Last time we learned that BOOK ONE of Isaiah (chapters 1-39) is primarily about God's judgment of ALL NATIONS (including Israel and Judah). And that's no fun! BUT within God's judgment are glimmers of hope that salvation is still available to ALL NATIONS. And so ALL NATIONS can still experience God's blessings instead of His curses. So how do people obtain this salvation? The answer lies in the two extended narratives in BOOK ONE where Ahaz is contrasted with Hezekiah. So let's take a look...
THE WOE ORACLES AND AHAZ'S NARRATIVE
The story of Ahaz is part of a very well thought out literary unit. You'll notice that Chapter 5 begins a group of "Woe" (or judgment) oracles. These oracles are held together by the repeated refrain "For all THIS his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still" (5:25; 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4). This refrain indicates that in these oracles God is giving the reasons why He is going to judge His people. But these oracles are quickly interrupted in chapter 6 by the narrative of Ahaz (Isa. 6-8). The oracles then resume again in Isaiah 9:8 and continue through chapter 10. This clearly shows that the narrative about Ahaz is to be understood within the context of these judgment oracles. And as we'll shortly see, the narrative of Ahaz serves as an example for why God is judging His people...they refuse to rely on him. And, in fact, Isaiah 6 tells us that Isaiah's prophetic ministry will be met with unresponsiveness by God's chosen people (6:8-13). And so just like Ahaz, God's chosen people too will refuse to turn from their sin and self-reliance. So let's look deeper at the narrative about Ahaz...
THE NARRATIVE ABOUT AHAZ (ISAIAH 7-8)
We learn in 2 Kings 16:7 that Ahaz was a very self-reliant king. He relied on partnerships with other kings for protection rather than relying on God. In fact, he was no different from the unfaithful nation of Judah. And so Ahaz and Judah were like two alcoholics living together, they reinforced each others unfaithfulness and unholiness. This background is important to understand when evaluating Ahaz's attempt to look God-fearing in the midst of the military threat that takes center stage in the narrative of Isaiah 7.
This military threat is the first thing mentioned in Isaiah 7. Syria (Damascus) and the northern kingdom of Israel are coming to Jerusalem to wage war against Ahaz. And God really wants to help Ahaz! This is why God brings Ahaz GOOD NEWS through the prophet Isaiah (7:3-9). Isaiah essentially tells Ahaz, "God will destroy the two threatening nations of Israel and Syria and keep you safe." This good news is reinforced by the presence of Isaiah's son whose name means "A remnant will return." Isaiah's son is a positive sign from God! God is on Ahaz's side! But there is a string attached (7:9). God has demanded Ahaz to ask for a sign. This was the normal protocol for a king. When attacked, a king would FIRST approach God (usually through a prophet) and ask Him for a sign so that he would know what to do and what outcome to expect. He would also remind God of His promises with the hope of receiving a positive outcome. In this way, asking for a sign was an act of faith! But will Ahaz look to God for help or rely on his normal, man-centered tactics?
The answer comes quickly. Ahaz will not ask for a sign! Why? He does not want to test God (7:12)! Sounds pretty God-fearing eh? But Ahaz's artificial piety can't dupe God (or us). We already know all about him. He prefers self-reliance over God-reliance. He just doesn't want to trust God! But God gives Ahaz a sign anyway. It is a NEGATIVE sign instead of the positive sign he probably would have received had he obeyed God. The sign involves a virgin (a woman of marriageable age...remember Song of Songs?) who will give birth to a child and name him 'Immanuel' ("God with us"). BUT before this child reaches the age of maturity, both Syria and Israel will be annihilated thus setting the stage for Judah's imminent exile.
This raises the million dollar question: Was this sign of the virgin birth fulfilled in Ahaz's time or was it fulfilled through Jesus' birth? The answer: YES! This sign comes to fulfillment in chapter 9! The prophetess (a "virgin" in the most general sense of the term) conceives and gives birth to a son whose name (Maher-shalal-hash-baz) means "quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil". This is a fancy way of communicating that the downfall of Syria and Israel is coming soon and that all of their riches and wealth will be carried away to Assyria! But we also learn in 8:5-10 that Judah's judgment is just over the horizon as well! And so, the birth of this son begins the countdown to Syria and Israel's downfall. This downfall will come before the prophetess' child reaches maturity (8:4) just like the original prophecy had indicated (7:16).
But why is the baby not named 'Immanuel' as the original prophecy required (7:14)? Well, the baby's name (Maher-shalal-hash-baz) is an indication that GOD IS PRESENT and active in fulfilling His promises. And, in fact, the oracle in 8:5-8 makes this clear. This is why it ends with 'Immanuel' ("God with us"). But we need to remember that the Biblical authors saw Jesus as fulfilling this same prophecy even though his name wasn't 'Immanuel'. Why did they think this? Jesus' name means "God saves" and was a sign that through Jesus, GOD WAS PRESENT in bringing salvation to all people. God too is PRESENT in Isaiah's time. And so even though Syria and Israel will be defeated, Ahaz's UNFAITHFULNESS will be punished. GOD IS PRESENT!
