You Are What You Eat: Mark 7:15

The most often quoted passage to excuse eating unclean foods is Mark 7:15. In this verse Jesus tells the Pharisees it isn't what goes into a man but what comes out of a man that defiles him. But is this verse actually giving us permission to eat whatever we want?

Mark 7:15/Matthew 15:11

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. Mark 7:15 KJV

Introduction

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Ken Lawrence

It's not what goes into our mouth that defiles us, but that which comes out of us. This is the go-to explanation for why we can eat whatever we want as Christians. It makes sense if you don't think about it too long, but when I stopped to ponder it for a minute, it wasn't what it seemed.

Permission to Eat Anything?

To argue that this gives us permission to eat unclean flesh, you have to interpret Mark 7:15 to mean we can ingest anything. After all Jesus is saying nothing external to us can enter and defile us. Can you drink bleach? How about tar? No? Certainly Jesus didn't mean we could just go off eat any and everything we see. Paul reaffirms this in 1 Corinthians 10:23.

Let's think about this. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, what actually happened? Did they die right then? Did it bar them from enteral life? Did they become defiled? Adam and Eve suffered, but it wasn't the fruit's fault. Adam and Eve weren't punished because the fruit was bad, but because they chose to eat the fruit. Remember, the action of eating the fruit didn't start with the fruit, it started inside Adam and Eve, in their mind. Their disobedience to God is what defiled them and caused problems.

Putting it in Context

In the previous section, when I asked if you could drink bleach or tar, you may have rolled your eyes at me and thought I was out of line making such a comparison. After all, who would eat something that isn't even food? That's dumb, right? If you stayed the night at my house and I said feel free to eat anything you find in the house, you would automatically restrict that to that which you consider edible, right? You wouldn't attempt to eat my couch or cleaning supplies. Similarly, when Jesus spoke to His audience in Mark 7, they probably would have assumed Jesus was referring to things designed to enter the body. Unclean foods were never designed to enter the body. The Jews (which includes Jesus), would not have considered unclean flesh to be something to eat!

If we read the verses leading up to that passage, we see that the squabble was over Jesus allowing the disciples to eat bread without washing their hands. There are no unclean foods in the passage.

The Pharisees claimed the disciples had defiled themselves by eating clean food before washing up. Jesus chastises the Pharisees for following man made laws (washing of hands before eating) and not believing in their hearts. They followed the details of the law, but never made a relationship with God and had weak faith. This is the very definition of legalism. To make the situation even clearer, Jesus explains that whatever the people eat, it will eventually pass through the body and disappear. However, the evil thoughts in their hearts would stay within them; that is what defiles them.

We have to remember that while Jesus' comments hold truths for us today, He was talking to a specific group of people. Jesus was essentially telling the Pharisees that they were worried about something as trivial as washing your hands before eating bread, meanwhile they were rotting on the inside with unclean thoughts and desires. Matthew 23:24-25 expounds on this. The Pharisees were concerned with the pots and pans they put the food in and making sure a fly wasn't in the water, but they would eat a camel (unclean) and take part in shady dealings. Jesus was calling them out for sweating the small stuff when they needed to be looking inward.

Matthew 15

Matthew 15 provides another reference for this encounter. As we continue through to the end of Jesus' explanation, He summarizes His point at the urging of the disciples. In this He specifies that He is permitting the eating of food with unwashed hands. Jesus' critique was not about clean and unclean food but about the tradition—made up by man—of washing up before eating foods already declared clean!

These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.Matthew 15:20 KJV

Proof of Understanding

When Jesus has this conversation, there are two groups present, the Pharisees and the disciples. The Pharisees were always at odds with Jesus, but the disciples spread and followed His teachings. This means, if the disciples understood Mark 7:15 to mean they were free to eat anything, that is what they would have taught.

However, in Acts 10, some time after Jesus' crucifixion, we find Peter appalled that God would command him to eat an unclean animal. Yet, Peter is the one who asks for more clarity in Matthew 15:15. Peter vehemently denies ever eating anything unclean. Clearly, Peter didn't think Jesus had given them permission to eat unclean food when He told them it was the stuff within that defiles men.

Up Next: Acts 10

It's only natural that since we brought up Acts 10 we talk about that next. In the next post, I'll discus God commanding Peter to kill and eat unclean animals.

Other Posts in the Series

Psalms 41-50

This post covers Psalms 41-50. Psalm 42 begins Book II of the Psalms. Many of these Psalms have prophetic messages about Jesus and nuggets of truth foreshadowing the New Testament covenant. There are also psalms for praise and worship, as well. Let's look at them!

Introduction

This post covers Psalms 41-50. Psalm 41 closes Book I of Psalms, with Psalm 42 being the first psalm of Book II.
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Psalm Summaries

Psalm 41

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David

Once again, we are told to help the poor. It's amazing how many times we are commanded to help the poor and yet, evangelical Christians are known to vote against policies meant to help the poor. This is contrary to what God has commanded of us; Jesus also tells us to take care of the poor in the New Testament (Matthew 25:34-40).

Psalm 41 also discusses the betrayal of a friend in comparison to the mistreatment we receive (as expected) from our enemies. This type of betrayal hurts much more than the injustices we suffer from strangers or enemies. I imagine it hurts God more deeply when His people betray Him (by succumbing to the devil) than when nonbelivers continue a sinful path. In this discussion of betrayal we find a Messianic prophecy (discussed below).

Psalm 42

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Richard Lee

The theme of the psalm is thirsting for the Lord. The Word of God and life is often tied to water in the Bible (rebirth/baptism, living water, etc.). It is only when we partake of the living water that Jesus gives (salvation) that we can quench our thirst.

Not surprisingly, God constantly tells us His water is a "living water" (i.e., John 4:4, Jeremiah 17:13, etc.). God promises that when we partake in His water we will never thirst! Of course, before we can get to that point, we have to have an original thirst for God's water. In the New Testament, living water is defined as the Holy Spirit.[4][5]

In middle school, my science teacher asked "What is the only reason for life on Earth?" I gave God as the answer, but the answer she was looking for was water. If you follow the logic of science, sure you may need water to keep from being dehydrated, but if you never find God and His living water, you will not make it to life eternal. Although I didn't fully understand either answer at the time, I realize now that God and His living water is the best answer I could have ever given.

When we thirst for God, we seek Him out, which this psalm encourages. We are also to praise Him for His lovingkindness.

Psalm 43

Psalm 43 focuses on delivering God's people from unjust nations. Considering the era in which this was written, those nations were probably Moab, Egypt, Assyria, and Philistine. Of course, this is still relatable to us today. Nations today don't necessary behave uniformly or follow the lead of their leader (e.g., President Trump only has a 22% approval rate).[6] That makes it a little more difficult to envision unjust nations versus just nations. The passage makes much more sense when we think in terms of believers versus non-believers. As we approach the final judgment the world will become increasingly polarized along that line.

Psalm 44

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil

Psalm 44 reminds me of Job; the psalmist discusses the feeling of being separated from God, yet he doesn't seem to know why Israel is in that position. The psalmist argues that they have not turned away from God, which confirms a situation very similar to Job's. I'm sure many of us have gone through similar trials where we feel as though God has abandoned us. In response, the psalmist admits that God has been his strength, and asks Him to return to redeem the nation.

