Solomon's Wisdom

1.  Solomon Asks for Wisdom

2 Chronicles 1:1-15; Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

² Then Solomon spoke to all Israel—to the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, to the judges and to all the leaders in Israel, the heads of families— ³ and Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon, for God’s Tent of Meeting was there, which Moses the Lord’s servant had made in the desert. ^{4 6} Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the Tent of Meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
⁸ Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. ⁹ Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰ Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
¹¹ God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”
¹³ Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting. And he reigned over Israel. ^[1]

The Lord responded to Solomon’s expression of worship by appearing to him (in a dream; cf. 1 Kings 3:5) and inviting him to request whatever he wanted. Because Solomon was young and inexperienced he was apprehensive about his ability to rule the great nation. So he requested that he might receive wisdom and knowledge to lead the people. ”Wisdom“ refers to discernment and judgment while ”knowledge“ means practical know-how in everyday affairs.

The unselfish character of Solomon’s choice prompted the Lord to grant not only what Solomon . . . asked for but also more. God said He would also give Solomon wealth, riches, and honor unlike any other king of Israel.^[2]

Solomon could have asked God for anything, but instead chose wisdom and knowledge.  Solomon said this about wisdom in Proverbs 3:15, She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.^[3]

This same wisdom is available to us.  First, we must ask God for wisdom.  James 1:5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ^[4]

Second, we must believe God will grant us this wisdom.  James 1:6 says, But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.^[5]

Third, we must act to search out this wisdom.  It will not come to us by just asking and believing, but also by our actions to attain wisdom.  We must devote ourselves to studying God’s word and then applying it to our lives.  When we do this then we will see the results of wise living and gain the divine source of wisdom.

2.  An example of Solomon’s wisdom.

1 Kings 3:16-28; Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. ¹⁷ One of them said, “My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. ¹⁸ The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

¹⁹ “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. ²⁰ So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. ²¹ The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
²² The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.“And so they argued before the king.
²³ The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’ ”
²⁴ Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. ²⁵ He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
²⁶ The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
²⁷ Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
²⁸ When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. ^[6]

This incident was undoubtedly included at this point to show that God had indeed given Solomon the wisdom He promised (cf. v. 12). Significantly the essence of wisdom is revealed in Solomon’s handling of this difficult case. The king had insight into basic human nature (in this case, maternal instincts) that enabled him to understand why people behave as they do and how they will respond in various situations. The opposite of this ability is seen in simply judging people’s superficial words and actions.

3:16-23. Two prostitutes living in the same house each had a baby three days apart. One of the boy babies died during the night and his mother exchanged the dead child for the living child. In the morning when the other woman discovered that the dead son was not hers, the guilty mother refused to admit her wrongdoing. Unable to settle their dispute they appeared before the king, each one claiming the living infant was hers.

3:24-27. Solomon ordered that the baby be cut . . . in two. As he had anticipated, the child’s mother, not wanting it killed, volunteered to let the other woman have the baby, rather than have it killed. When the other woman argued that the baby should be cut . . . in two, it was evident that she, having no compassion for the child, was not the living son’s mother.

3:28. Solomon’s wisdom in this case became known throughout his kingdom so that he was admired as a wise administrator of justice.^[7]

What we learn is that wisdom must be put into action and must be bold.  Many times those who are wise will not lead, because they are afraid or unwilling to be bold.  This is why many times it is not the wisest that lead us, but instead those who only act wise.  Those who have been given wisdom have an obligation to pronounce that wisdom to teach, correct, and lead people.

3.  Wisdom with God

1 Kings 4:29-34; God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. ³⁰ Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹ And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. ³² He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. ³³ He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. ³⁴ Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.^[8]

This additional information about Solomon’s wisdom demonstrates God’s faithfulness in blessing the king as He had promised. Wisdom is the ability to live life successfully. While Solomon possessed this ability he did not always apply it to his own life. Thus the wisest man who ever lived did not live as wisely as many others who preceded and followed him. Having insight into life does not guarantee that one will choose to do what is right. Solomon’s great insight was his ability to see the core of issues. His understanding was vast; today he would be described as a man of encyclopedic knowledge.

