By the end of chapter six the lover, having passed through various stages of transformation, has become Solomon’s duplication. She is now called Shulammite (the feminine form of Solomon—S. S. 6:13), for she has become the same as Solomon in life, nature, and image to match him for their marriage. This couple’s becoming one indicates the New Jerusalem. In the New Jerusalem the redeeming God (signified by Solomon) and all His redeemed (signified by the Shulammite) become one. The New Jerusalem is a mingling of divinity and humanity to express the processed, consummated Triune God in human virtues.
At this point it seems that the book should end, yet it continues. Solomon is the lord of many vineyards, and these vineyards require much labor. Now the country girl, who has become his Shulammite, must become his co-worker. This indicates that eventually Christ’s lovers need to share in the work of the Lord. To share in the Lord’s work we need to be qualified, and our qualification depends upon the spiritual equipment, that is, it depends on our being equipped with all the attributes of the divine life.
In 7:1-9a we see that the lover, the Shulammite, is equipped as a worker in the work of the Lord.
The speaker in verses 1 through 5 is not Solomon nor the Shulammite but a third one—the Spirit. The Spirit is one with Christ (2 Cor. 3:17), and the Spirit is one with the believers (Rev. 22:17). Thus, when this third one speaks, it is as if the two are speaking. Christ, the believers, and the Spirit are one.
Verses 1 through 5 are the Spirit’s review of the virtues of the lover. Virtues are signs of maturity in the divine life. The more mature we are, the more virtues we have. Hence, to review the virtues of the lover is just to present what this co-worker has become, what she is.
First, the Spirit, esteeming her as one of the royal household, reviews her beauty. Romans 5:17 reveals that the life of Christ in us can make us kings to reign: “Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” In Romans we see that Christ’s life is a life of righteousness for our justification, a holy life for our sanctification, and a victorious life to make us overcomers. Romans also tells us that we can reign in this divine life of Christ. This life can make us kings; it can make us royal. Song of Songs indicates that a lover of Christ should reach the maturity in His royal life to reign as a king with Christ. This is the first virtue, the first qualification, for her to share in the Lord’s work.
Song of Songs 7:1 says, “How beautiful are your footsteps in sandals, / O prince’s daughter! / Your rounded thighs are like jewels, / The work of the hands of a skilled artist.” Here the Spirit reviews her beauty in the gospel preaching and in her standing power through the skillful transforming work of God the Spirit (Rom. 10:15; 2 Cor. 3:18).
Song of Songs 7:2 goes on to say, “Your navel is a round goblet / That never lacks mixed wine; / Your belly is a heap of wheat, / Fenced in by lilies.” In this verse the Spirit reviews her beauty in her inward parts filled with the divine life received through the drinking of Christ’s blood and the eating of His flesh by faith (John 6:53-54).
Song of Songs 7:3 continues, “Your two breasts are like two fawns, / Twins of a gazelle.” This refers to her beauty in her active ability to feed others in a living way (John 21:15, 17; cf. S. S. 4:5).
“Your neck is like a tower of ivory; / Your eyes, like the pools in Heshbon / By the gates of Bath-rabbim; / Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, / Which faces Damascus” (S. S. 7:4). Here the Spirit reviews her beauty in her submissive will (signified by the neck) wrought by the Spirit’s transformation through sufferings for the carrying out of God’s will, in the expression of her heart which is open to the light, clean, full of rest, and accessible (eyes—cf. 1:15; 4:1; 5:12), and in her spiritual sense of high and sharp discernment (nose).
Song of Songs 7:5 says, “Your head upon you is like Carmel, / And the locks of your head like purple. / The king is fettered by your tresses.” In this verse the Spirit reviews her beauty in her thoughts and intentions, which are strong for God (cf. 1 Kings 18:19-39), and in her submission and obedience for her consecration, which are for the glory of God and capture her Beloved, who is the King.
The Spirit’s review presents all the believers a beautiful portrait of the lovely lover of Christ from her feet to her head as an expression of Christ, whom she loves (cf. S. S. 6:4-10). Such a portrait qualifies her to share in the work of the Lord.
Suddenly, while the Spirit is speaking, Christ inserts some words. In 7:6-9a we have the Beloved’s inserted words.
“How beautiful and how pleasant in delights / You are, O love! / This your stature is like a palm tree, / And your breasts are like the clusters” (vv. 6-7). Here the Beloved praises her first in her beauty and pleasantness that delight others and then in her mature stature like Christ (Eph. 4:13) and in her rich feeding of others.
A co-worker of Christ must be a beautiful and pleasant person who delights others. The young co-workers need to learn to be pleasant with others and to carry out an attracting work. Others should be happy to see you and want to have fellowship with you. The lover has become such a person, so she is qualified to participate in the Lord’s work.
“I said, I will climb the palm tree; / I will take hold of its branches; / And your breasts will be like clusters of the vine, / And the fragrance of your nose like apples, / And the roof of your mouth like the best wine” (S. S. 7:8-9a). This indicates that the Beloved will enjoy her mature stature of Christ and share it with the members of His Body. He wishes that her feeding of others would be rich, that her intuition would be fragrant for nourishing others in life, and that her foretaste would be of the power of the age to come (wine—John 2:10; Matt. 26:29).