Psalm 45

To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves

Psalm 45 is another psalm that contains prophecy (I'll focus on the prophecy aspects below). Most commentaries I've read interpret the psalm to be about a wedding—specifically the wedding of Christ and the church. This explains why people are bringing gifts. The psalm first gives us information on the king, followed by the bride, and closes with a blessing on their union. When we begin to learn about the bride, the command in Psalm 45:10 tells us that she is not from the kingdom she's marrying into. As such, there are also those who speculate that the psalm is about the marriage of an Israelite king (such as Solomon) to a foreign princess. This interpretation is problematic because the king is referred to as God (Psalm 45:6-7) and someone worthy of worship (Psalm 45:11).[6]

Psalm 46

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song join Alamoth

Psalm 46:1 is likely the inspiration for the song "Made Me Glad." This psalm is a great read when you are going through tough timss as it discusses God as our strength and refuge. No matter what's happening in our lives, we can trust that He will carry us through it. The psalmist uses the extreme of the the Earth being removed, which is also the language of Isaiah 13:13 and 24:20. The worst possible thing we can imagine is judgment day, and the das leading up to those days. I don't know how much the psalmist knew about the end or even the first captivity of Judah, but it something we can take comfort in, knowing that God will always take care of us.

Be still, and know that I am GodPsalm 46:10 KJV

One of my favorite quotes from the Bible is found in Psalm 46:10. Anytime I take a moment to stop, I think on God being God. My mind dwells on this automatically because I've witnessed so much of His awesomeness. I've shared some of my testimonies on the blog, but nature testifies of God all on it's own. Seeing the stars or thinking on how perfectly everything aligns on our planet reminds us of how small we are. We often try to take on our problems when we should give them over to God. God is our refuge.

Psalm 47

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah

This psalm is one of praise for God as King of Kings. It exalts God as King of Earth and reminds us that as the divine King, God is in charge of the outcome of battles. He will always defeat His enemies, so His people will always be victorious.

"O clap your hands all ye people" from Psalm 47:1 has been made into a song. Many people have sung a song by this title, but it also appears as a single line in many worship songs as well. It is fitting that we have placed this line in so many songs when the psalm actually is a song of praise to exalt God. Another song that epitomizes the words of this psalm is "Every Praise" by Hezekiah Walker.

Psalm 48

A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah

This psalm focuses on the home of God, though it reiterates the hope we have in God and triumph of God's people over those who do not worship God.

God compares the fear and pain of the kings of kingdoms not under His rule as the pain of labor. This metaphor is also used in Matthew 24 and Isaiah 13 when discussing the end of time. I find this interesting for several reasons: from the the fall, Eve's punishment was pain in bringing forth children; a woman often symbolizes the church; a baby could be called the fruit of the womb; and the Bible constantly talks about the fruit identifying the tree.

Psalm 49

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Thought Catalog

The first verse of Psalm 49 makes me feel like I'm in God's kingdom listening to one of the angels begin a royal proclamation straight from God. What's so beautiful about this introduction is that everyone is addressed. Regardless of a person's status in society, the message presented was meant to be heard. One of the reasons the message is for everyone is because in the end, everyone dies. Sure, our eternal fate may be different, but we all have to experience the first death (assuming we aren't part of the 144,000 who witness Jesus' second coming). No matter how rich and powerful you are, when your time is up, your time is up. Immediately after telling us who the message is for, the author prefaces that these are "dark" words (i.e., heavy and possibly uncomfortable to think about) and reveals that he was given these words through a parable—the most popular method of teaching used by Jesus in the New Testament.

An important point made in this passage is the worthlessness of money in comparison to our soul. In society, money is needed for everything, from luxury and extravagance to basic meals. This is why it's easy for people to think money can solve their problems snd make them happy. However, no amount of money can pay for the sins we commit. This is great news for those of us who have no money, but was probably disheartening to the rich and powerful who thought they could get away with anything. The only thing that can ransom us (re: pay for our sins) is Jesus blood.

While the passage is definitely cautious of money, it makes a point not to condemn money. Remember servants of God like Job, David, and Solomon were all wealthy. God blesses us with what He sees fit, so He just might make you wealthy. The important thing is not to get caught up in the riches. We are never to depend on the money to get us out of situations or to let it control your decisions. The passage reminds us that we can't take material wealthy with us when we leave, something my grandmother used to say on the regular. Essentially the passage is telling us to set our minds on Heaven, not on what makes us "successful" in this world.

There's also a popular church phrase that comes from this psalm. Growing up, people often used to say something like "let the words of my mouth and the meditation of the heart be on the Lord." It seemed like something someone came up with that simply caught on as a church saying; little did I know it's from Psalm 49!

Psalm 50

A Psalm of Asaph

A lot of us misunderstand the Old Testament; the laws seem so different from ours today that people often question the character of God because they've missed key points of understanding. I talk about this in general in other posts, but Psalm 50 addresses the topic of animal sacrifice. Animal rights activists would have a conniption if any of the world religions went back to practicing animal sacrifice, and most of us would think that was pretty weird and twisted as well. Yet, it was a major part of the Israelite's daily life.

Interestingly, God despised the sacrifices. He didn't want to see innocent animals constantly killed because we were messing up. From the beginning, God just wanted us to love Him, and as Jesus says in the New Testament, "if [we] love [Him], [we] will keep [His] commandments." One of the biggest problems back then is that the people lost sight of the relationship with God aspect and focused solely on laws and sacrifices. That's like marrying someone and instead of focusing on strengthing your relationship and building a future with that person, your focus is on buying presents and not cheating. If you love the person and build a relationship, you won't have the desire to cheat, and your presence will likely be present enough. However, if there's no relationship, that temptation to cheat will grow and grow, making it more likely that you do cheat.

Another thing I want to point out is that these sacrifices were also tied to eating flesh. All of the meat eaten by Israelites would have come from sacrifices. Thus, while fruits and veggies should be reminders of the Garden of Eden, meat should have be a reminded of sin and it's consequences.

Speaking of sin and it's consequences, the latter half of the psalm is a condemnation of wickedness. It speaks against being an enabler for evildoers. We often see people doing wrong, but we've taught to live and let live so we don't say anything. We allow, and by proxy of not condemning, endorse behavior that God abhors. It even explains that although God may not cut you down immediately for such actions, punnishment is coming for those who do not repent and change their ways.

Now consider this, ye that forget God,
lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:
and to him that ordereth his conversation aright
will I shew the salvation of God.Psalms 50:22-23 KJV

Messianic Verses

Psalm 41:9

Psalm 41:9 references the betrayal committed by Judah that leads to the crucifixion of Christ. In the verse, the person shares his bread (or some type of food) with the betrayer. Breaking bread with someone is a sign of trust and friendship, so that makes the betrayal that much more devastating. Also, this specific reference is likely referring to the las supper in which Jesus informs the disciples that he knows someone is betraying Him. Although the person will betray Him, the rest of the passage goes on to claim victory of the enemies that the betrayer has aligned himself with. Although Jesus was crucified, as His enemies wanted, He rose from the dead victorious.

Psalm 45:6-7

Though the major focus is on Psalm 45:6-7, there are quite a few things that stand out as being prophetic in Psalm 45. Verses 6 and 7 make us aware that the king discussed in the passage isn't an ordinary king; since He is referred to as God, and subsequently declared worthy of worship (Psalm 45:11), this king must be Jesus. The apostles understood the psalm to be in reference to Jesus, as well. Hebrews 1:8-9 quotes these exact verses and attributes them to Christ. The church being the bride of Christ is an image depicted through out the Bible, and the marriage supper is discussed in Revelation 19.

