Wednesday, July 9, 2025

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)

πŸ™ 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

πŸ‘₯ 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

πŸ“š 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

πŸ“ 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

πŸ’« 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"

πŸ”Š 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

πŸƒ 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

πŸ‘€ 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

πŸ“– 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)

πŸ”— 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 voiceCorporate spiritual pursuit

Layer 3: Gazelle and young stagPower of resurrection

Layer 4: Spice-laden mountains Sweet and beautiful kingdom

Layer 1: Lord's testimonyCertainty of promise

Layer 2: Coming soonUrgency of time

Layer 3: I will you comeBelievers' response

Layer 4: AmenConfirmation 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

πŸ“ˆ Spiritual Progression

Hearing voice (present) → Come quickly (future) → Complete realization (eternal)

Longing (present) → Declaration (confirmation) → Realization (eternal)

πŸ’Ž 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

 

πŸ”„ 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 SongsDirect realization in Revelation
From personal to cosmic: Personal spiritual experienceCosmic completion of redemption
From present to eternal: Fellowship and growth in this lifeGlorious 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

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