Monday, July 20, 2009

More on the Giving Nature of God

A quick recap of Song of Solomon (SOS) Chapter One.

After the introducing of the book in verse 1, the Beloved goes right into praising the Lover, longing for Him in verses 2 and 3. In verse 4 he brings her into his presence, where she is exhilarated and the choir joins in praise. By the way, according to a verse in the Psalms, the Beloved came into the presence of the Lover the correct way.

Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.

Then once in his presence the Beloved becomes painfully aware of her own shortcomings and confesses them in verses 5 & 6. Even so in verse 7 she asks about his affairs.

In verse 8 the Lover tells her. In verse 9 He compares her to his mare, very lovingly. Then verse 10 the choir joins in to amplify his desire to give gifts to her.

Now we are going to take little excursion into another verse that is an allegory of God's love like a husband to a bride. It is toward a city. Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 16:8 Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord, God.

Vs 9 "Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil.

Vs 10 I also clothed you with embroidered cloth, and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.

Vs 11 And I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands, and a necklace around your neck.

Vs 12 I also put a ring in your nostril, and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.

Vs 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered clothe. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.

Vs 14 Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you," declares the Lord, God.



The above verses are a witness to God's giving nature which is expressed in SOS 1:11

So are the below verses in Hosea. They express God's lovingkindess and tendermercies even to a people, the nation of Israel, who have rebelled against Him.


Hosea 2:8 "For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal."

Vs 14 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness, And speak kindly to her (upon her heart).

Vs 15 Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as the door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

Vs 16 And it will come about in that day," declares the LORD, "That you will call Me Ishi (my husband) And will no longer call Me Baali (my master).

Vs 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more.

Vs 19 And I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion.

Vs 20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD.

Is there any more question about the giving nature of God?

If only those devoted to the idea that SOS is only about married sex could grasp the higher understanding of SOS. Not only is it a love story between Solomon and the Shulammite. So also is it an exchange between the Creator and the crown of His creation, the redeemed of the Lord. It is an expression of praise from one and giving from the other.

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