THE NARRATIVE ABOUT HEZEKIAH (ISAIAH 36-39)
Ahaz contrasts with Hezekiah whose FAITHFULNESS was continually rewarded! Isaiah 36 almost perfectly parallels Isaiah 7. Just like Ahaz was being threatened by enemy forces so too is Hezekiah. And just like in Isaiah 7, in Isaiah 37:5-7 Isaiah gives GOOD NEWS regarding the outcome of the military threat. However, unlike with Ahaz, Hezekiah responds by seeking the Lord's favor and help! And as a result, God gives him a POSITIVE sign (37:30). A similar POSITIVE outcome results when Hezekiah is ill in Isaiah 38...God adds years to Hezekiah's life as a reward for his FAITHFULNESS! Clearly there is a night and day difference between Hezekiah and Ahaz!
THE BOTTOM LINE
So how does this speak to our lives today? Simple. We will find God's favor and blessing of salvation only after we abandon our own agenda and trust and rely on Him alone! This is what it means to make God both Master and Savior in our lives. May God be Master and Savior in your life!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Isaiah 1-39 & Judgment to ALL Nations (Part 1)
One thing that perplexes me is why people buy music albums that include all of the TOP HITS from the past year...you know those WOW Hits albums for Christian music lovers or the NOW (That's What I Call Music) albums for the secular music scene. Why do I feel this way? Well, let's be honest, they should name these albums "The Most Overplayed Songs of the Past Year." After a year of repetitive playing, I want nothing to do with these songs! In fact, I curse the day that the artists who wrote these songs were born. My overfamiliarity literally breeds contempt! In my contempt, the artist and the overplayed song become one and the same to me and the artist's entire musical identity is encapsulated in the overplayed song (even though the artist has actually written many other songs!). And so Michael W. Smith is whittled down to the song "Friends" and One Direction is whittled down to "What Makes You Beautiful" and Justin Bieber becomes "Baby."
Well, in a similar way, the book of Isaiah has fallen victim to the problem of overfamiliarity. Maybe people don't have contempt for the book but in their overfamiliarity they certainly have made the book out to be one-dimensional...a book of predictions about the coming of Jesus. This is because the book of Isaiah contains many of the Bible's TOP HITS passages (7:14; 9:6; 53:5) and they all seem to relate to the future coming of Jesus. And so people think that predictions about the coming Messiah encapsulate the entire book. But the book is about so much more than this! So what is the book about? Let's take a look...
THE STRUCTURE OF ISAIAH 1-39
Isaiah 1-39 appears to be a self-contained unit of thought. This is a common conclusion based on the twin facts that 1.) Isaiah BEGINS by mentioning that Isaiah's tenure as prophet spanned the reigns of King Uzziah through KING HEZEKIAH (1:1) and 2.) Isaiah 39 ENDS with Isaiah's prophecy concerning KING HEZEKIAH. This is a neat and tidy way to begin and end a SINGLE book, don't you think? And this is why Isaiah 1-39 is commonly called BOOK ONE of Isaiah.
BOOK ONE is structured very carefully. And out of this careful structure, Isaiah's primary message emerges. Chapter 1 introduces the main themes that will be played out and developed throughout BOOK ONE. Then things get interesting! Chapters 2-12 and 28-39 parallel each other. How so? Both tell of God's judgment against Israel and Judah (that is, the northern and southern tribes of the divided kingdom). Also, there is ONE extended narrative in each of these two sections that contrast with each other. King Ahaz's UNFAITHFULNESS (Isa. 7-8) contrasts with King Hezekiah's FAITHFULNESS (Isa. 36-39). Between these two sections in chapters 13-27 God announces His judgment against the NATIONS (AND surprisingly judgment also against Jerusalem!). So here's the structure of Isaiah 1-39...
ISRAEL JUDGED -> ALL NATIONS JUDGED -> ISRAEL JUDGED
What does this structure tell us so far? BOOK ONE is primarily about God's judgment against ALL NATIONS. But the structure is more intricate than this. Within each of the three JUDGMENT sections are glimmers of hope for BOTH God's people and the NATIONS. In each section, God makes it clear that out of judgment, SALVATION will be made available to ALL NATIONS who turn to Him. Here are those passages of hope...
[Section 1: Isa. 2-12] 2:1-5; 4:2-6; 7:14-17; 9:1-7; 11:1-16; 12:1-6
[Section 2: Isa. 13-27] 14:32; 16:5; 17:7-14; 18:7; 19:16-25; 20:1-6; 23:15-18
[Section 3: Isa. 28-39] 30:18-26; 32:1-33:24; 35:1-10
Notice that these are the passages that most people are familiar with; these are the TOP HITS passages. I guess happy verses sell well!
THE BOTTOM LINE
So how are we to make sense of all this information? A unique aspect of BOOK ONE of Isaiah is that it highlights the NATIONS (they literally stand at the center of the book!). Sure Isaiah singles out God's people at various points (Chapters 1-12 & 28-39). BUT it is also interesting that God's people are treated just like any other nation in Isaiah 13-27 where they are included in the judgment oracles against the NATIONS (22:1-25). This simply reinforces God's heart that has existed from the very beginning (and certainly from the time of Abraham)...The scope of God's affection (for better or worse, for blessing or curse) extents to ALL NATIONS!
But even though the NATIONS seem to be a central focus of the book, God makes it clear that SALVATION is still to be mediated through His chosen people, Israel. We see this especially in those passages where God offers hope to the NATIONS (see above & 19:16-25). Notice that in all of these passages, Israel plays a pivotal role in bringing God's blessings to the NATIONS. And so God's plan has NOT changed! The Abrahamic Covenant is still in play! ALL NATIONS will still be blessed through Abraham!
