Steve Webb: If a culture says it's okay, does that mean that
God's plan is outdated, inconsequential or no longer
valid?
It's the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from
Riverside, California by casting since 2004. I'm your OG
Godcaster. Steve Webb. It's poetry Thursday, and we'll read
Song of Solomon chapters three and four. This episode is pre
recorded since I'm recovering from yesterday surgery. The
website is Lifespringmedia.com. and I'll have contact
information at the end of the show. Before we read, let's
pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank You, Lord, for Your Word.
and we thank you for this book, The Song of Solomon. I pray,
Lord, that as we read, you would teach us touch our minds and
touch our hearts. I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, are you
ready? Let's begin.
Song of Songs chapter three. The young woman one night as I lay
in bed, a yearn for my lover. I yearned for him, but he did not
come. So I said to myself, I will get up and roam the city
searching in all its streets and squares. I will search for the
one I love. So I searched everywhere but did not find him.
The watchman stopped me as they made their rounds and I asked,
have you seen the one I love? Then? Scarcely had I left them
when I found my love. I caught and held him tightly. Then I
brought him to my mother's house, into my mother's bed
where I had been conceived, promised me Oh Women of
Jerusalem by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love
until the time is right, the Young Women of Jerusalem. Who is
this sweeping in from the wilderness, like a cloud of
smoke? Who is it fragrant with myrrh and frankincense and every
kind of spice? Look, it is Solomon's carriage surrounded by
60 heroic men, the best of Israel soldiers. They are all
skilled swordsman, experienced warriors. Each wears a sword on
his thigh, ready to defend the king against an attack in the
night. King Solomon's carriage is built of wood imported from
Lebanon. Its posts are silver, its canopy gold. Its cushions
are purple. It was decorated with love by the Young Women of
Jerusalem. The young woman come out to see King Solomon Young
Women of Jerusalem. He wears the crown his mother gave him on his
wedding day, his most joyous day.
Song of Solomon chapter four. How beautiful you are, my
darling How very beautiful. Behind your veil, your eyes or
doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats screaming down Mount
Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep
coming up from washing, each one having a twin and not one
missing. Your lips or like a scarlet cord in your mouth is
lovely. Behind your veil, your brow was like a slice of
pomegranate. Your neck is like the Tower of David constructed
in layers. 1000 bucklers are hung on it all of them shields
of warriors. Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a
gazelle that feed among the lilies. Before the day breaks
and the shadows flee. I will make my way to the mountain of
myrrh and the hill of frankincense. You are absolutely
beautiful, my darling with no imperfection in you. Come with
me from Lebanon, my bride with me from Lebanon descend from the
peak of Amana, from the summit of Siena and Herman from the
dens of the lions. From the mountains of the leopards. You
have captured my heart, my sister, my bride, you have
captured my heart with one glance of your eyes with one
jewel of your necklace. How delightful Your love is my
sister, my bride. Your love is much better than wine and the
fragrance of your perfume than any Balsam. Your lips dripped
sweetness like the honeycomb, My Bride, honey and milk are under
your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like the
fragrance of Lebanon. My sister, my bride. You are a locked
garden, a locked garden and a sealed spring. Your branches are
a paradise of pomegranates with choicest fruits, henna with no
hard Nard and saffron Calamus in cinnamon, with all the trees of
frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the best spices. You
are a garden spring, a well of flowing water streaming from
Lebanon. Awaken north wind, come south wind, blow on my garden
and spread the fragrance of its spices. Let my love come to his
garden and eat its choicest fruits.
In chapter threei we hear snapshots of the wedding
ceremony, and in chapter four snapshots of the wedding night.
Much of the language of this book sounds kind of strange to
modern years. We don't speak in metaphors such as your hair is
like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. Your teeth
are like a flock of newly shorn sheep coming up from washing,
each one having a twin and not one missing. I mean, it sounds
kind of funny, right? Well, my suggestion is that you find a
good commentary to help you understand the imagery and the
meaning of the Song of Solomon. Because I don't have any control
of who will listen to this podcast. and because this book
is for a mature audience, I don't really feel comfortable
discussing it in detail here. I will have a link on the show
notes page to a good list of commentaries, though. So if
you'd like more insight into the Song of Solomon, those
commentaries will help you. But we can glean some very important
points, though, without getting too graphic. Those points are
attraction, courtship, affection, marriage, and
physical intimacy. and they were all created by God. and they are
intended to be shared in that order, between a man and a woman
who then progress to marriage. That's God's perfect plan. In
our current culture, it's increasingly rare for people to
adhere to God's plan, though, isn't it? But does that mean
that there are no consequences for violating that plan? If a
culture says it's okay, does that mean that God's plan is
outdated, inconsequential or no longer valid? No, of course not.
God's plan is always better. So what do we do if we violated his
plan? Well, we ask God to forgive us. and when we confess
our sins, any sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive
them if we are in Christ Jesus. and then he removes those sins
as far as the east is from the west. He doesn't hold them over
our heads and he doesn't hold a grudge. They're gone. and then,
as Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery,
go and sin no more.
thoughts or questions? Let me hear from you. Send to
Boostagram or call the Lifespring family hotline, go to
the comments page or write an email. Tomorrow we'll be
prophecy Friday, and we'll get back into the book of Revelation
with chapters seven through 11. As always, I invite your
comments and questions, send to Boostagram or call the
Lifespring family Hotline at plus 1-951-732-8511. Or if you
have a praise report or a prayer request, we'll be doing those on
Sunday, you can go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. If
you have a comment or a question for me, go to
comment.lifespringmedia.com or send an email to me at Steve at
Lifespringmedia.com.
Thanks to the team Sister Denise Michael Haner Scott Snider,
Jason Paschall and sister Brittaney. Scott Snider did
today's show our beloved thank you for inviting me to be a part
of your day. I appreciate it. and I'm looking forward to
tomorrow. Until then, may God bless you richly. My name is
Steve Webb. Bye.
Lifespring Media. Bringing the message of hope, love and good
news since 2004.