Song of Songs: The Love We Long For
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Today's inspiration comes from:
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Today's inspiration comes from:
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Editor's note: What if the greatest love story ever told was about the beautifully intimate bond we can enjoy with God? Early bird registration is now open for the Song of Songs Online Bible Study by Lisa Harper! As Lisa says, this ancient, often-misunderstood book that sometimes reads like a racy romance novel is actually a passionate declaration of our Creator Redeemer's relentless love for His people. Let's dive in together and learn about God's love for us! Sign up today! I can't wait!
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He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
— Song of Songs 2:4
Sometimes the Bible can seem overwhelming. Where do you go for words of comfort when you’re feeling overwhelmed, lost, or frustrated in life? What book of the Bible do you turn to for wisdom about the situation you find yourself in?
The Beautiful Word Bible Studies series makes the Bible come alive in such a way that you know where to turn no matter where you find yourself in your spiritual journey.
Song of Songs, sometimes called Song of Solomon, is a poem that captures a beautiful love story between two characters: Solomon and Shulamite. The descriptions in this book are pretty scandalous, as readers walk with them through their courtship, wedding day, and marriage. Song of Songs is usually reserved for marriage conferences or books about relationships. But not this time! Between the racy descriptions of their love and the drama of a new relationship, we find an underlying message of unconditional love.
Song of Songs is likely rooted in history and relevant for us today. It describes a very real, very intimate relationship between King Solomon and his beloved, Shulamite (although some scholars choose to teach the Songs solely as allegory). Solomon was the third king of Israel, son of King David, who led God’s people into a time of wealth, power, and unprecedented peace. We know Solomon was infatuated with love . . . by the end of his life he had hundreds of wives. But at this moment in history, he only has eyes for one: Shulamite.
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We, God’s people, are His beloved.
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We, God’s people, are His beloved.
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While Solomon’s and Shulamite’s love for one another captures the history of this poem, it doesn’t give us a full picture of the meaning. Rabbi Akiva, a second-century rabbinic leader, called Song of Songs the “holy of holies” of Scripture.1 In other words, this book of the Bible is so sacred that it deserves to be set apart as such. Why? It points us deeper than erotic poetry. It points us to the unending, unconditional love of God. It shows us that we, God’s people, are His beloved.
For Christians, when we interpret Song of Songs through the lens of Christ (also called a Christological interpretation), we find an allegory of Christ calling us His beloved. We find a beautiful poem that reflects to us the love Christ, as the Divine Bridegroom, has for us, His bride. The rich descriptions of adoration and devotion come alive and rightly situate Scripture as a divine love story, with Song of Songs expressing that love wholly.
Our invitation is to read Song of Songs both in its historical context (after all, it is an erotic love story) and through a Christological lens. And as we do, to allow Holy Spirit to probe our hearts and ask the question: Do I truly believe I am the beloved of Christ?
In Song of Songs, the rich descriptions of adoration and devotion come alive and rightly situate Scripture as a divine love story.
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- Jonathan Kaplan. “The Holy of Holies or the Holiest? Rabbi Akiva's Characterization of Song of Songs in Mishnah Yadayim 3:5,” in “It’s Better to Hear the Rebuke of the Wise than the Song of Fools” (Qoh 7:5): Proceedings of the Midrash Section, Society of Biblical Literature 6, (2016): https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.31826/9781463236809-004/html.
Excerpted with permission from Song of Songs Bible Study Guide by Lisa Harper, copyright Lisa Harper.
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You are under the banner of God’s unconditional love? Christ calls His Bride, the church (us believers) His beloved. Do you know how beloved you are?
~ Devotionals Daily
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Early Bird Registration is now open!
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Discover the divine love story written for us.
In the Song of Songs Online Bible Study, Bible teacher Lisa Harper unveils an eye-opening truth: This ancient, often-misunderstood book that sometimes reads like a racy romance novel is actually a passionate declaration of our Creator Redeemer's relentless love for His people.
With her signature blend of humor, deep biblical insight, and raw vulnerability, Lisa peels back the layers of history and allegory to reveal Jesus as the Divine Bridegroom who didn't just come to deliver us—He delights in us!
Join the Song of Songs Online Bible Study and get access to 7 teaching videos and other helpful tools—all FREE when you sign up!
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What if the greatest love story ever told was about the beautifully intimate bond we can enjoy with God?
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Song of Songs Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video: The Love We Long For
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Buy More, Save More! 📚
$5 off $35+ with code GET5
$10 off $50+ with code GET10
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In this seven-session video Bible study (video streaming access included) of the Song of Songs, Bible teacher Lisa Harper unveils an eye-opening truth: This ancient, often-misunderstood book that sometimes reads like a racy romance novel is actually a passionate declaration of our Creator Redeemer's relentless love for His people. With her signature blend of humor, deep biblical insight, and raw vulnerability, Lisa peels back the layers of history and allegory to reveal Jesus as the Divine Bridegroom who didn't just come to deliver us—He delights in us!
Through relatable stories and gut-level honest teaching, you'll discover how intimacy with Jesus isn't based on our deservedness—or lack thereof. It's about letting our guards down and leaning into the unconditional love He initiates with us. Whether you're single, married, widowed, or have a difficult time with relational intimacy in general, this study will help gently dismantle the self-protective walls around our hearts and create pathways into a much deeper, much richer relationship with the One who loves us more than we can possibly imagine.
YOU are the object of God's affection!
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Explore more from Lisa Harper
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Buy More, Save More! 📚
$5 off $35+ with code GET5
$10 off $50+ with code GET10
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A Jesus-Shaped Life Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video
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This seven-week Bible study by Lisa Harper, titled A Jesus-Shaped Life, is your invitation to explore the depths of God's character, God's love for you, and how your relationship with Him transforms you. Ultimately, you will experience how biblically sound theology deepens your relationship with God and each other.
Unpack rich theological concepts, like:
- Imago Dei—what it means to be made in God's image
- Hypostatic union—Jesus as fully God and fully human
- Christ's Transcendence—that He is above and beyond all creation. He is holy, eternal, and sovereign.
- Christ's Immanence—that He is present with and near to His creation.
- Coram Deo—living every moment in the presence of God.
- Pneumatology—the Holy Spirit, His role, and His work in our lives
. . . and so much more!
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Luke Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video
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Many of us believe that we aren’t good enough to meet other people’s expectations. Maybe you can’t wrap words around why, but lurking beneath the surface of the carefully curated façade you present in public, it’s there. Being missed and marginalized by others moves us to assume we’re not quite good enough for God either.
The great news woven throughout the Gospel according to Luke is that perfection is not a prerequisite for a deep and personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, this riveting account reveals that Jesus is especially fond of ragamuffins in need of a safe place to lean in and linger! Join Lisa Harper in this Bible study of a literary masterpiece that doesn’t celebrate the elite, but embraces the outliers, outcasts, and overlooked!
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this devotion with someone who needs it today
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