Day 207: Song of Songs 5, 6, 7 and 8

What shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? (KJV, Song of Songs 8:8).

Here the writer explores the role of family in helping the young develop healthy sexual attitudes and boundaries. Keeping in mind Shulamith’s repeating charge: [Do not] awaken love until the time is right (NLT, 2:7), we have a foundation from which to interpret 8:8-12.

The speaker has changed. Now we have the older siblings of a young woman asking how they can protect their little sister: If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar (v. 9). The poetically blunt message here is that walls keep people out and doors let people in. If our sister has good judgment and maintains healthy boundaries with boys, then we will reward her with praise. But if she is promiscuous and acts more like a door than a wall, then we will be her wall. We will protect her until such time as she is able to make better choices (Author’s Paraphrase).

The message of verses 11 and 12 is clear. Solomon owns many vineyards and they are his; he can buy or sell as he pleases. Shulamith uses poetic language to say she has a vineyard as well. Regardless of Solomon’s wealth and power, she alone is steward over her own sexuality.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

How can you help the children and teenagers in your life develop healthy sexual boundaries?

Day 206: Song of Songs 1, 2, 3 and 4

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem . . . not to awaken love until the time is right (NLT, Song of Songs 3:5).

This is a repeating charge in Song of Songs. [Don't] awaken love until the time is right. It can be found in chapters 2, 3 and 8. There has been a whole range of opinion regarding the love affair chronicled here. Is it a story of the relationship between God and Israel? Christ and the church? Two young lovers? A king and his bride? Over the years majority opinion has shifted between these options.

In the 1970s, Joseph Dillow wrote a great book called Solomon on Sex – The Biblical Guide to Married Love. He focuses on this repeating verse as the key to unlocking this work of Old Testament wisdom literature [10].

He reads Song of Songs from the perspective of a love story between Solomon the King of Israel and Shulamith, the daughter of a tenant farmer on one of Solomon’s many vineyards. She catches his eye, they fall in love, and their wedding night exploits are chronicled in beautiful poetic language.

Dillow’s objective is to illustrate that God intended sex to be enjoyed within the bonds of marriage. Solomon’s bride charges the women of Jerusalem with that very truth. Promise me, O women of Jerusalem . . . not to awaken love until the time is right. Nowhere is the sexual relationship as delightfully expounded as in this biblical text, and nowhere can that relationship be expressed as beautifully as within the freedom of marriage.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Thank God for the beautiful gift of sexuality. It’s okay; it was his idea in the first place.

Day 207: Song of Songs 5, 6, 7 and 8

What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for? (Song of Songs 8:8)

Here the writer explores the role of family in helping the young develop healthy sexual attitudes and boundaries. Keeping in mind Shulamith’s repeating charge: Do not awaken love until the time is right (2:7), we have a foundation from which to interpret 8:8-12.

The speaker has changed. Now we have the older siblings of a young woman asking how they can protect their little sister: If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar (v. 9). The poetically blunt message here is that walls keep people out and doors let people in. If our sister has good judgment and maintains healthy boundaries with boys, then we will reward her with praise. But if she is promiscuous and acts more like a door than a wall, then we will be her wall. We will protect her until such time as she is able to make better choices.

The message of verses 11 and 12 is clear. Solomon owns many vineyards and they are his; he can buy or sell as he pleases. Shulamith uses poetic language to say she has a vineyard as well. Regardless of Solomon’s wealth and power, she alone is steward over her own sexuality.

How can you help the children and teenagers in your life develop healthy sexual boundaries?

Day 206: Song of Songs 1, 2, 3 and 4

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem . . . not to awaken love until the time is right. (Song of Songs 3:5, New Living Translation)

This is a repeating charge in Song of Songs. Don't awaken love until the time is right. It can be found in chapters 2, 3 and 8. There has been a whole range of opinion regarding the love affair chronicled here. Is it a story of the relationship between God and Israel? Christ and the church? Two young lovers? A king and his bride? Over the years majority opinion has shifted between these options.

In the 1970s, Joseph Dillow wrote a great book called Solomon on Sex – The Biblical Guide to Married Love. He focuses on this repeating verse as the key to unlocking this work of Old Testament wisdom literature. [1]

God intended sex to be enjoyed within the bonds of marriage. Solomon's bride charges the women of Jerusalem with that very truth. Nowhere is the sexual relationship as delightfully expounded as in this biblical text, and nowhere can that relationship be expressed as beautifully as within the freedom of marriage.

How cool is that?

[1] Joseph C. Dillow, Solomon On Sex (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1977).

Day 207: Song of Songs 5, 6, 7 and 8

What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for? (Song of Songs 8:8)

Here the writer explores the role of family in helping develop healthy sexual attitudes and boundaries. Keeping in mind Shulamith's repeating charge: Do not awaken love until the time is right (2:7), we have a foundation from which to interpret 8:8-12.

