I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this man, Solomon, ever since his book, Song of Solomon was referenced this weekend in a sermon.
How can this man know anything about this kind of love?
Which wife was a point of reference for him in this book? #563?
Yes, I know the whole point of this book is to show God’s love for His bride, the church. This book has to be inspired by God because Solomon obviously could have never known love like this himself.
I mean, the man had about 700 wives and 300 concubines.
If I were one of these women, I’d have a hard time taking this man at his word.
Beth Moore said something about polygamy in the book I’m reading right now, “A Heart Like His.” She said something like … just because something becomes prevalent does not make it acceptable to God. WOW. Think about that for a while and the culture we’re living in. God’s law doesn’t change.
In Genesis, God designed us to be married … one man, one woman … leave and cleave. I don’t understand how some of these men just took it upon themselves to decide that they needed more than one wife.
If Solomon was the wisest man, how could he not know that this life he was living was not right in God’s eyes?
And why would he even want so many wives?
How would you feel knowing that you were only with your husband once every three years or so?
How could Solomon even remember their names?
Did he have favorites?
How would you feel when you were actually with him?
Could you love him?
Did he love any of them? One of them? All of them?
The whole story of his life just makes me sad. Because, of course, you know these women actually turned his heart away from God and Solomon ended up worshiping idols. Not only did he just marry excessively, but married foreign women who worshiped idols excessively (which God was against).
It always comes down to obedience and disobedience, doesn’t it?
After he wrote this beautiful book about love, he wrote Ecclesiastes, which is an extremely depressing book.
Just goes to show you, too many cooks in the kitchen (or the bedroom) is not a good thing.
I don’t even like to think of how I would feel if I were one of several wives. It gets me mad just thinking about it!!
You know, I like Ecclesiastes. I kind of became motivated to understand that book a few years ago and I read it so many times and in so many different versions that I grew to like it. Odd, huh? I always think…why did I pick THAT book?
Anyway, now I feel like I need to start reading it again. My memory or lack of it worries me sometimes!
Great quote by Beth Moore. She’s wise.
-FringeGirl
You brought up some very good points! I never thought about it like that – that if he was so wise, why did he make the personal choices that he did. You’re right, how would he know about love to write a book on it?
Well, aren’t YOU the deep thinker! 🙂
There is bible study on the Song of Solomon. It is excellent and perfect for married couples! I wanna say it is by Tommy Nelson. If you get a chance to do it with Beau, go for it! You will enjoy every miniute of it.
I blogged about something from our sermon on Sunday too! Good to know God is all around us.
As for Solomon, is that one way that God teaches us that ANYTHING in excess is bad?
You know, I’ve been listening to a podcast about Song of Solomon from Mars Hill Church, and Mark Driscoll thinks that Song of Solomon was written when he was married to his first wife…so that makes it a little better, but it still made me really sad because, here’s this perfect marriage (or it seems) that was ruined (in my eyes) when he married so many wives…It’s like…It didn’t last. And that really depresses me!
Just goes to show no matter how wise we are if we aren’t obedient we’re going to screw up.
Amen, sista! I can’t fathom what Solomon was thinking when he took all those wives. Maybe for him, it was like Ancient Facebook. Just go ahead and accept ’em all, just to keep bumping up the “friends” number. lol!
This Bible story has never given me pause but Job? Oh shoot. Me and Job have gone round and round. I have always wondered at the fact that he lost everything and God gave it back to him with more. But Belle, it wasn’t the SAME kids. He still lost his family!!! I struggle with fear and trust anyway so Job never was my favorite story.
That’s why they always say, man thinks with his ‘little’ brain or maybe it’s his ‘big’ brain.