September 7, Reading Notes

Song of Solomon 5-8

I have to admit I'm happy this doesn't have 40 chapters. I doubt that many of us are going to get to heaven, run up to the Lord and say, "What were they doing in that verse?"

One thing to keep in mind is that all of the real events had to have taken place before Solomon and his wife could sit down, compile thoughts and put them in poetic form. So, in other words, the events here are not "real time," and artistic decisions are being made how to present their wedding and honeymoon. It is interesting in this to think that they included two very anxious dreams she had.

Song 5

V. 1 This (supposedly) is the consummation of their relationship.

Vs. 2-9 This is her second bad dream. Who knows when this happened? It could be this was her dream after they made love or sometime later on the honeymoon or even later. There apparently was a lot on her mind that made her insecure. This entire reading today will be a kind of plea from her to Solomon.

Vs. 2-6 In her dream she is waiting and ready for him. I have heard this portrayed allegorically as Jesus calling to the church but the church is too lazy to respond. Holy Moly! If you understand here, she is telling him through the door that she is naked and anointed. In those days, the doors had a hole so that a person from the outside could let themselves in. He was playing with her and she with him. Then she can't wait and runs to the door.

Notice he doesn't call her his bride, suggesting that this is after the wedding.

V. 7-9 The fact that she searches for him again, but this time is beaten by the watchmen, signals an escalation in her fears.

Vs. 10-16 Who knows what's happening here. Maybe she awoke and saw him lying next to her.

Song 6

Vs. 1-3 I don't know, maybe she woke him up and he's rolling over into the garden.

Vs. 4-10 I think he likes her.

Vs. 11-13 Somewhere in all of this it is suggested that during a day, on some day, they take a walk in a real garden. I find some of that hard to grasp because his descriptions of her are not exactly what you'd see if she were clothed. Somehow I don't think they left the honeymoon suite.

Song 7

Vs. 11-13 Maybe they needed a walk.

Song 8

V. 1 I think the idea here is that in her insecurity she wishes the bond was stronger than marriage or the physical. It isn't a wish for something perverse, rather, for a very permanent relational bond.

Vs. 3-4 These verses give me the idea that they are still in the honeymoon suite.

Here again she is telling of the wisdom of waiting for the Lord's appointed time.

Vs. 6-7 This is a very bold appeal from her to Solomon to make this a very strong relationship. She wishes to be a seal on his arm and to be loved in a very loyal and fierce way.

Vs. 8-10 On the other hand, she had determined to wait for love and to be loyal to her husband, even before she met him. Her brothers watched over her. Would she be a tower, firm in her convictions, or would she be a door? They would take appropriate action. She was a moral girl and so, she would bring her husband peace knowing she would remain faithful. Too bad Solomon wasn't that faithful.

Vs. 11-14 Somewhere in all of this I think she's inviting him for a rendezvous in the garden. Again, I wouldn't be surprised if they never left the room.

It is sad to realize that her insecurities proved to be right. Solomon was a hedonistic workaholic. Marriage became his pleasure garden as he spiritually, relationally, emotionally, and personally died. Was the love expressed here genuine? I'll bet it was. So, the lesson would be that what is genuine today, could be dead tomorrow if we allow it to happen. It is no accident that in Genesis and in Paul's recounting of the Fall in Romans 1:18ff, after the breaking of the relationship with God, came the fracture in the relationship between man and wife. I think any married disciple who is serious about following Christ in the harvest will work hard to protect and grow the "garden" God has given to him/her. Particularly for a man, his relationship and love to Christ is "tested" in his love for his wife, "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…" If we really had it right, we would love the Lord our God with all our hearts and soul and mind and strength, and then make sure our marriage reflects the devotion and blessing and pleasure of God. Marriage should add a fulfillment to us that is only second to our fulfillment in Christ.

2 Corinthians 9

The occasion of this gift was a big deal. As a result of this conflict we get some great verses and we see Paul gently encouraging them to grow spiritually.

V. 2 Corinth had been an example to other churches. Now they were in danger of becoming a negative example of what division and infighting can do for you. The point here is not Paul's boasting or their reputation. The reality is that if they did not see this through, it would signify a step backward in maturity and growth in the church, probably leading to further disappointment and disunity in Corinth.

Vs. 6-11 It is only through real faith that real giving occurs. We give for many reasons, but on the spiritual level it is because of our gratefulness to God and our total trust in Him. For the church in Corinth not to give, this would signify their disunity and then, too, their lack of gratefulness and their lack of trust.

Vs. 12-15 They would also be a blessing to others and bring glory to God.

There is a level of "material abandonment" that Jesus demands of His disciples. When Jesus told a man to sell all he had and give it away and follow Him, Jesus meant it. Jesus also taught freedom from stuff when He told His disciples not to be anxious about food or drink or clothing, but to seek first the kingdom of heaven. Jesus doesn't demand every disciple to sell everything, but on the spiritual level He really does. Our home is in heaven not on earth, so our stuff and our money can go to the harvest and to all those people our Lord puts in our path who need His money.

Psalm 51

Reflecting on this psalm, what if it was still sung by David long after Ahithophel, Absalom and the others were dead? What if David still labored under the guilt of what he had done? What if all the apologies had been made, but the memories remained? I wonder if this was a daily prayer for David. I wonder if Paul had this kind of prayer in those dark nights when he could close his eyes and see the faces of those he had beaten, those women screaming for their husbands, pleading for the mercy of Christ as Paul had them thrown in jail and assented to their deaths?

Our guilt has a hard time dying and many of us have prayers like this we regularly bring before the Lord. Our hearts keep accusing us, but He is greater than our hearts. We are wholly accepted in the blood of Christ.

This is a beautiful rendition of Psalm 51. Read the psalm as you listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49KVhC3RTMc

Proverbs 22:24-25

Amen, and beware of men who are given too easily to "righteous anger." God isn't fooled, but we are.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.” 

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.