Wise Words: How to Love

2021-04-11  

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Today, we being a new series entitled…WISE WORDS. Over the coming weeks we will be spending time studying what’s called the Wisdom Books. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon; all written by the wisest man to ever live. While in the Bible they are found in the order above, in our series we are going to walk through these books in the order in which they were written. Solomon wrote his Songs when he was young and in love. He wrote Proverbs as he enjoyed the wisdom God granted to him in middle age. He wrote Ecclesiastes as an old man after having seen the consequences of carelessness and disobedience. 

For our example, A love … 

1. Of overwhelming desire 

Song of Solomon 1:7 (CSB) Tell me, you, the one I love: Where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you let them rest at noon? Why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions? 

• She longed to find Solomon even if it meant she would have to search for him which was unexpected of a “daughter of Jerusalem”
• She was afraid some would accuse her of being a “wanderer” among the shepherds which would infer a promiscuous woman and she wanted to avoid this completely
• There are many who wander today looking for “their love” but because the object of their desire is not clearly defined, they wander aimlessly (2 Tim 3; 2 Tim 4; Eph 4)
• Our love for God must be clearly focused on Him and nothing else 

Song of Solomon 2:14 My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. 

• Here, Solomon longs for her yet in his words he speaks as if she was unreachable
• But his desire was unmistakable 

2. That gives completely 

Song of Solomon 4:6-7 Before the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will make my way to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense. 7You are absolutely beautiful, my darling, with no imperfection in you. 

• This is a statement focusing on the consummation of their marriage, of wanting to be completely hers and her being completely his. This is something that is to be treasured between husband and wife alone.
• In today’s culture, so much of this has been thrown out as not being important.
• Yet, God’s ideal for marriage is vitally important.
• And, God’s ideal for our response to Him is even more important. 

3. That overcomes 

Song of Solomon 5:6-9 I opened to my love, but my love had turned and gone away. I was crushed that he had left. I sought him, but did not find him. I called him, but he did not answer. 7The guards who go about the city found me. They beat and wounded me;  they took my cloak from me— the guardians of the walls. 8Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you: if you find my love, tell him that I am lovesick. 9What makes the one you love better than another, most beautiful of women? What makes him better than another, that you would give us this charge? 

• The woman here gives a statement of loss yet her love has not weakened
• We must stand fully committed to not letting the difficulties of life separate us from the love of God. 
  

Song of Solomon 6:1 Where has your love gone, most beautiful of women? Which way has he turned? We will seek him with you. 

4. That lasts 

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death;  ardent love is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love’s flames are fiery flames — the fiercest of all. 7Mighty waters cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all his wealth for love, it would be utterly scorned. 

• The image given here is of the kind of love that cannot be defeated or destroyed
• Today, love is looked at as something that can easily be discarded or dismissed at the first sign of trouble.
• God has given us a clear directive…LOVE. 
  

1 Corinthians 13:7-8a (NKJV) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.