Devotions

Seek First His Kingdom

by  • 

Jesus teaches about the kingdom of God. God sees everything and God will reward those that receive what Jesus Christ has done for us and turn their lives to do righteousness and justice. In this world though, there is “the evil one” in Matthew 6:13 so Jesus instructed us to pray to “Our Father who is in heaven” in Matthew 6:9. And we are to ask him for what we need in our life, “our daily bread” in Matthew 6:11. Then, as we live our lives, we are to “seek first his kingdom and righteousness” in Matthew 6:33 and to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” in Matthew 6:20. Our place in God’s kingdom begins right here, right now as we receive what Jesus has come to bring us in Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Your Father Who Sees In Secret Will Reward You

Matthew 6:1–4

Whenever You Pray

Matthew 6:5–8 

Pray This Way

Matthew 6:9–15
Jesus continues his instruction for prayer by telling us to honor the name of the Lord, the one who is “Our Father”, the one who “is in heaven” in Matthew 6:9. And while He is in heaven, Jesus tells us to ask for God’s kingdom to come, to arrive, to be here on earth and to ask for people to be intent on doing his will “as it is in heaven” in Matthew 9:10. There is a recognition in this prayer that there is another kingdom operating in the earth, that there is another will operating and though God has all power and all ability, He has given us the will to choose between them.

Then Jesus says to ask for three things:

  • “our daily bread” in Matthew 6:11, because the provision is from the Lord.
  • “forgive us our debts” in Matthew 6:12, because we fall short and offenses come.
  • “deliver us from the evil one” in Matthew 6:13, because he seeks to destroy

We have access to God if we will choose Him and Jesus wants us to understand that the “evil one” is a thief, a destroyer as he said in

John 10:10 The thief comes only so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Whenever You Fast

Matthew 6:16–18 

Store Up Treasures In Heaven

Matthew 6:19–24
We know the way of the world, things run down, they break down, and there are those that simply take what they want as Jesus describes in Matthew 6:19. But Jesus isn’t saying don’t try to live, he just said pray for your daily bread, pray for the provision you need to live and it says in

Psalm 128:2 You will indeed eat of the labor of your hands; you will be happy and it will be well with you.

and having possessions in this world and enjoying the work of life is called the gift of God in

Ecclesiastes 5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

so Jesus isn’t saying don’t work and he isn’t saying to live in poverty or the ascetic life some propose, what he is saying is there is something more than seeking wealth in the earth. He is saying what is spoken of in

1 Timothy 6:9–10 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge those people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all evil, by which some, because they desire it, have gone astray from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

What Jesus is saying is that

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is a great means of gain.

 

Seek First His Kingdom

Matthew 6:25–34
In this message from Jesus, the justification is given before the instruction. He says “For this reason” in Matthew 6:24, and as he just said, set your heart on the kingdom of heaven, and now he says, look at the world around you and understand in

Matthew 6:27 And who among you, by being anxious, is able to add one hour to his life span?

He says, don’t waste yourself in worry as the people of the world do in

Matthew 6:31–32 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?,’ 32 for the pagans seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

Now, here is the instruction in

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

It has always been this way with God, blessing follows righteousness as in

Genesis 18:19 “For I have chosen him, that he will command his children and his household after him that they will keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham that which he said to him.”

First Remove The Beam

Matthew 7:1–6

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Matthew 6:13-34
  • Matthew 7:1-6
Devotions

You Are The Salt of the Earth

by  • 

The world is looking at us. We are an example to them of God’s love. The way of the world is simple, in Matthew 5:43 “hate your enemies”. But God’s desire is that all will be saved, that all would come to recognize his love and he demonstrates this in Matthew 5:45 “he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust”. So it is not enough for us to mark those evildoers and to separate ourselves from them, he says in Matthew 5:24 “go be reconciled to your brother”. He says in Matthew 5:44 “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. As Jesus said in John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another”. 

You Are The Salt of the Earth

Matthew 5:13–16
This is called the sermon on the mount where Jesus is not just talking to his disciples, but to everyone in the crowd that had gathered to hear about the kingdom of God. And to all of them Jesus says in

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, by what will it be made salty? It is good for nothing any longer except to be thrown outside and trampled under foot by people”.

