Thoughts

Chapter 3 shows us snapshots of the wedding ceremony and chapter 4 the wedding night.

Much of the language of this book sounds strange to modern ears. We do not speak in metaphors such as "Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. 2Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep coming up from washing, each one having a twin, and not one missing."

My suggestion is that you find a good commentary to help you understand the imagery and the meaning of the Song of Solomon. As I don't have any control of who will listen to the podcast, and because this book is for a mature audience, I do not feel comfortable discussing it in detail.

The important points to remember are these: Attraction, courtship, affection, marriage and physical love were created by God, and they are intended to be shared…in that order…between a man and a woman who become husband and wife. That is God's perfect plan.

In our current culture, it is increasingly rare for people to adhere to God's plan. But does that mean that there on no consequences for violating that plan? If culture says it's OK, does that mean that God's plan is outdated, inconsequential or no longer valid? Of course not. God's plan is always better.

So what do we do if we have violated His plan? We ask God to forgive us. When we confess our sins…any sins…to God, He is faithful and just to forgive them, if we are in Christ Jesus. And then He removes those sins as far as the east is from the west. He doesn't hold them over our heads, and He doesn't hold a grudge. They are gone. And then, as Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery, "Go and sin no more."

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 3 NLT, Ch. 4 HCSB

Support

Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here.

When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude.

Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Anna Vi on Unsplash

Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents

By Rod Dreher / Sentinel

Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn once noted that people often assume that their democratic government would never submit to totalitarianism---but Dreher says it's happening. Sounding the alarm about the insidious effects of identity politics, surveillance technology, psychological manipulation, and more, he equips contemporary Christian dissidents to see, judge, and act as they fight to resist the erosion of our freedoms. 304 pages, hardcover from Sentinel.