4:30-31. His wisdom exceeded that of all the men of the East (cf. Job 1:3) and all the wisdom of people in Egypt, both areas known for their wisdom. He was also superior to other men renowned for their wisdom.

4:32-34. Several hundred of Solomon’s 3,000 proverbs have been preserved in the Book of Proverbs as well as a few in Ecclesiastes. One of his 1,005 songs is the Song of Songs. Solomon’s literary output was extremely prolific. He became an authority in botany and zoology too. The statement in verse 34 is an overstatement to make a point; obviously not every nation on earth sent a representative to visit Solomon. The point is that many important visitors from faraway places visited Solomon who received them openly at his court. He was recognized as the wisest man of his day as God had promised he would be.^[9]

The question for us is our we the wisest person in our circle people?  Do people see us as someone who they can trust to get honest and clear advise?  Someone who would listen and because of our understanding of the Bible be able to discern right from wrong.  Our actions in life will show people our wisdom and how well we put our wisdom into action.

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^[1]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 2 Ch 1:1-17

^[2] Walvoord, John F. ;  Zuck, Roy B. ;   Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:620

^[3]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Pr 3:15

^[4]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jas 1:5

^[5]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jas 1:6

^[6]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Ki 3:16-28

^[7] Walvoord, John F. ;  Zuck, Roy B. ;   Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:495

^[8]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Ki 4:29-34

^[9] Walvoord, John F. ;  Zuck, Roy B. ;   Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:496-498

Godly Government

1.  Governments 

Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.

Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.

Democratic Republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.

Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Also, a system in which the citizens do not possess the right to choose their own leaders.

Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - communism.

Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.

Parliamentary Government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function.

Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite.

Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority.

Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

2.  Old Testament government. In the Old Testament people lived under two basic forms of national government. The first form was a theocracy. That is, God Himself served as Israel’s King and Ruler. God gave His people a Law to live by (as legislator). God led His people in battle, often intervening miraculously to ensure victory when they trusted in Him (as chief executive). God made every individual and community responsible to hold each other accountable to perform the moral, social, and religious obligations set out in the Law (as judge). This understanding of the invisible God directly ruling His people was expressed by Samuel, who was shocked and outraged when the people demanded a human king. Samuel recalled the Israelites’ reaction when they saw an enemy move against them: “You said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your King” (1 Sam. 12:12).

3.  Israel’s call for a king was in fact a rejection of God’s traditional role in her national life.

The desire of the people was for a king so that “we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Sam. 8:20). Yet God had called Israel different from all other nations. As Moses had said, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him?” (Deut. 4:7) It was Israel’s direct relationship with the God of heaven that set her apart. In calling for a king, Israel in effect rejected God’s direct rule, and denied her unique heritage.

Second, Israel’s call for a king disregarded a basic aspect of covenant relationship with God. God had committed Himself to bless His people when they lived in harmony with His Law. God had said, “Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess” (5:33). This basic element of covenant relationship was unaffected by the introduction of a king.

4.  Whatever the form of government, God’s people would only know blessing when they obeyed!

When the monarchy was instituted, Samuel reminded Israel of this fact. “If you fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against His commands, His hand will be against you” (1 Sam. 12:14–15). The form of government made no basic difference. Blessing could come only as a result of obedience of the whole people to the Lord.

With a king as the visible head of the nation, many would begin to rely on him rather than on God. Reliance would shift from God to the standing army and the fortifications the king would build. Erosion of reliance on God alone became a real and present danger.

The institution of the monarchy introduced unnecessary danger. Power and influence were focused in a human leader; a single individual who in turn could influence the nation. An evil king with the power of life and death over his people could make wickedness appear to pay as he rewarded those who were loyal to him rather than to God. Just such a danger exists any time that people must live with divided loyalties.