Salt was a well known and very valuable commodity used as a preservative, and also as a token of covenant “So in the Bible it is used as an emblem of the Covenant (‘a covenant of salt’) between J″ and His people (Nu 18:19, 2 Ch 13:5).”1

but Jesus goes on to offer another analogy saying in

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden

We are to be seen, we are here for that purpose and though it may sometimes be uncomfortable to have eyes on us, this is just what God intends in

Matthew 5:16 In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

I Have Not Come To Destroy the Law

Matthew 5:17–20 

First Be Reconciled To Your Brother

Matthew 5:21–26
The Jewish people understood the law of Moses, beginning with the ten commandments, “Do not commit murder in Matthew 5:21. But Jesus presses them to think before the act of murder and recognize that anger comes first and is subject to the same judgement as murder in

Matthew 5:22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’ will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’ will be subject to fiery hell.

But then Jesus turns this around from the one who is angry and says to the one who knows his brother is angry with him in

Matthew 5:23–24 Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your gift.

How can we stand before God with a clear conscience when we know there is an accusation, an unsettled offense that may end in judgement? He says in Matthew 5:25 “settle the case”.

Throw It From You!

Matthew 5:27–32

Do Not Swear At All

Matthew 5:33–37

Do Not Turn Away From the One Who Wants

Matthew 5:38–42 

Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:43–48
Jesus presses the crowd to go beyond what they have learned in

Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’

We can understand this statement, “love your neighbor” because they are like us and maybe have similar goals and values. And we can understand this statement “Hate your enemy” because they are against us and we all like to have someone to blame for our trouble. And isn’t it easy to hold an offense and use it to avoid that trouble maker? But separating yourself, blaming them, pointing your finger at them isn’t the way God operates in

Matthew 5:44–45 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Matthew 5:13-48

References

  • 1. Hull, E. (1911–1912). SALT. In J. Hastings, J. A. Selbie, A. B. Davidson, S. R. Driver, & H. B. Swete (Eds.), A Dictionary of the Bible: Dealing with Its Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology (Vol. 4, p. 355). New York; Edinburgh: Charles Scribner’s Sons; T. & T. Clark.
Devotions

Follow Me

by  • 

Something truly miraculous happened when Jesus Christ was born. God came and walked among us. So, when John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!”, he was introducing a whole new relationship, a whole new access to God because in the past, in Hebrews 9:8 “The Holy Spirit was making this clear, that the way into the holy place was not yet revealed, while the first tent was still in existence”. But now, God was demonstrating His Holy Spirit and His character and nature in a man to “the devil” and to everyone that believed. As Jesus said in John 5:36 “But I have a testimony greater than John’s, for the works which the Father has given to me that I should complete them—the very works which I am doing—these testify about me, that the Father has sent me” so that later it was testified of him in Acts 10:38 Jesus of Nazareth—how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

Repent, The Kingdom of Heaven Has Come Near!

Matthew 3:1–12

This Is My Beloved Son

Matthew 3:13–17 

If You Are The Son of God

Matthew 4:1–11
It isn’t surprising that “the devil” would be first to try to tempt Jesus after he is baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit. But it is the Holy Spirit that leads Jesus to a place where “the devil” has access to tempt him in

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil

The word used here, “to be tempted” is πειρασθῆναι from the root πειράζω (peirazō) and its primary meaning is “examine, submit another to a test, to learn the true nature or character of (2Co 13:5)”1 and both the Holy Spirit and “the devil” were interested in proving “the true nature or character” of Jesus.

The difference though is that the Holy Spirit was demonstrating the goodness of God, the strength of God, the perfect will of God through Jesus Christ while “the devil”, is described as “the tempter” using πειράζων, the same root word indicating a slightly different meaning here which is “try to trap, attempt to catch in a mistake (Mt 16:1; Jn 8:6 v.r.; Heb 11:37 v.r.) … tempt, test for purposes of making one sin (Mk 1:13; Ac 5:3 v.r.) … attempt, try to do something, implying not succeeding at the endeavor (Ac 9:26)”.1

As “the devil” talks to Jesus he always begins his statements by casting doubt with “If you are the Son of God …”, but Jesus knew who he was and was able to resist by speaking the truth with authority.

