Jay Ferris had a striking analogy that was not always understood at first.

“The Kingdom of God is like a drop dead gorgeous woman who walks into a room full of women….gender neutral.”  

The point was not this woman is beautiful, or that she is confident in her beauty, but rather the reaction she gets from the other women. Jay went on to explain the “gender neutral” part:

“A man generally has to either say something or do something to get the same effect. And if a man either says something or does something that is prettier than what the other men in the room are saying or doing, it’s the same dynamic that goes on. It’s seen best when Jesus came to Jerusalem.  All the experts who were experts before He got there, wanted to kill Him.”

What a poignant image this is, considering there was a houseful of women in King Solomon’s life when in relationship to the Shulamite; 140 plus^⁠1 to be exact, and this number would grow as he extended the Kingdom through diplomacy. The Shulamite is “but one^⁠2,” however, and except for Solomon and maybe a few others, she does not appear to be well received in Jerusalem. And personally, I believe she had to leave there to finish her life in the wilderness.

︎  The Perfection of Being “Homely” 

In a recent post we felt the judgment of the Shulamite by even her closest friends. And how she simply agrees by saying: “I am dark.” (1:5) Notice she does not say, “I was dark,” but “I am dark.” I think this is important. Tans fade away. But a stigma stays. 

✦ Now imagine this:

Her friends are staring at her. She can read their minds. They are thinking how her skin shade reveals what kind of wild life people like her led. And they are wondering how such a poor, inexperienced nobody from out-of-the-blue could be Solomon’s “one true love.”

The Shulamite stares back. How easy to give into fear and doubt right now! A tear escapes her eye. How much I have failed to keep myself beautiful and pure…

But she stops! She notices a black tapestry hanging up nearby, and then walks over to it and yanks it down. It is one of the goat-hair skins used by the famous tent-making Bedouin Kedarites.⁴

“You can stop staring at me,” she announces to her friends. 

And then pulling the dark material over her head, the Shulamite crouches underneath it like a tent.

“I am dark,” she whispers to herself, but loud enough for a few to hear, “and like a Kedarite tent, I am fitting for Solomon’s home!” (1:5a)

✦✦✦✦

Now some translations have the Shulamite calling herself “lovely” instead of “fitting,” but this is not accurate. She does not choose one of the commonly used words for a pleasing outward appearance. Instead she chooses the Hebrew word: “nâ’veh,” which is always translated something like: “proper or appropriate.” The KJV translates it best as “comely.” But I think a purified form of “homely” would be better! 

︎  Her Body, His Parable

“The secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see’…” Luke 8:10

I like to think that Solomon and the Shulamite understood some of the meaning to their relationship. It was known at that time, for example, that the ancient tabernacle of God, a tent, was covered with goat skins^⁠.3 And then later the “Holy of Holies” of Solomon’s temple was built to be completely dark. In fact, at the dedication of the temple it was written:

“…when the priests came out of the holy place the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister –  for the glory of the Lord filled the house. Then said Solomon, ‘The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built You a house to dwell in…” – 1 Kings 8:10-13

Then later Paul expounds on this, going back to Genesis to make his point of what this is all about:

“For God, who commanded, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in earthen vessels [jars of clay], that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.” – 2 Cor. 4:6-10

︎  Beauty Out Of Darkness

For she who is forgiven much, loves much. – Luke 7:47

It is worth noting that elsewhere in The Song the Shulamite is said to be beautiful, and a Hebrew word expressing more of a “bright” appearance is used. But it is always the King who calls her beautiful! She does not call herself anything, and likewise, neither does the Bride of Christ. Years in the wilderness stripped from her all reliance in her flesh, and reliance in the flesh of others.  

Now when the Bride of Christ “walks into a room full of women,” she brings darkness before she brings light. By her very nature, she eclipses the artificial and external light of law and “keeping appearances” that others still rely on.

But if you look deeply into her eyes, you will see the true light of beauty shining out of darkness.

It will be God’s estimation of her beauty.

And it’s stunning!

✦✦✦✦

P.S. This song (“Rescue” by Lauren Daigle) just “happened” to be playing on the radio when finishing this post:

 

¹ Song 6:8 also see 2 Tim. 3:6 / ² 2  Song 6:9 / ³ Ex.36:14 / ⁴ See: https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/culture/goat-hair-tent-of-the-nomads.htm