Song of Solomon 2:1 - “I am the Rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”

The Song of Solomon also known as the Song of Songs is attributed to King Solomon, who composed it during his reign as king of Israel between 971 and 931 B.C.. In this poetic and romantic book, Solomon beautifully describes love, passion and the beauty of marriage, using metaphors. One of these is “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys,” to convey the uniqueness and splendor of the beloved. This book also uses romantic language to depict the intimate relationship between God and His people. By using Himself, the “Rose of Sharon” emphasizes His love for His Bride (the Church).

The rose is considered the most perfect of all flowers, representing beauty, purity and love. The rose is also regarded as the sweetest, but Jesus is infinitely more beautiful in the garden of the soul than a rose in the garden of earth. Jesus, being sinless and perfect, can be seen as the ultimate “Rose of Sharon.”Jesus takes the first place as the fairest among ten thousand (Song of Solomon 5:10). Among the ten thousand flowers, He stands as the fairest. He is the Sun, while others are mere stars. His beauty outshines everything. Jesus possesses beauty beyond comparison and He transcends all other forms of loveliness.

Sharon is described as a place of abundant beauty and fertility. This symbolism reflects the flourishing of love and relationships. Just as the fertile land of Sharon produces lush vegetation, the love between the bride and the bridegroom in the Song of Solomon blossoms and thrives.

“I am a Rose of Sharon.” This is the best and rarest of roses. Jesus simply is not “a rose.” He is “a rose of Sharon,” just as He calls His righteousness “gold,” and then adds, “the gold of Ophir” - the finest and most precious, the best of the best. He is positively lovely and superlatively the loveliest.

There is variety in His beauty. The rose is delightful to the eye, and its scent is pleasant and refreshing, so each of the senses of the soul, whether it be the taste of feeling, the hearing, the sight, or the spiritual smell, finds appropriate gratification in Jesus. Even the recollection of His love is sweet. Take a rose of Sharon, pull its leaf from leaf, and place the leaves in the jar of memory, and you will find each leaf retains its fragrance, filling the house with perfume.

Jesus Christ satisfies every aspect of our being, just as a rose delights our senses, each sense of our soul finds fulfillment in Him. Just as a rose captivates our senses with its fragrance, color and form, Jesus surpasses all earthly beauty in the spiritual realm. Jesus satisfies the highest taste of the most educated spirit to the full.

Heaven itself possesses nothing that exceeds a rose of Sharon.This analogy is symbolic, but it beautifully captures the essence of Jesus’ love and perfection. Whatever beauty there may be in the material world, Jesus Christ possesses all of that in the spiritual world to the nth degree.

Our Prayer for Today:

Loving Father God, we thank you for Jesus Christ, my Savior. He is a Rose of Sharon who loves us unconditionally. Just as the rose’s fragrance lingers, Jesus’ love and grace surround us, even in our brokenness. Thank you Lord for letting us find comfort, inspiration in the Rose of Sharon who offers eternal hope and redemption. Amen.