Song of Solomon 5:2-6:3 Sex, God and Love  Part 6

 “Happily Ever After”

 

4 yr old Suzy was so excited /( Preschool)  she had just been told the story of snow white for the first time!

A)Raced home to retell the story to her mother w/ wide eyed excitement … prince kissed her /

 

B) You know what happened  next?  Mom answered

 " They lived happily ever after ? " 

1) No ! frown  They got married!"     

 

C) W/out even knowing it Suzy hit on a deep truth      

1)    That  getting married & living happily ever after are not synonymous!

 

Last week we saw this couple get married and go on their honeymoon.

A)Based upon that depiction of love and passion we would have thought that the story would have ended right there with a and they lived Happily ever after

 

B)That is the way the fairy tales always end – but this isn’t a fairy tale { this is real life

1)This is the Bible – always presents for us – the good the bad and the ugly.

 

C)The Bible constantly reminds us that we are sinners in need of redemption

 

D): In real life – Married couples have conflicts

So it only makes sense that the HS – inspired this writing takes us from the Honeymoon – to a fight

A)That is real life – marriage there will be conflict

 

Aa)Iron sharpens iron…..  Sparks fly!

 

B)Premarital counseling – Have you had a fight yet

 

C)Doing premarital – last week with this couple – they finally had a fight – PTL

 

D)So here we see that Solomon and his wife have a fight!  

 

Song 5:2   She is speaking

I sleep, but my heart is awake; { almost asleep

It is the voice of my beloved!

He knocks, saying, "Open for me, my sister, my love,

My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night."

 

What is happening in this scene: They have probably been married for a little while now

A)It is late at night {DEW}– Solomon has been working/     She has been waiting.

 

B)She grows tired of waiting maybe even feeling a little neglected – she decides to go to bed.

 

 

 

C)Now in that time the Queen had her own quarters

She has gone there – bathed – climbs into bed

1)She is almost asleep when she hears a Knock at the door – it is Solomon

 

D)He comes home – hoping to see his wife – hoping for a little Romance and intimacy

Finds the door locked – Really lays it on thick

 

"Open for me my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one;

A)Today: Sweet heart – love of my life – gorgeous

 

Texas: Sweet Cheeks – Sugar dumpling – cutie pie

 

B)Now you would think after what we studied last week – she is going to get up unlock that door

1)And give him a night of passion – He will never forget. { Not what happens

 

V.3 I have taken off my robe; How can I put it on again?

I have washed my feet; How can I defile them?

 

C)That is Hebrew for saying: I have a headache!

 

I think she is throwing in a little dig here – I have taken off my robe – I am naked –

A)She didn’t need her robe for what he had in mind

And the last thing he was thinking about was her feet

 

B)She is the queen living in a Palace how defiled could her feet get anyway walking to open the door?

C)Here is what she is saying:  She is saying: You are home AGAIN – YOUR LOSS

1)Note How she is feeling is realistic – Right to be upset - but how she is handling this is what is wrong !

 

D)Today: She might have put her Sexiest Lingere his side of the bed post and climbed into bed in her most concealing PJ’S – NOTE YOUR LOSS

 

Now MEN what would  you do guys in this situation: How do you handle this door is locked?

A) John Wayne in that Classic movie the Quiet man faced this very situation

 

B)Shortly after his marriage in the movie to Maureen Ohara – fight – she goes into bed room locks the door

 

C)How did the Duke Handle that Situation

                Roll it

 

Classic: Breaks the Door – great line – there will be no bolts and bars in this marriage ….. Heart

 

Guys I don’t think you want to use that approach

A)It is not a time to pull the old – The Bible says you are to  submit to your husband

 

B)Not the time for you to quote: 1 Corinthians 7:3 that your wife’s body isn’t her own – wife should not deprive her husband

C)That is a verse that your wife needs to know and you are to never quote

1)information – not ammunition

 

The Scenario depicted in this story is one that is repeated often in many homes!