Interestingly, those bearing gifts are all daughters from foreign (and pagan) nations like Tyre. Since women often represent churches in prophecy, I wonder if this is an allusion to the false churches and religions. After being brought low, perhaps they offer gifts to the king and queen hoping for reconciliation and redemption (though I think the wicked would already be cast in the lake of fire by the time of the marriage ceremony for Christ and the Church). Other passages in the Bible tell us that there will still be nations and kingdoms after He sets up His reign, the difference is that they will all be ruled by Him. Perhaps these are the people coming forth to offer the bride gifts.

The Meaning of Selah

Scholars are unsure what selah means; it appears frequently in Psalms and occasionally in Habbakuk, but no where else in the Bible. It is thought that the word was derived from Hebrew words meaning "to praise," "to lift up," and "to pause." Since the psalms are often prayers and songs, it is possible that selah was a musical instruction for performers.[2]

The Meaning of Maschil

The title of some of these psalms contain the hard-to-define word Maschil; it appears in the title of 13 psalms. Scholars aren't sure what the word means but believe it may be derived from a word that means "insight."[1] Many interpret it to mean "with understanding," while others believe it is a musical instrument or instruction.[3]

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 938,940. 2014
2. "What does selah mean in the Bible?". GotQuestions.org; visited June 2017
3. "Maschil". Bible Hub; visited July 2017
4. John 7:37–39
5. "What did Jesus mean when He spoke of living water?". GotQuestions.org; visited August 2017
6. Matthew Henry. "Psalms 45 Commentary". Bible Study Tools; visited June 2018

Isaiah

This history, origins, and contents of Isaiah are examined. Isaiah is one of the major prophets—you can expect to spend quite some time in this book, but it's definitely worth it! Isaiah gives us the bulk of Messianic prophecies and is often quoted in the New Testament, so you know it's an important book.

Lessons Learned from Song of Solomon

A look at what I learned and struggled with during this reading of Song of Solomon.

Love Is Just Complicated

Introduction

Ultimately, Song of Solomon is about love and marriage, both literally and spiritually. Knowing that, the details proved to be more complex than I expected. Reading Song of Solomon was like reading an assignment for AP Lit; sometimes I would read a passage multiple times and still not be able to put my finger on exactly what was being said. Or, in some cases, I would have an inkling about what it meant, but I wasn't sure why it was relevant. Of course, like most of the literature I read in my English classes, there are many nuances and tidbits that can be mined out of Song of Solomon—I'm afraid I've missed many of them on this read through.

For this book, I spent a lot of time reading Bible commentaries to get understand even the flow of the story, which tells me I should revisit it in the near future... While I think commentaries are excellent study tools and can help us see new angles in the text, I don't like relying on commentaries to understand the basic principles of the book. They should be supplemental not used the way we used Sparks Notes in high school.
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Who is Speaking?

One of the harder things to keep straight was who was narrating the song at each point. Sometimes it was the woman, other times the man, but on occasion it was the daughters of Jerusalem! I think beings actively aware of who is speaking and to whom they are speaking is the starting point for understanding the book.

The Marriage Aspect

As a Christian, it's really easy to sum this book up as the love between Christ and the Church. Like the Feast Days, this message was a shadow pointing up to Christ, but the fact that God had Solomon write this so many years before Christ or even heavy Messianic prophecy—such as in Daniel or Isaiah—was given, leads me to believe there's more to it than just that. Readers from Solomon's day were expected to get something from the text as well. Therefore, we should also consider what is being said about Earthly marriages. Marriage is one of two practices God created before the fall. A perfect world would still have had marriage, so it stands to reason that God would want us to cherish it! The other books of the Bible gloss over marriage and love in favor of other key details of the narrative. Song of Solomon takes us back to this gift God has given us so that we can understand it more and truly appreciate it.

Revisit

Because it was difficult for me to put all the pieces together in Song of Solomon (there's so much figurative language!), I don't have much to say outside of the general premise of the book. Once I finish my read through, or perhaps even before then if the Spirit moves me, I will revisit this book for another read through. Hopefully on that pass, I will feel more connected to and understand the text at a deeper level.

Song of Solomon 7&8: A Second Spring Invitation and Happily Ever After

Song of Solomon concludes with a spring rendezvous and the couple together once and for all. Now that the drama of the wedding has passed, the couple is free to enjoy each other's company and begin their life together.

Introduction

Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.Song of Songs 7:11 KJV

Just as Song of Solomon 2 shows the couple rejoice at spending time together in the Spring, the end of Song of Solomon 7 revisits that joy. While it doesn't specifically identify the season to be Spring, we do see talk of pomegranates budding and going out into the fields, both of which would occur during Spring.
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Fruit

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Maja Petric

An obvious and accepted interpretation of this passage is that it pertains to the consummation of their marriage.^[2]

However, I think spiritually, it may reference the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We cannot cultivate or produce these fruits until we have surrendered to Christ (and thus become His bride). Once we do so, the harvest begins and we are to produce as much of the fruits the Holy Spirit has given us as we can. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self restraint.^[1]

Happily Ever After

The final chapter of Song of Solomon shows the two lovers together, living as man and wife. In this chapter, they are finally free to enjoy each other's company and lavish each other with compliments.

Repetition

Song of Solomon 8:4 is an echo of Song of Solomon 2:7 and Song of Solomon 3:5. Once again, the woman is asking the daughters of Jerusalem to be still and not wake the love until the time of his choice. The spiritual meaning of this is obvious: we can't rush God, nor should we run about making a ruckus trying to move Him. In a literal sense, there is a law in Deuteronomy 24:5 that men did not have to work for a year after marrying; that time was supposed to be spent making their wife happy. This may be building upon that principle, suggesting no one bother the groom until he deems it the time to be away from his wife.

Song of Solomon 8:5 echoes Song of Solomon 3:6 and is the response of the daughters of Jerusalem to the wife's instruction not to wake up the husband. It is no coincidence that they place the couple coming out of the wilderness. It is out of the wilderness God brought Israel in to the promised land, and it is out of the symbolic wilderness (of sin) that God will bring us to Heaven. Since men were to be the head of the household, the husband should be leading his wife out of the dangers of the wilderness, as well.

A Link to Prophecy

Set me as a seal upon thine heart,
as a seal upon thine arm:Song of Solomon 8:6

Another verse that stood out to me was that of Song of Solomon 8:6. End time prophecy talks about two seals, a seal of God (Revelation 7:2-3 and 9:4) and a the mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:17 and 16:2). Both marks are to be received in the head (i.e., the mind) or in the hand (i.e., actions). When interpreting this love song to be between the church and Christ, it is obvious that this is a plea to put God first. If He is a seal in our heart, our mind will follow. Similarly, if He is a seal on our arms, our actions will follow.

When we enter an earthly marriage, the same concept applies. We must commit to our spouse with both our mind (or heart) and our actions. If we allow our heart or actions to wander, we will likely be led astray and ultimately be unfaithful to our spouse.

Spiritual Interpretation

This is how life will be for God's people after judgment day. After the madness and mayhem of our earthly life, we will finally be able to relax in God's presence!

This also relates to our spiritual journey. Many times, we feel apprehensive about approaching God—the way the bride was earlier in Song of Solomon—becasue we feel we aren't worthy to have His favor. During this time, we struggle to connect with God, but as soon as we move pass that nervousness and allow ourselves to enter into God's presence, we can enjoy our spiritual walk with Him.

References

1. Matthew Henry. "Song of Solomon 7 Commentary". via Bible Study Tools; visited December 29, 2017
2. David Guzik. "Song of Solomon 7 Commentary". Enduring Word. 2013

Song of Solomon 5-7: Second Night of Separation

After the wedding, the couple is once again separated and searching for each other. In between the compliments and longing, we can find much symbolism and meaning.