5.  The coming king.

The three major institutions in Old Testament theocracy each speak of Jesus. The priesthood was established to offer the sacrifices that affirmed and maintained relationship between God and sinful human beings. Jesus, as our High Priest, offered His own blood in history’s ultimate sacrifice, making us forever acceptable to God. The prophet was established in Israel as God’s spokesman, communicating His message to His people in time of need. Jesus is “the Prophet” spoken of in Deuteronomy 18, whose message both fulfills and supercedes that given by Moses. And the king was established in Israel as a ruler. Jesus is our present and coming King, who will surely establish His personal rule over this earth as well as the universe at large.

6.  Throughout history human beings have assumed that if only a society might devise the right form of government, that society would become just and the people would enjoy the blessings of harmony and peace. Plato imagined his republic, and philosophers and dreamers since then have devised various plans for their utopias. But the Bible insists that our problems are not rooted in our forms of government, but in ourselves. Sin corrupts us all, and because of sin no form of human government can promise justice or peace.

Yet human beings continue to dream. And the Bible continues to testify that this dream is false! Israel sinned under Moses, the man of God. Israel sinned under the theocracy. Israel sinned under the monarchy. Israel sinned under Governor Nehemiah. Israel sinned as Rome’s client state. In essence, history’s many forms of government continually demonstrate that the problem with human society is not political, but personal. We do not need some new, inventive form of government to make us good. We need Jesus. We need the forgiveness of our sins, and an obedience to God that is expressed in a life of love for others.

God’s willingness to let His people try different forms of government was at least in part intended to help them learn from their failures to turn away from man to find forgiveness in Him.^[1]

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^[1]Richards, Larry ; Richards, Lawrence O.: The Teacher's Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1987, S. 206

David's Everlasting Kingdom

1.  David’s Accomplishments

Military achievements. Establishing the kingdom first of all required defeating Israel’s enemies and setting up a perimeter of safety. As archeological digs have shown, up to David’s time Israel was restricted to the hilly areas of Palestine; the rich plains were in the hands of the ancient Canaanite peoples. Then, in a series of battles (2 Sam. 5; 8; and 10), David destroyed the power of the Philistines, Israel’s principal enemy since the days of Samson. David’s neutralization of the Philistines was complete; they never again posed any threat to God’s people.

In a further series of battles, David brought Moab and Edom under his control. The kingdom of Israel proper then extended from north of the Sea of Galilee south to Beersheba and encompassed both sides of the Jordan River.

David’s conquests set up a number of vassal states, which insulated Israel from distant potential enemies. These states also made available the natural resources of iron and coal which Israel needed to maintain military strength, and the conquered peoples provided the skills in metalworking which were not known in Israel. No longer would iron, the Philistines’ ancient “secret weapon,” be unavailable to the Hebrews!

Summarizing the position David had attained for Israel, Leon Wood (A Survey of Israel’s History, Zondervan) notes of all the territory which acknowledged Israelite sovereignty, “This was the area which God had promised to Abraham for his posterity centuries before (Gen. 15:18). It did not rival the vast territories of Egypt, Assyria, or Babylonia in their empire days. But in David’s time, Israel became one of the larger land areas then held, and David was no doubt the strongest ruler of the contemporary world.”

Government organization. David quickly took steps to maintain all military and political gains. He instituted a creative military plan, under which 24,000 men were always under arms. The personnel roster rotated every month, according to 1 Chronicles 27:1–15, indicating that at least 288,000 trained men were ready for immediate service if needed. Yet David’s structure enabled most of his army to devote most of their time to civilian pursuits. The core of David’s military organization was 600 key commanders, his “mighty men.” Over these he had, in turn, a smaller general staff.

David apparently set a governor over each of the 12 tribal areas and also established a cabinet for the central government. Members’ duties included supervision of his treasury, various agricultural departments, etc. (cf. 1 Chron. 27:25–31).

