Song of Songs 8:6 “Place me as a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame” (NIV).
Observation: The love depicted in Song of Songs has previously been uneven at best. Ardent passion was followed by abandonment, thence by renewed pursuit. But here the book reaches its climactic purpose, portraying the unshakable permanence of the pure love of God.
Application: Love based upon physical enticements will always be subject to a wandering eye, to realigned allegiances. Lusts that draw us to intimacy wane as other sources of satisfaction beckon. Even as flesh grows old, the lustful eye will continue to seek sin’s fulfillment in each new garden of delight.
But here is the pure love of the bride for her bridegroom as she seeks and finds permanent satisfaction in Him only. The idea of being set as a seal upon the bridegroom’s heart has a rich history in the affairs of men. A seal was symbol of the king’s ownership. When the imprint of the king’s ring was set in hot wax, whatever document was thus sealed became sacrosanct. A contingent of soldiers would be dispatched to safely deliver the sealed document to its intended recipient. If the seal was already broken upon arrival, those whose assignment it was to deliver the document safely would be executed.
Thus the king’s seal conveyed both permanence and ownership. For the beloved to ask that she be placed like a seal on the bridegroom’s heart, or as a seal on His arm, was the ultimate cry of voluntary love, committed at long last to finding satisfaction in none but the bridegroom.
In this request was also absolute certainty that the bridegroom was both willing and able to perform what had been requested: to seal for eternity His bride to Himself. None would enjoy her except her bridegroom. Such ardent love is as strong as death itself; such passion unequalled by even the grave.
It is to this end that Christ calls me. As a jealous bridegroom He will brook no competition for my affection. Being permanently sealed to His heart requires that I voluntarily, intentionally lay down all lesser pursuits to find satisfaction in none but Him. Once sealed over His heart, our relationship becomes the surpassing reality of my life. Through that paradigm all of life’s trials become welcome molds conforming me ever more perfectly to His image.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the only one who will never leave me nor forsake me. I gladly give myself to You, and ask that You seal me permanently upon Your heart.