The phrase “rose of Sharon” has a rich history rooted in biblical symbolism. Though its exact botanical origin remains elusive this evocative flower has captured imaginations across cultures and faiths. As we explore the rose of Sharon’s biblical connections, a deeper understanding of its timeless significance emerges.
The Mysterious Origins of the Rose of Sharon
The term first appears in the Old Testament’s Song of Songs, describing the bride as “the rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys” (Song of Songs 2 1) The Hebrew name “ḥăḇaṣṣeleṯ haššārōn” was later rendered “rose of Sharon” in the King James Version
However earlier biblical translations simply called it “the flower of the field.” This has led to an ongoing debate over the identity of the original bloom. Proposed botanical candidates include the crocus, tulip lily, and narcissus. The exact species remains ambiguous.
Sharon refers to a fertile coastal plain in ancient Israel. So while the flower’s lineage is obscure, its linkage to abundance is clear. The rose of Sharon grew profusely in a land of plenty.
Diverse Symbolic Meanings
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the rose of Sharon’s origin, its symbolic importance is multifaceted:
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In the Song of Songs, it epitomizes the Shulamite bride’s pure inner and outer beauty. The lyrical verse connects the flower to love and relationships.
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The rose’s association with Israel’s prosperous Sharon plain gives it connotations of blessings, prosperity, and divine favor.
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For Christians, the rose symbolizes Jesus Christ and the Church. Its hardy nature and blossoming in arid soil represent life and hope emerging from difficulty.
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Across religious traditions, the flower signifies exceptional, almost magical, beauty and spirituality. It has been linked to the ethereal and divine.
So while the exact species remains a mystery, the rose of Sharon is undoubtedly a metaphor for exceptional qualities.
The Significance of Sharon
The geographic reference in the phrase “rose of Sharon” is also symbolic. The fertile Sharon plain represented abundance and was seen as God’s gift to His people:
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The plain’s verdant landscape and thriving wildlife figured prominently in biblical psalms and prophecy.
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Several biblical passages use images of Sharon’s prosperity as metaphors for God’s blessings.
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The shared name meant the symbolic meanings of the plain enhanced the flower’s imagery.
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For Christians, the ‘Rose of Sharon’ denoted not just floral beauty but the bounty of Christ’s love.
So the attachment of this storied place to the rose imbued the flower with layers of spiritual meaning.
The Rose of Sharon as a Symbol Today
This loaded biblical phrase has inspired not just religious symbolism but popular culture:
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The rose of Sharon is the national flower of South Korea, chosen for its resilience and long blooming season.
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American author John Steinbeck featured a character named Rose of Sharon in his novel The Grapes of Wrath.
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Numerous contemporary songs, films, and businesses reference the symbolic flower.
So this obscure ancient bloom continues to influence art, media, and branding today.
The Timeless Allure of the Rose of Sharon
While the original identity of the rose of Sharon is lost to history, its symbolic power remains undiminished. The phrase invokes singular traits like exceptional beauty, love, prosperity, resilience, and the divine. For Christians, it represents the betrothal of God and man.
This heartening message explains the lasting prominence of the rose of Sharon in religion, literature, music, and culture. Its aura of spiritual meaning ensures the biblical flower’s timeless intrigue.
The rose of Sharon’s symbolic richness defies precise definition. But that mystery only enhances its resonance. As generations continue interpreting this poetic phrase, the flower’s symbolism is reborn while its origins fade. For this biblical bloom, meaning matters more than morphology.
The Rose Was Abused
Imagine how the Lord must have missed His Son, the Rose of Sharon, when He came to Earth. That Rose, Jesus, had been at the right hand of His throne for over a trillion years, and now the Rose was missing. He gave that Rose with all of His heart to sinful men and women, but they took it and mistreated it. Who would want to mistreat and crush such a beautiful Rose? Only an evil mind could destroy such life and beauty.
Audacious men marred the beauty of His countenance so badly that one of the great prophets said, He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:2,3).
The Rose vs. the Devil
John the Baptist saw the Holy Ghost descending upon the beautiful Rose. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:16,17).
