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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1992)
January 15,1992...The Portland Observer...Page 7 •Portland Observer Scripture o f the V ’erfc RELIGION Galatians 5:1 The Song of Solomon and Human Sexuality BY MICHAEL LINDSEY Dean of North Portland Bible College The text fo r the Sunday School lesson (International Series) fo r next Sunday is Song o f Solomon 2:8-17. This passage deals with a wonderful, but delicate subject. I welcome read ers' responses to the views presented, but let me emphasize that I'm most interested in presenting the B ible's position and how it relates to our com munity. In our series o f studies on the songs and prayers o f the Bible, we are only taking one week to take a sampling of the beautiful, sensual poetry of the Song o f Solomon. And that is really too bad, because these poems about human love are hard to analyze objectively. The song o f Solomon teaches a lot about married love, and about sexuality, but it does not relate its principles like a high-school health class, or a modem sex manual. B ackground. The Song o f Solo mon claims to be the work o f King Solomon, his “ song o f songs,” his greatest writing. Solomon was famous for the vast number o f wives and con cubines he supported in his court (1 Kings 11:3, and Song 6:8). The wives in particular were royal princesses, and the marriages were arranged for politi cal purposes-running contrary to the w arnings the Lord (Yahweh) had given Israel (1 Kings 11:2). The prophet, writing in 1 Kings, em phasizes Solo m on’s disobedience and the disastrous consequences for his nation (read all of ch. 11 for the details). The failures of Solomon serve as an eloquent warning for those leaders to d ay -b o th civil and religious-w h o think that their personal life (e.g., sexual morality, family life, financial intergrity) should not effect their public image and leadership. But the Song o f Solomon gives us another view o f Solomon, which some- what softens the harshness of the prophet. Most likely we should understand this song as a set of “ idylls” or love songs, sung by Solomon and his bride at their week-long wedding feast. They relive the joys and passions of their courtship, and the wonderful pageantry o f their wedding. This bride he married for love, not political expediency. Solo- man recognized the beauty and purity o f their love surpassed anything he had known in his previous encounters. Leland Ryken summarizes the “ plot” o f the book as follows: “ King Solomon, visiting his vineyard upon Mount Lebanon, comes by surprise upon the fair Shulamite maiden; she flees from him, and he visits her disguised as a Shepherd and wins her love; then he comes in slate to claim her as his queen; they are being wedded in the royal palace when the poem opens” (The Literature o f the Bible, p. 207). Solo mon does not develop this plot in chrono logical order, but in separate incidents tied to the rural home of the Shulamite or (in a few cases) the court o f Jerusa lem. P urpose. The soong o f Solomon makes no clear reference to God, or to religious faith, and so some have felt the need to look below the surface meaning o f the song to find the “ real” or “ larger” meaning. The early Jewish traditions interpreted the Song as an allegory o f the L ord’s love for the na tion Israel; the church often takes the bridegroom and the bride as types of Christ and his church. Both these im ages can be found in the Scripture (Ezek 16:1-14; Eph 5:25-32; and several oth ers), so the concept is not impossible. But there is no explanation o f the Song o f Solomon, either in the book or elsewhere in the Bible, to indicate that this is an allegory for anything else. For this reason, I take the Song as it stands, a celebration o f sexual love under the Oregon Mother Of The Year The search is on for the 1992 “ Oregon M other of the Y ear.” The qualifications are: 1. A t least 45 years o f age. 2. Married in a legally accepted cere mony. 3. Youngest child must be at least 15 years o f age. 4. Q ualified to represent the Mothers o f America as an exem plary role model. 5. Understanding, patient, com pas sionate, loving, courageous, and skilled in homemaking arts that are highly regarded as essential for mothers. 6. A successful mother and hom e maker as evidenced by the char acter and contributions of her in dividual children in the religious, educational, civic, and governmen tal or business worlds. 7. An active mem ber of a religious body. 8. An active participant in com m u nity, state, national, or interna tional activities. If YOU or someone YOU KNOW qualifies, please call Sandy or Sharon at 286-0782 or write Leah Sauer, 10626 E. Burnside, Portland, Oreegon 97216. Act NOW because the deadlone for the return o f appli cations is February, 1, 1992. standards ol faithfulness and purity which the Lord had already established in the Law. It is said that Jewish rabbis before the lime o f Christ forbade youth under 30 from reading the Song o f Solomon. However, in the preserved history of the Jews and their religious practices, we read that the Song was read aloud every year by each family during the Feast of Passover. The children would hearthese love songs at least once a year, and as they grew older the meanings would become more clear from their experi ence. They would learn naturally that sexual love is a wonderful, mysterous part o f life, and it’s not to be taken lightly. There is nothing coarse or vile about the language used; the lover and his beloved frankly describe the beauty o f each other’s bodies, and affirm their longing and com m itm ent to each other. Young women are addressed re peatedly as “ daughters o f Jerusalem ,” and the message to them is explicit: there is a right time for this kind of love—don’t get aroused for love until that time arrives (Song 