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) |
π 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 |
π₯ Identity of
Pray-er |
Christ's
beloved (bride) and her companions |
John
(representing all believers) |
π― 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 |
π 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 |
π 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 |
π Scope Level |
Personal: Deep experience of mature believers Corporate: Common pursuit with companions |
Cosmic: Hope of the
entire creation |
π« 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" |
π 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 |
π Action
Imagery |
Swift movement: Agility like gazelles and young stags |
Direct coming: The Lord's direct descent |
πΈ 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 |
π΅ 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 |
π€ 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 |
π 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) |
π 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 |
π 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 |
π 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 |
π Spiritual
Progression |
Hearing voice (present) → Come quickly (future) → Complete realization (eternal) |
Longing (present) → Declaration (confirmation)
→ Realization (eternal) |
π 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 |
π― 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 |
π 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 |
πΌ 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
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