How does Song of Solomon 2:5 illustrate the intensity of romantic love? Setting the Scene • Songs 2:5: “Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.” • The Shulammite woman speaks from a place of overwhelming emotion. She is not merely fond of her beloved; she is physically weakened by passion. Raisins and Apples: Practical Symbols of Passion • Raisins were concentrated sources of energy in the ancient Near East—portable, sweet, and nourishing. • Apples (or possibly apricots) were refreshing, juicy, and restorative. • By asking for these foods, she seeks literal strength because love has drained her reserves. Passion is not just a feeling; it affects the body. Love-Sickness: A Real Physical Experience • “I am faint with love” shows love so intense that it produces bodily symptoms—dizziness, weakness, loss of appetite. • Songs 5:8 mirrors this: “Tell him I am sick with love.” The repetition underscores how powerful romantic longing can become. • Genesis 29:20 illustrates the same depth: Jacob’s seven years “seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” Love can warp time, blur hardship, and dominate consciousness. Intensity Rooted in Covenant Design • Proverbs 5:18-19: “Rejoice in the wife of your youth… be captivated always by her love.” Scripture presents marital affection as intense, wholehearted, and consuming—never half-hearted. • Ephesians 5:28-29 likens a husband’s love for his wife to nourishing his own body. The Shulammite echoes this truth: her beloved is as vital to her as food and drink. Why the Holy Spirit Preserves This Verse • To validate romantic yearning within God’s created order. Love that affects appetite and energy is not sinful; it is acknowledged and celebrated. • To remind couples that passionate affection is a God-given gift meant to be nurtured, not ignored. • To paint a picture of faithful commitment so strong it consumes every facet of life—spiritual, emotional, and physical. Encouragement for Today • Recognize physical attraction and emotional longing as God-ordained components of marriage. • Feed—literally and figuratively—the relationship: invest time, words, and gestures that “sustain” and “refresh.” • Guard that intensity for the marital covenant, allowing it to thrive without shame or restraint, just as the Shulammite openly expressed hers. |
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