A)How they respond is typical of many marriages 

 

B)Wife feeling neglected – husband feeling rejected

   They grow apart

 

C)Solomon heads either back to work or to another room – to sleep – we learn rises early back to work

 

 

Now we don’t know why Solomon was working late – we don’t know if there was a problem

A)Or at this point in his life – he was simply becoming a workaholic

 

B)But this is a common problem that occurs in a marriage.

1)Men have a tendency to find their worth and identity in what they do –

 

C)There is a lot of pressure today to perform at the Job – especially in times like this

1)Line of guys waiting to jump in & take your place

 

 

 

What happens is a lot of wives start to feel neglected

A)And if their husband comes home and just wants sex – they start feeling used. – Prostitute

 

B)Ephesians 5 is the most comprehensive section of scripture in the NT on marriage –

1)I want to point out to you the way that it ends

 

Ephesians 5:33

“But each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and a wife must respect her husband.” NCV

 

C)This verse reveals that A woman’s deepest relational need is to feel loved, and a Husbands deepest relational need is to feel respected –

 

D)If the husband isn’t feeling respected and the wife is not feeling loved – there isn’t going to be Harmony

 

Here is what often happens:

A)When a woman feels unloved, she reacts in a way that may seem disrespectful to her husband.

 

B)He then reacts to this disrespect in ways that feel unloving to his wife.

1)The more she complains and criticizes, the more He shuts down and stonewalls.{ Respect at work

 

C)Cycle starts that has to be broken - couples don’t deal with their hurts – they fester – they grow

 

1st thing: Learn not to react in the flesh – instead

Respond in the Spirit

A)The flesh wants to get angry and retaliate

 

Ephesians 4:26-27

26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

 

Here is what this verse is teaching us: It is ok – to get angry when you have been wronged – or there has been an injustice.

A)Anger is a normal human emotion – but –it is how you deal with anger that matters

 

B)Let it fester You give the devil a foothold in your life

1)Like letting him get his foot in the door

 

D)He is never satisfied – He is going to worm his way in start playing with your mind –

1)Anger to boil into Bitterness – Bitterness takes root - Many become defiled

 

E)His goal is to Destroy your marriage!

 

 

The Key in this type of situation is learning not to react in the flesh but to respond in the Spirit

A)That is always the Key – Your flesh wants to react – natural tendency – counter punch –

 

B)You throw a right I am going to counter with a left

You call me a idiot - counter with my own derogatory word

 

C)That is the way of the Flesh – that is the way of the natural man

 

But we are supposed to be new creations in Christ

A)We are supposed to be responding not naturally but supernaturally

 

B)But That is easier said than done! – Not the type of thing – that you just flip a switch

1)I am going to be like Jesus right now

 

C)More to it than that - It really starts with your heart long before the conflict arises

 

James hits the nail on the head - James 4:7-8

“Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

 

The Devil is always trying to get us to react in the Flesh – often it is only the 2nd part of this verse that gets quoted – Resist the Devil….. Flee

 

Problem is I don’t have the strength to consistently resist the devil in my flesh –

A)That is why the first part of the verse is key – starting point – Submit to God.

 

Aa)It is a heart attitude that says Lord I want to do it your way! – Die to self – die to flesh!

 

B)Paul said – Galatians 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

 

C)The Starting point of walking in the Spirit begins by being submitted to God in all areas of your life

 

D)James follows V. 7 with this promise V8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

 

Starts with that Daily communion with God – Drawing near – fellowship and relationship – Word Prayer

Aa)Bringing your heart before God and being honest

 

A)That You need His help to be a godly husband or wife -  Parent – a friend

 

B)Being real with your natural fleshly tendencies

1)Lord I am naturally Stubborn – help me to be flexible

 

C)Lord I naturally am not trusting – Help me to give others the benefit of the doubt

 

D)Lord I naturally hold grudges – help me to be forgiving -  

 

E)He wants to meet us!