Introduction

As mentioned in my introduction to Song of Solomon, the book follows a chiastic pattern, which means the text is essentially mirrored. After the wedding, we begin to see reflections of the previous scenes in the opposite order from which they were presented. The last thing to occur before the wedding was the night of separation and thus, the first thing to happen after the wedding is another night of separation.
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Second Separation

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Beto Galetto

Once again, the scene begins with the speaker attempting to rest in bed. Now that the couple is married, there is an allusion to intimacy that was not present before the wedding, however this is cut short due to the disappearance of the lover. It seems as though when the lover attempts to instigate intimacy, the speaker does not oblige.

Like the previous section in which the couple was separated, the searcher enlists the help of watchmen to find the missing lover. In the previous section, the watchmen knew who was being sought after, and though they were not helpful in locating the missing lover, they did not stand in the way. However, Song of Solomon 5:7 tells us that when they found the seeker, they abused her (since they took away the veil, I assume this is the bride speaking).

Confusion

From a literal interpretation, this is quite a bizarre scene. The watchmen are charged with taking away the bride's veil, which implies it is still the wedding night. Why would the groom disappear on his wedding night? Further, why would the watchmen choose to harm the bride who is searching for husband? When I first read this I was completely confused as to what was happening and why God found his important to His overall message of salvation.

Christ's Absence

One of the interesting things I dwelled on, is the difference in behavior of the watchmen before the bride is married versus after. Suddenly they are brutish and injuring a helpless woman for seemingly no reason. What changed?

One of the reasons I don't go out at night is because I fear for my safety. Similarly, if my mom decides she wants to go shoe shopping at 10pm my dad will accompany her. In general, people are less likely to bother a woman who is in the company of a man. This is likely because men are generally expected to be the protectors of their family. Right or wrong, when this woman was seen without her protector, the watchmen suddenly thought it was ok to abuse the woman.

While someone might argue that this could be a statement of the importance of a man staying close to his wife to protect her, I believe this series of events it meant to be looked at from a spiritual angle.

The Israelites waited for the appearance of the Messiah the way a bride waits for her wedding day. When Christ appeared, those who followed Him were left in sorrow and disappointment to see Him die on the cross. However, each of the disciples were considered criminals in the eyes of Rome. Even after Jesus' resurrection and ascent to Heaven, the church continues to seek a connection with Him. These people were heavily persecuted by Rome and many were put to death. Remember, God's true church will be the most heavily persecuted right before He comes back. Perhaps this passage in Solomon is actually prophetic and meant to prepare us for the fate of the church.

Fear of Change

After reading commentaries on this section to clarify what seemed so bizarre, my attention was drawn to several key parts of the story that I had missed! One of the most important things to remember when reading the Bible, is to keep in mind the time period.^[1]

When the woman awakes, the husband is not in the bed with her, he is at her door knocking for permission to enter. At his request to enter, she does not want to get dressed to answer the door. When she finally does decide to give him permission to enter, he has slipped away. This understanding brings about critical details we should pay attention to, both spiritual and literally.

Getting Up

We've all been in that comfort zone where you're nice and toasty in the bed, but something requires you to get up. It takes something of great importance to move you when you're comfortable. We exhibit similar behavior in our lifestyle. When we are use to behaving a particular way, it is difficult to make a change. When God calls us to change (i.e., the husband knocking at the door), we don't want to take the actions necessary to open ourselves to that change (i.e., put on our robe and get our feet cold/dirty).

First Time

Today, people are less likely to actually wait until marriage to have sex, but in Solomon's day the bride was most certainly a virgin. Not only would she have been a virgin, but this was an era in which sex wasn't discussed. Who knows how much, if anything at all, she knew about sex. There was likely a fair amount of nervousness and anxiety about what would happen next. From her own words, we see that while she is hesitant, she is also excited. This also explains her hesitancy to open the door.

His Response

Up until recently, forcing your wife to have sex with you was not legally considered rape, but this passages shows that a man of God would not force his wife. There were many ways in which he could have reacted to her rejection, but he chose to be calm and collected. The husband didn't beat down the door and force his new wife to come to him after being turned down; instead, he gives her time.

A tradition of the time was to mark the bride's door with a scent, which explains why the bride mentions myrrh at the door. This would have been seen as a note to the bride that he had been there.

We receive a similar response from Jesus when we reject Him. He never forces Himself in to our lives. Instead He allows us the opportunity to choose to receive Him. In the case that we reject His call or are slow to answer, He simply leaves us to choose to come to Him.

A Conversation Among "Women"

The bride charges the daughters of Jerusalem to pass along a message to her love, and they respond with a series of questions that basically boil down to asking why is her beloved so special. Is this not the same question we get about God? People often ask why they should serve God and what makes Him the Supreme Authority. People what to know why they should subscribe to these beliefs over those beliefs. Here, the bride is being put on the spot to proclaim what is special about her lover just as the church is always on the spot to speak up for God and proclaim His supremacy.

When seen in visions, a woman represents a church. As the bride is speaking to these women, it could double as a spiritual message in honoring and praising the name of God among churches of all faiths.

Compliments and Praise

Earlier in the book, the lover bestowed 7 compliments on his bride, now we see the bride praise her husband in response to the daughters' of Jerusalem's inquiry to what makes this lover so special.

White and Ruddy

Many of us associate the phrase "white and ruddy" with the literal description of a white person. The first thing in my mind is pale skin with rosy cheeks, but I'm not certain this is what is being described. Throughout the book and especially the compliments given, most things are symbolic or metaphorical. When you think of symbolism, white usually symbolizes purity and ruddiness was a symbol of youth and vitality.^[2] It is quite possible that instead of giving us a physical description of her lover, she is telling us that he is pure in heart and retains the strength of his youth. This is furthered by the compliment's end, which exalts the lover over 10,000 men.

Head of Fine Gold with Bushy Black Hair

It's interesting that previously, she described her lover as white and ruddy, but now refers to his head as gold; most likely each of these descriptions is symbolic and not indicative of actual coloring. Gold is a precious metal which implies his head is extremely valuable. The head is general synonymous with the mind, thus I believe her likening his head to fine gold is an appreciation of his mind.

Some translations of the Bible refer to his hair as wavy, but the KJV describes his hair as "bushy." As a Black female, I am very familiar with term "bushy" hair and it is definitely not the same as wavy. I read this to mean he has a full head of thick curly hair. The color of this hair is described as black. This again tells us that the man is in his youthful prime because he is not balding nor is his hair turning gray.

Dove's Eyes

If you google "dove's eyes" you'll see that there's a prevailing belief that doves can only focus on one thing at a time. It is thought that doves are innocent and peaceful, thus adding the idea that they have such focus only makes their eyes all the more wholesome. In describing his eyes to be like those of a dove, she is calling attention to his focus and innocence.

Cheeks & Lips

In Song of Solomon 5:13, she praises both his cheeks and lips. She compares his cheeks to spices and flowers. When she describes his lips, she adds that they smell of myrrh. Notice that myrrh is also the scent she found at the door. This again ties into the assumption that the scent on the door is a message of sorts for his bride. Interestingly, myrrh is also what is brought to anoint Jesus' body after the crucifixion. It's a bit odd to see the extreme difference of use, but then, today flowers are the hallmark of romantic relationships and when people die, they bring flowers to the body—I guess it does make sense.

