar with the parable already. If we go back to the Old Testament to search out what they may have been familiar with, the mention of a fig tree that stands out as similar is in Song of Songs 2:13, “The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.” (KJV) That is our clue that the second chapter of Song of Songs is also talking about the end times, just like Matthew 24.

        In Song of Songs 2:8 the bride to be says, “Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.” (NIV) Did you happen to notice that he does not touch down on earth? Ponder that. The love story goes on in verse 10 with, “My lover spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.” (NIV) But then interestingly the verse is repeated almost verbatim again in verse 13 with, “Arise, come. my darling;my beautiful one, come with me.” (NIV)

        Could the reason the love call to arise was repeated twice be that there are two groups that make up the bride? I believe so. And I believe the explanation and the exciting answer for this question within this phenomenal shadow of love is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (NIV)

        Yes, we talk about the rapture as being God’s way of taking Christ’s bride to be out of harms way before the wrath of the Tribulation comes. But it is much more than that to Jesus. It is a big part of a passionate love story foretold in the beautiful little book, Song of Songs, too often overlooked. Read it again yourself. It is the ultimate love letter, and Jesus penned it entirely for you.