Covenant Love

Every day is something that you should celebrate with the person that God has given you, your husband, your wife, in the covenant love of holy matrimony. Every day you should demonstrate to them that they are a priceless treasure. Every day you should honor them, cherish them, love them. Why? So that in showing them love, you set an example for others to follow. One of the problems that we have in the United States is that we get all of our information about relationships from the magazine rack at the grocery store instead of the place where all true love begins. The Bible is the greatest manual on love and relationship that you'll ever read. But just like every manual that you'll ever read, none of it will work until you actually take action upon what you read.

So today we look at the Song of Solomon. Now I think this is an interesting book in the Bible, because we read in the New Testament that all scripture is given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It means that everything that's bound between the pages in the Bible is something that God in heaven wanted us to read. And whenever you consider the Song of Solomon, in some versions, it's called "The Song of Songs". Why? Because Solomon was a prolific song writer. He wrote over 1,000 songs. And out of all the songs he wrote, many people believe that this song, all eight chapters of this song, are his greatest work ever. So, whenever they came to Solomon, and they said, "What's the greatest song you ever wrote"? He pulled this one out and said, "It's right here". And for some reason, the Holy Spirit felt that it was important enough for us to have it and to be able to understand more about it.

Now I believe one of the reasons is so that we can understand how God looks at us and how much he loves and desires us. But one of the other reasons that this is in the Bible is because the Song of Songs, Solomon's number one tune, do you know who he wrote it to? The love of his life. Now there's some people who say, "Well how could you tell it's the love of his life"? He had over 700 wives and 300 concubines. I mean that's a lot of love. That's one perspective. Or the other perspective is "Out of all the girls I've loved before, baby, you're the greatest!". Either way, he wrote this song for his wife. Now the reality of Solomon's marriages, 700 of them, they were for political convenience. Solomon figured out that it was easier to get married than it was to go to war. Apparently back then, war and marriage were not such similar things.

So, he would go to a neighboring country, and he would say, "I'll take your daughter as my wife. And she'll be number wife 482. And now that we've got a political allegiance, we'll work together". It's kind of like the United Nations before they had a building in New York. So, this is why he had 700 wives. But this song is written to the one that moved him the most. And all eight chapters are written from the entire length of their relationship together. So, whenever you read chapters 1 through 4, he's describing the love of his life from her neck up. Why? Because they're not married, and she has not yet taken off her clothes in front of him. Imagine that. Young lady, you can be in love and keep your clothes on. And every dad said, "Amen!". He says, "Your hair is like a flock of goats".

Now think about it. I mean goats aren't all the same color, so she must have had like highlights or something. He goes on. He talks about her teeth. This is before dental hygiene was a big thing, so teeth were a big deal. He says, "Your teeth are like freshly shorn sheep". That's after you cut all the wool off of them and they all look alike. He's basically saying, "You've got a nice smile". He said, "Your lips, they're like scarlet. Your temples", that's the side of her head, "Are like pomegranates". Now before you start thinking that she looks like a troll, there's some expression here that you need to understand. Pomegranates were fruitful and they had lots of seeds inside. What he is saying is, "You're really smart. Your brain just constantly amazes me". He was telling her, "Not only are you physically beautiful with hair like goat and teeth like sheep, but you're smart and intelligent, too".

Now I don't recommend, men, that you direct quote the Song of Solomon when you're looking for something to put in your card. But this is his song, not mine. He says, "Your neck is like the tower of David". Line after line, he describes this woman in great detail. But it's all from the neck up! And he finishes with, "You've Ravished my heart". Think about that. She consumed the boy and never even took one thing off. Chapter 5, they get married. You can imagine what happens next. I mean you turn the page, and you hear the sizzle. Chapter 7, chapter 8, probably the most beautiful expressions of love found in scripture. Why? Because at this point in their relationship, they're not as young as they used to be. They've been through some things. They've endured hard times. She's carried his children. They've raised those children.