Hands

When discussing his hands, she mentions gold rings set with beryl. Despite my desire to relate the mentioning of rings to their recent wedding, the tradition of wearing rings to symbolize marriage was not popular at the time.^[3] Instead, I guess the focus should be on gold (wealth) and beryl. Beryl is a blue green mineral that comes in several varieties, one of which is emerald.^[4] Both of these represent wealth, but the addition of a precious stone like beryl brings about the connotation of beauty. Since hands are symbolic of action (e.g., get your hands dirty), this may be a statement about his actions. It seems be saying that he is able to create beautiful and valuable things. This definitely makes sense in the context of Solomon being the owner of these hands. One commentary suggests this is referencing his ability to complete God's mission for him.^[1] Other translations of the Bible compare his arms to rods of gold, and the NIV uses topaz instead of beryl.

Belly/Body

She describes his belly as being bright like "ivory overlaid with sapphires." The belly, or stomach, is pretty much the base or foundation of the body, at least for me it is. If my leg hurts, I can usually muster the strength to continue, but if my stomach hurts, I'm down for the count. Because of it's location and sensitivity, it controls the rest of me. In other translations, body is used instead of belly, reaffirming that she is speaking of his whole self.

Some may argue that her comparison of his body to ivory infers that he is white, but the fact that she adds the notion of being overlaid with sapphires (or lapis lazuli in some translations) tells me this is purely a metaphor. So, what do they represent? In today's society, ivory is very valuable. Unfortunately people hunt and kill elephants just for their ivory tusks.^[5] Ivory has been popular for quite some time and is often used for statues, sculptures, and jewelry.^[6] Sapphire and lapis lazuli are both blue stones used for decorative purposes. Both are expensive.^[7] Based on this understanding of the gems, we could say she if calling the person valuable.

I didn't want to miss any meaning, so I also checked to see what the Bible says about these stones. In 1 Kings 10:18 we see the king made a throne out of ivory. Thus, this was not only considered a luxury material even in Solomon's era, but it was a sign of royalty. Sapphire is closely associated with God. In Exodus 24:10, Sapphire is seen below God's feet. Ezekiel sees sapphire in his visions of Heaven in Ezekiel 1:26 and 10:1. Thus, Biblically it would seem to point to godliness and kingship. This directly correlates to the interpretation that the groom is meant to be Jesus and the bride, the church.

Strong Legs

She describes his legs as pillars of marble set upon fine gold. It's easy to gloss over "pillars" and dwell on the luxury and lavishness of marble and gold, but I believe pillars is a better clue to the meaning than marble or gold. Pillars are strong architectural features whose sole purpose is to hold up a building. They are strong and hold up heavy burdens. Marble and gold are rich materials, that are both beautiful and enduring, so it makes sense that you would use such materials to build such important features.

Countenance

She likens his countenance to Lebanon, referencing their cedars. The cedars of Lebanon are what the Temple was forged from, so we know they were associated with worth and holiness. Cedars are tall, strong trees that are not easily blown down, which further solidifies the strength and power of the lover.

Mouth

Once again, she comments on his mouth. At first, she specified his lips, but now, she speaks of his mouth as whole. In the first reference to his lips, coupled with the mentioning of his cheeks, it seems sensual. When I think of lips and cheeks, I think of kisses, but now that she refers to his mouth being sweet and him being altogether lovely, I think more on his words. Your words and thoughts come out of your mouth and what you say combined with what you do (hands=actions) is what make you a lovely person.

Friend

The last thing she says isn't really a compliment, but I thought it was interesting. Disney and Hollywood promote this idea of love at first sight. The focus of relationships in movies is often on romance and passion, but after being asked what's so special about her beloved, she states that he is her friend. Friendship is clearly apart of the relationship, which I think is important to remember.

Concubines and Queens

In Song of Solomon 6:8-9, the lover mentions concubines and queens. Solomon was known for his many wives and concubines, which makes me wonder if these women are the other wives of Solomon? He mentions 60 queens and 80 concubines which would be near the beginning of his collection of wives (in total he had 300 wives and 700 concubines).

Feeding the interpretation that Song of Solomon doubles as an allegory for the love between Christ and the church, verse 9 makes mention of daughters, a mother, and the bride being undefiled. In a literal sense, we take this to speak of her virginity. Most likely she was the only daughter, perhaps even the only child and the other women of the city praised her for purity. Spiritually, we can make connections to churches. Just as there is the bride of Christ, which is His church, Revelation 17 talks about the Whore of Babylon and the mother of harlots. Here we see a false church and her daughters in direct contrast to the faithful (i.e., undefiled) church of God.

The Lover's Response

Song of Solomon 6 seems to be the lover's response to being rejected by his new bride. He is not angry, but rather hopeful that she will come to him soon. He praises her and beckons for her to return to him.

Reunited

Song of Solomon 7 reunites the couple. When he greets his beloved, he is not upset about whatever miscommunication they had previously but instead, showers her with compliments and praises.

References

1. David Guzik. "Song of Solomon 5 Commentary". Enduring Word.
2. Holman Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1118. 2014
3. Noreen. "The Origins of Wedding Rings and Why They're Worn on the 4th Finger of the Left Hand". Today I Found Out. September 27, 2010
4. "Beryl". Wikipedia; visited December 2017
5. Sasha Mushegian. "Appalled by the Illegal Trade in Elephant Ivory, a Biologist Decided to Make His Own". Smithsonian Magazine. May 10, 2017
6. "Ivory". Wikipedia; visited December 23,2017
7. Lee Milby. "Blue Sapphire and Lapis Lazuli | A brief history of stones". Soho Gem. August 31, 2014

Ecclesiastes 3: A Time For Everything

If I was in some weird experiment where I had to give advice to someone without knowing the problem, I'd direct them to Ecclesiastes 3:1-9. Granted, I don't think it fixes all problems (especially not without discussion) but it covers pretty much everything.

Introduction

If you've been following along, you probably wondered why I skipped from Ecclesiastes 1&2 to Ecclesiastes 4 without talking about Ecclesiastes 3. I wish I had some grand reason, but the truth it is, I wrote the following post back in August with the intent to publish it before I published the post on Ecclesiastes 4. Evidently, after I finished the post, I waited to publish it to find an appropriate picture and somehow forgot all about it. So, this post has been sitting in my drafts since late August... Well, as this chapter famously states, there's a time for everything and I guess this is the appointed time God had for it's publication. Sorry for the delay!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 is probably the most well remembered and often quoted passage from Ecclesiastes. I've even heard non-believers quote these verses or at least the essence of these verses. Once Solomon explains to us that there are seasons for everything in our lives, he delves into an interesting discussion on death.
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Seasons

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Curtis MacNewton

When I was in middle school, I felt like everyone quoted this passage on repeat for every situation. It was hard to take in the beauty of Solomon's words because I was so busy trying to get to the next season. However, each season is necessary to enjoy the others! What's more, just like every region on the planet experiences seasons differently, and even at different times, we experiences our season at different rates and magnitudes.

Despite it being cliche, these verses really do cover most life experiences. Solomon doesn't just give us these verses to remember for our own situations, however. Each verse gives us advice on choosing appropriate behavior among others. We must use the discernment of the Holy Spirit to determine when we should speak up and when we should fall back, when we should carry on with the fun versus when we withdraw into a more solemn stance. We must know which battles are worthy of being fought—even God will declare war on Satan when the time is right.

If I had to give advice without knowing the problem, this is the passage I'd direct the person to.

Finality

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.Ecclesiastes 3:14 KJV

I find myself telling people "God has a plan for your life" all the time. Ecclesiastes 3:14 is the verse I need to be quoting. Nothing can change the destiny God has set for us. God appointed David king, nothing was going to change that. God said He's going to put an end to evil, nothing is going to change that. If you hand over your life to God and let Him map out your future, you are guaranteed to end up where He wants you. Neither the devil nor your earthly enemies can change that.

