The Express their Mutual Love (Song of Solomon 7:1-8:4)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/30/2013 8:23 AM

My Worship Time                                                            Focus:  They Express their Mutual Love

Bible Reading & Meditation                                Reference:  Song of Solomon 7:1-8:4

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶ “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your hips are like jewels, The work of the hands of an artist. 2 “Your navel is like a round goblet Which never lacks mixed wine; Your belly is like a heap of wheat Fenced about with lilies. 3 “Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle. 4  "Your neck is like a tower of ivory, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, Which faces toward Damascus. 5 “Your head crowns you like Carmel, And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads; The king is captivated by your tresses. 6 “How beautiful and how delightful you are, My love, with all your charms! 7 “Your stature is like a palm tree, And your breasts are like its clusters. 8 “I said, ’I will climb the palm tree, I will take hold of its fruit stalks.’ Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine, And the fragrance of your breath like apples, 9 And your mouth like the best wine!" "It goes down smoothly for my beloved, Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.

    10 ¶ “I am my beloved’s, And his desire is for me. 11 “Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country, Let us spend the night in the villages. 12 “Let us rise early and go to the vineyards; Let us see whether the vine has budded And its blossoms have opened, And whether the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. 13 “The mandrakes have given forth fragrance; And over our doors are all choice fruits, Both new and old, Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

    1 ¶ “Oh that you were like a brother to me Who nursed at my mother’s breasts. If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you; No one would despise me, either. 2 “I would lead you and bring you Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me; I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates. 3 “Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me." 4 “I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem, Do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases.’”

            I am a bit confused by what Dr. Wiersbe wrote at the beginning of his commentary on this section because he seems first to be talking about things that happened in chapter six, and I am not totally sure why he did this.  However with this said I do believe that what he wrote is helpful to those of us who are married for he talks about Solomon and his wife as two armies that fight together against their common enemies, and not against each other.  As mentioned earlier when people get married they become one, and this is not only about the sexual aspect of marriage, but they become one in a similar way that the trinity is one.  Also as mentioned before it is selfishness that can destroy this oneness in a marriage, and that would mean that these two armies that were suppose to battle against their common enemies would be fighting against each other.

            Now as we look at the similes that are found in 7:1-9 we see that these have been used before in this book for the most part with a couple new ones added.  Again if a man talked to his wife today using these types of similes to describe the beauty of his wife he would be in big trouble, but not so in Solomon’s day.  Solomon was indeed greatly in love with his wife and as he stares at her beauty he relates to her what he sees, and I am sure that his wife loved to sit there and listen to what he was saying about her beauty. 

            Verses 6-9 is a new metaphor as he describes his wife as a palm tree, which is beautiful and fruitful, and then describes their intimate love as he is climbing the tree eating the fruit.  When we look at verse ten we see a similar verse in Genesis 3:16 which says “Yet your desire will be for your husband.”  I realize that this verse in Genesis is speaking about the curse that God has put upon the world because of the sin of Adam and Eve, but it seems the wife of Solomon has taken this part of Genesis 3:16 to heart and desires to please her husband. 

            Next we see that the Shulamite wanting to visit the country, something that Solomon wanted to do earlier, but she did not want to go.  It is good for a husband and wife to visit new places for it will put a spark into their marriage.  Taking a nice vacation is sometimes the very thing needed to put that spark back into a marriage as they are away from the familiar places, doing familiar things, and then doing something new and exciting, sleeping in a different bed in a different room.  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:1-7 about the conjugal obligations husbands and wives have for each other and that is what is described in verses 1-4 of chapter eight.  We mentioned before that what is going on in verse three of chapter eight also was spoken about in an earlier chapter and it describes sexual intercourse: “3 “Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me."  Again a warning is given in verse four showing that what is going on is for married couples and it is not to be awakened before then. 

            In the book of Genesis we see how mandrakes were associated with sexual passion, even there is no evidence of this to be true, but perhaps thinking it is true will help out. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I like the part in Warren Wiersbe’s commentary that speaks of a husband and a wife being two armies that are fighting together against their common enemies.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-4.

            1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, thought the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.

            4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High.”

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “It was trodden under foot and the fowls ate it.”

