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Song of Solomon, a tale of love and sex. A married couple of friends and lovers.
Song of Solomon, a tale of love and sex. Married, friends, and lovers.
Song of Solomon, one of the most enigmatic books in the Bible. It’s about an intimate relationship, but is it only on a physical level of Solomon and the Shulamite woman? Or, is it on a spiritual plane of Christ and the Church? It’s the only book in the Bible with no direct reference to God.
(Origin of Woman, chapter 2.8)
The Explanation broaches this subject because we are in Genesis 2:21-24, discussing the creation of the woman. In Genesis 1:27, we discussed the meaning of the Biblical Hebrew words zachar (male) and nekava (female). The names of the genders have significant sense: preeminence and hole. If you are here for the first time, please read those articles for details, or you will not grasp the deeper meaning of these terms. They are used both figuratively and literally. Literally, concerning the sexual act.
I pointed out that human genitals are the prominent, visible identifier of gender and reproduction. But reproduction and particularly sex, which we shall be discussing here, begin way before and end way after the climactic act itself. Human behavior, feelings, emotions, and body functions come into play long before sexual intercourse; this is what the Song of Solomon is all about.
I think that poetically, the Song of Solomon, mentions the sexual act, or at least, we can imagine it. In the excerpt below, I have added various translations of the Biblical Hebrew from Strong, which you can verify, study, and enhance using UnlockBibleMeaning.com. Here’s a provocative lover’s scene with the mutual triggering of sexual desire.
1:9 I have compared you, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots. (HE pulls, motivates, goes in the right direction…) 2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit (literal or figurative) was sweet to my taste. (Open to interpretation) 4 He brought me to the banqueting (H3196, effervescence-intoxication) house, and his banner over me was love. 5 Stay (H5564, take hold, lie hard) me with flagons, (H809, something closely pressed together) comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love. 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand does embrace (H2263 to clasp) me. 7 I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that you stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. 8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. 9 My beloved is like a roe (H6643, prominence) or a young hart: behold, he stands behind our (denoting a mutual possession, their home, hence a married couple) wall, he looks forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. 10 My beloved spake, and said to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. (to spread out)
God built the woman with the attractiveness to arouse a man. From her feet to her legs, hips, breasts, lips, eyes, hair, face, men can and are aroused by various aspects of the female anatomy. Women can use their attributes to gain just about anything they want in this way. I believe we’d all agree on this point.
In the original order of books in the Old Testament, the Song of Solomon follows Psalms, Proverbs and, Job. These four books have been called the Wisdom of God, the Wisdom of Life, the Wisdom of Suffering, the Wisdom of Love. Indeed, the latter focuses on love, both physical and emotional. I mention these other Wisdom books because the Song of Solomon does not say everything about love. But, we know Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). That’s a lot of women!
They were his demise; because of them, Solomon turned his heart away from God. These wisdom books and Genesis 1 and 2 indicate that one man should have one wife, that was God’s design from the start. Next week I will focus on that and explain why.
Song of Solomon highlights the love of two human beings, one of which is undoubtedly King Solomon (Song 8:11). The other being his dove, his beloved, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” (SofS 6:3, 9-13). It extols desire, longing for the welling-up of emotions. It is explicit in men and women knowing not only their physical attributes but the power they have and can wield. They are fully aware of the pleasure they can give and procure. They are not prudes; between them, there’s consent in sexual desire, craving, play, and love.
10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
14 Make haste, my beloved, and be you like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.
Some commentators say that the Shulamite woman was his first love. I don’t know; there could be other explanations. That said, the other wisdom books, as well as elsewhere in the Bible, make it clear that marriage is with one wife.
It needs to be made clear that God created the woman with all her attractiveness, charms, prettiness, desirability, and persuasiveness. That’s why I decided to bring in Song of Solomon during this presentation of the creation of the woman. Every single one of those attributes is pleasurable excitation for both parties when deployed and made available under the proper circumstances.
They are devastating when used under improper circumstances, both for women and men. Just so we understand and keep the books straight, we can say the identical for men. They exude strength, muscular bodies, power, and status. Likewise, these positive attributes, under proper circumstances, are assets but misused, they too are devastating. I’m not pitching for females or males. But, this article is about females and their attributes.
A woman’s charms and attributes are for her man (singular) in private. That’s the bottom line from a Bible point of view. Song of Solomon shows us that a woman can and should go all out to stay attractive and rightfully seductive for her husband. Her body sways with her movements; her silhouette has golden proportions, and her style is unique. She is made to keep her husband’s eyes, mind, desires, and cravings focused on her. Everything about her and every part of her are a sight to behold.
Vine, fragrance, fruit, banqueting, sweet to my taste are poetic ways of discussing the most intimate parts of her body. Her hole is not just men’s pleasure or for reproduction, as some would have us erroneously believe. Female sexuality is an extraordinary phenomenon. It is a biological marvel that God incorporated into the woman at creation. It is designed for her physical, emotional, and psychological pleasure and enrichment. It is a feminine aspect that starts way before intercourse and lasts a long time after intercourse.
The act, of course, impacts males, but not in any way like a female. Women have an enticing, immensely powerful tool, if I may call it that, that can sway men. The song of Solomon openly displays, encourages, and promotes female sexiness and sexuality.
