Day 25- The Greatest Love Story

In honor of the ever-so-popular Monday Instagram tradition, I dedicate my ‘Man Crush Monday’ to King Solomon. King Solomon is my dude. I make no point in hiding that the book of Proverbs is my favorite book of the Bible. There are plenty of other great books, but Proverbs is literally a book just of true wisdom and instruction, given to Solomon from God Himself. I have the New Inductive Study Bible, and this is what it says about Proverbs:

“Solomon asked the Lord for an understanding heart so that he could lead the nation of Israel (See 1 Kings 3). In response to that prayer “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like that sand that is on the seashore, Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men… He also spoke 3,000 proverbs” (1 Kings 4:29-32).”

This guy has a lot going for him. Those proverbs and many of his wise sayings make up the book of Proverbs. King Solomon is giving us advice about every day life (yes, still applicable to today), and telling us how we should live our lives for the Lord. These proverbs equip us for life – every aspect of life. And there are conveniently 31 chapters in Proverbs, so you can read a chapter a day for a month! If you ever want to read the Bible, but just don’t know where to begin, open up to Proverbs to the chapter number corresponding with the date! That’s always a good place to start and always ends up being a great devotional. [Editor’s Note- I learned that tip from my dad. The margins of Proverbs in my Bible are filled with so many of my notes I barely have space anymore…I have read this book dozens of times and I get something new out of it each time]

At the beginning of this semester I became involved in a girls bible study group. The topic this semester is the book of the bible Song of Solomon (notice- SOLOMON!!). If I’m being completely honest, I had heard very little about this book and I had no clue what it was about. But after going through this study, I have fallen in love with this book as well. Coincidentally, my older brother’s friend gave me a ‘translation’ book over Song of Solomon last week (he didn’t know I was doing this bible study) and told me he thought going through this book would help me on my journey as it is relevant to the “finding your beauty in Christ’s eyes” premise. He was right.

I CAN’T BEGIN TO TELL Y’ALL HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS BOOK IS. This book is a love story- The greatest of all love stories. King Solomon and his beloved are speaking to and about each other through poem and songs. There is no other book like this in the Bible. The story is beautiful as well as the words through which it is articulated. These words can be taken literally, as it is a love story about Solomon and the Shulamite (according to the translation book, Shulamite is the feminine and Solomon is the masculine of the same Hebrew root word), and it can be taken as a metaphor of Jesus’ love for us and relationship with us (He is the bridegroom [Solomon] and we are the bride [Shulamite]). This story paints the picture of the correct way to approach dating and getting married, as well as demonstrates a passionate love like no other love in this world.

[Editor’s Note- FUN FACT: Apparently young Jewish children weren’t allowed to read this book of the Bible until they reached a certain age, because the things Solomon and the Shulamite say to each other are pretty suggestive. Tasteful, but suggestive.]

After reading through this whole book (it’s only eight chapters!), I found myself craving this kind of love. Jesus’ love for us is so passionate and unlike any other love. In an act to demonstrate this love tangibly, he gave us a man and a woman. The way Solomon loves this Shulamite is seriously every girl’s fantasy of how she longs to be loved. He compliments her just about every time he speaks to her or about her (lucky girl!). In the first chapter the Shulamite verbalizes how her skin is dark (dark skin was not “attractive” in those days because it meant she worked outside—also a metaphor for our sin), and how she feels unworthy. Chapter 1 verse 5 is this conversation between the two. When she said she felt unworthy, Solomon’s response was, “Yet you are so lovely!”  Then she told him she felt dark, and he responds, “Yet you are so lovely – like the fine linen tapestry hanging in the Holy Place!” Despite her insecurities, he assures her she is lovely! Even though we may not be ‘worthy’ of God’s love, he assures us we are loved anyway!

This book is rich with passionate verses about love, but I pulled out some specific ones that really stood out to me (some verses are many sentences long, so for several I just pulled certain sentences within that verse):

“Let me see your radiant face and hear your sweet voice. How beautiful your eyes of worship, and I love the sound of your voice in prayer.” 2:14

[He talks about how beautiful her eyes are because she worships the Lord and the sound of her voice when she prays – he sees her for more than her outward appearance…even though he does think her face is radiant.]

“How passionate your personality! 4 When I look at you I see your inner strength, so stately and strong. You are as secure as David’s fortress. Your virtues and grace cause a thousand famous soldiers to surrender to your beauty.” 3:3-4

[Again, he is speaking about the qualities he sees inside her.]

“You are beautiful, my darling. There is no flaw in you.” 4:7

“You leave me breathless – I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshipping eyes and you have stolen My heart. I’m held hostage by your love and by the graces of Righteousness upon you!” 4:9

“How satisfying to me, my equal, my bride. Your love is my finest wine, intoxicating and thrilling – and your sweet praise-perfume so exotic, so pleasing. 11 Your loving words are like honey to Me, drenched with worship.” 4:10-11

“Your inward life is now sprouting, bringing forth fruit. What a beautiful paradise unfolds within you!” 4:13

[INSIDES.]

“The shining of your spirit shows how you have taken my truth and become balanced and complete!” 6:6

“Your beautiful blushing cheeks reveal how real your passion is for me, even hidden behind a veil of humility.” 6:7

[She is humble, but he sees the beauty within her that even humility cannot hide.]

“I could have chosen any from among the vast multitude of the royal ones who follow me. 9 But one is my beloved dove – unrivaled in your beauty. Without equal, beyond compare, the perfect one, the only one for me.” 6:8-9

[Out of every woman in the world – He was a king so he’s not joking when he says he could have chosen from any – he tells her that she is perfect for him. Unrivaled. Beyond compare. The only one for him. How comforting that is!]

“You are truly the poetry of God – His very handiwork!” 7:1

[She shares likeness with God, which he admires.]

“Redeeming love crowns you as royalty. Your thoughts are full of Life, wisdom, and virtue. Even a King is held captive by your beauty!” 7:5

[Even though he is a King and she is not royalty, Jesus’ love crowns her as such and her beauty captivates him.]

“My love will be stronger than the chains of death and the grave, consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God.” 8:6

[WHOA.]

“Rivers of persecution and pain will never extinguish this flame. Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire burning within you.” 8:7

[DOUBLE WHOA – if any guy were to confess his love to a girl in those terms today, uh, I don’t know how any of us would respond. That’s powerful stuff.]

*Jaw drops*

After reading those verses there is NO denying that this man is crazy about this woman. And that’s not even a fourth of the beautiful things he says to her. If you have any doubt in your heart or your mind that you are loved by your Lord, this book will wash away all of those insecurities. You are deeply loved. You are passionately loved. Though we are all flawed, we are ALL LOVED.