July 12 and 13, 2014 (Happy 84th birthday to Mom on the 13th!)
The Song of Solomon
All right, I’m blushing already, and we haven’t even begun to talk about it!
The truth is: Solomon’s Song is for mature audiences. You will find poetic, but explicit, descriptions of physical romance within the context of engagement and marriage. Its presence in the Bible is God’s way of blessing sexuality; God is saying that it is as appropriate for a betrothed couple to anticipate the joys of their upcoming physical relationship, as it is for a married couple to enjoy it.
There is a cynical question that comes to the minds of many readers: Which of Solomon’s 700 wives was this song written for? I can’t answer that one.
Many translations write out the Song of Songs as a piece of drama, identifying, as best as they can, who is speaking when. Bible scholars have discerned this cast of characters: She (the bride), He (the groom), and others (the bride’s attendants).
So, aside from lessons concerning the blessed, God-given nature of sexuality, what does the Song of Songs have to offer? Here’s my answer: Everywhere that the Bible speaks of marriage, we learn something about the relationship between Christ and the Church (See Ephesians 5). That is why, unlike like some Bible people, I am perfectly fine with using some of the imagery in this wonderful book to understand better our relationship with Jesus! Here are two examples:
As the bride addresses the groom, I believe that we can address Jesus as our “Rose of Sharon” and our “Lily of the Valley” (2:1).
As the bride anticipates the presence of her beloved, so we may anticipate and rejoice in the presence of Jesus (2:8, 16; 6:3; 7:11; 8:14).
Ah, the blog of blushing is over!
Monday, we take leave of the poetic books and enter the prophetic!
Your fellow pilgrim through the Prophets,
Pastor Gary
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