All the wisdom books and all the books of the Bible make it clear that this God designed sexuality for heterosexual couples within marriage. I’m fully aware of the rules of polygamy in Exodus 21:10 and will explain that a little later in Genesis. The long and the short of it is God ALLOWED multiple wives because of the hardness of human hearts (Mark 10:5-6). But, it was NOT intended that way at all from the beginning, as Christ made clear. The Bible rule is one husband for one wife with sexual relations delighted in, to the fullest, by this couple.
Female attributes are an integral and vital component of all healthy women. They have a desire and need to both give and receive sexuality.
From a Bible point of view, this give-and-take is only within a specific environment. That context is marriage and nothing else. In today’s modern progressive society and world of moral freedom, such a statement sounds prude and out of place. Be it what it may, the public exhibition of sexuality is one of the causes of the deep malaise we witness in the relations between men and women today.
Internet, TV, movies, magazines, media, social networks, publicity, clothing, anything that can display women’s attributes are doing so. The Song of Solomon’s sexuality should be exercised in private; instead, it is on public display. What should attract a husband now attracts hordes of men; this is not to remove blame from men and the negative roles of many. Both parties are responsible for this degraded situation.
There are all sorts of arguments the pro and con supporters can invoke to bulwark their case. And I have no intention of getting into such a debate. Song of Solomon reveals the goodness of feminine sexuality. The creation of women endowed with their warmth, charms, and delights in Genesis 2 is a given. In the same light, Genesis 2:24 clearly states that sex between a man and woman is reserved for a married couple in their private quarters.
I shall expound on this in the next couple of weeks within the context of the creation of women. The Explanation will explain why it is for a married couple alone. And why friendship is vital before getting married and a basic value for a happy marriage.
Public Sexuality – Audit
It so happens that last night I watched a TV documentary and commentary on pornography. Its ready availability with ease, via the internet, is hallucinating. In spite of laws, at least in France, that order adult sites to warn potential viewers about the nature of what they’re about to see, there’s little compliance. A search on a cell phone in Google with even anodyne keywords can give a seven-year-old access to porn sites. They come unrequested and unbeknownst to kids.
Youngsters are getting their sex education from pornography. Sex acts by paid actors with perfect erect genitals have become the norm by which youngsters measure themselves, coming up very short. Girls are requesting plastic surgery to correct their genitals, and Boys learn that women are objects at their disposal. One of the panel members who works with youth said 100% of youngsters had seen pornography at a very young age, around ten-years-old. And the situation is worsening, if it can. Teachers and schools, those dealing directly with kids and young people, are pulling their hair out, many are overwhelmed by the state of affairs.
This situation is far from limited to our youth. I discussed the adult scene which is, unfortunately, no better. The point is whether it’s pessimistic or optimistic; it is to see why we are in this situation and what we can do to improve this gap between males and females.
The answer is simple: its application difficult. I’m calling a spade a spade. The model for youngsters now is the internet and society replete with their immodest of video clips, publicity, exhibitionism, music lyrics, Hollywood, twerking, and nudity. Even comedy plays on sex nowadays, the provocation of female and male stars to outdo each other in trashiness, and the innuendos, and sexual intrigue in sitcoms.
The real model needs to be PARENTS. Kids should grow up with their MOTHER and FATHER, a female and a male. Girls should see and learn what masculinity is by the way their father treats their mother and herself as a daughter. Boys should learn what feminity is by the way their mother treats their father and himself as a son. HOME is where kids go through critical periods when first impressions, emotions, gender biases embed themselves in their minds for life. Youth, adolescence, teenage, young adulthood are all the continuum of what society built at the earliest age.
It should not be the role of schools, associations, clubs, organizations, the police, or the army to instill respect for an individual’s sexuality and that of the opposite sex. That is the role of the home and parents. Society should conform to home values. And therein lies today’s problem. Society has smashed the family and installed its own values: sexual abuse and deviation batters parents and kids day-in, day-out. The more deviation we see and hear, the more it affects our minds and becomes the norm. And we pay the ugly results.
Men and boys who want to be decent are old-school, and they are often bullied and strong-armed. Women and girls who want to be decent are harassed and badgered, intimidated, and seduced.
The wrong pressure being exercised on men and women today is nearly impossible to withstand. It takes a woman, a massive amount of strength, courage, and endurance to stand up for her virginity, respect of her body, and integrity of her mind. Same with men.
The only way to turn this careening beast around is for adults to start or continue a modest way of life. One where they keep their bodies, minds, tongues, acts off of a public sexual agenda. With their life-partner, both can exercise their sensuous sexuality. In the public light, restraint and self-discipline are the order of the day in how to conduct oneself.
The Song of Solomon is an ode to feminity. It reminds us of the attractiveness and sensuality of the feminine gender. Even if God is not mentioned, Solomon, notwithstanding all the mistakes he made, including his womanizing, was in his right senses with this inspiring message. Maybe before his degradation, maybe after learning the lessons from his degradation. Whatever, it is the record of how God built the woman. It is the record of the beauty, the desire, the attractiveness, the loving-kindness, the pleasurable sensations that every woman should be able to identify with, feel, and experience.
Proverbs 31 is the woman in public. Song of Solomon is the woman with her husband in private. Both descriptions go together to build the female gender and make her what she is and can be.
This blog post is an excerpt from chapter 2.8 of the book Origin of Woman.
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