Bible teacher Andy McIlree explores the often neglected Song of Songs in this devotional commentary. Some question whether it should be in the Bible at all, while many have struggled to understand the purpose of its poetic imagery. But there's no need to be afraid of this very human and very devotional book, that's been described by one Jewish rabbi as the holiest of all of Israel's scriptures.
It's a sequence of love letters between a young couple, expressed in words and behaviour that would have been so meaningful to them, although they might at first seem peculiar to us today. Andy invites us to allow its language to first of all lift our thoughts to see God being exalted in His relationship with His people, Israel; these eight chapters display the supremacy of God, clothed in His fervency and intimacy – and even under the Law His working with His people had much grace blended with it. Then, on another level, His Spirit can exalt His Son as we draw lessons that relate to our discipleship walk with Him, and experience "the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness toward us in Christ."