It So Desires

It is one of the most erotic pieces of literature in the world, this romance novel. But you won't find it on the shelf of a used paperback book store. It's in the Bible. It's called the Song of Solomon or the Song of Songs. Our boy King Solomon wrote it for one of his 700 wives (yes, 700, the crazy man). She was the daughter of a prince, a dark-skinned Shulamite who cared for vineyards. And Solomon was obviously deeply in love and lust for this woman. So much so that he wrote eight chapters of mushy love in the form of a play or dialogue between himself, his bride and friends. And boy oh boy is it sexy. Now scholars will tell you this is a symbolic representation of Christ and the church - and perhaps it is - but you cannot hide the sexually suggestive verbiage. Here's a few just to give you an example:

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth." 1:2
"My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts." 1:13
"His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me." 2:3
"How beautiful you are my darling! Oh how beautiful." 4:1
"Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let me lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits." 4:16
"My lover thrust his hand through the latch opening; my heart began to pound for him." 5:4
"His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely." 5:16
"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." 6:3
"Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. I said, 'I will climb the palm tree; and take hold of its fruit.'" 7:8

I mean, hubba hubba. Hard to see the Christ/church representation in that. It's romantic, sexy love right there. You want to turn on your spouse, just read a few of those! Daddy likes to listen to the Bible when he's going to and from work. He says if he's listening to the Song of Solomon, it makes him want to rush home.

Now there are a few verses that I have to giggle at, simply because they aren't quite as romantic as the others, like: "Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep, just shorn," (4:1-2) That won't get you panting. But they make for good comic relief in an otherwise "better take a cold shower" poem tucked in the center of the Bible.

We bring the Song of Solomon up for a couple of reasons. First, to show you how exquisite these words of love are found right in the pages of Scripture, thus of great importance to our Father; and second, for you to remember how beautiful sex is in a marriage. This is divine guidance at its amorous best. So delight in God's words through Solomon. It's part of the Bible for a reason.

And with that, I'm going to go find my beloved. I have some Scripture to read to him.

Discussion: What do you think of the Song of Solomon? If this is a representation of Christ's relationship with the church, can you point to a few verses in the Song of Solomon that describe this?

Prayer: Father, we thank you for your beautiful creation of marriage and love making in it. May be always delight in one another ... and in your Word. In Christ we pray, Amen.