But how do we (and the NATIONS) get our hands on God's salvation and blessing? This question is answered through the two contrasting narratives of Ahaz and Hezekiah. But diving into this will have to wait until part 2...
Well, in a similar way, the book of Isaiah has fallen victim to the problem of overfamiliarity. Maybe people don't have contempt for the book but in their overfamiliarity they certainly have made the book out to be one-dimensional...a book of predictions about the coming of Jesus. This is because the book of Isaiah contains many of the Bible's TOP HITS passages (7:14; 9:6; 53:5) and they all seem to relate to the future coming of Jesus. And so people think that predictions about the coming Messiah encapsulate the entire book. But the book is about so much more than this! So what is the book about? Let's take a look...
THE STRUCTURE OF ISAIAH 1-39
Isaiah 1-39 appears to be a self-contained unit of thought. This is a common conclusion based on the twin facts that 1.) Isaiah BEGINS by mentioning that Isaiah's tenure as prophet spanned the reigns of King Uzziah through KING HEZEKIAH (1:1) and 2.) Isaiah 39 ENDS with Isaiah's prophecy concerning KING HEZEKIAH. This is a neat and tidy way to begin and end a SINGLE book, don't you think? And this is why Isaiah 1-39 is commonly called BOOK ONE of Isaiah.
BOOK ONE is structured very carefully. And out of this careful structure, Isaiah's primary message emerges. Chapter 1 introduces the main themes that will be played out and developed throughout BOOK ONE. Then things get interesting! Chapters 2-12 and 28-39 parallel each other. How so? Both tell of God's judgment against Israel and Judah (that is, the northern and southern tribes of the divided kingdom). Also, there is ONE extended narrative in each of these two sections that contrast with each other. King Ahaz's UNFAITHFULNESS (Isa. 7-8) contrasts with King Hezekiah's FAITHFULNESS (Isa. 36-39). Between these two sections in chapters 13-27 God announces His judgment against the NATIONS (AND surprisingly judgment also against Jerusalem!). So here's the structure of Isaiah 1-39...
ISRAEL JUDGED -> ALL NATIONS JUDGED -> ISRAEL JUDGED
What does this structure tell us so far? BOOK ONE is primarily about God's judgment against ALL NATIONS. But the structure is more intricate than this. Within each of the three JUDGMENT sections are glimmers of hope for BOTH God's people and the NATIONS. In each section, God makes it clear that out of judgment, SALVATION will be made available to ALL NATIONS who turn to Him. Here are those passages of hope...
[Section 1: Isa. 2-12] 2:1-5; 4:2-6; 7:14-17; 9:1-7; 11:1-16; 12:1-6
[Section 2: Isa. 13-27] 14:32; 16:5; 17:7-14; 18:7; 19:16-25; 20:1-6; 23:15-18
[Section 3: Isa. 28-39] 30:18-26; 32:1-33:24; 35:1-10
Notice that these are the passages that most people are familiar with; these are the TOP HITS passages. I guess happy verses sell well!
THE BOTTOM LINE
So how are we to make sense of all this information? A unique aspect of BOOK ONE of Isaiah is that it highlights the NATIONS (they literally stand at the center of the book!). Sure Isaiah singles out God's people at various points (Chapters 1-12 & 28-39). BUT it is also interesting that God's people are treated just like any other nation in Isaiah 13-27 where they are included in the judgment oracles against the NATIONS (22:1-25). This simply reinforces God's heart that has existed from the very beginning (and certainly from the time of Abraham)...The scope of God's affection (for better or worse, for blessing or curse) extents to ALL NATIONS!
But even though the NATIONS seem to be a central focus of the book, God makes it clear that SALVATION is still to be mediated through His chosen people, Israel. We see this especially in those passages where God offers hope to the NATIONS (see above & 19:16-25). Notice that in all of these passages, Israel plays a pivotal role in bringing God's blessings to the NATIONS. And so God's plan has NOT changed! The Abrahamic Covenant is still in play! ALL NATIONS will still be blessed through Abraham!
But how do we (and the NATIONS) get our hands on God's salvation and blessing? This question is answered through the two contrasting narratives of Ahaz and Hezekiah. But diving into this will have to wait until part 2...
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
How NOT to Read Prophetic Literature
We live in a culture that loves special effects in movies...this is especially true of guys! Am I right? A guy could see a movie with the worst plot line in the world and still come out of the theater saying, "Did you see those explosions? They were awesome! I've got to see that movie again in 3D!" Guys seem to love action flicks even without a plot. This is the reason that Steven Seagal and Arnold Schwarzenegger still have jobs!
Guys are drawn to prophetic literature probably for the same reason. They love the action and the mystery of the apocalyptic imagery...stars falling, fires burning, locusts attacking, thunder quaking, earthquakes shaking! Prophetic literature speaks the male language. It gets a guys blood pumping! Reading it is like drinking a can of Red Bull!
But has all of the excitement clouded our judgment when it comes to reading the prophetic literature and, in particular, the apocalyptic imagery? Should we be reading prophetic literature with a newspaper in hand trying to fit the latest headlines from the Middle East into the Bible? Or have we gotten so caught up in the end times, Left Behind hysteria that we have failed to understand how the ancient Israelites would have understood this imagery?