Death

Solomon reminds us that we are no better than animals when it comes to death. This is the ultimate punishment for sin—we must die. He concludes that the only thing that separates us is our works. This is a key statement for the faith vs. works debate. The reason we should rejoice over our works is because we were given the free will to complete them. Our faith in God (which is what saves us) dictates our behavior and we have the choice to believe or not believe. Animals don't have this luxury.

Song of Solomon 3-5: The Wedding

What's the most exciting and important part of a relationship? Did you guess the wedding? The middle of Song of Solomon gives us front row access to the marriage of a couple deeply in love with each other, with the intent of reminding us of our own upcoming marriage to Christ. It's pretty powerful, if you ask me.

Introduction

The last half of Song of Solomon 3, the whole of Song of Solomon 4, and the first verse of Song of Solomon 5 take us through the actual wedding of the couple. We see the groom lavish the bride with praise and experience the joy of these two uniting in love. This joy should extend to our reunification with Christ, as well! There's tons of metaphors and symbolism throughout these chapters and I'm sure I've missed some of it. Song of Solomon is proving to be one those books I'm going to have to read a few more times before I feel like I truly understand the whole of it.
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The Wilderness and A Pillar of Cloud

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?Song of Solomon 3:6 KJV

The question posed in Song of Solomon 3:6 references the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land. In that time, they were lead by God who appeared as a pillar of fire during the night and a pillar of cloud during the day. The second portion of the question, though not directly related to escape from Egypt, is also tied to God. Frankincense and myrrh are two of the gifts given to Jesus in celebration of His birth. Frankincense is mentioned heavily in Leviticus as the oil priests used to give offerings to God. Myrrh is not only brought to Jesus at His birth, but also at His death (Mark 15:23-24 and John 19:39-40).

Spiritually, this question takes us full circle, from the original covenant with the Israels (born of their escape from Egypt), to the new covenant given to all the world (born of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and acceptance of the role as High Priest).

In the context of the relationship and wedding discussed in the song, I think it is the bride enamored by the power and might of her husband. The next verses go on to describe a display of power and wealth.

King Solomon

King Solomon appears to make a grand entry with many soldiers. The KJV refers to Solomon's bed, while others refer to the object as a carriage. Song of Solomon 3:9 refers to a chariot made by Solomon, so I guess this object was some sort of carriage or chariot used to transport the king. It was ornately recorded with silver, gold, and purple, as well as, guarded by 60 valiant soldiers.

7 Praises

Song of Solomon 4 starts with Solomon praising the beauty of his bride; he gives 7 praises. I believe there may be spiritual significance for each of these, though only a few presented obvious spiritual connections to me. If God ever reveals more about the spirituality of these praises to me, I will of course post the revelation. In the mean time, if you seem something that I've missed, feel free to share in a comment below.

Overall Beauty

First he calls her fair—if you remember from chapter one, we have already been told that the bride has a darker complexion, so we must understand fair to mean beautiful.

Hair

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/广博 郝

He then compliments her hair. He says there are doves' eyes in her hair and it is like a flock of goats. As strange of a compliment as that might be, it has meaning. In Song of Solomon 1:15 and 5:12, doves' eyes are mentioned as well. Newer translations continue this pattern of referring to her actual eyes as being like those of a dove (see the NKJV, NIV, or NLT), while the KJV asserts that the doves' eyes are in her locks (or hair). In the former instances it is a direct reference to the eyes of the bride and groom being focused on one another. Doves, it turns out, can only focus on one object at a time due to the physiology of their body.^[1] So how does that relate to hair? One commentary suggests it is a statement about modesty.^[2]

I haven't been able to verify from a scientific study that doves' eyes work in this way, though it seems to be a very common opinion and phrase (it even showed up in Urban Dictionary!) What I do know is that Biblically, the dove is a sign of hope and humility. It is the dove that brings back the olive branch to Noah after the water has receded from the flood (Genesis 8:11). Doves were also the accepted sacrifice for those who were too poor to offer a larger, more expensive animal. Of all the birds in the bird kingdom, I feel like doves are most often spoken of in the Bible and most exalted. Thus, whatever Solomon is saying about her hair, it must be a compliment.

The reference to goats is much easier to understand. This is a reference to the texture of her hair. Goat's hair was used in the construction of the tabernacle, which means it was highly favored and valuable. It's been a while since I petted a goat, but if my I remember correctly, their hair is thick but soft.

Teeth

If you just read the first few words on Song of Solomon 4:2, you would think he was praising the whiteness of her teeth. However, he goes on to explain that the sheep he is comparing her teeth to, are fruitful to the point of bearing twins and none of these sheep are bear. What does fruitfulness have to do with teeth?

Red Lips

It's interesting that mankind has had such an obsession with red lips for so long. I don't believe I've ever met a woman with naturally red lips... Nonetheless, the real compliment in this verse is that Solomon not only praises the color of her lips, but the words that are produced from them.

Temples

Next, Solomon compliments her temples by comparing them to pomegranates. Pomegranates are sweet and juicy, which seems like an odd thing to say about one's temples. My study bible suggests temples could be translated as lips,^[3] but the end of the verse places the temples "within thy locks," which seems more accurate for literal temples.

Long Neck

For some reason, a long neck has always been desirable. In Solomon's next compliment, he compares her neck to the tower of David, which we can assume to be tall and fortified. I think it's interesting that we generally think of swan's necks as the more poetic comparison, emphasizing grace and beauty, but Solomon chose something powerful and strong instead. Her neck isn't just long to be beautiful but to provide strength.

Bosom

As much as we can argue what is taught versus natural in attraction, it seems inevitable that Solomon would get to his love's bosom. His final compliment is for her boobs. Although it seems self explanatory from a fleshly mindset, I think it's interesting spiritually.

All mammals who come into the world rely on their mother's bosom to provide nourishment, otherwise they will die. Similarly, Jesus relies on the church to go out and spread the gospel. Without believers proclaiming Jesus Lord, millions of souls will be lost.

Without Blemish

We always say that no one is perfect, but God created us perfectly; we are beautiful to him, regardless of society has led us to believe. In Song of Solomon 4:7, Solomon tells his bride that she has no spot, blemish, or fault. When the church is presented to Christ as a bride, the same will be true for us—not be cause we have been perfect in our ways for life, but because Jesus has washed away our spiritual imperfection with His blood.

Sister?

In the concluding section of Song of Solomon 4, the groom refers to the bride as "sister" three times. Although there were marriages between siblings in the early days, after God gave Moses the law, this type of union was expressly forbidden. As such, we can be fairly certain that the groom is not speaking of literal sisterhood. There are many circles in which unrelated people refer to each other as sister or brother. The church is the first that comes to my mind, though there are many other examples. It is quite common for someone to say "this is my sister in Christ." In fact, growing up, many people referred to their elders as Sister or Brother so-and-so instead of Mrs. or Mr. so-and-so.

I know, I know, you want to know if our modern use of the word sister still holds for Solomon's era: it does. Scholars have studied writings of the same era from Egypt and found the same pattern of using the word sister as a term of endearment.^[3]

The Wedding Night

The final set of verse in chapter 4 and the first verse in chapter 5 is heavy laden with metaphors. From gardens planted with fruits and spices, to hone and milk being under the tongue, there's a whirlwind of metaphors to figure out. The most obvious (at least to me) interpretation is that this is the wedding night and the consumption of the marriage.