E)Being real with God before the conflict happens is what is going to help you to walk in the Spirit when it happen

 

Marriage is not finding…being right person

 

                   Back to our story  RD V.4-7

 

Commentators are divided over this section of Scripture. { I think that V.4-7 are a dream sequence

A) V.2 She was almost asleep – I sleep but I am awake – way of saying – I was not quite asleep

 

B)Solomon goes away – she falls asleep and begins to dream what takes place in V.4-7

 

The Problem lies in V. 7 – She goes out and gets beat up by the Watchman – city police.

A)One commentator I actually respect and enjoy – said that – This was God punishing her for depriving her Husband -  { Strongly disagree

 

B)Hard to imagine – the Police doing this to the queen Knowing – Cost them their lives

 

C)Plus when she runs into her friends in V.8 and Solomon later in the Story – they don’t reference it at all. – What happened – let us get clothes

 

D)Nothing is said or mentioned – which is  very unrealistic { So I think V.4-7 she is dreaming

In her dream she remembers Solomon reaching thru and touching the latch on the door

A)It stirred her heart – She gets up to open it

    Finds it covered with Myrrh

 

B) The background for this was a lovely custom that they had in that day.

 

C)When a man was in love with a girl and wanted to express his love, he would go to her home and instead of leaving a card, he would leave a fragrance.

 

 

Now whether this happened literally or ONLY in her dream it was communicating the same thing

A)Solomon loved her dearly – He wasn’t mad – maybe hurt but not angry

 

B)In her dream she runs out calling for him and

 

C)I think the whole part of this dream where – she is beaten and stripped naked – is her conscience bugging her – feeling guilty for her actions

 

D)Sub conscious affects DREAMLAND

 

It is this part of the dream that awakens her – It seems to be early in the morning{ He is back@ work

A)She gets up and goes looking for Solomon- SHE wants to make things right!

 

Runs into her girlfriends 8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick!

 

A)Tell him I love Him –maybe  she told them about their little conflict

 

B)Their response is interesting.

9 What is your beloved more than another beloved,

O fairest among women?

What is your beloved more than another beloved,

That you so charge us?

 

The tone and tense of their question is not negative it is not to say – What is so special about Solomon.

A)They all respected Solomon – admired him – he was the King!

 

B)They are doing something really smart here – tell us – remind us – Why is he so special

 

Lesson for friends in Conflict

 

C)Ladies you want girl friends like this –

 

Too often here is what happens when ladies get together – Session of Husband Bashing

A) “You wouldn’t believe what he did this week”

    You think your husband is bad………

 

B)Yrs ago – a neighborhood we lived in Ocsd – My wife was invited to a weekly ladies group

1)We meet on Mondays for Lunch and to complain about our husbands

 

C)Denise declined – not interested – It wasn’t that I was so wonderful she didn’t have anything to complain about –

1)That was during my workaholic days – 14hr work days –

 

D)She just wasn’t going to go there – Wasn’t going to put me down in public – DISRESPECT

1)She later ended up leading that neighbor lady to Christ -  {She saw something different started asking questions

 

E)Natural tendency of ladies is to get together with their girlfriend and complain about husbands

1)Don’t spiritualize it – we need to pray – never pray

 

 

Ladies try getting together and talking about all the things that your husbands are doing right –

A)See how your attitude Changes toward Him

 

B)Stir up one another to love and good works

 

Bb)Ladies you need friends who can remind you of why you love your husband so much

 

C)Encourage – Husband and wife – Write down somewhere everything about your wife you love

1)Have it available to go to in times of conflict

 Put things in perspective

2)Rekindle those feeling so love

 

D)It is so easy in the midst of a conflict or when you have been hurt to get focused only on the negative

 

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.”

