Surprised by the Song of Solomon - part 4

Even though I finished preaching through the Song of Solomon last month, and have blogged about it 3 times now, I still have something that surprises me about the book. No matter how hard people have tried to make the book something other than what it truly is, it still remains a God breathed book, describing the intimate (including sexual) relationship between a husband and his wife.

Many have tried to allegorize the book, making it all about the church and Christ, even though there is nothing within the book to make us think that; or anywhere in Scripture, referring to the content of the Song of Solomon as an allegory of this. I read that some have tried to say that the sachet of myrhh lying between the woman's breasts was a reference to the shikineh glory of God, with 2 cherubim, angels, resting over the ark of the covenant! Others have said the reference to breasts is a reference to the Old and New Testaments, the pure milk of the Word. And others have said that the breasts stand for faith and love.

When I preached about this, I told the people that I was going to take a really wild, extreme stance on this. I was suggesting that when the Song of Solomon used the term "breasts", that it was actually talking about...breasts! Isn't that crazy? Scripture uses a ton of figurative language, and so does the Song of Solomon, but we still believe in the literal approach to Scripture, and do our best to interpret the words as the original authors intended. Let's face it: this book does include a lot of talk about sex.

And so, the final thing I will mention about what surprised me about this book is just that: the incredibly intimate talk and references to sexual activity. But, that is a good thing...no...a great thing! God created sex and sex is good, and right and proper...as long as we utilize it within the boundaries God as set. And He makes it clear that those boundaries are defined as: the marriage relationship. "Don't awaken love" the Song of Solomon says, until the time is right; and that time is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. Solomon eventually blew it, as he added 700 wives and they turned his heart away from God. But, we don't have to do the same thing.

If we will allow it, the Word of God, and especially the Song of Solomon, can get us talking to our spouses and children about sex, improve our sex lives; and pursue the glory of God...and that should not surprise us. In fact, God promised that every book, every word of the Scripture is here, not just for knowledge sake; but so that we can grow spiritually and be more complete:

II Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is God breathed; and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."