I can also see this having great spiritual meaning. The garden speaks of Eden and perfection before sin separated us from God. In the garden was the living water, which we know to be Jesus and provides us with eternal life. In the end, it is our ultimate goal to be restored to this state where we can enjoy the presence of God and He can commune with us.

References

1. Mark Lake. "What I Just Learned About The Eyes of a Dove". Follow the LIFE: Learning to live by Christ in us; visited December 9, 2017
2. John Gills. "Song of Solomon 4:1 Commentary". John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, via Bible Study Tools; visited December 9, 2017
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1115-1116. 2015

Song of Solomon 3: Night of Separation

To understand Song of Solomon 3—well Song of Solomon in general, to be honest—it's nice to understand the customs of a Jewish marriage ceremony. The first half of chapter 3 shows us someone who is distraught that their lover is not with them and goes off to find them. I'm fairly certain that the speaker in these verses is the woman, but don't take my word on that.

Introduction

To understand Song of Solomon 3—well Song of Solomon in general, to be honest—it's nice to understand the customs of a Jewish marriage ceremony. The first half of chapter 3 shows us someone who is distraught that their lover is not with them and goes off to find them. I'm fairly certain that the speaker in these verses is the woman, but don't take my word on that.
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Kabbalat Panim

The portion of the ceremony relevant to this chapter is called Kabbalat Panim, and refers to the bride and groom not seeing each other for a week before the actual wedding.^[1] The song seems to only cover one night, but that does not mean the couple in the song only spent one night apart in total. I'm not positive the night of separation in this chapter is in reference to the tradition, mainly because there are many ways it could be interpreted. However, it is something to consider.

Other Definitions of Kabbalat Panim

The first source I checked about Jewish Wedding ceremonies defined Kabbalat Panim as a period of separation between the bride and groom.^[1] However, when I googled this phrase to get a better understanding of the phrase, I found many sites that such this phase of the wedding is something a bit different. The couple appears to be separated but, tt takes place on the wedding day just before the ceremony. By this definition it is an individual ceremony for the bride and one for the groom used to prepare for the wedding.^[5][6]

Similar Traditions in Christianity

In the Christian faith, we typically think of a wedding as a one day affair: the official ceremony followed by a reception. Yet, we can find similarities in customs. Although Christian couples are not separated for a week before the ceremony, most assert it to be "bad luck" to see the bride on the day of the wedding. As such, couples typically spend the night before their wedding night apart and do not see each other until they meet at the altar to give their vows.

Other Interpretations

Although much of this alternative interpretation is pure speculation, I could easily see this referencing a normal night for the couple. It has only been in recent years that an unmarried man and woman could be alone together; it's still not acceptable in some countries. For the couple of the song to see each other in private, they would have had to be very crafty.

I can envision the young man stealing away at night, when the rest of the city would be asleep, to meet the young woman and gain her company. Perhaps she lay in her bed pretending to be asleep until she received a signal from him, or until an appointed hour, when she would join him. On this particular night, the young man may have had trouble getting to her, causing her to panic when he did not arrive.

As I said, this is merely speculation. Personally, I like the neatness the interpretation that it is following the Jewish wedding ceremony tradition because it seems more purposeful, however, I definitely see flaws in this interpretation (but that could be because of my limited understanding of the Jewish wedding ceremony). My study Bible^[7] and Bible commentary^[8] lean more toward the alternative interpretation I provided. I feel like this imagining is heavily influenced by Shakespearean plays and movies set in the victorian era, but at it's core it speaks to a tradition that very well may be as old as the mankind. After all, people have been falling in love and trying to woo each other since the beginning of time.

Separation

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Paul Garaziar

The speaker in Song of Solomon 3:1-5—I believe it is the woman, but I am not positive—is searching for the missing lover. Without knowledge of the Jewish wedding traditions, it seems as though the lover disappeared without telling anyone. I was definitely confused the first time I read through this passage. The combination of my 21st century mind and lack of cultural understanding told me he was out at the club getting his groove on without her (or her in the club without him, depending on who's speaking).

The Literal Interpretation

However, once I learned about the tradition, it seemed less sinister and appeared that the person is merely missing the other during this part of the process. While I've never been married, I can imagine that not seeing someone you love and are set to marry for any period of time would be difficult. In today's society, people probably placate the act of not seeing each other by texting each other, but in Solomon's day, if they weren't together physically, there was no communication!

When we become accustomed to having someone in our life, it's difficult to experience things with out them. This isn't just about spouses, either! Some people feel this way about their children or best friend. We expect to be able to share our all of our emotions, reactions, and ideas with that person as soon as we have them, but when we can't it is burdensome to carry it alone. It is easy to see how this is a statement about our relationships in life, and possibly just as easy to take it as a statement about how we should feel toward God. If we are separated from Him (by sin, of course), we should hop out of our beds (i.e. make a change) and seek Him.

The Prophetic Interpretation

Interestingly, this separation is kind of what happened with Jesus and the church. We know Jesus was separated from God when He took on the sins of the world. After His resurrection, He spent 40 days on Earth before ascending to Heaven. While we still have a connection to Him through the Holy Spirit, He is no longer physically here and the church is separated from her groom. Before Jesus left, He told the church to keep watch for His return. Similarly, in Song of Solomon, the person is eagerly waiting for their lover to return.

Finding The Lover

At the end of the night, the person finds their betrothed and they are happily reunited. What's most interesting about this part of the song is the person's conversation with the watchman. The watchman is asked if he has seen the missing lover and is of little help. When the person asks, however, no name is mentioned. It is assumed that the watchman already knows who the lover is.

If Solomon was the person being searched for, it would definitely explain why the woman didn't need to give a name, and if Solomon was the seeker, it would still make sense that everyone knew whom he was searching for. The same should be true for when we seek Christ, however. Our behavior and demeanor should tell the world that we belong to God. When we go out searching for Him, people should just know that it is Christ we are seeking. The converse is true, as well. Our demeanor should be such that people know Christ is searching for us.

References

1. Chaplain Shlomo Shulman. "Guide to the Jewish Wedding". Aish. June 30, 2001
2. Maurice Lamm. "The Jewish Marriage Ceremony". Chabad.org; visited December 7, 2017
3. Matthew Henry. "Song of Solomon 3 Bible Commentary". Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, via Christianity.com; visited December 8, 2017
4. John Wesley. "Song of Solomon 3 Bible Commentary". John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes, via Christianity.com; visited December 8, 2017
5. "Kabbalat Panim -- Pre-Chupah Reception". Chabad.org; visited December 9, 2017
6. Aliyah. "Jewish Wedding 101: The Kabbalat Panim, Hachnasat Kallah, and The Chosen’s Tish". Jewish Wedding Blog. August 21, 2013
7. Holoman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 1114-1115. 2014
8. William MacDonald. Believer's Bible Commentary, pg. 924. 1995

Adultery: What Would Jesus Do?

So, it's official: Jay-Z cheated on Beyoncé. We already knew this, but we didn't know this until Jay-Z confirmed it in his interview with the NY Times. Hearing the confirmation that Jay-Z did in fact cheat on Beyoncé made me stop to think about cheating—or what the Bible refers to as adultery—in a general sense. As I pondered the issue this past week, I started thinking on all the complexities and went searching for a Biblical answer. I'm not here to speculate on or judge their situation. However I do want to talk about the general question of staying versus leaving after cheating has occurred. As you'll see, this isn't a post on what people should do, just some thoughts I had has I pondered the question and read people's two cents about Beyoncé's decision online.