Maybe the locusts in the prophetic literature (Joel 1:4; 2:25; Rev. 9:3) are depicting a military assault by Apache or Cobra helicopters as Hal Lindsey, a popular End Times personality, thinks...and maybe, as he has also suggested, the sun will be darkened because of a 'Nuclear Winter' caused by multiple nuclear explosions (Joel 2:31; Rev. 6:12). But is this really the best way to read apocalyptic imagery? Did the ancient Israelites understand this imagery so literally? Or was the imagery meant to serve a different purpose? Let's find out...
APOCALYPTIC IMAGERY & THE PAST FALL OF NATIONS
Isaiah 13 depicts the fall of Babylon, one of the empires responsible for Israel's exile. But the details surrounding the fall of Babylon might surprise you:
APOCALYPTIC IMAGERY FROM THE ISRAELITE PERSPECTIVE
Many believe that apocalyptic imagery in the prophetic literature flows out of TWO monumental events in the history of Israel: The plagues (signs) from Israel's exodus out of Egypt (Exodus 7-12) and the arrival of God's presence at Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:16-19). Let me explain.
The plagues (or signs) were the ultimate expression of God's judgment on the nation of Egypt and the ultimate proclamation of His supreme reign over the entire universe. And because of this, most (if not all) future, DIVINE judgments (often referred to using the phrase 'the day of the Lord') were described using similar terms: blood, hail, locusts, darkness, death, etc. And because these terms were used to typologically RECALL God's judgment of the plagues in the Great Exodus, this apocalyptic language was meant to be understood symbolically (but NOT literally). And this is why we see images of hail (Isa. 28:2, 17; Ezek. 13:11, 13; Hagg. 2:17; Rev. 8:7, 11:19), plagues/pestilence (Hab. 3:5; Zech. 14:12, 15, 18), locusts (Jer. 51:14, 27; Joel 1:4, 2:25; Amos 4:9; Nah. 3:15-17), and darkness (Isa. 13:10, 34:4; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15) attached to God's pronouncements of judgment throughout the prophetic literature. God is judging other nations just like He first judged Egypt!
But what about the descriptions of God's judgments that include thunder and earthquakes (Ezek. 3:12; 38:19; Isa. 13:13, 29:6)? How are we to understand them? You might recall in Exodus 19:16-19 that when God arrived on Mount Sinai, He arrived with a bang (literally). "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast...because the Lord descended on it in fire...and the whole mountain trembled violently." And so the LANGUAGE of thunder and earthquakes has been used ever since Mount Sinai by the Biblical authors to signal the arrival of God's presence (and God's arrival is usually not a friendly visit!). And when used in prophetic literature, thunder and earthquakes symbolically indicate God's hand in the pronouncement and enactment of judgment.
THE BOTTOM LINE
And so as we continue with the Eat This Book Challenge, we need to be careful how we read the prophetic literature. It is full of metaphorical imagery that is NOT always meant to be taken literally. Likewise, it uses phrases like "the day of the Lord" that are NOT always referring to the End Times (sometimes 'the day of the Lord' just refers to a period of God's judgment upon a nation). In a similar vein, prophetic literature is not primarily about foretelling the future; it is primarily about forth-telling (calling people to repent and turn away from their rebellion and return to God). In fact, you might be surprised by the following statistics from How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth:
Guys are drawn to prophetic literature probably for the same reason. They love the action and the mystery of the apocalyptic imagery...stars falling, fires burning, locusts attacking, thunder quaking, earthquakes shaking! Prophetic literature speaks the male language. It gets a guys blood pumping! Reading it is like drinking a can of Red Bull!
But has all of the excitement clouded our judgment when it comes to reading the prophetic literature and, in particular, the apocalyptic imagery? Should we be reading prophetic literature with a newspaper in hand trying to fit the latest headlines from the Middle East into the Bible? Or have we gotten so caught up in the end times, Left Behind hysteria that we have failed to understand how the ancient Israelites would have understood this imagery?
Maybe the locusts in the prophetic literature (Joel 1:4; 2:25; Rev. 9:3) are depicting a military assault by Apache or Cobra helicopters as Hal Lindsey, a popular End Times personality, thinks...and maybe, as he has also suggested, the sun will be darkened because of a 'Nuclear Winter' caused by multiple nuclear explosions (Joel 2:31; Rev. 6:12). But is this really the best way to read apocalyptic imagery? Did the ancient Israelites understand this imagery so literally? Or was the imagery meant to serve a different purpose? Let's find out...
APOCALYPTIC IMAGERY & THE PAST FALL OF NATIONS
Isaiah 13 depicts the fall of Babylon, one of the empires responsible for Israel's exile. But the details surrounding the fall of Babylon might surprise you:
"See the day of the Lord is coming--a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger--to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will not give its light...I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger...See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who care for silver and have no delight in gold." Isaiah 13:10, 13, 17Wow! That sounds like something out of sci-fi movie! Certainly this has never happened before. BUT IT HAS...In about 539 B.C.! This is the way apocalyptic imagery predicted and depicted the fall of Babylon at the hands of the Medes. But how can this be? Certainly you'd think that such a cataclysmic event is recorded in the secular annals of history! BUT IT'S NOT (at least in these exaggerated, hyperbolic terms)! So this begs the question: Is this description to be understood literally? Many believe the answer to be a big fat 'NO'. So how do they think this imagery is to be understood?
