Sealed

And so after over 900 posts, and 2 and a half years, we come to the end of the Old Testament.

In this final passage, the lovers are coming back from their short trip together, and it’s evident to all their love for each other, as they see the woman leaning on her husband’s arm.

And the woman tells her husband,

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.  It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.  (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)

A seal in those days was a mark of ownership.  And if someone possessed another’s seal, it was a sign of mutual access and possession.

In other words, she was saying, “You belong to me, and I to you.  We are sealed to each other.”

She described their love as strong as death (6b).  Even death could not break the love she had for him, and their love would last beyond death.

This is especially true for all who are in Christ, because though we may die, we will see our spouses once again in heaven.

She said her love’s jealousy would never yield (Song of Solomon 8:6c).

We often think of jealousy in a negative sense.  But jealousy is wrong only when we desire something that belongs to another.

In this case, however, she belongs to her husband, and he to her.  And basically she’s saying that she won’t let anything get between her and husband, and the love that they have for each other.

If only all couples so jealously guarded their relationships.

Too often, we let other things get in the way which destroy our relationships, whether it’s hobbies, work, or even another lover.  Our love for our spouse should never yield to these things.

She then compared her love to a fire, a fire that nothing could quench.  And she said it was a love that no amount of money could buy.  (7)

As she thinks of her own relationship with her husband, her thoughts then turn toward her sister, who is yet a virgin.  And she longs for her sister to have the same kind of marriage relationship that she has.

She says of her sister, “If her walls protecting her virtue are strong, I want to make them stronger.  If she seems to be an open door, susceptible to anyone that would approach her, I want to protect her and close up that door.”  (8-9)

She then thinks of how glad she was that she kept her virginity until she got married.  And she knows that because she did, she won the respect of her husband.

More than that, she was able to give her all to her husband.  She had given to no one else what she gave him.  (10)

Solomon’s vineyard was so big that he had to let it out to tenants in order for it to be cared for.  Many took of its fruits, and paid Solomon for it.

But this woman’s “vineyard,” that is, her body, was her own, and she had chosen to give it to Solomon.

He didn’t have to pay to taste of her fruits.  She gave it freely to him.

She told him that if he wanted to pay someone, he should pay those who had helped protect her virtue over the years.  (11-12)

The song closes with Solomon calling out to her and her responding, saying, “Come away with me, my lover.”

For every single person that reads this blog, my prayer is that you would save yourself for that one person to give your heart, soul, and body to.

For those who are married, my prayer is that you would be sealed to their spouse as this couple was, forever calling and responding to each other in love.

Amen.