…I am black, and comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Don’t see me only as dark, because the sun has looked upon me this way. My mother’s children burned in anger with me; they made me guard the vineyards; but I have not guarded my own. Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where do you go to feed your flocks? Where do you take them at noontime for rest? Why should I be as one that is veiled by the flocks of your companions? Song 1:5-7
There is a striking difference in the nature of verses 5-7 above, where the Shulamite woman is talking about her skin color, her past, and being separated from her Beloved, with the preceding verses already discussed that tell us she was brought into Solomon’s bedroom. I don’t think it’s a stretch to see the first 4 verses of the Song as more “positional,” meaning in the Spirit we are “already there,” experiencing marriage, consummation, and reigning with Christ.
But when it comes down to life on earth, however, and how all of this plays out in our soul and physical bodies – there are going to be struggles. For with intimacy comes exposure, and when the King in His consuming beauty gazes deeply into our eyes desiring to know us more, first personally and then through the eyes of others in His body, light begins to penetrate every nook and cranny.
God is very “visual” this way, and He wants to enjoy us in the light.
This part becomes challenging for us, however, and there is a temptation to abort or sabotage this kind of relationship with God and others. Fears rise up, memories haunt us, and we can be overwhelmed with Love’s intensity to the point of pulling away, or doing something to “make ourselves more beautiful.”
(Or ugly – if wounded to that degree.)
I believe we can assume self-consciousness was a temptation for the Shulamite at some point in her life, perhaps as soon as she came out of the chamber room of the King for the first time.
It’s not that Solomon made her feel that way. In his gaze she felt vulnerable, yes, but loved. He was ever so kind in how he dealt with her. A “consummate gentleman,” as the old saying goes. :-)
Rather, as soon as she came out of the King’s chamber she found herself under the judging eyes of her very own friends! At first they seemed to be encouraging to her, but now they are finding fault with her suntanned skin, which was an undesirable trait in those days. It was most likely because it looked even darker now, in contrast to the “glow” she was wearing on her face from being in the Beloved’s bed!
How did she respond to her friends? What can we learn?
In the next post we are going to take a closer look at the Shulamite woman, including her “secret life” of abuse, regrets, love, and finally, her response to it all. For me it’s become a very moving experience to know her personally. I think you’ll understand more soon.
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