~Old Testament Scenarios~
Song of Solomon
“Do not stare at me because I am dark,
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;
my own vineyard I had to neglect.”
Song of Solomon 1:6 (NIV)
"By HIS Stripes We Are Healed"
The hot desert sun had left its mark upon this young Shulamite woman’s skin, but so had the painful experience from the punishment her family heaped against her. Had she felt unloved, like an outcast by being banished? On what deep levels had her experience shook her - made her question her value and worth? Deep scars are carried so very privately. From her statement we can see that she was even having trouble receiving her lover’s attention towards her. Because of those deep scars, she defends herself at how and why she became dark and weathered looking. Shame makes one feel deficient and even undesirable. It is the lie of the enemy. That is a bondage we have not been asked to hold onto.
King Solomon’s reign, as third king of Israel before the Northern and Southern nations split up, was between 970-930BC. During his entire life he wrote over 1,000 songs and this poetic love song was known as his favorite and the only one we have to date. There are so many different interpretations that can be made with the book of The Song of Solomon, but here in this passage we are focusing on Solomon’s early life and his love for this Shulamite woman.
What/who has burned you? What kind of mark has been left upon your soul? Do you question your value and worth? Who has tried to force you to bear the mark of an outcast, when we know the truth is that we are image bearers of God? He alone can take the terrible things of your past and bring beauty from them. You of course must allow the hard work. You must first face the past and the ways you may have been trying to cope by possibly burying, hiding, or numbing. You won’t be able to do it alone, but you can do it with the gentleness of our Lord. Allow Adonai Roph’ekh (The LORD Who HEALS YOU) to be that healing balm to your deep seated wounds you have carried for too long now.
This is your day; God has given it to you. What will you do with it? Will you believe God’s word that He has made you a new creation, and He will bring beauty from out of your past? You can walk out in His resurrected power knowing that because of the work of Christ, you have been justified, redeemed, and made righteous in the sight of the Father.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)