Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001413A
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00:06 It has stood the test of time,
00:12 God's book, the Bible. Still relevant in today's 00:18 complex word. It Is Written 00:25 sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 This is It Is Written. Thanks for joining me. 00:39 I'm John Bradshaw. As a newly minted high school 00:43 student, just 12 years old, I was fortunate enough to have 00:46 a good English teacher. A Mr. Braithwaite. 00:50 Now he might have been good but the truth is I don't 00:52 remember too much about the actual class - the odd 00:54 writing assignment maybe - although I do remember 01:00 poetry. Somehow poetry made a bit of 01:02 an impression on me. And I vividly remember 01:04 learning this poem by the British poet Rupert Brooke: 01:07 "If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some 01:12 corner of a foreign field that is for ever England. 01:15 There shall be in that rich earth a richer dust 01:18 concealed; A dust whom England bore, shaped, made 01:20 aware..." and so on... 01:24 The poem was called, "The Soldier", and Brooke was a 01:26 soldier in World War I. I'm not really sure why we 01:29 young high schoolers had to study that particular piece 01:32 of verse, but I've never forgotten it so there must be 01:35 something about the way it's written. 01:37 Good poetry endures. Sometimes poetry that isn't 01:41 any good endures too. And down through the annals 01:43 of time there've been many great poets and many 01:47 memorable poems. I was always slightly amused 01:50 by this one. I think that I shall never 01:54 see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is 01:58 prest Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; A 02:02 tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms 02:06 to pray... That's from 'Trees' by Joyce 02:09 Kilmer who was from New Jersey. 02:11 TS Elliot was slightly more gritty. 02:14 Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope 02:19 Because I do not hope to turn Desiring this man's gift and 02:23 that man's scope I no longer strive to strive towards such 02:27 things (Why should the agèd eagle stretch its wings?) Why 02:32 should I mourn The vanished power of the usual reign? 02:34 And so forth ... Which is from the poem, "Ash 02:38 Wednesday". In the 1800s Elizabeth 02:41 Browning Barrett wrote, How do I love thee? 02:44 Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and 02:49 breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out 02:52 of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace... 02:57 Well... And you can't really discuss 03:00 poetry without mentioning William Shakespeare. 03:03 All the world's a stage,? and all the men and women 03:07 merely players; ?they have their exits and their 03:11 entrances,? and one man in his time plays 03:13 many parts,? his acts being seven ages. 03:17 There you go. It's from Shakespeare's work 03:21 "As You Like It". I've got a brother who used 03:23 to be a bit of a poet - I mean, an amateur poet. 03:27 His wife tells the story about how she first became 03:29 attracted to him by the poetry he wrote. 03:33 Evidently he had a way with words back then and thereby 03:36 won her heart. Just as wel certainly didn't 03:40 get her with his looks... The Bible contains a lot of 03:46 poetry. Of the 66 books in the Bible, 03:49 5 of them are books of poetry: The book of Job 03:52 is a book of poetry. The book of Psalms 03:55 is a collection of 150 psalms - songs, mainly - poems, really 03:59 they are. Proverbs is another of the 04:01 poetic books of the Bible: 31 chapters of wisdom. 04:05 If you like, a chapter every day for a month if you like 04:08 to read that way - and it's fairly straightforward 04:10 reading. Ecclesiastes is poetry - 04:13 Solomon's reflections on the ultimate meaning of life. 04:18 And then there's one more book of poetry in the Bible - 04:22 a book that has caused a lot of people to scratch their 04:25 heads and wonder. I'd say it's one of the least 04:29 read books of the Old Testament. 04:31 It's The Song of Solomon. What's THAT about? 