Today’s Bible Question:  “Who said: ‘"Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?’”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

6/30/2013 9:03 AM

The Meeting in the Garden (Songo of Solomon 6:1-13)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/29/2013 1:22 PM

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  There Meeting in the Garden

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Song of Solomon 6:1-13

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶ “Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, That we may seek him with you?" 2 “My beloved has gone down to his garden, To the beds of balsam, To pasture his flock in the gardens And gather lilies. 3 “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies."

    4 ¶ “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, As lovely as Jerusalem, As awesome as an army with banners. 5 “Turn your eyes away from me, For they have confused me; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Gilead. 6 “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young. 7 “Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil. 8 “There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, And maidens without number; 9 But my dove, my perfect one, is unique: She is her mother’s only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying, 10  ’Who is this that grows like the dawn, As beautiful as the full moon, As pure as the sun, As awesome as an army with banners?’

    11 ¶ “I went down to the orchard of nut trees To see the blossoms of the valley, To see whether the vine had budded Or the pomegranates had bloomed. 12 “Before I was aware, my soul set me Over the chariots of my noble people." 13 “Come back, come back, O Shulamite; Come back, come back, that we may gaze at you!" "Why should you gaze at the Shulamite, As at the dance of the two companies?”  (NASB)

            The Shulamite knew where her husband was because they knew each other, and this is an important aspect in marriage, that is to get to know your spouse so well that you are like one, which is a large part of the oneness that happens when people are married.  I mentioned in an earlier SD that it is believed that the biggest thing there is to not having oneness with your spouse is selfishness.

            We see that Solomon was not upset at his wife even though she would not let him in the house, but he even goes on to extol her beauty similar to what he had done in an earlier chapter.  This is another important aspect of marriage especially what the husband needs to do with his wife, that is tell hear how beautiful she is. 

            I guess I find it hard to understand that he even mentions the fact of other women in his harem, but even though this was not God’s idea of having more than one wife it was the custom of that time period, and Solomon would have many more wives and concubines latter on in his life. 

            There are some interesting comments in this section by Dr. Wiersbe about marriage that I want to pass on:  “Her husband’s army was arriving, and the garden looked like a battlefield.  But gardens are for beauty and nourishment, not for battles.  Is there a suggestion here that marriage should be neither a battleground nor a playground, but a garden that is carefully cultivated and thoroughly enjoyed?  The first marriage took place in a perfect garden (Gen. 2:18-25), and marriage ought to be like a garden.  This takes work, but it’s worth it!  Noticing her absence, the daughters of Jerusalem call for her to return so they can gaze upon her beauty, but in her modesty, she asks, ‘Why look at me?  What is there to look at?’  Solomon answers the question from 6:13c to 7:9.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I like the idea of marriage being like a garden, that needs constant care or else the weeds will overtake it.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Get rid of any weeds in my garden to the glory of God.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-3

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though it’s waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.

Answer to Bible Question from 6-26-2013:  “God” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Today’s Bible Question:  “What happened to the seed that fell by the wayside?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

6/29/2013 1:45 PM   

The Beauty of her Husband (Song of Solomon 5:10-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/26/2013 9:37 AM

My Worship Time                                                                      Focus:  The beauty of her husband

Bible Reading & Meditation                                    Reference: Song of Solomon 5:10-16

            Message of the verses:  “10 “My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, Outstanding among ten thousand. 11 “His head is like gold, pure gold; His locks are like clusters of dates And black as a raven. 12 “His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk, And reposed in their setting. 13 “His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, Banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips are lilies Dripping with liquid myrrh. 14 “His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl; His abdomen is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires. 15 “His legs are pillars of alabaster Set on pedestals of pure gold; His appearance is like Lebanon Choice as the cedars. 16 “His mouth is full of sweetness. And he is wholly desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."

“10  My dear lover glows with health—red-blooded, radiant! He’s one in a million. There’s no one quite like him! 11  My golden one, pure and untarnished, with raven black curls tumbling across his shoulders. 12  His eyes are like doves, soft and bright, but deep-set, brimming with meaning, like wells of water. 13  His face is rugged, his beard smells like sage, His voice, his words, warm and reassuring. 14  Fine muscles ripple beneath his skin, quiet and beautiful. His torso is the work of a sculptor, hard and smooth as ivory. 15  He stands tall, like a cedar, strong and deep-rooted, A rugged mountain of a man, aromatic with wood and stone. 16  His words are kisses, his kisses words. Everything about him delights me, thrills me through and through! That’s my lover, that’s my man, dear Jerusalem sisters.”  (The Message)

I use the Message paraphrase Bible to help us understand better what the Shulamite is saying about her husband.  In the same way that Solomon describes the Shulamite we had a hard time understanding it because of the different culture that we now live in, so I hope that the Message will be a help to us.