APOCALYPTIC IMAGERY FROM THE ISRAELITE PERSPECTIVE
Many believe that apocalyptic imagery in the prophetic literature flows out of TWO monumental events in the history of Israel: The plagues (signs) from Israel's exodus out of Egypt (Exodus 7-12) and the arrival of God's presence at Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:16-19). Let me explain.
The plagues (or signs) were the ultimate expression of God's judgment on the nation of Egypt and the ultimate proclamation of His supreme reign over the entire universe. And because of this, most (if not all) future, DIVINE judgments (often referred to using the phrase 'the day of the Lord') were described using similar terms: blood, hail, locusts, darkness, death, etc. And because these terms were used to typologically RECALL God's judgment of the plagues in the Great Exodus, this apocalyptic language was meant to be understood symbolically (but NOT literally). And this is why we see images of hail (Isa. 28:2, 17; Ezek. 13:11, 13; Hagg. 2:17; Rev. 8:7, 11:19), plagues/pestilence (Hab. 3:5; Zech. 14:12, 15, 18), locusts (Jer. 51:14, 27; Joel 1:4, 2:25; Amos 4:9; Nah. 3:15-17), and darkness (Isa. 13:10, 34:4; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15) attached to God's pronouncements of judgment throughout the prophetic literature. God is judging other nations just like He first judged Egypt!
But what about the descriptions of God's judgments that include thunder and earthquakes (Ezek. 3:12; 38:19; Isa. 13:13, 29:6)? How are we to understand them? You might recall in Exodus 19:16-19 that when God arrived on Mount Sinai, He arrived with a bang (literally). "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast...because the Lord descended on it in fire...and the whole mountain trembled violently." And so the LANGUAGE of thunder and earthquakes has been used ever since Mount Sinai by the Biblical authors to signal the arrival of God's presence (and God's arrival is usually not a friendly visit!). And when used in prophetic literature, thunder and earthquakes symbolically indicate God's hand in the pronouncement and enactment of judgment.
THE BOTTOM LINE
And so as we continue with the Eat This Book Challenge, we need to be careful how we read the prophetic literature. It is full of metaphorical imagery that is NOT always meant to be taken literally. Likewise, it uses phrases like "the day of the Lord" that are NOT always referring to the End Times (sometimes 'the day of the Lord' just refers to a period of God's judgment upon a nation). In a similar vein, prophetic literature is not primarily about foretelling the future; it is primarily about forth-telling (calling people to repent and turn away from their rebellion and return to God). In fact, you might be surprised by the following statistics from How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth:
2/3 of the prophetic literature is an appeal to repentanceSo enjoy the prophetic books of the Bible! But always begin by trying to understand things from the perspective of the original audience (and not through your 21st century eyes)!
1/3 of the prophetic literature is predictions about the future
90% of the predictions relate to events in the immediate future
Less than 2% of the predictions were about the coming of Christ
Less than 1% of the predictions were about the End Times
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Wisdom in Romance: Song of Songs (Part 2)
"Young, unmarried girls, do not awaken love before the appropriate time." This is the primary message of the Song of Songs. But how is the Song crafted literarily to reinforce this message? Let's take a deeper look at the Song.
THE SONG'S CHARACTERS & SETTING
There has been a healthy debate over whether the Song of Songs includes two or three main characters. The three possible main characters include King Solomon, the shepherd boy (or lover-boy), and the girl-in-love. This determination of the number of main characters centers on whether or not chapter 3 is to be understood as a dream sequence where the girl is picturing the lover-boy as royalty picking her up for her wedding celebration or a literal retelling of King Solomon coming to pick up one of his brides-to-be to join his royal harem of hundreds of wives and concubines. I take 3:1-8:4 to be a dream sequence in light of the fact that more than once the author reinforces that the girl-in-love is asleep in bed (3:1; 5:2).
So what is the profile of these TWO main characters?
THE PROFILE OF THE LOVER-BOY
Let me begin by saying that the lover-boy is certainly not one to be emulated. There can be no doubt that he is on the prowl for a wife. This is what is meant by the phrase "he browses among the lilies" (2:16; 4:5; 6:2, 3). However, the lover-boy really plays a secondary role in the Song even though he is officially a main character. His primary role in the poem is to bring out and accentuate the 'love-sickness' of the girl-in-love. The lover-boy certainly has a way with words and has a knack for flirtation (although I would NOT recommend using any of his pickup lines to find a date for the prom!). And while it would be easy to say that the lover-boy is 'playing' the girl (and maybe he is), this would be reading too much between the lines.
THE PROFILE OF THE GIRL-IN-LOVE
The real focus of the Song is the main female character. She describes herself as "a lily of the valley." What on earth does this mean? Well, throughout the Song, the lover-boy is said to be "browsing among the lilies" (2:16; 4:5; 6:2, 3). The lilies most likely are referring to the other virgins or daughters of Jerusalem (that is, girls of marriageable age) whom the lover-boy is 'scoping out'. And so we learn that this girl-in-love is approaching the age of marriage. The irony is that she believes that she shares an exclusive love relationship with this lover-boy ("I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" see 2:16; 6:3) when, in fact, he is merely "browsing among the lilies" looking for someone to marry.
