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Song of Solomon
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Waiting Until the Right Time
3:5 We live in a day when human sexuality is seemingly in chaos. Sexually transmitted diseases are epidemic. Teenage pregnancies are skyrocketing. Distinctions between genders have become confused. The merits of teaching abstinence are debated. The consequences of not teaching abstinence are dire. Virginity is commonly mocked.
In the midst of this confusion, the Song of Solomon declares a foundational principle for lovers. Three times it gives the exhortation: “Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases” (Song 2:7; 3:5; 8:4). In this way the poem recognizes that the erotic passions of youth can be aroused before a relationship of true commitment has been established.
The Blueprint
1. The wedding day (1:1-2:7)
2. Memories of courtship (2:8-3:5)
3. Memories of engagement (3:6-5:1)
4. A troubling dream (5:2-6:3)
5. Praising the bride's beauty (6:4-7:9)
6. The bride's tender appeal (7:9-8:4)
7. The power of love (8:5-14)
Song of Songs is a wedding song honoring marriage. The most explicit statements on sex in the Bible can be found in this book. It has often been criticized down through the centuries because of its sensuous language.
The purity and sacredness of love represented here, however, age greatly needed in our day in which distorted attitudes about love and marriage are commonplace. God created sex and intimacy, and they are holy and good when enjoyed within marriage. A husband and wife honor God when they love and enjoy each other.
Song of Solomon Overview
