Springtime

David Dorsey points out that Song of Songs 2:11-13 contains seven descriptions of spring and seven imperatives.  Sevens make me think of the creation week: Spring is new creation.  But can we fill that out in more detail?

Verse 11a says that winter is past.  Winter is darkness.  Spring says, Let there be light.

Verse 11b says that the rain is over.  Waters above have stopped falling.  Day 2.

In verse 12a, the flowers sprout from the land, which is now free of water.  On Day 3, grasses and fruit trees come from the land.  Flowers are glorified grass, as Jesus pointed out.

Verse 12b in the NASB says that the “time” has come for “pruning” but the word is used elsewhere to mean “song” (as the AV has it; the word is used elsewhere only in 2 Samuel 23:1; Job 35:10; Psalm 95:2; 119:54; Isaiah 24:16).  Day 4 is the creation of heavenly lights as rulers and time-keepers.  Verse 12b mentions time ( ‘et ) explicitly, and perhaps we can associate singing with ruling, or even singing with the heavenly bodies, the “sons of God” who sing at the creation.

Verse 12c gives us the voice of turtledoves, created on Day 5.

Verse 13a, arrestingly and puzzlingly, gives us figs ripened on the tree.  That doesn’t look like Day 6 at all.  But we can tease out some associations.  Trees are men, and fruit of trees are the deeds of men.  Figs are, of course, first mentioned in Genesis 3, after Adam’s sin.  Or this, more distant association: Day 6 matches Day 2, the formation of the firmament; stars in heaven are, in Revelation 6:3, shaken down like figs.  Those fig-stars that fall from the sky are rulers and people, stationed in the firmament.

Verse 13b says that springtime brings vines in blossom putting forth their fragrance.  Vines give wine, and wine is sabbatical.

Spring-creation complete, the bridegroom comes to the bride: “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one; and come along.”