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Song of Solomon. God’s Guidebook To Happy Dating and Marriage. Background.
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Song of Solomon God’s Guidebook To Happy Dating and Marriage
Background • The period of courtship is over. The wedding and honey moon are over. Now, the couple spend time living in love. Falling in love (1:2 – 3:5) leads to uniting in love (3:6 – 5:1) which leads to living in love (5:2 – 8:14). • The setting in this lesson is a troubled dream that the Shulamite woman has about Solomon and how they will be separated from each other. There is some type of conflict or obstacle between them (5:2-8). The dream represents the reality of marriage struggles and frustrations.
Background • When the dream is over, steps are taken by both spouses to remain committed to each other (5:9 – 8:14). First, the course of reconciliation is pursued (5:9 – 6:13), followed by the renewal of love (7:1 – 8:14). • In S.S. 5:2 – 8:14, we learn about marriage struggles and the road to recovery and reconciliation. We learn not to let temporary frustrations turn into lasting problems.
Outline • Falling in Love (1:1 – 3:5) – Courtship Days (Cultivating Love) • Uniting in love (3:6 – 5:1) – Wedding Day (Consummating Love) • Living in love (5:2 – 8:14) • Struggling in Love (5:2-8) – Marriage Frustration (Caring Love) • Maturing in Love (5:9 – 8:14) – Marriage Faithfulness (Conquering Love)
Living in Love( Song of Solomon 5:2 – 8:14 ) • The Shulamite (5:2-8) • The Daughters of Jerusalem (5:9) • The Shulamite (5:10-16) • The Daughters of Jerusalem (6:1) • The Shulamite (6:2-3) • Solomon (6:4-12) • The Daughters of Jerusalem (6:13a) • The Shulamite (6:13b) • Solomon (7:1-9a) • The Shulamite (7:9b – 8:4) • The Daughters of Jerusalem (8:5a) • The Shulamite (8:5b-7) • The Daughters of Jerusalem (8:8-9) • The Shulamite (8:10-12) • Solomon (8:13) • The Shulamite (8:14)
Lessons Learned • Marriage will have its struggles, its enemies, its “ups and downs” (S.S. 5:2-8) • Emotional struggles: one-sided desire, conflicting schedules, indifference, selfishness, unfulfilled, frustrated, stubbornness, separation, infidelity, guilt, spiritual deficiencies, etc. • Physical struggles: economic problems, illnesses, fatigue, family, sexual issues, etc.
Lessons Learned • When marriage struggles come, surround yourself with good friends and sound advice (S.S. 5:9; Prov. 17:17) • When marriage struggles come, remain complimentary in your communication (S.S. 5:10-16; 6:4-13; 7:1-7; Prov. 12:4; 31:10ff; 1 Pet. 3:6-7)
Lessons Learned • When marriage struggles come, remain committed to each other (S.S. 6:1-3; 7:10) • When marriage struggles come, remain intimate (S.S. 7:8-13; 8:1-4; 1 Cor. 7:5) • When marriage struggles come, renew a love that will not be conquered: a love that is possessive, passionate, persevering, and priceless (S.S. 8:5-7; Mt. 19:5-6)
Note on Song of Solomon 8:6 A flame that is intense “A most vehement flame” (KJV, NKJV) “A mighty flame” (NIV) “A blazing flame” (TJB) A flame of the Lord “A very flame of Jehovah” (ASV) “The very flame of the Lord” (NASV, ESV)
Note on Song of Solomon 8:6 The Hebrew word is shalhebeth and means a flaming fire. In S.S. 8:6, the word is shalhebethyah with the suffix yah on the end. The suffix yah is shortened form of Yahweh (Jehovah) as in Ex. 15:2; 17:16; Psa. 68:18; 77:11; 118:14; etc. The meaning is a “Yahweh-flame = powerful flame” (BDB, p.529). “A feminine noun indicating a mighty flame. It means literally the flame of the Lord … but Yah (Lord) on the end of the word could indicate a superlative flame…” (TCWSDOT, 1144)
Lessons Learned • When marriage struggles come, remain pure, chaste, and exclusive toward each other (S.S. 8:8-12; 1 Tim. 2:9-10; Tit. 2:3-5; Heb. 13:4) • When marriage struggles come, return to the closeness experienced in courtship and the honeymoon (S.S. 8:13-14; see 2:17; 4:6; Prov. 2:17; Mal. 2:14-15)