I heard a story about a couple who had been married for a fairly long time and the wife was upset with her husband because he never told her that he loved her since they had been married.  The husband told his wife that when they got married he told her that he loved her and since nothing had changed he felt no need to tell her again. Well this is not the right approach to take for a married couple.  God’s Word says that a husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the Church, and Christ died for the Church.  The Bible says that the wife is suppose to respect her husband, for that is what the husband need to feel good.  The wife needs to know she is loved and the husband needs to know that he is respected.

We discussed that the last section was probably a dream that the Shulamite had about her beloved, but perhaps if she would have said these things that are found in this section to him before she went to bed she would not have had this bad dream that she had. 

Dr. Wiersbe quotes 1 Cor. 13:4 which says that love is patient and love is kind, but love also needs to be nourished too. 

Even though we do not use the terms that she used to describe her husband in our culture, nevertheless the point in all of this is that we are to use terms to show or love for our mates (husbands or wives) in way that they know they are loved.

 Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Make sure that my wife knows that I love her.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-3

            1 God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we shall not fear, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Twice as much or two omers” (Exodus 16:22).

Today’s Bible Question:  “Paul planted, Apollos watered, who gave the increase?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

6/26/2013 9:59 AM

The Quest for her Husband (Song of Solomon 5:2-9)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/25/2013 10:08 AM

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  The Quest for her Husband

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Song of Solomon 5:2-9

            Message of the verses: We begin a new section in the Song of Solomon which goes from chapter five and verse two until the end of the book which is chapter eight and verse fourteen.

            When the people from Israel first got married their friends and family treated them like royalty for a week, but then it was the beginning of a new life for the couple with all of life’s ups and downs.  Dr. Wiersbe has a very interesting endnote the helps us understand about how “honeymoon” came into our culture:  “Honeymoon’ came into the English vocabulary in the 16^th century to identify the first month after marriage when the newlyweds showed special tenderness and love toward each other.  Their new relationship was as sweet as honey, but it might end with the changing of the moon.  Married people have their ups and downs, but there’s no reason why their relationship should decay instead of develop.”

            The Quest for her Husband:  (5:2-9):  “2 ¶ “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ’Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night.’ 3 “I have taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, How can I dirty them again? 4 “My beloved extended his hand through the opening, And my feelings were aroused for him. 5 “I arose to open to my beloved; And my hands dripped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the bolt. 6 “I opened to my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and had gone! My heart went out to him as he spoke. I searched for him but I did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me. 7 “The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me, They struck me and wounded me; The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me. 8 “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you will tell him: For I am lovesick." 9 "What kind of beloved is your beloved, O most beautiful among women? What kind of beloved is your beloved, That thus you adjure us?’”

            This is a dream, not unlike the dream that she had in chapter three and verses one through four.  It makes sense to look at this as a dream that the Shulamite had, for after all she was married to the king and if it was real and she did go out into the city at night then no one would harm her for after all she was married to the king.  When we look back at the other dream we find out that it also took place at night so let us take a moment to see why things that take place in the dark are often bad:  “John 9:4  "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. John 11:10  "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." John 13:30  So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.”  (This verse is talking about Judas betrayal of Jesus)  “5 ¶ This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

    8 ¶ If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (1John 1:5-10)

            When we look at how the New Jerusalem is illuminated we see that it is actually done by God for God is light. 

            In this dream the Shulamite had gone to bed and locked the door without her husband and he wanted to come in, (probably for romantic reasons), but she was already in bed.  Once she could smell the aroma of her husband when he put his hand through the door she wanted to go and get him, but he had left, it was too late.  She searched for him, and this time she became injured from the guards in the city, probably thinking she was a prostitute.  At the end of the story she tells the daughters of Jerusalem how handsome her husband was.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Sometimes in life I don’t make the correct decisions when I should and like the Shulamite I regret that and wish that I would remember Proverbs 3:5-6 at that time to avoid making the wrong decision.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-3

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though its water roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Jeremiah”

Today’s Bible question:  “How much manna was each man to gather on the sixth day?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

6/25/2013 11:02 AM