04:37 There are only 117 verses in the 8 chapters of the Song of 04:41 Solomon. Yet it's a book of the Bible 04:43 not very many people have read. 04:45 It's a love story, and the language can get a bit 04:48 intense at times... I would venture to suggest 04:53 that a lot of people have not figured out how the Song 04:55 of Solomon can play a role in their devotional lives. 04:59 So let's consider - the Song of Solomon. 05:03 How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince's 05:06 daughter!? The curves of your thighs are 05:09 like jewels, the work of the hands of a skillful workman. 05:14 Song of Solomon 7:1 NKJV What's THAT all about? 05:19 We'll find out more about the Song of Solomon 05:21 in just a moment. 05:24 [Music] 05:31 If you want to develop a closer relationship with Jesus, 05:34 please call and request today's FREE book, 05:37 'STEPS TO CHRIST.' This book will help you in your 05:40 daily walk with Jesus. Please call or write us and 05:44 'STEPS TO CHRIST' will be on its way to you. 05:47 There is no cost and no obligation. 05:50 It's our free gift to you. Just call 1-800-253-3000, and 05:56 ask for the book: 'STEPS TO CHRIST.' 05:58 Lines are open 24 hours daily. They may be busy, so please 06:02 do keep trying. You may also request this free 06:05 book by writing to: It Is Written, P O Box 6, 06:09 Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401, and we will mail a copy to your 06:14 address in North America. For immediate access, 06:17 you can download a FREE electronic version of the 06:19 book 'STEPS TO CHRIST' from our website: 06:22 itiswritten.com. Our toll-free number is: 06:26 1-800-253-3000. And our web address: 06:30 itiswritten.com 06:38 It Is Written is dedicated to sharing the gospel around 06:41 the world. To discover more about 06:43 It Is Written, visit our website: 06:45 itiswritten.com and you'll see what we do and 06:49 how we do it. Let's get to know each other 06:51 better. Visit our website 06:53 itiswritten.com today. 06:55 And follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 07:01 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 07:04 The book of Genesis. Well, you know what that's 07:06 about. It's the book of beginnings - 07:08 the creation story, the fall, the flood, Abraham, Isaac, 07:13 Jacob, Joseph...that's Genesis Then there's Exodus - 07:17 the Israelites exit Egypt and they begin their journey to 07:20 the Promised Land. What's Proverbs about? 07:23 - Well that's the book of wisdom. 07:25 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John - the stories of Jesus' life 07:28 and ministry. Easy. 07:30 But the Song of Solomon? If you've spent much time 07:34 reading the Bible or going to church you'll likely 07:37 recognize some of the verses in the Song of Solomon. 07:40 "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his 07:43 banner over me was love." That's Song of Solomon 2:4 07:46 NKJV That phrase "The little foxes that spoil the vines", 07:50 that comes from Song of Solomon 2:15 NKJV "This is my 07:54 beloved, and this is my friend." 07:57 Song of Solomon 5:16 NKJV That's popular at weddings. 08:03 As is, "Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the 08:05 floods drown it. If a man would give for love, 08:07 all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised. 08:11 Song of Solomon 8:7 NKJV But the content of the Song 08:16 of Solomon is generally rather different to any other book 08:19 in the Bible. "Let him kiss me with the kisses 08:22 of his mouth, for your love is better than wine." 08:26 Song of Solomon 1:2 NKJV "Your lips are like a strand 08:31 of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. 08:34 Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of 08:37 pomegranate." Song of Solomon 4:3 NKJV 08:41 "Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a 08:44 gazelle, which feed among the lilies." 08:47 Song of Solomon 4:5 NKJV Now that's an interesting book. 08:51 Why the... language? 08:55 Well, the Song of Solomon is an allegory, using the love 08:59 and affection expressed between Solomon and his wife 09:01 - or at least, one of his wives - to express the love 09:04 and tender care of God towards the church. 