The girl-in-love is also described as being "sick with love" (2:5; 5:8). We learn this very early on in the poem after she expresses her 'appreciation' for the lover-boy (2:3-4). This is important to note because the author uses the 'dream' setting of chapters 3:1-8:4 to describe the psychology of a love-obsessed girl. In this dream sequence, the girl-in-love shows herself to be INSECURE as she runs around the city frantically trying to find her lover (3:1-4; 5:2-6:3), DISILLUSIONED as she pictures the lover-boy as royalty (the likes of King Solomon) picking her up for the wedding celebration (3:6-5:1; I didn't realize that girls dreamed about their wedding day!), and IMPATIENT as she wishes that her lover-boy were 'like a brother' so that she could kiss him right now (8:1-3). That sounds a lot like a love-infatuated girl in our day and age! Clearly the affects of love have not changed over the past several thousand years!
It appears that this 'love sickness' has produced a degree of rebelliousness in this girl-in-love. How do we know this? First, 1:5-6 tells us that the girl-in-love is "darkened by the sun" because her brothers are making her work the vineyard (literally) during the day because she had neglected her own vineyard (figuratively referring to her body). It appears that she is being punished! But how has she been neglecting her vineyard (that is, body)? In 1:7-17, it appears that the girl-in-love has been sneaking around with the lover-boy during the day and hiding her face behind a veil so that she would go unrecognized. She had even been getting intimate with the lover-boy during these daytime rendezvous (2:3-6). In this regard, she has been acting like a prostitute (and it just so happens that prostitutes were notorious for wearing veils!). Because of this, the brothers have put their sister, the girl-in-love, to work during the time she would otherwise try to sneak off to be with the lover-boy. This punishment allows the brothers to keep an eye on their love-infatuated sister. However, the girl-in-love will not be outmatched! She tells her lover-boy to return at night for a moonlit rendezvous (2:16-17).
The girl-in-love's rebelliousness is also highlighted at the end of the Song. Her brothers do not believe that she is ready yet for love based on her physique (8:8-9) and so they vow to protect her until the appropriate time for love. However, the girl believes she is ripe for love and has the right to do with her body what she wishes (8:10-12). This is what 8:11-12 tells us...Solomon can loan out his vineyard (that is, his vast collection of wives and concubines) to the highest bidder for a 1,000 pieces BUT her vineyard (that is, her body) is her's to give to whom she wishes (minus a fair bride price of 200 pieces). As a last act of defiance, she summons her lover-boy for intimacy (8:14)! This girl-in-love will not be deterred by anyone (whether it be her brothers or the watchmen of the city who are trying to protect her)! That's how the poem ends!
THE SONG'S PROPHETIC PURPOSE
So how was this song supposed to speak to the Jewish people (and to us today)? Well, it is interesting that in Isaiah 3:16-26, the daughters of Zion (that is, 'daughters of Jerusalem') are haughty (that is, disdainfully arrogant), walking around with outstretched necks (see SOS 4:4; 7:4), and FLIRTING with their eyes. Does this sound like the girl-in-love in the Song? Isaiah 5:1-7, then sounds eerily similar to the Song of Songs with its 'vineyard' references (This is probably why the Jewish interpretation of the Song of Songs has been an allegorical depiction of the relationship between God and Israel!). So what's the point? The daughters of Jerusalem rebelled against God's creation design for love by misusing their sexuality. The result...JUDGMENT. God has created sexuality as a good gift for us to enjoy! BUT God insists that we (and Israel) should enjoy it only within His boundaries and design! Romantic love must be used with wisdom otherwise it can lead to a world of misery (8:6-7)!
THE SONG'S CHARACTERS & SETTING
There has been a healthy debate over whether the Song of Songs includes two or three main characters. The three possible main characters include King Solomon, the shepherd boy (or lover-boy), and the girl-in-love. This determination of the number of main characters centers on whether or not chapter 3 is to be understood as a dream sequence where the girl is picturing the lover-boy as royalty picking her up for her wedding celebration or a literal retelling of King Solomon coming to pick up one of his brides-to-be to join his royal harem of hundreds of wives and concubines. I take 3:1-8:4 to be a dream sequence in light of the fact that more than once the author reinforces that the girl-in-love is asleep in bed (3:1; 5:2).
So what is the profile of these TWO main characters?
THE PROFILE OF THE LOVER-BOY
Let me begin by saying that the lover-boy is certainly not one to be emulated. There can be no doubt that he is on the prowl for a wife. This is what is meant by the phrase "he browses among the lilies" (2:16; 4:5; 6:2, 3). However, the lover-boy really plays a secondary role in the Song even though he is officially a main character. His primary role in the poem is to bring out and accentuate the 'love-sickness' of the girl-in-love. The lover-boy certainly has a way with words and has a knack for flirtation (although I would NOT recommend using any of his pickup lines to find a date for the prom!). And while it would be easy to say that the lover-boy is 'playing' the girl (and maybe he is), this would be reading too much between the lines.
