16th April 2026

16th April 2026


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Song of Solomon 7v11-8v4) 


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


Although the third scene saw the Shulammite leaving Solomon behind, she was still not enjoying her happy ever after. She ran from the King and life in the hareem and as she found herself in the wilderness, she started to call for her beloved. "Come" she said, "Come to the garden and there I will give you my love." (7v11-13). The Shulammite was ready for love to finally blossom with the Shepherd but as she left Solomon in her rear-view mirror her true love was still nowhere to be found.


Chapter eight begins with an odd cry with the Shulammite saying "Oh that you were like a brother to me who nursed at my mother's breasts! If I found you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me." (8v1). What was she saying? Did she want a brother or a lover? Imagine for a second that this was a woman taken from her love, kept from her love and told that she would have to give her love to someone else. As she ran from Solomon looking frantically for her Shepherd and not finding him, she wished that their love could be publicly acceptable like the love between siblings. If only her love was acceptable then no one would despise her and she would be able to take her love further.


With that thought in her mind she continued to imagine her Shepherd placing his left hand under her head and his right hand embracing her (8v3). Was she about to find her Shepherd? Were this couple about to be together at last? As scene three draws to a close we are left with something of a cliffhanger. The Shulammite has run off into the wilderness wishing things could be different but as the curtain closes she adjures the daughters of Jerusalem one last time saying "I adjure you O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." (8v4).


By way of reminder, this adjuration is the woman telling those around her that it is still not time for love to blossom. She says "Don't stir up love, don't awaken it before the time is right, let anyone who goes against this be cursed." This adjuration is repeated three times in the Song and brings to an end the first three sections. Then once the adjuration has been stated the next section begins and a new figure appears on the stage.


If the Song were a movie the credits would be rolling and you would be encouraged to wait for the next film. What will happen? Will the couple be together? Will Solomon finally bed the Shulamite? We'll have to wait and see how the Song finishes but isn't that also the way in life? Where will we be in ten years? What will become of our family? Will we ever see an answer to those often repeated prayers?


We will certainly see a conclusion to the Song of Solomon but the conclusion to our own situation might take a little bit longer. Even so, as the Shulammite waited on her Shepherd, we wait on ours. Jesus is His name and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame. Brothers and sisters, I do not wish to patronise you but I do promise that in Christ there will surely be a happy ever after.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q43 What is the preface to the ten commandments? The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
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