ESV Global Study Bible :: The Global Message of The Song of Solomon

THE GLOBAL MESSAGE OF
THE SONG OF SOLOMON

The Song of Solomon paints a beautifully passionate, pure, and even provocative picture of marriage and sexuality. It may seem remarkable, to Christians and nonbelievers alike, that such a book is a part of the biblical canon. And how different Scripture would be without this book! What, then, is the global message of the Song of Solomon? What message does the universal church need to hear from its pages?

God's Glorious Design in Marriage and Sexuality

Sexuality was God's idea. Human sexuality is one of God's most marvelous and blessed ideas. God is not boring, prudish, or ashamed of sex. To make the mating procedure whereby procreation takes place an experience of intense attraction, intense bonding, and intense pleasure was his idea! The beauty of human sexuality is expressed thoroughly and without hesitation in the Song of Solomon. The very first words of the young maiden express her intense desire for her beloved: "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!" (Song 1:2). There is a refreshing freedom, joy, and delight expressed by the couple in their passionate mutual admiration (1:9-10; 12-16; 2:9; 14; 4:1-15; 5:10-16; 6:5-10; 7:1-9), their intense sexual longing for marriage (1:2-2:17; 7:11-8:3), and the final and wonderful consummation of their marriage bond.

God's gift to all humanity. The command to become one flesh pre-dates the fall (Gen. 1:28). Sex was not a concession to sinful mankind. It was a blessed provision and gift from God for humanity to enjoy. It is a gift of common grace.

God's design for sexuality. God designed sex to be enjoyed within the marriage context. The repeated admonition not to "stir up or awaken love until it pleases" emphasizes that there is a right and a wrong time for sex (see Song 2:7; 3:5; 8:4). Scripture strongly forbids the improper use and context of sex. For example, sex outside of marriage, or with someone other than one's spouse, or with someone of the same sex are explicitly prohibited (Lev. 18:22; Prov. 5:20-23; 1 Cor. 6:9). Yet Scripture just as strongly commends the full enjoyment of sex within the God-ordained context of marriage (Prov. 5:15-19; 1 Cor. 7:3). Such sexual enjoyment between a husband and wife is a blessed expression of lifelong commitment and mutual delight. There is joyful celebration of the beauty of creation in the human body in all its features and distinctiveness. There is a wonder and glory in God's creation of male and female, and the beauty of each gender complements the other. There is freedom and security found in unrivaled, exclusive, passionate, and lifelong commitment.

The Song of Solomon is refreshingly honest in acknowledging that waiting for love and not misusing sexuality are difficult. Sexual longing is not wrong, but sexual enjoyment before marriage defiles God's design. Though sexual desire is great, sexual enjoyment must be waited for and enjoyed in God's proper timing and design.

The World's Broken Sexuality

This is a message that our world needs to hear. One of the most painful expressions of the fall of mankind in our world today is in the area of sexuality. Sexuality is broadly misunderstood, misused, and abused. While various cultures and each generation offer varied and supposedly "progressive" perspectives on sexuality, God's view is timeless.

We live in a fallen world in need of a Savior. Marital conflict, divorce, sexual immorality, and sexual abuse teach us of the painful impact of sin and each person's desperate need for a Savior. The Internet has radically transformed the nature of pornography, now that it is almost universally accessible. Around the world there is an unprecedented amount of trafficking in human beings, a large proportion of whom are exploited and abused in the sex industry. Such abuse of men, women, and even children, all of whom are made in God's image and have inherent dignity, is wicked. Indeed, it is one of the most God-offending, pervasive, and evil forms of wrongful sexuality in our world today.

The Global Church's Witness in Sexuality

Through Christ, God's design for humanity in all its fullness is being restored and renewed. The Song of Solomon presents a picture of God-honoring sexual delight that is one expression of the blessed life that we have in Christ and his glorious redemption.

Christians, however, have often been among those who have misunderstood or misused sexuality. Some have taught or have been taught to be ashamed of sex. To lack joy and delight in the gift of sexuality within marriage is to miss God's perfect design and provision. There is also brokenness in the global church because of failing marriages, adultery, and sexual abuse. Such sexual abuse has stained not only the church but also its leaders.

There is a need for discussion and teaching about sexuality within the church. This is utterly countercultural in some societies, where sex is not something openly discussed. Whatever its cultural situation, however, the church must take up its responsibility to teach about such topics rather than allowing its people to learn about sexuality from secular society.

Discussion and teaching about issues of sexuality should be forthright but also appropriately modest. It requires cultural sensitivity and biblical wisdom. The content of such teachings and discussions will likely challenge cultural norms. In addition to such discussion there is need for repentance, gospel renewal, mentoring, and encouragement.

Our Witness to the World regarding Sexuality

The area of sexuality and the beautiful picture presented in the Song of Solomon are opportunities to share with the world the blessed "otherness," the holiness and beauty, of the Christian faith.

The original meaning of the word "martyr" is "witness." This word was used in the early days of Christianity not merely for those who suffered death for the faith; it was more broadly applied to every Christian's privilege to bear witness to Christ and the Christian faith, whether in life or death. As witnesses, Christians have the tremendous opportunity to share and to show to the world the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the glorious vision of a life renewed in the gospel. Such witness can be displayed to the world in each sphere of life—in finances, work, family, leisure, study, and even in sexuality.

Christians should have more accurate things to say about sex and a more rightful enjoyment of sex than anyone. This is a part of our living and visible witness to the world—that God and God's ways are right and righteous and joy-filled. The enjoyment and the jealous protection of love are "flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord" (Song 8:6). Through Christ, God is jealously and graciously restoring humanity. A part of that restoration is in the blessed enjoyment of and witness to God's wonderful gift of sexuality.