A Rose By Any Other Name

In the beautiful Song of Solomon, the following is written in the second chapter, verses 1-3:

I am the rose of Sharon,
The lilly of the valleys.

Like a lilly among the thorns
So is my darling among the maidens.

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest
So is my beloved among the young men

In his shade I took great delight and sat down.
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Not your average Sunday School lesson. But so very beautiful. Those who occasionally preach on this text compare Solomon, the Rose of Sharon, to Jesus Christ in His glory and the bride of Solomon to the Christian church.

The poetry and imagery is so wonderful. The bride accompanied by her maidens in waiting is so beautiful that the maidens are like thorns, but the loved one is like a lilly.

Ah, but the Rose of Sharon is not a rose at all. It is equated with the Hibiscus syriacus. We know it as Hibiscus. Its flowers come in white, pink, purple and red. But this is no sissy flower! It actually grows to be a small tree that is pruned back to be a bush. Although it is a native to India and East Asia (and is the national flower of Korea) it grows also in the Middle East and in Europe.

And so a rose by any other name is not always the same.

The Bible is filled with the creation of God; it is not just another dry book. In it is some of the most exquisite poetry of love this side of the Rubiyat. Running throughout the Bible are not only the mystic streams of God's truth and the fruits of the spirit but also plants like the Rose of Sharon.

For is not love a part of life just like pain and suffering?

In the shade of God incarnate, can we not sit down and take our rest?

The sermons we hear often emphasize the fruit of the garden of Eden-but only rarely do we give thought to Christ as the Apple Tree of the Song of Solomon. And the Apple Tree has blossoms too. Its fruit is the fruit of eternal life.

God's continually is in the midst of creation. Nature around us is fruitful and reproductive. If you don't believe it, look out your window. Go wipe the oak pollen off your car.

HarleyDad