Is Unfailing Love Possible? -TRUE LOVE IS POSSIBLE

Read Song of Solomon 8:6. The expression "the flame of Jah" that is used to describe love speaks volumes. True love is  "the flame of Jah" in that Jehovah is the Originator of such love. He created man in his image with the ability to love. (Genesis 1:26, 27) When God presented the first woman, Eve, to the first man, Adam, the words that came out of Adam's mouth were nothing short of poetic. No doubt Eve felt a closeness to Adam, from whom "she was taken."  (Genesis 2:21-23) Since Jehovah has given humans the capacity for showing love, it is possible for a man and a woman to have unswerving and unfailing love for each other.

The love between the opposite sexes has other characteristics besides its potential for being constant and enduring. Some of these are wonderfully portrayed in the Son of Solomon. Written as a song similar to the libretto, or text of an opera, the story is about the love between a young woman from the village of Shunem, or Shulem, and her beloved shepherd.  The girl is brought into Solomon's camp because her beauty  attracted Solomon, who was camping near the vineyards she was guarding. However, right from the outset, it is clear that she is in love with the shepherd. As Solomon attempts to win her over, the girl freely expresses her longing to be with her beloved.  (Song Of Solomon 1:4-14) The shepherd finds his way into the camp, and beautiful expressions of endearment are exchanged. -Song of Solomon 1:15-17. 

Solomon returns to Jerusalem, taking the young woman with him; the shepherd follows her .  (Song of Solomon 4:1-5, 8, 9) all of Solomon's efforts  to win the girl's love prove fruitless.  (Song of Solomon 6:4-7; 7:1-10) Finally, the king permits her to return home. The song closes with the girl desiring her dear one to "be swift like a gazelle" and come running to her. -Song of Solomon 8:14. 

As meaningful and beautifully composed as Solomon's "song of songs" is, identifying the speakers of the dialogues, soliloquies, and dreams in the song is not without its challenges.  (Song of Solomon 1:1) According to The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, "things like plot, story, narrative development, and character are not really of prime interest.." So as not to distract from the lyrical and poetic nature of the composition, the names of the speakers may have been left out.  Still, the matter of who says what can be determined by what is being said by them or to them." 

Next time: Is Unfailing Love Possible? -"YOUR EXPRESSIONS OF AFFECTION ARE BETTER THAN MINE"

From the Watchtower magazine, 2015