The Closing Prayer of Song of Songs vs. The Final Prayer of the Bible

 

The Closing Prayer of Song of Songs vs. The Final Prayer of the Bible

Song 8:13-14 "You who dwell in the gardens, my companions listen for your voice; let me hear it too. Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains."

Rev 22:20 "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

 

Analysis Item	The Closing Prayer of Song of Songs (8:13-14)	The Final Prayer of the Bible (Rev 22:20)
🙏 Prayer Structure	Dual Structure: 1. Request to hear the Lord's voice (8:13) 2. Request for the Lord to come quickly (8:14)	Single Structure: Direct appeal for the Lord's coming
👥 Identity of Pray-er	Christ's beloved (bride) and her companions	John (representing all believers)
🎯 Symbolic Meaning	First Layer: Maintaining fellowship with the Lord in co-working Second Layer: Union and expectation in newlywed love	Ultimate longing and cosmic hope for the Lord's return
📚 Theological Significance	Depicts the intimate relationship and co-working experience between Christ and the church in love	Reveals the completion of God's eternal economy concerning Christ and the church
📝 Literary Genre	Poetic form, full of metaphorical symbols (gazelle, young stag, spice-laden mountains)	Apocalyptic literature, direct and explicit declaration
⏰ Time Focus	Present: Fellowship with the Lord in today's co-working Future: The Lord's return to establish His kingdom	Eternal: The final completion of redemptive history
🌍 Scope Level	Personal: Deep experience of mature believers Corporate: Common pursuit with companions	Cosmic: Hope of the entire creation
💫 Spiritual Maturity	The highest stage of maturity "like a drop of water flowing into the sea"	Complete realization of "faith becomes sight, praise replaces prayer"
🔊 Voice Theme	Emphasis on hearing: "Let me hear it too" The believer's life depends on the Lord's voice and teaching	Emphasis on response: The ultimate response to the Lord's voice
🏃 Action Imagery	Swift movement: Agility like gazelles and young stags	Direct coming: The Lord's direct descent
🌸 Kingdom Imagery	Spice-laden mountains: Prefiguration of the sweet and beautiful kingdom	New heaven and new earth: Realization of the eternal kingdom
❤️ Love Relationship	Newlywed love: Intimate fellowship between bridegroom and bride	Eternal love:  Eternal union between Christ and the church
🎵 Expression Style	Poetic:  Expression full of emotion and beauty	Direct: Concise and powerful declaration
⛪ Church Application	Service work: Maintaining fellowship with the Lord in co-working Spiritual pursuit: Learning the lesson of hearing the Lord's voice	Corporate worship: Common declaration of hope for the Lord's return End-time preparation: Attitude of preparing for the Lord's coming
👤 Personal Application	Devotional life:  "Quick to hear, slow to speak" Work attitude: Depending on the Lord's voice in service	Daily life: Looking to the Lord's return in difficulties Life witness:  Living out the hope for the Lord's return
📖 Related Scriptures	Song of Songs series: • 6:2 (Beloved's garden) • 2:8-9 (Gazelle, young stag) • 2:17 (Mountains of Bether) Hearing the voice: • John 10:3-4 (Sheep hear shepherd's voice) • Rev 3:20 (Voice of knocking) • Isa 30:21 (Voice of guidance)	Hope for return: • Rev 22:17 (Spirit and bride both say come) • Rev 11:15 (Kingdoms of world become Lord's) • 1 Cor 16:22 (The Lord must come) • Phil 3:20 (Waiting for Savior's descent) • Dan 2:35 (Stone becomes mountain filling earth)
🔗 Theological Continuity	Old Testament prefiguration: Poetic prefigurative description Personal experience:  Experience of intimate fellowship with the Lord	New Testament realization: Direct revelatory declaration Cosmic hope: Longing of the entire creation
⚡ Spiritual Principles	Fellowship principle: Fellowship with the Lord is indispensable in work Maturity principle: Reaching complete maturity of spiritual life	Hope principle: The entire Bible ends with ultimate hope for the Lord's return Completion principle: Final completion of God's redemptive plan
🎭 Symbolic Layers	Layer 1: Lord in gardens → Dwelling in believers' hearts Layer 2: Companions hearing voice → Corporate spiritual pursuit Layer 3: Gazelle and young stag → Power of resurrection Layer 4: Spice-laden mountains → Sweet and beautiful kingdom	Layer 1: Lord's testimony → Certainty of promise Layer 2: Coming soon → Urgency of time Layer 3: I will you come → Believers' response Layer 4: Amen → Confirmation of faith
🌟 Unique Features	Dual prayer: Both requesting fellowship and return Mature experience: Represents highest spiritual stage Poetic beauty: Full of literary artistry	Biblical conclusion: Conclusion of entire Bible Universal voice: Represents all believers Direct declaration: Concise yet powerful
📈 Spiritual Progression	Hearing voice (present) → Come quickly (future) → Complete realization (eternal)	Longing (present) → Declaration (confirmation) → Realization (eternal)
💎 Core Message	In newlywed love, the beloved both longs for fellowship with her beloved in work and expects Him to come quickly in resurrection power to establish His kingdom	The entire Bible concludes with longing and declaration for the Lord's return, revealing the final completion of God's redemptive plan
🎯 Ultimate Goal	Personal level: Reaching complete maturity of union with the Lord Cosmic level: Expecting the establishment of the Lord's kingdom	Historical level: Completion of redemptive history Eternal level: Entering endless glory

 

🔄 Three-Stage Spiritual Journey

Stage	Content	Scripture	Meaning
Stage 1	Hearing the voice	Song of Songs 8:13	Fellowship with the Lord in work
Stage 2	Come quickly	Song of Songs 8:14	Personal longing for the Lord's return
Stage 3	I will you come	Revelation 22:20	Cosmic declaration for the Lord's return

 

🎼 Perfect Echo in Theological Framework:

From prefiguration to realization: Poetic prefiguration in Song of Songs → Direct realization in Revelation
From personal to cosmic: Personal spiritual experience → Cosmic completion of redemption
From present to eternal: Fellowship and growth in this life → Glorious realization in eternity
From partial to complete: "A drop of water flowing into the sea" → "Faith becomes sight, praise replaces prayer"

These two prayers constitute the complete arc of the redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation, jointly revealing God's eternal economy concerning Christ and the church in His divine love.

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Memorial Day Blending Conference. General Topic: Preparation of the Bride. Chapter 4 The Beauty of the Bride