09:08 No it's certainly a love story, no doubt about it, 09:11 and in this story is expressed the love between Solomon 09:14 and his wife. But God uses it to represent 09:17 the greater love - the love of God for His church, 09:22 and the love of God's people for Him. 09:24 The key character in the Song of Solomon is Jesus - 09:28 and some people find it curious that God would express 09:31 His love for His people and Christ's commitment 09:33 and devotion to a sinful human beings in this way. 09:38 But perhaps the Song of Solomon helps us to see how 09:40 the relationship between a man and a woman who love each 09:48 other is designed by God to be representative of the love 09:50 of God for His people. The imagery isn't entirely 09:53 unique to the Song of Solomon - in Isaiah 54:5 God says, 09:55 "Your Maker is your husband." Isaiah 54:5 NKJV And Paul 09:58 told the Corinthians, "For I have betrothed you to one 10:03 husband." 2 Corinthians 11:2 NKJV In 10:06 the Bible - especially in Bible prophecy - a woman is 10:11 used as a symbol to represent a church. 10:14 You find that in Jeremiah 6:2, where God says, "I have 10:18 likened the daughter of Zion to a lovely and delicate 10:22 woman." Jeremiah 6:2 NKJV Hosea uses 10:24 the same symbol (find that in Hosea 1:2, in fact, the whole 10:27 book of Hosea) and God uses the symbol of a woman to 10:30 represent a church in the book of Revelation, 10:33 especially in Revelation 12 and 13. 10:38 So for God to use this story, The Song of Solomon, 10:41 to represent his love for his church, isn't a stretch at 10:45 all. It seems that in the Song of 10:48 Solomon, Solomon had just become King. 10:51 In his early 20s he was rich, powerful and very likely very 10:56 handsome and up until that time a very eligible 10:59 bachelor. You can imagine Solomon 11:02 thinking about his future and thinking about his world 11:05 and then wondering where he was going to find a wife. 11:08 At first blush you might think that every girl in the 11:11 land would marry him - if only he would ask. 11:14 But Solomon had to walk that minefield of finding out 11:17 whether a woman loved him for himself or simply because 11:21 he was the king. A modern royal love story 11:24 is that of Prince William and Kate Middleton - 11:26 now the Duchess of Cambridge. It seems to be a story of two 11:30 young people drawn together by mutual love. 11:33 In apparent contrast the Prince's father's experience 11:36 with finding true love was rather more anguished. 11:40 Prince Charles' marriage to Princess Diana was fraught 11:43 with difficulty and ended in discord. 11:45 And later there was tragedy. So how would Solomon find 11:49 a wife who truly loved him? Well, he hatched a plan. 11:55 He disguised himself as a shepherd and started 11:57 to travel throughout his kingdom looking for Miss Right. 12:01 How long did that take him? Well, some time I think, 12:03 because by the end of his search he found himself at 12:06 the farthest end of his kingdom in the land of Shulam 12:09 - and it was there that he met the woman of his dreams. 12:13 They fell in love, the girl from a farming family 12:16 and Solomon the King disguised as a shepherd. 12:19 We can probably imagine how Solomon felt. 12:22 He's head-over-heels in love, walking on air because he's 12:25 found the woman who truly fulfills him. 12:29 Now the girl - though obviously beautiful - 12:32 had a low opinion of herself. She said, "Do not look upon 12:37 me, because I am dark, because the sun has tanned 12:40 me. My mother's sons were angry 12:43 with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but 12:47 my own vineyard I have not kept." 12:50 Song of Solomon 1:6 NKJV This young maiden worked 12:53 on her family farm. And the rest of the Song 12:56 of Solomon goes through their love story, hers 12:58 and Solomon's. It seems Solomon liveed with 13:01 the family for some time as this relationship 13:03 developed... and then he disappeared. 13:07 Out of sight. Never to be found again it 13:10 seemed. Just --- gone. 13:13 How would a woman in love feel having that experience 13:19 thrust upon her? Now it does happen, you know. 13:22 Do you remember back in 2005, a woman in Duluth, Georgia 13:26 disappeared four days before her wedding day? 13:28 There was a huge search, more than 200 people taking part 13:31 in the search for her. A 32-year-old, who simply 13:35 left her fiancé with absolutely no idea of where 13:38 she was. Now she called him a couple 13:40 of days later - the day before they were scheduled to 13:42 be married - and she claimed that she'd been abducted... 