Resting with Jesus (Song 2:3-7)

In this closing section of the poem, the woman describes various experiences she has had with her beloved. The setting of the poem is a country estate in which there is a building called the banqueting house. Her description describes two situations: one is when she sat in the shadow of the apple tree and the other is what she enjoyed in the banqueting house. In both places, she is eating fruit provided by him and she describes herself as very happy. We can see from verse 7 that the daughters of Jerusalem, her companions, are present because they are addressed. It looks also as if she actually speaks to them throughout verses 3-6 because in none of the verses does she speak to her beloved. Instead she speaks about him. So we can see here her testimony, we might say. So what does she have to tell us about time spent with her beloved?

The apple tree

The woman adopts the method of the king and uses comparison. He had contrasted her with the daughters and she now contrasts him to the sons. She recognises that her beloved is not the only possible object of affection and uses the illustration of the forest in the country estate to explain what she means. Solomon probably planted a variety of trees in the wood in his park and she selects one of them to describe what her beloved is like. We are not sure what kind of tree it was – indeed some commentators suggest that she is using a generic term in which she combines benefits connected to trees. The point that she makes about her beloved is that he provides shade and food for her. Literally, a person would have sat under the tree when the time of day was hot.

Sometimes in the Bible the heat of the sun is used to illustrate opposition and persecution. In spiritual experience, we face several types of trouble such as temptation, troubles in providence, disappointments in life and inner failures. What do we do when they come along? We should go, as it were, to the Apple Tree and eat some of his fruit. I would suggest that the apples depict his promises, and they are connected to his person and work, with references to his work being from the past, present and future. The important detail of the apples is that they are all sweet, as are the promises of the Saviour.

The picture of a shady tree with ample fruit is a picture of rest. It is the case that the usual need of a believer is rest of soul. This rest is not found from the other trees, to use the lady’s illustration. Instead it is only found in one Tree, Jesus himself. And it is possible to find rest there at any time. Indeed he invites us to enjoy it in Matthew 11:28-30: ‘Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

The usual effect of sitting in the shade of a fruit tree was that the aroma of the tree affected the individual and others could tell when he had been there. And we know that others can tell when we have been with Jesus. It is impossible to spend time with him and for others not to realise it.

The Banqueting House

The woman now describes another situation, a reminder that the spiritual life is not static or without new experiences. It is obvious that any relationship has many ways of experiencing it, and that is the case in the spiritual life as well.

The banqueting house was probably a place where Solomon would host state banquets. It was customary on such occasions for the walls to have banners on them that stated items of interest for the king or his guests. If the king wanted to impress his visitors, he would have banners detailing his exploits. Obviously the particular banners on view would depend on the guests.

Here the woman and the daughters of Jerusalem are in the banqueting house. She is relating to them how she was taken there and what she experienced there. Her sharing with them is not boasting. Instead, she says little about herself and speaks about the king and what he did.

The first thing that she mentions is that the initiative for the experience came from the king. He led her into the banqueting room. We can imagine that some courtiers would have tried to stop her if she had tried to enter by herself. But who would stop here when the king is the one taking her into the place of privilege. In a sense, the access she was given was his access. And is this not the case in the Christian life? Jesus gives us access to all his assets as long as we are with him (in the sense of having fellowship)? We have been given access, says Paul, into the world of grace, and there we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

In addition to telling about his initiative, the woman tells the daughters about the information she received from the king. She saw the information written on the banners, and while she does not go into detail about what was written, she does say that the information was all expressions of love, written in large letters. It is the case that Jesus mentions his love frequently, and not only when things are going well. Did he not say, ‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten’? But there are also many positive expressions of love from him in the Bible. We could almost say that equivalent of the banners is the Word of God.

The woman also mentions the intensity of the experience when she says in verse 5 that she needs sustenance and refreshment because of the amount of love that she has received from the king. Maybe, given that it is a banquet, she has eaten from a wide range of dishes. They would picture varieties of spiritual food, and she would have eaten while reading the statements of love written on the banners. Eventually she is overcome by love. We are told about the Queen of Sheba that when she saw what Solomon possessed ‘there was no more breath in her’ (2 Chron. 9:3-4). How much more when receiving from the Saviour.

John Bunyan, in his Pilgrim’s Progress, mentions this statement from the Song. He describes Christian and Hopeful walking through the land of Beulah: ‘Now, as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than in parts more remote from the kingdom to which they were bound; and drawing near to the city, they had yet a more perfect view thereof: It was builded of pearls and precious stones, also the streets thereof were paved with gold; so that, by reason of the natural glory of the city, and the reflection of the sunbeams upon it, Christian with desire fell sick; Hopeful also had a fit or two of the same disease: wherefore here they lay by it a while, crying out because of their pangs, “If you see my Beloved, tell him that I am sick of love.”’

Who does she ask for help? We might think she would approach the king, but when she asks for sustenance and refreshment she uses plural terms. So it looks as if she is asking the daughters of Jerusalem, who are there with her, to get her some raisins and apples. Raisins and apples would have been on the table in order to provide refreshment. She needs someone to bring them to her because at that moment she cannot get them herself. Love has made her weak. Here, we might say, is a call for the expression of brotherly love. In the described situation, the daughters would take some of the fruit to the lady. When other believers see another Christian overcome by the love of Jesus they are to bring to her more portions from the King’s table. They are not to think that she has had enough. Instead they are to give words of encouragement.

The fourth aspect that she mentions is the intimacy of her experience: ‘His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!’ Whatever else we can say about this experience as she reclines at the table we can say that it is restful and tender. We can also see that the entire focus of the king is on her. She leans upon him – her head leans on his left hand, and she receives from him – his right hand caresses her. The Christian life in the enjoyment of divine love leans on and receives from Jesus simultaneously.

The charge to the daughters

There is disagreement as to who is speaking here, with some suggesting that it is the king and others that it is the woman. I think it is the king speaking about the rest of love that his beloved is enjoying. When he mentions that love should not be awakened, he does not mean that love is absent. Instead they are to be careful that they do not disturb the one who is resting in his love.

Why does he mention gazelles and does? I would suggest that they are mentioned because they are sensitive creatures who are easily disturbed by inappropriate noises. The application is obvious. In the banqueting room, the king will not disturb the enjoyment of love being experienced by the woman, but the daughters of Jerusalem may do so. It would not take very much to disturb the rest – perhaps one wrong word. They would not even have to involve the women directly. She may only overhear them talking among themselves. But her rest in the king would be disturbed. In the real world, away from illustrations, it is the case that it is usually other believers who disturb the experience of divine love that a believer may be enjoying. What does it take? One word, maybe. Talking about worldly matters, speaking inappropriately about another believer are two examples. They grieve the Spirit of God. Our words are meant to convey grace to one another. When speaking to or near another believer, we should pause and ask ourselves if what we are about to say will disturb or remove the rest they are currently enjoying from Jesus.

Instead, the king tells the daughters, ‘Let the love she is enjoying decide when to bring the experience to a close.’ In other words, he is saying that he knows when she has rested enough and is able to move on with him.