Centralization. Since the days of Joshua, the people of Israel had thought more in terms of tribal than national identity. As king over the whole nation, David acted quickly to centralize the government. A key step was to choose a suitable site for the capital. The city David selected was so strongly fortified that its inhabitants boasted that the lame and the blind could defend it against David (2 Sam. 5:6). But David’s army took the city by storm, overcoming those “lame and blind” defenders.

The city of Jerusalem was located on the border between Judah and the northern tribes. Jerusalem then became David’s capital. When David finally moved the ark of the covenant to that city, Jerusalem became the center of Israel’s religious life as well.

Through David, God selected a city foretold in the Law. Jerusalem was “the

place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put His name there for His dwelling” (Deut. 12:5). From that time on, Israel was to offer sacrifice only at Jerusalem and to appear there before the Lord at the time of the three special religious festivals.

      Structuring worship. David’s organization also showed itself in his impact on Israel’s religious life. chief priests were members of David’s cabinet. The priests and the Levites under them were organized into 24 shifts, each called to serve a brief time at the Jerusalem sanctuary (1 Chron. 24:1–19). Thus priests and Levites typically served two weeks a year. The rest of the time they lived at their homes.^[1]

David also was served by prophets, notably Gad and Nathan, who had a special ministry in instructing (and reproving!) the king.

David took a special interest in organizing the singers and musicians who served the tabernacle, and would later serve in Solomon’s temple (25:1–31).

Many of the psalms which David wrote were used in public worship. Throughout David’s long life, God’s people stood on the pinnacle of long-promised power. In the transition that David effected, Israel moved:

1. from government by judges to an established monarchy.

2. from anarchy to a strong central government.

3. from a loose confederation of tribes to a unified nation.

4. from poverty and Bronze Age technology to an iron economy and to wealth.

5. from being a subject people to being conquerors.

6. from decentralized to centralized worship.

This transformation was God’s work through David, and stands today as an example of what we can expect to see when Jesus comes again.^[2]

2.  The Everlasting Kingdom

David has prophetic as well as historic significance. When the kingdom of Israel had been firmly established, David yearned to build a suitable temple for the Lord. But David was not permitted to build that house. Instead, God spoke to David (2 Sam. 7:12–16) and promised to build David a house! That promise of a David dynasty is understood in the Old Testament to have the force of a covenant: an unbreakable promise or commitment made by God.

David was promised that after his death, a descendant of his would be established as ruler of a kingdom to be set up in God’s name. God said, “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Sam. 7:13). David’s line was promised the perpetual right to Israel’s throne. Even though David’s immediate descendant Solomon sinned in such terrible ways that he deserved to be set aside, the kings of Judah were always from the David’s line. Because of David’s faith, God did not treat his descendants as He had treated Saul’s. Sin would be punished, but David’s line would never be completely cut off.

From this point on, for the Hebrew people and for the later prophets, David stood as the symbol and the ancestor of a coming King, destined to set up a lasting kingdom through which the whole world would be related to God.  God’s formal promise was confirmed over and over again in such passages as

Isaiah 9:6–7;For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,‍‍ Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. ^[3]

Jeremiah 23:5–6;“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up to David‍‍ a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness. ^[4]

Daniel 7:13–14;“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son                          of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of                           Days and was led into his presence. ¹⁴ He was given authority, glory and                                   sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language                                                worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. ^[5]

Amos 9:11; “In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,‍‍” declares the Lord, who will do these things.^[6] and

Zechariah 14:9; The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.^[7]

It is no wonder that New Testament writers took such pains to demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is David’s descendant, and thus genealogically qualified to mount his throne. We can also understand the confusion which arose when Jesus did not repeat David’s military and political performance. Rather than defeating Rome as David had that of the Philistines, Jesus bowed His head and let Himself be led away and crucified. He who could have called on angel armies to release Him chose instead the shameful death of the cross.

Even after Jesus’ resurrection, His disciples could not understand what had happened. While the Disciples saw Jesus as the King from the line of David what they could not see was the centuries which lay between Jesus’ first coming, with His suffering as man’s Saviour, and His still-future second coming as Israel’s—and the earth’s—King.