13:46 Now thankfully it was all a hoax and the woman 13:48 hadn't been harmed. The poor girl simply had cold 13:51 feet and skipped town, and at the time the story was 13:55 unfolding there was an outpouring of sympathy 13:57 for a young man whose wife-to-be had simply vanished. 14:03 The woman in Song of Solomon expresses her sorrow like 14:06 this. Song of Solomon 3:1-3 "By 14:09 night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but 14:15 I did not find him. 'I will rise now,' I said, 14:18 'And go about the city; in the streets and in the 14:21 squares I will seek the one I love.' I sought him, but I 14:26 did not find him." Song of Solomon 3:1-3 NKJV 14:28 She must have felt as though her world was coming to an 14:31 end. Put yourself in that 14:33 position: she likely had trouble focusing on work and 14:36 probably didn't get much sleep. 14:39 But while we don't know how long this separation went on 14:41 for, it can't have been "very" long because in Song 14:45 of Solomon later on in chapter 3 it says this. 14:50 Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of 14:52 smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all 14:57 the merchant's fragrant powders? 15:00 Behold, it is Solomon's couch,? 15:03 with sixty valiant men around it, of the valiant of Israel. 15:07 They all hold swords, being expert in war. 15:10 Every man has his sword on his thigh because of fear in 15:13 the night. Of the wood of Lebanon 15:16 Solomon the King made himself a palanquin [chariot]: He 15:20 made its pillars of silver, its support of gold, its seat 15:23 of purple, its interior paved with love ?by the daughters 15:28 of Jerusalem." Song of Solomon 3:6-10 NKJV 15:34 The cry must have gone through the land, "Solomon is 15:36 coming! Lets go out to meet him." 15:38 Her heart would have raced: "Where is he going? 15:43 Is he coming to see me?" Well we know the answer. 15:46 He was traveling to the furthest reaches of his 15:48 kingdom to the land of Shulam to find his true love. 15:52 Can you imagine what it was like when Solomon and his 15:55 entourage stood at her door? And you can you imagine how 15:58 she felt when she realized it was Solomon... 16:01 the one that she loved so much? 16:04 Chapter 3 verse 4 says that when she found Him "I held 16:08 him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my 16:13 mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me." 16:16 Isn't that a wonderful story? Now, how does this tell us 16:21 about Jesus? How does the Song of Solomon 16:24 reveal the love that God has for his people? 16:28 I've got that just ahead. 16:31 [Music] Every Word is a one-minute 16:33 Bible based daily devotional presented by Pastor John 16:35 Bradshaw and designed especially for busy people 16:38 like you. Look for Every Word on selected 16:41 networks or watch it on-line every day on our website, 16:44 itiswritten.com. 16:48 [Music] 16:55 You don't want to miss any of the more hidden gems of 16:58 the Bible. If you look at the Bibles many 17:00 people own, you'll see that the pages around the gospels 17:03 and maybe the book of Acts are worn, but there are lots 17:06 of pages that are as new-looking as the day the Bible was bought 17:08 because they've rarely been opened. 17:11 Paul wrote to Timothy and said in 2 Timothy 3:16 that 'All 17:14 Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 17:18 is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 17:21 for instruction in righteousness.' 17:23 You'll be blessed if you read the book of Amos, the story 17:25 of Hosea, the wisdom of Ecclesiastes, the prophecies 17:28 of Jeremiah. Yes, some of it is a little 17:31 difficult at times, but don't neglect those 'other' parts 17:34 of the Bible. When you come to Bible, 17:37 read broadly. God inspired it all and it's 17:40 all for your good. I'm John Bradshaw for 17:43 It Is Written. Let's live today by 17:44 Every Word. 17:49 [Music] Planning for your financial 17:53 future is a vital aspect of Christian Stewardship. 17:56 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer free planned 17:59 giving and estate services. For information on how 18:03 we can help you, please call 1.800.992.2219. 