Song of Songs (6:13-7:1a)NASB
6:13,”Come back, come back, O Shulammite; Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you!” “Why should you gaze at the Shulammite, As at the dance of the two companies?
7:1,“ How a beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter!
The words “two companies” comes from one Hebrew word “Mahanaim.” When Jacob left Laban he entered back into the promised land of Canaan through Mahanaim. He actually gave that place in Canaan the name Mahanain, after angels met with him there. The word Mahanaim literally means “two companies,” or “two camps.”Similar to his experience earlier in Genesis 28, where he experienced angels ascending and descending on a ladder, he once again in Genesis 32, at Mahanaim, encountered heaven and earth mingling. The name Shulammite is the feminine for Solomon and is only used twice in Scripture, both times in this one verse. It speaks of the fact that this believer, who is going after with all of her heart, a full experience and manifestation of her union with Christ, is being transformed into His image. Christ is literally being formed in her, and it is noticeable. The daughters of Jerusalem, who represent other believers who have a heart for Jesus, but do not yet fully beleieve that the fullness of Christ can be their experience, are watching the Shulammite with envy and longing as they cry out, “come back come back, that we may gaze that you.” They are fascinated with what the Shulammite is manifesting, and they want to watch her more, but Jesus steps in, and answers their cry by asking the question; “Why should you gaze at the Shulammite, as at the dance of heaven and earth? How beautiful are your feet in sandals, royal daughters. Jesus is saying to them to stop looking at the life of someone else who’s enjoying the dance of heaven and earth in the land of promise spiritually. He’s telling them that it’s time for them to join in and experience their own heavenly dance with Jesus in the land of rest and plenty. He tells them that their feet, or steps, are beautiful in sandals. He reminds them that because they are in Christ they carry royalty themselves and should never settle for sitting on the outside looking in watching others enjoy their spiritual wealth, when it’s for them also. When you dance in sandals your feet can get dirty and dusty, and sometimes it’s easy for us to think because our steps in the Lord are not always perfect that we are not invited to enjoy what the Shulammite’s enjoy, but that is a lie from the enemy, for the Lord delights in your attempt at dancing even though at times your feet may get dirty. He’s affirming them, letting them know that their imperfect attempt at dancing with Jesus is all that’s necessary to become a Shulammite themselves. They just have to keep dancing, and Jesus will train them in all the steps of the joyful celebration of the dance between heaven and earth.
Don’t let Satan lie to you and tell you somehow because you’ve not always gotten the steps perfect that you are disqualified from experiencing and manifesting your union with Christ at the highest level. Don’t spend the rest of your Christian life reading about, or listening to Shulammite’s, and wishing that you could be one yourself. Because you’re in Christ you have the same royal blood of his life in you that your spiritual heroes have, so dust off your feet and go after the dance again, because even your awkward steps are beautiful to Jesus.