THE SONG OF SOLOMON; A Sacred Poem about Christ and the Church. HIS book is what is called an allegory. An allegory is rather difficult to understand. It signifies a writing, the language of which seems to represent one thing, but really it means another. The celebrated Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan, is an allegory; and while it describes a journey over hills, vales, and water, it signifies all that happens to the Christian, while he is in this world, and on his way to heaven. The Song of Solomon signifies the love of Christ to his church or people, and the love of his church or people to him; and, being poetry, it has a number of comparisons with objects in nature and art, like the Psalms. The sun, the moon, the lily, the rose, the apple-tree, the beautiful hart, the majestic horse, the fragrant spices, the precious stones, the lofty towers, the splendid army,-and many objects of superior excellency or grandeur in Eastern countries, are all employed by which to express the language of love and admiration. We can never think too highly of the blessed Saviour, and we know how tenderly he loves his church. I do not suppose you could well understand this book, were I to attempt to explain it to you. I shall only add, that Christ, in this book, is represented as the bridegroom or husband of his church, and the church as the bride or wife; just as, in other places, God is sometimes called a Father, and we his sons and daughters; and so, we learn that the tender love which exists between affectionate fathers and mothers, is a faint resemblance of that devotedness of heart which the church of Christ have towards him, who is "altogether lovely," and that everlasting love which he bears to his church. On account of the excellency and purity of the subject about which Solomon here sings, this poetical book is called "The Song of Songs," which means, "The most excellent Song;" a song that is far better than all other songs. P ISAIAH. ROPHECIES are words that tell us of things that are to come to pass a great while before they take place; and prophets are those who speak these words. These prophecies, among other uses, serve to show us that the Scriptures are of no human origin, but are really the word of God; because, as I said before, none but God can possibly know what is to happen many hundreds of years to come. They prove that "every word of God is true," and, as his words have come to pass, so all that remain to be fulfilled shall take place. The prophets most frequently spoke in what is called figurative language, and so they used figures or similitudes to express things which were to happen; and sometimes they were ordered to do so by signs, and at other times by plain words. As they prophesied under a divine influence, or the power of God's Spirit affecting their minds, they could not always even know themselves what was fully meant by their prophecies. By speaking in obscure language, while they said enough to warn the sinful people whom they addressed, they so concealed the bringing about the events which they foretold, that no human means could be used to try and baffle them— though, had they spoken plainer, no device could, indeed, have succeeded against the determination of God. Kings, queens, and magistrates, are frequently represented by the sun, moon, and stars; kingdoms and cities, by mountains and hills; God's faithful covenant, or engagements to bless his people, by the promise of marriage, in which the husband or wife agree to be faithful to each other as long as they live; and idolatry by the most wicked and polluted deeds in society. Some of the prophets spoke of their prophecies as "the burden of the Lord;" perhaps, because they were a great weight upon their spirits, when they plainly foretold heavy punishments to be inflicted on the people of God, on account of their sins; or, perhaps, because they pronounced a heavy CC doom, which should press down the guilty people, as a burden does an animal or a man, when it is too weighty for him to bear. Most of the prophets lived during the times of the kings of Israel and Judah, of which you have read. There were other prophets besides those whose writings are here gathered together; but all were not commanded to write what they wrote, but only those who foretold things which were far distant. The prophets are not arranged in the order in which they wrote, but rather according to the extent of their prophecies, the large books being placed first. The books of the prophets are sixteen in number. Four of these are called the Greater Prophets, not because they were more important than the rest, but because their prophecies are more extensive. The remaining twelve are, on account of their containing less, called the Minor Prophets. The Jews were privileged with prophets to warn them against the consequences of sin, and to stir them up to serve the true God, from the time they left Egypt, to the time when they were carried away captives into Babylon, which occupied a period of nine hundred years. But the written prophecies occupy a period of only three hundred and fifty-six years. The order in which the prophets wrote will be seen by the following list: 1. 