The Search For The Shulamite
The most perfect, beautiful and desirable woman
Who can find a virtuous women? Proverbs 31:10
A beautiful women who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig's snout
Proverbs 11:21
The Question: A book about love, written in beautiful poetry, 'the Song of Songs', also known as 'The Song of Solomon' talks of a Shulamite women who is beautiful and desirable to her beloved more than all others. The question that begs to be asked is, "What makes the her so desirable?"
Search for an answer: Was it just her natural attributes or was there something else? Her physical features don't seem to have been as exceptional yet she was loved more than all the others (Song of songs 8:8). Why was she Solomon's favorite? Could there be a double entendre woven into this unusual poetry? Could it be as some writers and commentators have suggested a metaphor for a soul who is loved by God and one who is desirable to Him for friendship and fellowship? We will leave that for another dscussion.
The following essay ponders what the heart of such a beautiful women loved by God (and her man) might be like. We have upped the ante of beauty to include righteousness. Remember the teenage movie 'weird science' in which two wiz kids are somehow able to create the ultimate woman who turns out to be the once beautiful model Kelly Lebrock? If we apply spiritual(and not just physical) parameters to create a picture of this most beloved of women, would we possibly come up with the shulamite of Solomon or a heretical monstrosity? Read bellow and You be the judge. No one woman might have all these attributes but 'her' ideals can be studied and emulated beacuse in of themselves they are etrnally relavant and trancedent virtues that come right out of God's Word The Bible!
We hope you do the deeper searches with the linked scriptures and are able to form at least a rough caricature her. You can then supply the flesh to her skeletal form. In the least, We hope to show that a two dimentional physical appearance is not all there is to beauty even after you consider a bright intellect as they do in beauty pagents. It would be interesting to see what woman can come up with as an answer to the question of what real beauty is. We have opened up the discussion so you can participate and add to it. Therfore, this essay is not a final a verdict as to what real beauty may be.
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Who is the shulamite or what was(is) she like?
Conjecture or Assumption: The essence of a shulamite can be expressed as a collage of other virtuous women in the bible who are spoken of well by the spirit.
She has an inner spiritual beauty (translate-the fruits of the spirit) along with (and not just) the know-how to make herself look attractive on the outside like Sarah. ( Not everyone inherits genes that make for exceptional physical beauty like Sarah, so you have to work with what God gave you but everyone can have the more precious inner beauty, the beauty of salvation). She is aware of modern fashion but dresses modestly when it comes to her choice of hairstyle, apparel, jewelry or makeup. She does not seek attention by wearing skimpy or flashy clothes but lets her inward good character be the point of conversation among her peers. She is not driven or motivated by lust or greed but lets higher principles (of The Word & The Spirit) be her light and guide!. She honors her body (she does not cheapen it!) as the seat of birth and as a temple. She keeps herself in good physical shape and health.
She considers Christian submission (to a righteous rule or directive) as a good thing so she exercises it. She is chaste with eyes only for her betrothed and the bridegroom (I mean Jesus, of course). She is a lover of Jesus like Mary Magdalene. She is a devout, focused and attentive disciple (as a student of righteousness) like Martha's sister, Mary. She has a servant's heart and is not bossy. She is a kind, gentle and humble soul like Mary mother of Jesus who would be both a good mother and a good wife. She has a giving heart and keeps giving even though she has next to nothing herself or is going through a hard time like the generous widow who gave her last two coins. She is a faithful minister unto the Lord like Elisabeth, always serving the Lord in His house and having His priorities at heart! Aware of her own faults and shortcomings, she is not overly judgmental but practices being merciful!
She is a resourceful person (a proverbs 31 women) able to cook and keep a clean and organized household as well as having wisdom along with a reverential fear and respect for God. She is a spiritual/prayer warrior like Esther, whose courage and decisiveness saves her people from certain destruction. She is loyal and faithful to her kin (brothers and sisters in Christ) and to God himself like Ruth was to Naomi. We are making the conjecture that this is what constitutes the perfect women, the proverbial Shulamite from the 'Song of Songs' who is also a type of the church. Since the 'Song of Songs' is a book about intimacy the shulamite is a worshipper and all her good qualities come and flow from the intimacy she has with Jesus. As a worshipper, She dances for joy, singing and rejoicing over the victories of her beloved like Miriam. She is full of laughter and the joy of her maker.
These qualities don't come overnight but are lofty qualities that take a lifetime to develop through God's grace and help. If you feel you don't have them all, don't worry, not many women are like that. Just be one that trusts in Jesus and He will work those qualities in you! Only be willing to be changed and molded by him. A good place to get started to having her qualities is to get introduced to her beloved Yeshau! Here is how!