It is important that we see Jesus as a coming King. Right now He is our Saviour, and our Lord as well. But the day is coming when Jesus will be Lord of all! The careening course of modern history, rushing as it seems to toward disasters over which men have no control, points up our need to reaffirm the fact that history does have a goal. This very earth, the setting of man’s first sin, will once again know the masterful touch of God’s own hand. The Old Testament picture of David, acting in his own might to establish Israel’s glorious kingdom, is but a dim foreshadowing of David’s Son, Jesus Christ, who will come again to act in even greater powerand will establish a worldwide kingdom whose glory knows no end.^[8]

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^[1] Richards, Larry ;   Richards, Lawrence O.: The Teacher's Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1987, S. 227

^[2] Richards, Larry ;   Richards, Lawrence O.: The Teacher's Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1987, S. 230

^[3]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Is 9:6-7

^[4]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Je 23:5-6

^[5]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Da 7:13-14

^[6]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Am 9:11-12

^[7]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Zec 14:9

^[8] Richards, Larry ;   Richards, Lawrence O.: The Teacher's Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1987, S. 230

Song of Songs

1.  Title: 
            Song of Songs:  Hebrew title Shir Hashirim, meaning The Best Song
            Song of Solomon:  Because of verse 1:1, “Solomon’s Song of Songs.”
            Canticles:  Latin for Songs

2.  Purpose:

            Answers the question:  Should husbands and wives enjoy the amorous dimension of their relationship?  Yes!  While the Bible addresses sexuality in other books, it is usually about the divine regulations of sex, marriage, adultery, divorce, and sexuality immorality.  The main purpose and reason for this book is to tell people that sex is wonderful and is to be enjoyed in the bonds of marriage.  The Biblical view of sex in marriage is neither negative nor repressed.  Some scholars have called it “The Bible’s Romance Manual for Marriage.”  

3.  Author:

            Solomon:  1 Kings 4:32, “He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.  Again verse 1:1 says, “Solomon’s Song of Songs.”

            Unknown Author:  Some scholars have argued that the title is a dedication to Solomon.  The reason for this is some find it hard to believe that a polygamous king would write so beautifully about monogamous love. 

4.  Time Written:

            About 965 B.C.  This would have been in the beginning of his reign.  This is also another reason it is believe the book was written by Solomon, because it would have been before he took on so many other wives.

5.  Audience:

            Israelites living in their own land.  At the beginning of Solomon’s reign he was a kind of “Pop Star.”  People truly loved and admired his proverbs and songs.

6.  Occasion:

            Royal Wedding:  Some scholars believe that it was written for a royal occasion, such as a state wedding.  The bride and groom would be “Every-Bride, and Every-Groom” depicting human romance. 

            Shulamite:  Others argue that it is a poem written by Solomon for an actual, historical romance and marriage between the unnamed girl (Shulamite) and Solomon.  This is the preferred view.

7.  Genre and Literary Style:

              Wisdom Literature:  Speculative wisdom, emphasizing the value of romantic love in marriage.  The poetic imagery is exquisite, lavish, and delicate, even if modern lovers do not fully appreciate the vivid metaphors from the ancient Near East.  The lines of poetry are short and the Hebrew style is appropriate to the subject matter.  It is place in the third section of the Hebrew canon called the Writings.  It is among the first of five scrolls in the Writings.  It is associated with the Passover festival. 

    
8.  Themes: 

            Desire, Commitment, and Giving of self to one’s lover despite obstacles.  The passionate desire of the woman for her husband and of the husband for his wife is the major theme of the book.  The passion, however, lies in the mutual commitment of one to the other.  True love is so strong that it overcomes all obstacles.

9.  Structure:

            It was originally a song, no clues about the original musical notation have survived.  Hebrew test distinguished  the characters by changing gender and number in certain verbs and pronouns.  Many translations have added subheadings to clarify changes in speaker. 

