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Valentine's Day
“You
are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you”
(Song of Solomon 4:7)
What a beautiful
Scripture – “You are all fair, my love,
and there is no spot in you” (Song of Solomon 4:7). This
very different and lovely Bible book presents the image of King
Solomon and his love for a shepherdess, a “Shulamite”
girl. Modern “critics” of the
Bible teach that Solomon did not write this book, stating that
it was from a group of songs, compiled much later.
1 Kings
4:32-33 reveals that Solomon actually did write 1,005 songs and
this book mentions places and circumstances that ceased to exist
after his time. He likely IS the author, writing this book in
965 BC, but you have to wonder how a man with a harem of at
least 140 (Song of Solomon 6:8) could love this Shulamite so
much? He later made a lot of mistakes and many of them involved
marriages that were politically motivated – It may be this was
the only one he ever truly loved.
The teaching about
this obscure, but beautiful book, sometimes called “The
Song of Songs” (Shir Hashirim),”
is that it is God’s love letter to those who trust in Him. The
parable in the “Song” directly
depicts the nation Israel, God’s intended, as seen in places
like
Hosea 2:19-20, where we read, “…I
will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the
Lord.” Marriage is shown to be parabolic of Christ and
His church in such places as
Ephesians 5:23-25. The Song of
Solomon reveals God’s direct intention as to His beloved,
Israel, and it is a prophesy of the church that was to come.
Both concepts are true. The “intended” of God IS Israel, and IS
the church. Both groups together are God’s beloved; His people,
His Shulamite, His love.
The Lord appeals to us
in what can be called “romantic” terms, indicating that He has
an intense love for every one of us. Some teach that real love
is not found in the emotions at all, but instead the various
Scriptural words translated “love” are “verbs,” action words
that are expressed in what is done for others; not what is felt
about them. Such an idea is suggested by the old English word
“charity,” often used for “love” in the King James version of
the Bible. If the Song of Solomon is a glimpse of how God
“feels” about His people, then we should rejoice, for not only
has He done wonders for us, but He truly LOVES us, in a way that
anyone who hungers for relationship can understand.
There were two or
three men in the Early Church (before 300 AD) who may be the
“Saint Valentine” that was the cause of all the “Valentine’s
Day” cards and gifts that are exchanged during February of each
year, in much of the Western world. It is a time for many to
express love for another with similar fervor to what is found in
Song of Solomon 1:15, where Solomon calls out to the Shulamite,
“Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold
you are fair…” She calls back to him, “Behold,
you are handsome, my beloved!...” (Song of Solomon
1:16). Those are the thoughts of many, and the Lord intends
that our need for such feelings will help us to understand His
thoughts of love toward you and me.
The one most likely to
be the “Valentine” who was
called a “saint” by the
Church, was a pastor in the church at Rome. The Emperor
Claudius was having a tough time getting soldiers to join the
Roman legions and he believed it was because men did not want to
leave their loved ones. Claudius therefore made a management
decision and cancelled all marriages and engagements.
Valentine, along with another pastor named Marius, and others,
secretly performed marriages for Christian couples. Valentine
was caught and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned
him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut
off. The Prefect may have liked marriage himself, but he would
have also realized that Claudius was a dangerous man to
disobey. Valentine was martyred on the 14th day of February,
probably in the year 270 AD.
Notice that when the
Apostle Paul wrote to churches in various cities of the Roman
Empire, he called ALL believers “saints”
(as for instance in
Colossians 1:2). The word “Church”
(Ecclesia) simply meant “called
out ones” from a Greek phrase referring to free citizens
of Greek city-states who were sometimes “called-out”
to vote on various matters. A “saint”
(hagios) was someone who was “set
aside,” (made “holy”)
for God’s purposes in this world. God loves marriage and
Valentine was a good man who died doing God’s will for the “called-out
ones” in a very dangerous time. He was a “saint”
because he trusted in the Lord and responded to His call.
God invented
marriage. I have come to believe that Adam and Eve were literal
people, created by God to usher the human race into this world.
You may or may not believe that. Some feel that Adam and Eve
were “representative” people, presenting the true nature of
creation in symbolic form. Either way; whether you find them to
be literal or symbolic, Genesis presents the reality that God
created people and God created marriage. The love of a man and
woman for one another is a beautiful gift of God, and it is
reflective of the love that Christ had for the church, in dying
for you and me.
My wife asked me to
write a sermon about love on Valentine’s Day, and later
mentioned it again. Her comment the second time: “You
never know when it’s the last time you will be able to say, ‘I
love you.’” She knows how that feels. My wife’s husband
was Bob Douglass, who also was my best friend. Bob, as
mentioned in other sermons, had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and it
was five years ago this week that he was suddenly no longer able
to stand or walk. Shortly after, he went home to be with the
Lord.
You never know how
much time you may have to say that kind word, act with
gentleness, put your arm around a loved one, or help someone God
has placed on your heart. Some religious people are offended by
the thought of sending a Valentine’s card, stating that
“Valentine’s Day” was at the same time as a pagan “special day”
in the Roman Empire. It WAS at the same time, and if it offends
you, don’t send it. But do reach out before long with an email
or perhaps a phone call. God has called us to love, and it is
our most important need in life, not only for you and me, but
also for those who have been or will be carefully placed into
your life by a loving God. Touch them with His love – soon!
In
Song of Solomon
1:6, we see that the Shulamite girl did not think highly of
herself and her brothers did not care for her. And yet, from
Solomon’s perspective she was beautiful. The people of God are
beautiful to our Lord. He says, “You
are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you” (Song
of Solomon 4:7). To Him, we are beautiful indeed.
It’s time to look at
our brethren, see God in them – and TRUST in the Lord.
Father, let me be
someone who loves, in action and in my heart. Enable me
to trust in You and share Your love. In Jesus
Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.FridayStudy.org
www.FirstChurchontheNet.org
www.BlessedHands.org
E-mail:
Ron@FridayStudy.org
Tel: (562)
688-5559
PO Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans
5:8) |