THE PROFILE OF THE GIRL-IN-LOVE
The real focus of the Song is the main female character. She describes herself as "a lily of the valley." What on earth does this mean? Well, throughout the Song, the lover-boy is said to be "browsing among the lilies" (2:16; 4:5; 6:2, 3). The lilies most likely are referring to the other virgins or daughters of Jerusalem (that is, girls of marriageable age) whom the lover-boy is 'scoping out'. And so we learn that this girl-in-love is approaching the age of marriage. The irony is that she believes that she shares an exclusive love relationship with this lover-boy ("I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" see 2:16; 6:3) when, in fact, he is merely "browsing among the lilies" looking for someone to marry.
The girl-in-love is also described as being "sick with love" (2:5; 5:8). We learn this very early on in the poem after she expresses her 'appreciation' for the lover-boy (2:3-4). This is important to note because the author uses the 'dream' setting of chapters 3:1-8:4 to describe the psychology of a love-obsessed girl. In this dream sequence, the girl-in-love shows herself to be INSECURE as she runs around the city frantically trying to find her lover (3:1-4; 5:2-6:3), DISILLUSIONED as she pictures the lover-boy as royalty (the likes of King Solomon) picking her up for the wedding celebration (3:6-5:1; I didn't realize that girls dreamed about their wedding day!), and IMPATIENT as she wishes that her lover-boy were 'like a brother' so that she could kiss him right now (8:1-3). That sounds a lot like a love-infatuated girl in our day and age! Clearly the affects of love have not changed over the past several thousand years!
It appears that this 'love sickness' has produced a degree of rebelliousness in this girl-in-love. How do we know this? First, 1:5-6 tells us that the girl-in-love is "darkened by the sun" because her brothers are making her work the vineyard (literally) during the day because she had neglected her own vineyard (figuratively referring to her body). It appears that she is being punished! But how has she been neglecting her vineyard (that is, body)? In 1:7-17, it appears that the girl-in-love has been sneaking around with the lover-boy during the day and hiding her face behind a veil so that she would go unrecognized. She had even been getting intimate with the lover-boy during these daytime rendezvous (2:3-6). In this regard, she has been acting like a prostitute (and it just so happens that prostitutes were notorious for wearing veils!). Because of this, the brothers have put their sister, the girl-in-love, to work during the time she would otherwise try to sneak off to be with the lover-boy. This punishment allows the brothers to keep an eye on their love-infatuated sister. However, the girl-in-love will not be outmatched! She tells her lover-boy to return at night for a moonlit rendezvous (2:16-17).
The girl-in-love's rebelliousness is also highlighted at the end of the Song. Her brothers do not believe that she is ready yet for love based on her physique (8:8-9) and so they vow to protect her until the appropriate time for love. However, the girl believes she is ripe for love and has the right to do with her body what she wishes (8:10-12). This is what 8:11-12 tells us...Solomon can loan out his vineyard (that is, his vast collection of wives and concubines) to the highest bidder for a 1,000 pieces BUT her vineyard (that is, her body) is her's to give to whom she wishes (minus a fair bride price of 200 pieces). As a last act of defiance, she summons her lover-boy for intimacy (8:14)! This girl-in-love will not be deterred by anyone (whether it be her brothers or the watchmen of the city who are trying to protect her)! That's how the poem ends!
THE SONG'S PROPHETIC PURPOSE
So how was this song supposed to speak to the Jewish people (and to us today)? Well, it is interesting that in Isaiah 3:16-26, the daughters of Zion (that is, 'daughters of Jerusalem') are haughty (that is, disdainfully arrogant), walking around with outstretched necks (see SOS 4:4; 7:4), and FLIRTING with their eyes. Does this sound like the girl-in-love in the Song? Isaiah 5:1-7, then sounds eerily similar to the Song of Songs with its 'vineyard' references (This is probably why the Jewish interpretation of the Song of Songs has been an allegorical depiction of the relationship between God and Israel!). So what's the point? The daughters of Jerusalem rebelled against God's creation design for love by misusing their sexuality. The result...JUDGMENT. God has created sexuality as a good gift for us to enjoy! BUT God insists that we (and Israel) should enjoy it only within His boundaries and design! Romantic love must be used with wisdom otherwise it can lead to a world of misery (8:6-7)!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Wisdom in Romance: Song of Songs (Part 1)
There's no denying the fact that we live in a very sexually charged culture...just watch the Halftime Show of the Superbowl! This brings a new meaning to 'family-friendly'. No Superheroes or Disney characters or Teletubbies to be found there. NOPE. Just celebrities putting our culture's sexual freedom on display. Or take shows like 'The Bachelor' or 'The Bachelorette' that have brought the 'Hot Tub Scene' into our mainstream vocabulary. Just another example of how our culture views 'love' and 'sexuality'.
But if we think that this is a new phenomenon then we are greatly mistaken. From the fertility cults of the first century (that go all the way back to ancient times) to the prevalence of prostitution well before the times of Jacob, the misuse of our sexuality has served as a timeless threat to God's creation design and the family structure that He originally set into place.
The misuse of our sexuality comes naturally because it is a source of pleasure. But just like all good things, it must be enjoyed within its God-given parameters. Otherwise, painful outcomes almost always result. Too much sugar leads to diabetes...Too many video games leads to laziness...Too many possessions leads to greed (and debt)...Too much adolescent romance leads to a whole world of hurt. With pleasure comes problems (given the sinful human condition)! And so pleasure must be tamed!