18:07 To receive additional material on the advantages of life income 18:11 plans, such as a Charitable Gift Annuity which could provide you 18:15 with tax benefits and income for life, call today or visit our 18:19 special website: www.hislegacy.com. 18:25 You may also write to: It Is Written, Planned Giving 18:28 & Trust Services, P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401. 18:34 Our toll-free number again is 1.800.992.2219 and our web 18:39 address is www.hislegacy.com. 18:45 [Music] 18:48 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 18:50 I'm John Bradshaw. Do you think that God is 18:53 busy? Now by human terms, I'd say 18:55 that God probably is. The Bible tells us that He 18:58 created all things and that includes this vast universe. 19:02 Then about 6,000 years ago, Adam and Eve turned their 19:05 back on God. They allowed sin into their 19:08 lives - and into the world. The Bible is clear that sin 19:12 is the transgression of the law and the wages of sin is 19:16 death. Let me ask you this: In his 19:18 busyness, did God turn his back on Adam and Eve? 19:21 Well no, of course he didn't. In fact, ahead of time, God 19:25 had devised a plan where if Adam and Eve were to turn 19:28 from Him, God would restore them. 19:31 Jesus - like Solomon in the Song of Solomon - would go 19:34 out in search of the lost. Jesus left heaven and 19:38 travelled to the farthest reaches of his kingdom. 19:41 And where did he end up? He came to us. 19:44 He came to this sinful world and calls to our hearts - 19:48 just as He called to Adam in the Garden of Eden after they 19:51 fell. God went in pursuit of Adam 19:54 and Eve and you'll read in the Book of Genesis that God 19:56 came to them saying, "Adam, where are you?" 20:01 The Song of Solomon discusses the love between a Creator 20:04 God and His children here on the Earth: a Saviour who 20:07 loves us so much that he crossed the universe to find 20:11 us and save us for His kingdom. 20:13 And the Song of Solomon doesn't stop there. 20:16 It tells us just what type of relationship Jesus wants to 20:19 have with us. What happened when Solomon 20:23 met his girl? Sparks began to fly! 20:26 They got married. And in chapter 8:5 we see 20:30 Solomon and his bride. "Who is this coming up from 20:35 the wilderness leaning on her beloved?" 20:39 Song of Solomon 8:5 NKJV This is a picture of 2 people in 20:41 love. It describes Mrs. Solomon as 20:44 leaning on her beloved. It is not just a picture of 2 20:47 people holding hands. It is more than that. 20:50 They are in love and she is described as leaning her full 20:53 weight on Solomon. Solomon is supporting her. 20:56 If he'd pulled away right then, Mrs. Solomon would have 20:58 fallen over. She trusts him completely. 21:02 And isn't that the same type of relationship Jesus wants 21:05 us to have with him? I remember reading about some 21:09 Bible translators somewhere in the South Pacific trying 21:11 to find a way to translate the word 'faith' into the 21:14 local language, as the word didn't exist in that 21:17 language. They finally decided to use 21:19 the idea of leaning one's whole weight upon something 21:23 to portray what faith was. To lean your whole weight 21:27 upon. To have faith in. 21:29 God wants us to lean our whole weight upon Him. 21:32 To cast all our cares upon Him. 21:35 Verse 7 of Song of Solomon chapter 8 says "Many waters 21:41 cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. 21:45 If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, 21:49 it would be utterly despised." 21:51 Song of Solomon 8:7 NKJV Pure love is something that cannot 21:55 be destroyed. It isn't something that can 21:57 be bought. And this is the kind of love 21:59 that God offers to us... for free. 22:03 God comes to us at a time that we most need Him and he 22:06 sweeps us off our feet. He says, "I have loved you 22:09 with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness 22:13 I have drawn you." Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV I got to 22:17 know a lady once, a single Mom with a lovely daughter 22:20 about, oh, 10 to 12 years old. 22:23 She'd had some unfortunate relationships that had caused 22:25 some real trouble in her life in the past. 22:28 She said to me one day, she said, "John, I've finally met 22:32 a man that I can love!" I was happy - so I asked the 22:36 obvious question. "Who?" 22:39 She smiled, she paused, and then she said, simply, 22:45 "Jesus. She said, He'll never leave 22:48 me, He loves me for who I am and He'll never let me down." 22:53 How right she was. And perhaps this is one of 22:57 the most encouraging verses in the book. 22:59 "Who is she who looks forth as the morning, fair as the 23:06 moon, clear as the sun, awesome as an army with 23:11 banners?" Song of Solomon 6:10 NKJV You 23:14 see God looks with admiration upon His church - a church 23:17 that will one day be ready to meet Him. 23:20 What a day that's going to be! 23:22 And the thing that's going to get us from here to there is 23:25 the love of God and our love for Him. 23:28 When we understand that God loves His people passionately 23:31 - using one of the greatest love stories in the Bible to 23:34 describe that love - something wonderful is going 23:36 to happen. You can trust Someone you 23:39 know loves you completely. You can feel safe with 23:43 Somebody that you know loves you totally. 23:46 And you can love Somebody that you know loves you no 23:49 strings attached, which is why the Bible says, "We love 23:53 Him, because He first loved us." 23:57 1 John 4:19 NKJV [Music] 24:00 And if you've ever wondered if God has a plan for this 24:02 troubled world, the Song of Solomon assures you 24:06 He definitely does. Jesus left this Earth 2000 24:10 years ago, but not so He'd be gone forever. 24:13 Like Solomon in the story, He'll be back soon to get His 24:19 bride. If you'll learn to lean on 24:21 your beloved, one day soon you'll see Jesus return. 24:25 The wait will be worth it. We'll be reunited with Jesus 24:31 - and we'll be with Him forever. 24:33 You can be ready. 24:36 You don't need to think that your Beloved has forgotten 24:38 you, or that when He comes back He won't be coming back 24:42 for you. If you can choose to have 24:44 faith in this great God who interestingly the Bible says 24:49 is Love. It doesn't just say that God 24:51 loves, it says in 1 John 4 that God IS love. 24:54 If you can learn to accept that love, you'll experience 25:01 a complete transformation in your life and you will find 25:04 loving God is the easiest thing in the world. 25:07 Perhaps we should pray now and ask that God, the one who 25:10 loves us so much, will keep us, preserve us and soon come 25:15 to get us and take us home. Let's pray. 25:19 Our Father in heaven, I thank you that you love us 25:22 passionately. I thank you that you are 25:25 crazy about this world. I thank you that you long to 25:28 come soon and gather up your people and take them home. 25:31 Let that day come soon and let us be ready by exercising 25:36 simple faith in this great God who is love. 25:40 Lord, we choose you today. Thank you for loving us. 25:43 Give us the grace to love you back and to grow in you as we 25:48 trust you and lean on you. We thank you today and we 25:52 pray in Jesus' name, Amen. 26:21 If you want to develop a closer relationship with Jesus, 26:24 please call and request today's FREE book, 26:27 'STEPS TO CHRIST.' This book will help you in your 26:30 daily walk with Jesus. Please call or write us and 26:34 STEPS TO CHRIST will be on its way to you. 26:37 There is no cost and no obligation. 26:40 It's our free gift to you. Just call 1-800-253-3000, 26:45 and ask for the book: 'STEPS TO CHRIST.' 26:48 Lines are open 24 hours daily. They may be busy, so please 26:52 do keep trying. You may also request this 26:55 free book by writing to: It Is Written, P O Box 6, 26:59 Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401, and we will mail a copy to your 27:04 address in North America. For immediate access, you 27:07 can download a FREE electronic version of the book 27:10 'STEPS TO CHRIST' from our website: 27:12 itiswritten.com. It Is Written is a faith-based 27:16 ministry and your support makes it possible for us 27:19 to share God's good news with the world. 27:22 Your tax-deductible gift can be sent to the address on your 27:25 screen or through our website at ItIsWritten.com. 27:29 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 27:32 Again, our toll-free number is, (800) 253-3000, and our web 27:36 address is, ItIsWritten.com. 27:45 Thanks for joining me today. I look forward to seeing you 27:47 next time. Until then, remember - It Is 27:50 Written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 27:54 word that proceeds from the mouth of God. |
Revised 2016-08-22