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This book is meant to make clear the question so many have asked: "How did such
a 'sexy' book as the Song of Songs ever get into the Bible?" After so many centuries of distrust of human sexuality by "mainstream" Christianity (largely in overreaction to abuse of sexuality by many non-Christians), this question
is understandable. Once one perceives the spiritual overtones that exist in a Godly marital relationship, though, this question may readily be answered. But as always in human affairs, to answer one question is to raise yet more questions.
Since the message of the Song of Songs is so fundamental and profound, it is only natural that the recovery of
its original message leads to further questions (some of which are not comfortable to ask or even to face).
A. The Song of Songs and "This Present Evil World"
By now many a reader must be wondering, "How can anyone in the 'real world' live
up to the idealistic standards of the Song of Songs?" It's a fair question. Solomon and Shulamite did live
in virtually ideal circumstances, which not everyone even in their world could enjoy. How much less, then, can
such ideal circumstances be found with ease in our own!
The miracle of human marital love, though, lies in its resiliance even under less than ideal circumstances. Even when one's surroundings are not perfect, Godly
love may grow and flourish; indeed, the right kind
of stress (and not too much of it) can
make that love more precious.1 Moreover,
God's ideal standard is meant to encourage the reader to strive to better his or her circumstances. By pointing out where we fall short, the perfect Torah of YehaVeh "converts the soul" (cf. Psalm 19:7, English versification). In short, the Song
points out the goal toward which courting
and married couples should strive. It is not meant to discourage the reader due to his natural inadequacies, but to point him toward the one Source that can make such a wonderfully happy marriage possible.
But there is something else to consider. What we call the "real world" is,
in God's eyes, about as "unreal" as anything can be. The New Testament calls our world "this present
evil world" (Galatians 1:4, KJV). Actually, it is "this present evil age" (same verse, RSV), for
the Greek speaks of this present era, not of our planet Earth or even of the organized society upon it.2 It is an age from which we need to be delivered, through the sacrifice of the Messiah for our
sins (same verse). It is an age dominated by a great spiritual enemy, described by many passages in Hebrew-Christian
Scripture: "the Devil [i.e., Slanderer] and Satan, who deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9).
All the more, then, is God's presence necessary for human marriage to be everything God meant it to be. If this were so in Solomon's
and Shulamith's day, how much more so in these "latter days"?
B. "What If I Can't Get Married?"
It may surprise the reader to learn that this author has never been married. While
it's not unknown for interesting and helpful works on the Song of Songs to be written by single people (take A Song for Lovers by S. Craig Glickman, InterVarsity Press,
for example), one can only study the Song in anticipation
of marriage if one is yet single. But since the Song is meant to portray what a Godly courtship and marriage are
all about, the reader may nevertheless find great riches by studying the Song in depth. Application in marriage
of what is learned can only enrich one's understanding further.
But what if one can't
get married? Perhaps the Song's exalted view of marriage may mock the student for his or her lack of opportunity? This author certainly understands that feeling. But while nothing (in this author's experience
and opinion) can wholly assuage the sexual frustration that single people go through, the Bible gives the same
hope to singles and married people alike: Human marriage is but a type of a
much greater and deeper relationship between God and His people, made possible in its ultimate sense through the
resurrection of the dead. If becoming "one flesh" in marriage can
be so deeply satisfying, surely becoming "one Spirit" with God (John 17:11, 20-24) will be far more so!
What then about becoming "one flesh" before marriage, while waiting for the "right one" to come along? Surely there is nothing
wrong with satisfying one's natural desires?Would that not be better than the suffering that chastity can bring?
It often seems so, does it not? Many even in the evangelical Christian sphere seem to think that way today; the
polls prove it! But the apostle Paul wrote this on the subject:
"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All
things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and
the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality,
but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do
you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them
members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with
her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes
one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral
man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which
you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:12-20, RSV).
At that time, the city of Corinth was famous (or infamous, depending on one's point
of view) for its temple prostitutes. This
was in keeping with the general immorality of much of the Roman world, which allowed casual fornication and worse
at all levels of society. Some in the Corinthian Church had concluded that since they were Christians, they were
free to break God's law with impunity. Others argued that just as the stomach was meant for food and vice versa,
the body was meant for sex and vice versa (regardless of the circumstances). Paul had to point the Corinthians
to a higher reality: The Lord created the human body for Himself and vice versa. He alone has the right to determine how the human body is to be used.
Here again is that great mystery. Being "members" of Christ's spiritual
Body, the Church, true Christians are already "united to the Lord" and are thus "one Spirit with
Him". How indeed could such "members" become "one flesh" with a prostitute and not invoke
the Lord's displeasure? Note too that what we would call "casual sex" (simple fornication) is called
"playing the harlot" in Hebrew Scripture, as much as is prostitution properly speaking (cf. Genesis 34:1-31;
38:12-26).
C. "What If I've Made Mistakes?"
This author (let it be said clearly) understands personally the import of this
question. Whether one has indulged in fornication or other vices before marriage, has had a bad marriage and been
divorced, or is in a bad marriage presently, learning about the high standards set by the Song of Songs can be
very discouraging.
Sin does leave its mark upon the conscience and memory. In fact, one may have his
"conscience seared with a hot iron" if one is addicted to lies about himself and others (1 Timothy 4:2,
KJV).3 Medical science now understands
much of the biological cause-and-effect of this phenomenon. Behavior (even evil behavior) that is continually reinforced
becomes pleasurable; and if evil, all
the more difficult to unlearn and replace with right behavior. One's very neurological system, and one's "human
spirit" as well, must be "rewired" if one is to "cease to do evil" and "learn to
do good" (Isaiah 1:16-17). But humanly speaking, that can sometimes be as difficult as changing one's own
skin color, or the leopard changing his own spots (Jeremiah 13:23)!
Is it possible, then, for mere sinners (and that certainly means all
of us) to reach anything like the state of bliss experienced by Solomon and
Shulamith? This author believes the answer is yes.
To quote Jesus on another subject, "With men this is impossible, but with
God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). The Song of Songs shows
what is possible when God is involved
in courtship and marriage. Such an example would never have been revealed (especially in these "latter days"
when such an example is needed so much!),
apart from the spiritual power required
to make that example possible to follow.
Remember, while YehaVeh
Himself kept His part of the bargain in His spiritual marriage to Israel, Israel
did not. Yet YehaVeh,
despite the continual harlotry of the Houses of Israel and Judah, kept urging them in love to return to Him. In
His foresight and purpose, they shall do so
in due time, through the New Covenant now offered to the New Testament Church (Jeremiah 3:6-18; 31:31-37; Ezekiel
16; 23; 36:16-38; Hosea 1:1-3:5; Romans 9-11; etc. -- all texts in their English versification). The same Holy
Spirit that will bring Israel back to her spiritual Husband can restore our personal relationships with God and
other humans -- if we are willing!
Jesus gives us this encouraging advice:
Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened
to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what
man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is
in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11)
As it was written long before by Solomon's father and Jesus' ancestor, David:
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
And finally, as an anonymous Psalmist wrote in an exquisitely sweet melos:
A Song of Ascents. Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!
May you see your children's children! Peace be upon Israel! (Psalm 128)
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