This is the wisdom expressed in the Song of Songs through its repeated refrain, "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" (2:7; 3:5; 8:4). From the author's perspective, love and romance are good things. In fact, they are so good that they need to be handled with care and caution until the arrival of the appropriate time and context for them to be expressed. Otherwise, they can lead to a world of hurt! This is why the author exclaims, "Love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away" (8:6-7). Love is extremely powerful...no wonder it so often leaves infatuation and jealousy in its wake. And so we best tame adolescent romance by following the author's wise instruction, "Do not awaken love before the appropriate time!"
THE SONG'S INTENDED AUDIENCE
So to whom is Song of Songs addressed? The answer to this question has been much debated. For every five commentaries on the Song of Songs there are six different interpretations! This is to say that Song of Songs has been a notoriously difficult book to decipher (some find it even more difficult than the book of Revelation!). But I believe the key to understanding the intended message (and audience) of the book lies in the repeated chorus, "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" (2:7; 3:5; 8:4).
So then to whom does this chorus speak? Some believe the Song of Songs is addressed to married couples. But isn't marriage the proper context in which to awaken love? So then why would the author insist in keeping love dormant in the context of marriage? Wouldn't that be strange advice? So if not married couples, who is the intended audience? How about 'the daughters of Jerusalem'? After all, the chorus of the song is explicitly directed to them!
But who are 'the daughters of Jerusalem'? It is most likely (in my opinion) referring to unmarried girls who are nearing the age of betrothal. Why do I think this? Notice that at the beginning of the poem (1:2-3), the love-obsessed girl (the main female character) states to her boy-lover, "Your love is better than WINE; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins [hb: almah] love you." And then a few verses later (1:4) we find a chorus of girls exclaiming their love for the boy, "WE will exalt and rejoice in you; WE will extol your love more than WINE; rightly do THEY love you." The reference to 'wine' points us back to verse 1:3 and makes it clear that these are virgins expressing their 'Justin Bieber-esce' obsession for the boy.
So then who are these virgins? Verse 1:5 seems to indicate that they are 'the daughters of Jerusalem'. But what does this word virgin (hb: almah) mean then? Simply put, it is referring to a girl (or girls) of marriageable age (the same word is used in Isa. 7:14). And so it appears that Song of Songs is addressed to young adults (possibly teens)!
So then what is the Song of Songs all about more specifically? Well, that will have to wait for the sequel to this post...
But if we think that this is a new phenomenon then we are greatly mistaken. From the fertility cults of the first century (that go all the way back to ancient times) to the prevalence of prostitution well before the times of Jacob, the misuse of our sexuality has served as a timeless threat to God's creation design and the family structure that He originally set into place.
The misuse of our sexuality comes naturally because it is a source of pleasure. But just like all good things, it must be enjoyed within its God-given parameters. Otherwise, painful outcomes almost always result. Too much sugar leads to diabetes...Too many video games leads to laziness...Too many possessions leads to greed (and debt)...Too much adolescent romance leads to a whole world of hurt. With pleasure comes problems (given the sinful human condition)! And so pleasure must be tamed!
This is the wisdom expressed in the Song of Songs through its repeated refrain, "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" (2:7; 3:5; 8:4). From the author's perspective, love and romance are good things. In fact, they are so good that they need to be handled with care and caution until the arrival of the appropriate time and context for them to be expressed. Otherwise, they can lead to a world of hurt! This is why the author exclaims, "Love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away" (8:6-7). Love is extremely powerful...no wonder it so often leaves infatuation and jealousy in its wake. And so we best tame adolescent romance by following the author's wise instruction, "Do not awaken love before the appropriate time!"
THE SONG'S INTENDED AUDIENCE
So to whom is Song of Songs addressed? The answer to this question has been much debated. For every five commentaries on the Song of Songs there are six different interpretations! This is to say that Song of Songs has been a notoriously difficult book to decipher (some find it even more difficult than the book of Revelation!). But I believe the key to understanding the intended message (and audience) of the book lies in the repeated chorus, "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" (2:7; 3:5; 8:4).
So then to whom does this chorus speak? Some believe the Song of Songs is addressed to married couples. But isn't marriage the proper context in which to awaken love? So then why would the author insist in keeping love dormant in the context of marriage? Wouldn't that be strange advice? So if not married couples, who is the intended audience? How about 'the daughters of Jerusalem'? After all, the chorus of the song is explicitly directed to them!
But who are 'the daughters of Jerusalem'? It is most likely (in my opinion) referring to unmarried girls who are nearing the age of betrothal. Why do I think this? Notice that at the beginning of the poem (1:2-3), the love-obsessed girl (the main female character) states to her boy-lover, "Your love is better than WINE; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins [hb: almah] love you." And then a few verses later (1:4) we find a chorus of girls exclaiming their love for the boy, "WE will exalt and rejoice in you; WE will extol your love more than WINE; rightly do THEY love you." The reference to 'wine' points us back to verse 1:3 and makes it clear that these are virgins expressing their 'Justin Bieber-esce' obsession for the boy.
So then who are these virgins? Verse 1:5 seems to indicate that they are 'the daughters of Jerusalem'. But what does this word virgin (hb: almah) mean then? Simply put, it is referring to a girl (or girls) of marriageable age (the same word is used in Isa. 7:14). And so it appears that Song of Songs is addressed to young adults (possibly teens)!
So then what is the Song of Songs all about more specifically? Well, that will have to wait for the sequel to this post...
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