2. HOSEA began to prophecy about the year 3194, in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Amos began to prophecy about the year 3219, in the reigns of Uzziah and 3. ISAIAH began to prophecy about the year 3236, in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. 4. JONAH began to prophecy in the reigns of Manasseh, Joash, and Jeroboam II. 5. MICAH began to prophecy about the year 3246, in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, at the same time with Isaiah. 6. NAHUM began to prophecy about the year 3291, in the reign of Hezekiah, at the same time with Isaiah. 7. JEREMIAH began to prophecy about the year 3375, in the reigns of Josiah, Jehoaz, and Jehoiakim. 8. ZEPHANIAH began to prophecy about the year 3381, in the reign of Josiah, about the same time with Jeremiah. 9. JOEL began to prophecy in the reign of Josiah. 10. 11. DANIEL began to prophecy about the year 3398, and was taken captive into 12. EZEKIEL began to prophecy about the year 3409, during part of the captivity. 13. OBADIAH began to prophecy about the year 3414, after the taking of Jerusalem. 14. HAGGAI began to prophecy about the year 3484. Born during the captivity. Prophesied about the same time with Zechariah. 15. ZECHARIAH prophesied about the same time with Haggai. 16. MALACHI, the last of the Jewish prophets, prophesied after the death of Nehemiah. You must not be surprised if you find other dates and times given, by some writers, to the periods in which the prophets lived; for as some of them can only be imagined from the contents of their prophecies, every one is left to have his own opinion on these matters. The prophet Isaiah warned the Jewish people of their wickedness; exhorted them to repentance; and comforted those who truly loved God, with an assurance of better times, and the future coming and triumphs of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah or anointed Saviour. Several very remarkable predictions appear in this prophecy. Let us just look at two. The first relates to the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, on account of their sins, and their deliverance by Cyrus the Persian conqueror. You will find this prophecy in the forty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. In this prophecy, Cyrus the Conqueror is called by his name, as much as two hundred years before he was born. He was called the Lord's anointed, because he was raised up to be a king by the particular design of God, in order that he might deliver the penitent Jews out of their captivity in Babylon. By holding his right hand is meant God's giving him help and power, the right hand usually meaning power in the prophecies, and frequently elsewhere. By loosing the loins of kings before him, is meant weakening them; and Cyrus overcame Croesus the rich king of Lydia, and Belshazzar the powerful king of Babylon. The prediction of opening the two-leaved gates, and that the gates should not be shut, was wonderfully fulfilled at Babylon. This city was so strong that Cyrus could never have taken it; but the night in which he did take it, the gates of brass were carelessly left open, whilst the king and his people were feasting and drinking, fancying themselves in perfect security. So God's word, by Isaiah, came true. Making crooked places straight, is an expression used in various places, and means the overcoming of difficulties. The words which mention the breaking in pieces the gates of brass and cutting in sunder the bars of iron well describe the strength of the gates of Babylon, which God opened to Cyrus. There were no less than a hundred gates in the wall which surrounded Babylon, and these were all made of solid brass; twenty-five being on each side of the city; and these, to make them as secure as possible, were all barred with iron. Those who serve God shall not go unrewarded. Though Cyrus does not appear to have been a good man, yet as he did good and fulfilled the purpose of God in releasing the Israelites from Babylon, God rewarded him by giving him "the treasures of darkness;" by which are meant much gold and silver which come out of the dark bowels of the earth, and, perhaps, also much which were hidden and laid up in concealed places, by those princes whom he conquered. Pliny, a Roman writer, says, that when Cyrus conquered Asia, he carried away thirty-four thousand pounds of gold, besides golden vessels and other treasures. Babylon was a rich and powerful city; being forty-five miles round, which is double the size of London and its suburbs; its kings had long been gathering wealth from their large conquests, and all these spoils now fell to the share of Cyrus. The wonderful prophecy of Isaiah, is said, by a very ancient writer, to have been read by Cyrus; and, if so, it must greatly have encouraged him, and induced him to help the suffering Jews. The second remarkable portion of this prophecy relates to the sufferings of Christ. (Isaiah liii.) |