The speaker has changed. Now we have the older siblings of a young woman asking how they can protect their little sister: If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar (v. 9). The poetically blunt message here is that walls keep people out and doors let people in. If our sister has good judgment and maintains healthy boundaries with boys, then we will reward her with praise. But if she is promiscuous and acts more like a door than a wall, then we will be her wall. We will protect her until such a time as she is able to make better choices.

The message of verses 11 and 12 is clear. Solomon owns many vineyards and they are his; he can buy or sell as he pleases. Shulamith uses poetic language to say she has a vineyard as well. Regardless of Solomon's wealth and power, she alone is steward over her own sexuality.

How can you help the children and teenagers in your life develop healthy sexual boundaries?

Day 206: Song of Songs 1, 2, 3 and 4

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem . . . not to awaken love until the time is right. (NLT, Song of Songs 3:5)

This is a repeating charge in Song of Songs. Don't awaken love until the time is right. It can be found in chapters 2, 3 and 8. There has been a whole range of opinion regarding the love affair chronicled here. Is it a story of the relationship between God and Israel? Christ and the church? Two young lovers? A king and his bride? Over the years majority opinion has shifted between these options?

In the 1970s, Joseph Dillow wrote a great book called Solomon on Sex - The Biblical Guide to Married Love. He focuses on this repeating verse as the key to unlocking this work of Old Testament wisdom literature. [1]

God intended sex to be enjoyed within the bonds of marriage. Solomon's bride charges the women of Jerusalem with that very truth. Nowhere is the sexual relationship as delightfully expounded as in this biblical text, and nowhere can that relationship be expressed as beautifully as within the freedom of marriage.

How cool is that?

[1] Joseph C. Dillow. Solomon on Sex (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1977).

Day 207: Song of Songs 5, 6, 7 and 8

What shall we do for our sister for the day she is spoken for? (Song of Songs 8:8)

Here the writer explores the role of family in helping the young develop healthy sexual attitudes and boundaries. Keeping in mind Shulamith's repeating charge: Do not awaken love until the time is right (2:7), we have a foundation from which to interpet 8:8-12.

The speaker has changed. Now we have the older siblings of a young woman asking how they can protect their little sister: If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar (v. 9). The poetically blunt message here is that walls keep people out and doors let people in. If our sister has good judgment and maintains healthy boundaries with boys, then we will reward her with praise. But if she is promiscuous and acts more like a door than a wall, then we will be her wall. We will protect her until such a time as she is able to make better choices.

The message of verses 11 and 12 is clear. Solomon owns many vineyards and they are his; he can buy or sell as he pleases. Shulamith uses poetic language and says she has a vineyard as well. Regardless of Solomon's wealth and power, she alone is steward over her own sexuality. [1]

How can you help the children and teenagers in your life develop healthy sexual boundaries?

[1] Joseph C. Dillow, Solomon on Sex (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1977), 151ff.

Day 206: Song of Songs 1, 2, 3 and 4

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem . . . not to awaken love until the time is right. (NLT - Song of Songs 3:5)

This is a repeating charge in Song of Songs. Don't awaken love until the time is right. It can be found in chapters 2, 3 and 8. There has been a wide range of opinion regarding the love affair chronicled here. Is it the story of the relationship between God and Israel? Christ and the church? Two young lovers? A king and his bride? Over the years, majority opinion has shifted between these options.

Over three decades ago, Joseph Dillow wrote a great book called Solomon on Sex - The Biblical Guide to Married Love. He focuses on this repeating verse as the key to unlocking this work of Old Testament wisdom literature. [1]

God intended sex to be enjoyed within the bonds of marriage. Solomon's bride charges the women of Jerusalem with that very truth. Nowhere is the sexual relationship as delightfully expounded as in this biblical text, and nowhere can that relationship be expressed as beautifully as within the freedom of marriage.

How cool is that?

[1] Joseph C. Dillow, Solomon on Sex (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1977).

Day 206: Song of Songs 1 - 4

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem . . . not to awaken love until the time is right. (Song of Songs 3:5, New Living Translation)

This is a repeating charge in Song of Songs. Don't awaken love until the time is right. It can be found in chapters 2, 3 and 8. There has been a whole range of opinion regarding the love affair chronicled here. Is it a story of the relationship between God and Israel? Christ and the church? Two young lovers? A king and his bride? Over the years majority opinion has shifted between these choices.

Joseph Dillow has written a great book called Solomon on Sex – The Biblical Guide to Married Love. He focuses on this repeating verse as the key to understanding this work of Old Testament wisdom literature.

God intended sex to be enjoyed within the bonds of marriage. Solomon's bride charges the women of Jerusalem with that very truth. Nowhere is the sexual relationship as beautifully expounded as in this book, and nowhere is it as beautiful except within the marriage relationship.

How cool is that?