2:7; 3:5; 8:4). Young men are taught an equally im portant, practical message in Proverbs (Prov 2:16-19; 5:15-20; 6:24-29; 7:1- 27): d o n ’tchaseafterother m en’s wives; be faithful to the wife o f your youth; and run lrom those wayward women who would gladly chase you. A pplication. We live in a sexually saturated society, where the very idea o f self-control in sexual conduct is laughed at. The answ er is not ju st to give up or give in. And it is surely not going to help to hide our children from any know l edge of our sexual nature, as if it is somehow dirty or lewd. The Song o f solomon gives us some great guidelines for our own lives, as well as the instruction of our teens and young adults. Here arc a few thoughts I would suggest, knowing that there is a 10th Annual Black Womens’ Gathering Volunteers arc needed to help plan the 10th annual celebration o f Port land’s Black W omen's Gathering Help is needed on the following committees: Fundraising & booths, public rela tions & media, program, entertainment, childcare, hostess, food, and brochure. For more information call D ’nor- gia Price at 286-9089 or Deborah Marshall 236-9687. CME Ch urch Psalm 34:3 Portland, Oregon 97211 (503) 287-0261 The Senior Usher Board of Bethel A.M.E. Church, cordially invites you to attend our “ Annual D ay,” Sun day, January 19, 1992, a t4 :0 0 p .m „ “ featuring” Dr. Scholastica Ibari Njoku, noted African speaker, au thor and poet. For more information please call Bethel A.M.E. Church, (503) 288-5429 or 288-5420. Study Phon«: 2 8 9 -1 9 11 Are you a friend of Jesus? Do you want Jesus to be your friend? We want to be your friend and would love to have you as our friend. M a llo ry Avenue Christian Church D i s c i p 9:45am 11:00am 7:30pm Themes Whatever you're going to do for the Lord, do it now I Pet«r hr.11 M allory C hurch of C hrist 3908 NE M A L L O R Y AVENUE Bible Study 9:30 am . Morning Worship 10:45 am . M en’s Training Leadership Women’s Bible Class 5:00 pm. Evening Worship What A Friend We Have In Jesus l e s o f C h r is t Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS 288-1092 RESTORING NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY MT OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH WE ARE MOVING SUNDAY SERVICES TO Worship Services 8:00 A.M. & 11:00 A.M. Church School 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. Bible Study. Wednesdays, 116 N.E.Schuyler 10:30 A.M. and 6:30 P.M. Sunday School Morning Worship Tuesday Bible Study and Prayer Inter-racial Congregation M inister Gregory Fobbs 6:00 pm. Attended nursery for all services Wednesday prayer m eeting and bible study 7:30 Dm. Stone Tower Church, N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 3Oth "Come to me all you who ore weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest" Z’asftx t e v jtvzTf’i C E Faulkner 5211 N. W illia m s P o r tla n d , O r. 9 7 2 1 7 He that is too good to realize that he need to be saved, cannot be helped. But he that recognize he has a need, can be helped. God's Presence promises Power through Jesus Christ In G ood Times and Bad Times Mott/rew / 7 Sunday Service 10:45 Sunday School 9:30 Bible Study 6:00 Evening Service 7:00 P.M. 503/281-2836 5029 N. E. MLK Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR 97211 Telephone Number - 287-8344 Rev. A. G. May, Pastor Church Phon«: 2 S 9 -0 1 4 7 Cleodus Vann Bethel A.M.E. Church Celebrates 'Annual Day' Everyone is welcome to this church, (the body of Christ). There is a place and a work here for you. 8101 N. Fiske Avenue Portland, Oregon 97203 D IR E C T O R S Family Owned and Operated Since 1954 Serving the City of Portland for over 37 years In your hour of need Vann &Vann are there to serve Union Avenue Baptist Church Phillip S. Nekon Pastor ^Baptist Cfyurcfy FU N ERA L SUNDAY SCHEDULE 4236 NE Eighth Avenue (corner of 8th i Skidmore) VANN & VANN Jesus Christ Is Salvation Jesus Loves You! A l l e n T e m p le lot more in the Bible on this important subject. (1) God created humans as male and female, and he called it very good (Gen 1:31). So we can be thankful to God for our sexuality, and enjoy it • fully, without shame or guilt. (2) For our own good, and for the full enjoy ment o f our sexuality, we must follow God’s plan for love, marriage and family. This means a period o f self-control, waiting for the right time and the right person to give all one’s love to (read 1 Cor 6:18; 7:2). And then it means life long faithfulness and respect for that lover, which is the whole point of the marriage vows (read 1 C or 7:3-4; 1 Thess 4:3-7). (3) Those who transgress G od’s plan for marriage will fall under the judgment o f God, which is the natural result o f their sin. This includes forni cation (sexual relations prior to the public marriage vows) and adultery (unfaithfulness to one’s spouse) and all homosexual acts (for all these, read 1 cor 6:9-10). In today’s American society, we can see the effects o f the “ sexual revo lution.” Diseases, including AIDS, but also including many other painful and permanent conditions, are spread ing at epidemic rates. [The “ sa fe se x ” myth must be abandoned; in practice, the only safe sex is within marriage. Emotional and social upheaval also follow in the wake of sexual promiscu ity. The prevailing attitudes toward sexual relations promise freedom, but produce emptiness, pain, and disap pointment. G od’s standards may seem too lim iting-they do require com m it ment and self-control-but his ways lead to real freedom, the freedom to enjoy our sexuality without fear or rcgret. It’s that freedom that the Song o f Solo mon celebrates. Radio Ministry each Sunday. 8:00 A.M.-KBMS Denise Fi. Bell, Postor 126 N .e Alberto t Portland. OR 97211 t (503) 288-5173 A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry Dr. James E. Martin. Senior Pastor Church Office 116 N.E Schuyler,