Introduction

So, it's official: Jay-Z cheated on Beyoncé. We already knew this, but we didn't know this until Jay-Z confirmed it in his interview with the NY Times.^[1] Pretty much every entertainment media outlet there is has reported on it, though I haven't really seen as much about it on social media (of course, I'm not that big on social media, so I might have just missed it). Despite not being a fan of either artist, I already knew about the elevator incident,^[2] the implications of Beyoncé's album, Lemonade, and the implications of Jay-Z's responding album, 4:44. I can't imagine having such personal details about my life on display for the world to see...

Hearing the confirmation that Jay-Z did in fact cheat on Beyoncé made me stop to think about cheating—or what the Bible refers to as adultery—in a general sense. It's not that I've never thought about the issue; it's just that I've never thought about it from an adult perspective. As I pondered the issue this past week, I started thinking on all the complexities and went searching for a Biblical answer. Naturally, I felt compelled to share some of my thoughts.
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Anybody Can Be a Victim

The first thing that really caught my attention on the topic was the fact that people were saying "if Beyoncé can't keep a man from cheating, what hope do the rest of us have." Not only does the statement show how much we idolize people, it proves we don't really understand much about relationships.

Since the majority of us have never had a conversation with Beyoncé, we really don't know what she's like as a person. We don't really know what Jay-Z is like as person either. The reason people are shocked that someone would cheat on Beyoncé is not because they've kicked it with her and know she's a great person to be around, but because she's considered one of the sexiest women in the celebrity world and she's successful career-wise. Guess what, lots of gorgeous and successful celebrities have been cheated on: Halle Berry, Eva Longoria, Justin Timerblake, Jennifer Anniston, etc. Looks are not what makes a relationship successful. Compatibility, trust, communication, and compromise are the major players in any relationship. There are plenty of average looking people who have never been cheated on!

It also bothered me that the blame was some how placed on Beyoncé. Most of the sentences expressing the sentiment that if Beyoncé was getting cheated on, the rest of us were doomed, focused on Beyoncé. Whether Beyoncé is actually a diva who throws tantrums and acts like a brat or as sweet as can be, it was Jay-Z who made the decision the step out on her. Whether he believed he had reason or not, it was his decision to place himself in a compromising situation and that's all on him. Why don't people assume there's problems with the man when these sorts of things happen? After all, Jay-Z basically admits that he had problems within himself that had nothing to do with Beyoncé...

Would You Take Him Back?

But that's enough about them specifically. Like I said, I can't imagine having my personal business out there like that, so I'm not here to speculate on or judge their situation. However I do want to talk about the general question of staying versus leaving after cheating has occurred. As you'll see, this isn't a post on what people should do, just some thoughts I had has I pondered the question and read people's two cents about Beyoncé's decision online.

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Soroush Karimi

Some people say once a cheater, always a cheater, so you should leave. Others say you should do everything in your power to fight for your marriage. If you're of dating age, I'm sure you've thought about this even if you haven't been cheated on and posed a hypothetical answer. The first time I ever thought about this, I was in high school and I was team "once a cheater, always a cheater." By my early twenties, I at least knew there was a difference between emotional cheating versus physical cheating, but I was still convinced if I found out my hypothetical husband cheated, we were over. Now that I'm approaching 30, my view has become a little more moderate.

What's the Situation?

Every instance of cheating is a different situation. It could be a couple that's been married for 30 years, or a couple that's only been married 5 months. It could be a couple that has children together or a couple that doesn't have any children. Those children could be very young, teenagers, or out of the house. On top of that, it could have been purely physical or it could be emotional... People may decide to work it out for various reasons, and older me has realized, the decision may not be made simply based on what's best for the spouse who was cheated on, but based on the good of the children as well.

What's Biblical?

One of the reasons I had such a hardline stance on cheating in my teenage years and early twenties is because 1) I could only think in terms of boyfriends (I still believe a cheating boyfriend should automatically become an ex) and 2) the Bible is quite clear about adultery. Not committing adultery is one of the Ten Commandments for crying out loud! Plus, it's the only reason the Bible gives as an acceptable reason for divorce.

Interestingly, the Bible does not give us permission to divorce an abusive spouse. I would think physical and emotional abuse were more problematic than adultery. I've heard many people who've renounced their faith cite this interpretation of the Bible as one of those reasons. However, I believe that adultery isn't just physical and this is actually included in adultery.

Spiritual Meaning

Today, we really only talk about adultery as it relates to cheating in earthly relationships. However, the Bible often uses adultery to reference idolatry. God's people are often accused of committing whoredom and adultery when they turn away from God. Jesus said the following:

And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.Matthew 19:9 KJV

In John's prophecy about the end of time, he says:

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.Revelation 17:3-5 KJV

Notice the similarities? The woman is filthy because she committed "fornication," just as the only way a divorce was permitted was in the case of "fornication." We generally translate fornication to sex, but the spiritual connotation in Revelation proves it isn't just referring to sex. James 4:4 and Mark 8:38 also refer to God's people as adulterous, suggesting we commit adultery with "the world." We cannot have sex with "the world," nor are these verses referring to people literally cheating on their spouses. These verses are referencing the people breaking the covenant we have with God!

Throughout the Bible, God uses a woman to symbolize His people; the most common example is the Bride of Christ. When the Israelites and the church are accused of fornication (or whoredom), it isn't because they've had sex with someone but because they broke the covenant. Here we see that simply breaking the covenant is grounds for adultery. In most weddings I've been to, the words "love" and "cherish" have appeared in the vows.^[3] I don't consider abuse loving or cherishing but I digress, that isn't the point of this post. My point is that adultery is much more than sex outside of marriage and has a spiritual parallel.

Forgiveness

Have you ever committed spiritual adultery? Since spiritual adultery is breaking the covenant, whether something major like bowing to a pagan god or as tiny as a little white lie, we've all sinned—thus, we've all committed adultery. Yet, God hasn't quite divorced us. Imagine if God divorced the church the first time we committed adultery! There would be no salvation if this was the case.

What's interesting, however, is what it enables God to do. Jesus tells us to forgive our neighbor and often encourages us to think of it from the perspective of God forgiving us. Basically, I'm not perfect and I want God's forgiveness, which He gives. Since this is the model, I should be willing to forgive those who come to me in earnest for forgiveness. God forgives us time and time again until it's too late. When judgement arrives, those who have not chosen God will be divorced because they didn't keep the covenant (God is upholding His own law). Those who are divorced will be thrown in the lake of fire. God is waiting to the very last moment to expel the adulterers from His kingdom. At the end of time (or the end of our life, whichever comes first), if we haven't repented of our adultery, God will divorce us. So, while it's true that ultimately, God will not maintain His relationship with adulterers, we have to remember that at some point we all sin, which means we all commit adultery against God. With true repentance, He gives us another chance.

Conclusion

The human in me still doesn't think I could forgive someone for cheating—especially in a situation as public as Jay-Z and Beyoncé's; pride would definitely have me feeling some type of way. However, when I think about the forgiveness Jesus extends to us for essentially the same offense, I figure, there has to be a way to move on if both parties are willing. Ultimately, I respect whatever decision a couple makes for their relationship and I hope I, nor you, ever have to make these kinds decisions.

References

1. Dean Baquet. "Jay-z Interview". New York Times. November 29, 2017
2. Stephanie Petit. "JAY-Z and Solange’s Infamous Elevator Fight: Everything They — and Beyoncé — Have Said". People Magazine. August 22, 2017
3. "Traditional Wedding Vows". My Wedding Vows; visited December 6, 2016
4. Al Maxey. "What is Adultery In The Bible?". Grace Centered Magazine; visited December 6, 2017