 

E)Pastor Rob you are being overly spiritual – I just want to be mad – ok! –

1)Fine walk in the flesh and open the door to the Devil. {Just blame me when your marriage is ruined

 

F)I am just trying to give you tools – The Love Dare book – excellent – Very Biblical

 

 

So her friends say remind us what is so special- She responds : w/ a lengthy description of Solomon – complimenting both his physical & spiritual Characteristics

 

10 My beloved is white and ruddy, { handsome

Chief among ten thousand.

He is handsome in appearance – the most handsome among 10,000 – white speaks of purity of his Character

 

11 His head { his mind } is like the finest gold;

His wisdom is more valuable than gold

 

His locks are wavy, And black as a raven.

Wavy long black hair –

 

12 His eyes are like doves {gentle and tender

By the rivers of waters, washed with milk,

And fitly set.   { Eyes that could be trusted

She could look him in the eye and know that he was telling the truth.

 

13 His cheeks are like a bed of spices, banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.

He was compassionate toward her – when he kissed her he did so tenderly and sweetly.

 

14 His hands are rods of gold

Set with beryl. His body is carved ivory

Inlaid with sapphires.

15 His legs are pillars of marble

Set on bases of fine gold.

His countenance is like Lebanon,

Excellent as the cedars.

 

These are all analogies that speak to the fact that Solomon was strong and dependable – Count on him

 

Sturdy in Character – conviction – leadership

Spiritually Strong / Strong in Protection

 

16 His mouth is most sweet,

Yes, he is altogether lovely.

 

This can refer to his kisses – but I think she covered that in v.13 – Has more to do with his words – how he talks to her.

 

This is my beloved, And this is my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem!

 

That is why I married this guy!

 

Ladies you get together and try to out do each other on the good qualities of your husband

A)Friends who you share these kind of things with who can remind you of that when you are mad

 

B)What we see here is a woman – who Respects her Husband !

 

C)Now her whole perspective has changed -

 

Ch. 6 breaks down the results!

 

 

Her friends ask

Where has your beloved gone,

O fairest among women?

Where has your beloved turned aside,

That we may seek him with you?

 

A)Where do you think he is?

1)Now that she has reflected on what kind of guy he is she knows right were to find him. –

 

B)He is steady and sturdy – He is where he would always be at this time of the morning – His Garden

1)With his flock

 

2 My beloved has gone to his garden,

To the beds of spices,

To feed his flock in the gardens,

And to gather lilies.

3 I am my beloved's,

And my beloved is mine.

He feeds his flock among the lilies.

 

C)Nothing has changed – I am my beloved and he is mine- She is assured – He will forgive me

1)Two reasons #1 She knows he is a man who wants to honor God

 

2)#2 She knows that he really does love her!

 

D)V.4-7 mark his response – next week

D)She goes out to meet him – Pick up next week the response – but he sees in her eyes – sorry

1)Before she says a word – he goes to meet her and begins to tell her how much he loves her

 

E)Father of the Prodigal son –

 

Solomon is going to repeat things he said on their wedding night just to emphasize –

NOTHING HAS CHANGED Next week

 

Application for today

1. Men: Your wife needs Love! -

A)That doesn’t mean sex!

 

B)You might think the sex is great – and it might be for you

1)But if you are simply using her to fulfill your need for sex – and not really loving and Cherishing

 

C)She is going to begin to resent you. –

1)Begin to not respect you.

 

2. Women: Your husband needs you to show him respect.

A)Appreciate that he works hard. Value him

 

B)You stay at home – don’t pawn kids

 

C)Not getting it from you – look for it at work!

 

3. Conflict: Don’t react in the flesh – learn to respond in the Spirit.

A)Only possible when you are cultivating a daily walk with the Lord.

 

B)Daily communion – being real with your weaknesses. -  POOR IN SPIRIT.

 

4. You need friends who will stir you up to love and good works – not strife and anger.

 

5. If you are wrong humble yourself and seek to make things right.