"Awake, oh North wind,
and come, oh South wind!
Blow upon my garden,
and let its spices flow."
SOS 4:16
We have been reading and following this couple share their love story, and in ch 3:6 they begin to reminisce about their wedding day.
Solomon arrives in style and they begin to compliment each other in the weirdest ways - at least culturally to us this goes into a series of strange compliments. But understanding the historic background, the traditions etc can help bring richness out of these things. But that is not what we will focus on!
In chapter 4 verse 12 he compliments her virginity and integrity:
"A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
a spring locked, a fountain sealed."
She kept herself for marriage and this couple can look back over their dating and courting with purity. But with marriage the garden is unlocked and the fountain unsealed. In verse 17 (ch4) we don't read the usual call that we do not stir up or awaken love until its time, oh no. Rather we read:
"Awake, oh North wind,
and come, oh South wind!
Blow upon my garden,
and let its spices flow."
It is very clear that Scripture's teaching here is that once the vows have been made and a couple are married it IS TIME to stir up and awaken physical love, and as the old Hebrew word hints at, intertwine our souls one with another through love making.
Many scholars believe that ch5vs1b is God speaking into marriage "eat friends, drink, and be drunk with love."