The People Who Sit In Darkness Have Seen A Great Light

Matthew 4:12–17 

Follow Me

Matthew 4:18–22
Jesus began to call men to follow him. It seems that he was just walking by and happened across Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:18 but Jesus was already known by them because of the words of John the Baptist to his followers in

Mark 1:7–8 And he was preaching, saying, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

and they had met Jesus in John 1:35-42. So, when Jesus came to them, they knew something bigger than John’s ministry was about to happen and they wanted to be a part of it in

Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.”

they did just that in

Matthew 4:20 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

as did James and John in Matthew 4:21-22. 

Teaching and Proclaiming and Healing

Matthew 4:23–25
Something bigger did happen with Jesus. John had said in

Matthew 3:2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

but Jesus said in

John 5:36 “But I have a testimony greater than John’s, for the works which the Father has given to me that I should complete them—the very works which I am doing—these testify about me, that the Father has sent me.

and Jesus did this as in

Matthew 4:23 And he went around through all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Jesus not only said repent, but he also demonstrated his authority to forgive sin and set people free from their effects in

Matthew 9:5–6 For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home.”

Blessed Are …

Matthew 5:1–12

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Matthew 3:1-17
  • Matthew 4:1-25
  • Matthew 5:1-12

References

  • 1. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Devotions

She Will Give Birth to a Son

by  • 

We know love as it happens between a man and a woman or as we have it as parents for our children and we know it can be strong and sometimes raises a passionate defense to protect our loved ones. The love of God for us is even stronger and is demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ in John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth”. This God did to bring himself as a sacrifice for our sin in Matthew 1:21 “And she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.” Jesus was born “the son of God” (see 1 John 5:12) and was protected by God, and raised by Joseph and Mary fulfilling prophecy about him until he came into the fullness of His ministry on earth.

Let Us Rise Early

Song of Solomon 7:10–13 

Set Me As A Seal Upon Your Heart

Song of Solomon 8:1–7
We understand the desire and passion that accompanies romantic love as is described in

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death; passion is fierce as Sheol; its flashes are flashes of fire; it is a blazing flame.

and, as it goes on to say there is nothing that quenches it but to be with the one you love but you cannot buy this feeling, this attraction and desire to be together as in

Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.

While this is difficult for us to separate because we are surrounded by sexual overtones in media all around us, there is a difference between the drive for sexual relations and genuine love. But if we can recognize what genuine love is, we can recognize the passion of God’s love for us. God said of Zion in

Isaiah 49:16 Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

Moses described God in

Deuteronomy 4:24 for Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

Paul recognized that as a minister of the gospel he had a responsibility toward “the bride of Christ” in

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

The Lord has set his seal on us, his Holy Spirit, and desires our affection toward him in return. As Jesus said, in

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another—just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

My Own Vineyard Belongs To Me

Song of Solomon 8:8–14

And David Became the Father of Solomon

Matthew 1:1–17 

She Will Give Birth to a Son

Matthew 1:18–25
Mary and Joseph were betrothed, and in their day, this was a strong bond, a commitment to be married where they began the preparation to share their lives together. And for a young Jewish woman, they would not have sexual relations until the day of their marriage. So, pregnancy was unexpected in

Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred in this way. His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

We get a sense for the strength of the bond of betrothal as Joseph is called “her husband” and he was required to “divorce her” to dissolve the relationship in

Matthew 1:19 So Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wanting to disgrace her, intended to divorce her secretly.

Just as an angel of the Lord had spoken to Mary about this child, the Lord sent a messenger to Joseph telling him what had transpired in

Matthew 1:20–21 But as he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name ‘Jesus,’ because he will save his people from their sins.”

Mary believed and conceived and Joseph believed and became her protector and cared for her through her time of childbirth. There is little said about family and friends because what God was doing was unique and unbelievable to the natural mind. Sometimes God will ask us to do something that others don’t understand and it is for us to believe and agree and move forward even if it doesn’t seem to fit the cultural “norm”.

Where Is The One Who Has Been Born King of the Jews?

