My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.
Song of Solomon 2:9
The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s, presents a vivid description of marital love. Yet, through the centuries it has been understood that the comments of the Shulamite about her “beloved” expresses the sentiments of the believer about Him who is “Altogether Lovely.”
Even Jewish sages for centuries have interpreted this passage as referring to the Moshiach – the Messiah. Rabbi Yitzhaq Kaduri of Jerusalem explained the above scripture as follows: “Just as this gazelle can be seen and then hides itself, so the first Messiah (Moses) revealed himself to the Children of Israel and then again hid himself from them.” The idea here is that “the Messiah,” who is like Moses, will be seen in fleeting glimpses.
The attributes of a gazelle are its speed, agility, and unpredictability. You might see one out of the corner of your eye and then, when you turn for a better view, it’s gone. The Lord Jesus can’t be analyzed in a test tube. He doesn’t stay in one place to be calculated or figured out by people. He’s bigger than that.
In C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, it was often commented that the main character, Aslan, was “not a tame lion.” In viewing Christ with this title of Gazelle, it’s clear that He is unlike any farm animal. He would jump the fence or pen anyone could try and use to contain Him. We can’t conform the Lord to our own will; we must conform our will to His.
Every encounter with Christ should be exciting, exhilarating. To find Him boring, or see Him as ordinary only proves that the observer was looking in the wrong place and never got a real good view of this high-energy Savior. He’s worth chasing after, because in really discovering Him, there is adventure! After all, He is the everlasting Gazelle.
May 6