Jesus is our example; and with that great baptism of power, the Spirit led the Rose into the wilderness. Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered (Matthew 4:1,2). The Rose was now in the wilderness among the thorns and thistles and at the mercy of dangerous animals, but the worst foe of all was also there—the devil. Jesus fasted forty days; and then with the great fragrance of Heaven, He faced the devil. Jesus knew him when he was the most beautiful angel in Heaven, but He also knew him as the ugliest and most vile enemy of God. He met the devil head-on outside of Eden; but as the Rose with no weakness, sin or guile, He is the one who can never be conquered. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth (I Peter 2:22). He is the Rose of all roses, and He’s yours!
The disciples had the Rose, but only at times did they recognize Him to be the great Rose of power that He claimed to be. Remember that Simon Peter walked the waters. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus (Matthew 14:28,29). We don’t know how far Peter walked, but it was a miracle that he walked at all.
Peter was the disciple who pulled a fish out of the sea when the Lord prophesied that it would have money in its mouth. Go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee (Matthew 17:27).
Everything the Lord told the disciples came to pass, and yet they allowed the voice of the Rose to grow dim. You have to be careful with that voice in this hour; it will grow faint if you yield to the flesh at all. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would (Galatians 5:16,17).
The Meaning of “ The Rose of Sharon “- Pastor Reginald Sharpe Jr. Fellowship Chicago
FAQ
What does rose of Sharon mean in the Bible?
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1). The Rose of Sharon is a flower that grows on mountaintops, and that’s why the Lord referred to Himself as The Rose of Sharon. His mountaintop was Golgotha, and the Lord let me know that people can only find this Rose on Mount Calvary.
What is the spiritual meaning of Sharon in the Bible?
Meaning:a fertile plain. Sharon as a girl’s name is of Hebrew origin meaning “a fertile plain”. In the Bible, Sharon refers to flat land at the foot of Mount Carmel. The Song of Solomon describes the beloved Schulamite woman as a flower of Sharon.
What does the rose symbolize in Christianity?
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Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.orgRose symbolism – WikipediaChristianity. Following the Christianization of the Roman Empire, the rose became identified with the Virgin Mary. The rose symbol eventually led to the creatio…
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Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.orgMiracle of the roses – WikipediaIt became a symbol in religious writing and iconography in different images and settings, to invoke a variety of intellectual and emotional responses. The mysti…
What does the Bible say about Sharon?
In the day of Israel’s restoration “Sharon shall be a fold of flocks” (Isaiah 65:10). Jerome speaks of the fine cattle fed in the pastures of Sharon, and also sings the praises of its wine (Comm. on Isaiah 33 and 65). Toward the Sharon no doubt there was more cultivation then than there is at the present day.
Is Jesus the Rose of Sharon?
“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” (Solomon 2:1) Here are some basic facts about this verse and how it may be related to Jesus being considered the Rose of Sharon. Nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus actually referred to as the rose of Sharon. However, He is symbolically referred to as the rose of Sharon by many.
What does Rose of Sharon mean in the Bible?
Rose of Sharon is a symbolic representation of beauty, fertility, and divine grace. In biblical analysis, the term ‘Rose of Sharon’ appears in the Song of Solomon, where it’s used to describe the beloved’s beauty and charm. This metaphorical usage suggests that the Rose of Sharon represents the ideal and perfect love between God and humanity.
What is a Rose of Sharon and a lily of the valleys?
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Ch. Song of Solomon 2:1-2. In Song of Solomon 2:1 the bride speaks, describing herself as a humble meadow flower unfit to be in such a luxurious place as that in which she now finds herself, and in Song of Solomon 2:2 Solomon replies. 1. Render, I am a crocus of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
Why is the Rose of Sharon a flower?
The “rose of Sharon” is found in the Song of Solomon 2:1. Therefore, we can surmise that the rose of Sharon flower is named for the district of Sharon. Webster’s says that the “rose of Sharon” is a hardy plant of the mallow family with the name “Hibiscus Syriacus” and has white, red, pink, or purplish flowers.
What does the Rose of Sharon symbolize in the song of Solomon?
Symbolism for Marriage: In the Song of Solomon, the “Rose of Sharon” is also seen as a sign of love and beauty, like the close relationship between Christ and His church or, more generally, the love and commitment between married couples. If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Where does the word rose of Sharon come from?
The term “Rose of Sharon” first appears in the Old Testament, specifically in the Song of Solomon 2:1. This poetic book, also known as the Song of Songs, is renowned for its vivid imagery and romantic themes. The verse reads: I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.