Matthew 2:1–12 

Out of Egypt I Called My Son

Matthew 2:13–23
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not in Nazareth, the city of Joseph’s residence (see Luke 2:4–5). And, Jesus was presented to the Lord in Jerusalem in

Luke 2:22 And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

but Herod, the King was now aware of the birth of Jesus and, in his fear of another coming to take his place, threatens Jesus life so Joseph, as father, husband, protector, receives direction from the Lord in

Matthew 2:13 Now after they had gone away, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him.”

Joseph and Mary had received gifts from the wise men so had provision to remain in Egypt until the death of Herod some ten years later (at twelve, Jesus was found in the Temple in Jerusalem see Luke 2:42–52) in

Matthew 2:19–20 Now after Herod had died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the life of the child are dead.”

so Joseph returned as the Lord led him to Nazareth in

Matthew 2:23 And he came and lived in a town called Nazareth, in order that what was said by the prophets would be fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Song of Solomon 7:10–13
  • Song of Solomon 8:1-14
  • Matthew 1:1–25
  • Matthew 2:1–23
Devotions

I Belong To My Beloved

by  • 

From the beginning, God made a man and a woman as one together in Genesis 2:23 And the man said, “She is now bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh; she shall be called ‘Woman,’ for she was taken from man.” and this book, Song of Solomon is a book of that love. It is an example of the way we should speak about each other in Song of Solomon 6:3 “I belong to my beloved and my beloved belongs to me;” and to each other in Song of Solomon 4:1 “Look! You are beautiful, my beloved! Look! You are beautiful!”. Though others may come along to challenge your relationship as in Song of Solomon 6:1 “Where has your beloved gone … Where has your beloved turned”, we are to continue to demonstrate our love as in Ephesians 5:28–30 “Thus also husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body”. And, this love is an outward expression for the world to see as Jesus said in John 13:34–35 “A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another—just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” This love is first demonstrated in our closest personal relationship as husband and wife. 

You Are Flawless

Song of Solomon 4:1–7
This is the way a man should speak to his bride in

Song of Solomon 4:1 Look! You are beautiful, my beloved! Look! You are beautiful!

and again he says in

Song of Solomon 4:7 You are completely beautiful, my beloved You are flawless!

but lest she thinks these are simply platitudes, empty words, he names her features and “Seven features of beauty are specified (So 4:1–5) (“lips” and “speech” are but one feature, So 4:3), the number for perfection. To each of these is attached a comparison from nature: the resemblances consist not so much in outward likeness, as in the combined sensations of delight”.1 He says in Song of Solomon 4:1 “Your eyes are doves from behind your veil” and we might imagine “the large melting eye of the Syrian dove”1.

Some of these compliments are lost on us and we would not think to say “Your hair is like a flock of goats that move down from the mountains of Gilead” but “The imagery indicates … that her long black locks ripple and tumble freely. Most Palestinian goats have long wavy black hair. The movement of a large flock on a distant hill makes it appear as if the whole hillside is alive (cf. 1:5; 5:11)”.2 The intent though, is clear, to express the beauty he sees in her. And as a husband, it is good to remember these words and make them your own in adoration of your wife.

You Have Stolen My Heart

Song of Solomon 4:8–16

My Beloved Had Turned And Gone

Song of Solomon 5:1–8

This Is My Beloved

Song of Solomon 5:9–16 

I Belong To My Beloved And My Beloved Belongs To Me

Song of Solomon 6:1–7
Being married, being in love, does not mean spending every moment together and there are always those around that are wondering, and even planting thoughts of separation as they are here in

Song of Solomon 6:1 Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned that we may seek him with you?

but this is secure love, a secure relationship and she doesn’t hesitate a moment to speak about where he is in

Song of Solomon 6:2 My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the garden bed of the spice, to pasture his flock and to gather lilies in the garden.

then she answers their speculations and makes it clear in

Song of Solomon 6:3 I belong to my beloved and my beloved belongs to me; he pastures his flock among the lilies.

she is secure in their relationship, they are one. 

My Dove She Is The One

Song of Solomon 6:8–13
There are many women that are in the court of the king, and for each of us, their many people in our sphere of influence, yet for the king, as for us, there is one in

Song of Solomon 6:9 My dove, she is the one; my perfect, she is the only one; she is the favorite of her mother who bore her. Maidens see her and consider her fortunate; queens and concubines praise her:

and this is the way it is to be between a man and a woman, there is one, “the one”, that for you is described by

Song of Solomon 6:10 “Who is this that looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, overwhelming as an army with banners?”