     
10.  Key Text:

            1:2-”Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for you love is more delightful than wine.”  Acts 10:9-16, teaches that what God has created and cleansed we should not misuse or call common.  We can enjoy love.  God created it as a gift to us and a delight for all our senses. 

            2:1-2-”I am a rose of Sharon a lily of the valleys.  Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens.”  The rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley were common flowers.  The girls is saying she is nothing special, but Solomon is saying she is extraordinary because she is a flower among thorns or others less her beauty.  There is nothing more vital than appreciating the person you love.

            4:12-”You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.”  By comparing his bride to a locked garden, Solomon was praising her virginity.  While considered today by many to be old-fashioned to wait until marriage, it was and still is God’s plan for us to wait until marriage for sex. 

             5:16-”His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely.  This is my lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”  Here the girl calls Solomon her lover and her friend.  In a healthy marriage your spouse should be the person you consider a lover and also your best friend.  Friendship takes time, but it make a love relationship much deeper and for more satisfying.

            6:3-”I am my lover’s and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies.”  In marriage each person should give themselves wholly to the other.  It is only in marriage that we realize the complete union of mind, heart, and body.

            8:6-7-”Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal over your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.  It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.  Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.”  Love is a strong as death.  It cannot be killed by time or disaster.  It cannot be bought for any price, because it is freely given.  Love must be accepted as a gift from God and then shared within the guidelines God provides. 

 11.  Christ in Song of Songs:

            In a deeper meaning the book was said by the Israelites to be God’s love for Israel, and medieval Christians revised this to be Christ’s love for the church.  Bible scholar today reject both readings as a misunderstanding of the books purpose.  Theologians in the past and some ministers today have been unwilling to admire the book as a literally true love poem with erotic elements.  While that being said, Paul showed how marriage represents Christ’s relationship to his church in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ love the church and gave himself up for her.”  It might be better to say that it is a love poem about a real human love relationship, and that all loving, committed marriages are a reflection of God’s love.

12.  “Two persons who love each other are in a place more holy than the interior of a church.”  William Lyon Phelps

           

Creation vs Evolution

1.  Genesis 1:1; In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.^[1]

             2 Timothy 3:16-17; All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^[2]

         Belief in Creation is a statement of faith.  We have to believe what the Bible is telling us is true and not just some interesting stories.

2.  Does the Bible allow for the theory of evolution?

            First we must understand what evolution means.  If it is simply defined as change or adaption to our surroundings, then evolution is something we can agree with.  We all evolve over time.  Even new dog breeds have come and gone over time through natural selection.  Animals and plants that have been able to adapt and change with the changing world around them to increased in numbers, while those animals and plants that have not have gone extent.

            Now the idea that life originated from simple forms to what we see today by chance is less scientific and more of a philosophy of how life began.  Evolution in these terms is not fact, but just theory.  In Genesis it accounts 10 different times that God created plants and animals.

            Evolution contradicts some basic laws of science.  The second law of thermodynamics implies that left to itself, everything tends to become less ordered, not more ordered or “complex.”

 

            This rule proves the obvious that as things get old they breakdown, run down and die, not get more complex and better as Evolution implies.

            Evolution also says that mutations are beneficial, but almost all signs in nature show that they are harmful.

If God created everything at full maturity with the appearance of having gone through the normal developmental states, this would explain the earth’s appearance of millions of years of age while in reality it was only recently created.  And fossil and geological data can also be explained by a universal global flood.

3.  Can you be saved without believing in Creation?

            Of course you can still be saved, but as a Christian why wouldn’t you want to investigate more and deepen your faith.  If you can believe that the Son of God came down from heaven, be born to a virgin, perform miracles, died on a cross, rise from the dead 3 days later, and then ascend into heaven why can’t you believe that God created the world in 6 days? 

4.  Learn More

            This is not a simple subject where you can get all the answers in a blog post.  I recommend that you check out Answers in Genesis at https://answersingenesis.org/answers/

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^[1]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ge 1:1

^[2]  The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 2 Ti 3:16-17