This is the one that you wait for, the one you want to look back at you in

Song of Solomon 6:13 Turn, turn, O Shulammite! Turn, turn so that we may look upon you! Why do you look upon the Shulammite as at a dance of the two armies?

How Beautiful You Are

Song of Solomon 7:1–9

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Song of Solomon 4:1–16
  • Song of Solomon 5:1–16
  • Song of Solomon 6:1–13
  • Song of Solomon 7:1–9

References

  • 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 421). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 2. Carr, G. L. (1984). Song of Solomon: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 19, p. 125). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Devotions

Catch The Little Foxes

by  • 

Throughout the Song of Solomon, the language between the two lovers is elaborate, maybe overstated, maybe even exaggerated, yet they are each using positive, affirming and encouraging words. They are expressing their love for each other and there is no other as in Song of Solomon 1:15, 16 “Look! You are beautiful, my beloved …”. They are anticipating their next encounter and even seeking to find each other as in Song of Solomon 3:4 “when I found him whom my heart loves. I held him and I would not let him go”. It seems in their love for each other there is some positive idealistic distortion, they see each other as being perfect. And isn’t this the way the Lord sees us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him” and in Romans 8:1–2 “Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death”. Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39). He only asks us to walk in that love and forgive as offense come.

The Teacher Wrote What Is Upright—Truthful Words

Ecclesiastes 12:9–14

Let Us Be Joyful And Let Us Rejoice

Song of Solomon 1:1–8 

Look! You Are Beautiful

Song of Solomon 1:9–17
We don’t understand the comparisons made as complements of beauty to “my beloved” in Song of Solomon 1:9. I think few women would receive being called “a mare among the chariots” as a compliment but “In the ancient Near East, only stallions were used to pull chariots. Releasing a mare among chariots would excite and distract the stallions. With this comparison, the man tells the woman that she is desirable to all men”1. But it is this ongoing string of positive affirmations that are so important in appreciating our spouse and he promises gifts in

Song of Solomon 1:11 We will make ornaments of gold for you with studs of silver.

then describes how he feels beginning with the phrase “My beloved is to me …” in Song of Solomon 1:13 and again in 14. And he continues describing her eyes and her demeanor repeating the phrase “Look! You are beautiful, my beloved …” in Song of Solomon 1:15, 16.

I Am A Rose of Sharon

Song of Solomon 2:1–7 

Catch The Little Foxes

Song of Solomon 2:8–17
She also responds with anticipation, “The voice of my beloved! Look! Here he comes” in Song of Solomon 2:8 “Look! He is … gazing through the window” in Song of Solomon 2:9. He is calling her to come with him in

Song of Solomon 2:10 My beloved answered and said to me, “Arise, my beloved! Come, my beauty!

It is springtime and the time for an outing, it is time for them to be together “in the secluded place in the mountain” in Song of Solomon 2:14. But even as they express their love and desire for each other, there is a recognition that trouble, offense, discontent can creep in so they must also be aware and in

Song of Solomon 2:15 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes destroying vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom!

 

I Sought Him Whom My Heart Loves

Song of Solomon 3:1–11
When we are married, and in love, we are also lonely when we are separated. It is normal and good to want to be together as in

Song of Solomon 3:2 Now I will arise, and I will go about in the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my heart loves. I sought him, but I did not find him.

but she didn’t stop looking until she did find him and in

Song of Solomon 3:4 Scarcely had I passed by them when I found him whom my heart loves. I held him and I would not let him go until I brought him to the house of my mother, into the bedroom chamber of she who conceived me.

While this may seem odd, it “Indicates the woman’s intention to enjoy intimacy in a secure, private place (compare Song 8:2) … the woman actively pursues her beloved, bringing him back to her mother’s house.”2 and it is right that a woman continues this close relationship with her mother. It is the man that leaves his parents in

Matthew 19:5 and said, ‘On account of this a man will leave his father and his mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Ecclesiastes 12:9–14
  • Song of Solomon 1:1–17
  • Song of Solomon 2:1–17
  • Song of Solomon 3:1–11

References

  • 1. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (So 1:9). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 2. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (So 3:4). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.