The Day of the Lord

Date 22 01 23 Text Zephaniah 1:7-18 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church

We've begun to look at the little book of Zephaniah. Last week we looked at 1:1-6. We noted first that the book's author is Zephaniah. We know little about him but he may been descended from good King Hezekiah. He prophesied during the 30 year reign of Josiah, Judah's last good king. He became king when he was eight and there was revival during his time, though we don't know whether Zephaniah preached before or after it or in both periods.

We then considered the universal judgment on the earth and the judgment on Judah that anticipates it, both of which Zephaniah announces. He speaks of a premature judgment on Judah that anticipates the final judgment and how the final judgment will affect the professed people of God.

With both judgements we asked four questions.

1 Who is going to bring it about? God himself.

2 What will be its chief characteristic? First the idea of sweeping away is repeated. Just as when someone takes a brush and sweeps the rubbish up so God will come one day and sweep away all unrighteousness. It's a great clean up. The other image is of God stretching out his hand against his people. Picture him and his outstretched arm – strong to save yes but it can also destroy when turned against someone.

3 Against who will God act? First of all everything. Narrowing down, he says (4) I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. We underlined the fact that a mere profession of faith saves no-one. God's wrath will not only affect idolaters but all who engage in what we call syncretism, worshipping God and idols. Of course, you don't have to be an idolater to know God's judgment, it is enough to turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him. Such people are apostates.

4 How ought we to react to such facts? It is a warning. The judgment is coming. Are you ready? Are you living as a person ought to be who belongs to the Lord? Is your profession of faith matched by a life of living to God's praise? It must be.

In the rest of Chapter 1 Zephaniah continues to describe what he calls (verses 7, 14) the day of the LORD and what again and again is described as a day or a time that is coming.

We can divide what he says into four similar parts. He says

1. The day of the LORD is near when God will punish the powerful and idolatrous

1. A call for silence before God because the day of the LORD is near

When a trial begins they always say “Silence in court”. To be silent is to show respect. Here it says Be silent before the Sovereign LORD. This silence is commanded no doubt not only as a mark of reverence but because we need to think about what is being said here. It is part of wisdom to sometimes stop and be silent. We ought to think very carefully about the fact of the Day of the LORD which will surely come in due time.

Silence is right especially because the day of the LORD is near - for the day of the LORD is near. We have spoken of this. Near does not necessarily mean it is tomorrow or this week. Rather, the point is - it will come sooner than we think. Just when we think it is far off, it will come on us. This is why, although sometimes it seems as though we have all the time in the world. We must be ready.

In an athletics track event the starter says first, before he says go, Ready. The athletes need to prepare themselves to go. What would you think of an athlete who merely sauntered along when he had heard the ready word? I notice how my son, when he wants his sons to go to bed or to go out, if they are playing, will say in five minutes you must stop playing. It gives them a chance to get used to the idea. We need to get ourselves used to the idea that Christ is coming again and then the day of the LORD will begin.

2. That day will be like a sacrifice day and the powerful and influential will be punished

In verses 7 and 8 the image of a sacrifice is used to describe the coming day of judgment. Imagine a day when you know there will be a sacrifice. You are up early, you consecrate yourself, you get ready. This sacrifice day is different to others, however. People have failed to make sacrifices to God and be the living sacrifices he intends us to be but on that day such people will themselves be the sacrifice. The LORD has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated (set apart) those he has invited. These are probably the executioners – first Nebuchadnezzar and others and then the angels. 8 "On the day of the LORD's sacrifice I will punish the officials and the king's sons and all those clad in foreign clothes. Affluent peoples often like to wear foreign clothes – from Paris, Milan, wherever. The Jews were to dress in a distinctive way not as others did. The leaders then tended to ignore this. Such ways of thinking will be punished on the day of judgment if there is no repentance

3. On that day God will punish the superstitious and idolatrous

Verse 9 is more obvious. God says On that day I will punish all who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit. Idolatry was everywhere in Israel and here is another clear warning of where it leads. We don't know what the reference to all who avoid stepping on the threshold is but it speaks of the superstition that commonly attaches itself to ignorance and pagan thinking. The fact those who are going to be punished are not just described as people who attend the temple of their gods but as those who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit tells its own story. False religion usually makes the morals of those who practice it worse not better.

Hear this warning and recognise the need to be ready for the day of the LORD.

2. The day of the LORD is near when God will punish the complacent and they will lose all

Zephaniah carries on in verses 10-13 in the same vein. Three more things to note

1. On that day, God will destroy all and they will wail

10, 11 "On that day," declares the LORD, a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, in Jerusalem, probably in the north west and named for the fish market nearby wailing from the New Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills nearby. Wail, you who live in the market district; in the lower part of the city all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be destroyed.

The references don't make much impact on us but imagine I spoke to you of a day when a cry will go up from the Co-op on the corner of Finchley Road and the Cricklewood Lane, wailing from the three high rise flats and a loud crash from Hampstead Heath. Wail, you who live among the shops at the top of the hill, all the food shops will be wiped out, all the other shops destroyed.

What a terrible time is coming for Jerusalem and that disaster points to trouble one day for the whole world. The description of news travelling fast here is vivid and conjures up what a dreadful day it will be for all who have not repented.

2. On that day, God will punish the complacent

12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent,who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.' Previously the leaders have been singled out but here in verse 12 it is the complacent who are spoken of. They are like wine left on its dregs. When wine is made, a sediment often forms that if not stirred in will be obvious. If there is no stirring, the dregs or lees will be obvious. So with the complacent they are never stirred up about the day of the Lord. They ought to be. They think to themselves 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.' Everything goes on just as it always has. There will be no judgment. How wrong to think like that. What a mistake. At that time God himself will come and search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the complacent. Be ready!

3. On that day, all their wealth will be lost

Rinat Akhmetov – no I've never heard of him either but they say he was Ukraine's richest man. When the Russians invaded his country towards the end of February 2022 his fortune of nearly $14 Billion quickly dropped to less than $6 Billion. No doubt it is even less now. It is an illustration of how useless wealth can be when trouble comes.

13 Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine. There was a tendency then and it is still around today to suppose that your wealth will protect you. If I have some money behind me, some money put away, I'll be okay. But no, the wealth of the rich will be plundered and their houses which gave them such a sense of security will be demolished. Though they build houses, and very handsome they looked no doubt, they will not live in them; similarly though they plant vineyards, they will not drink the wine.

People today trust in their savings and their homes and their businesses but it is a false faith. Such things cannot protect anyone when God's judgment comes.

3. The day of the LORD is near - a day of wrath, anguish, ruin, gloom and war

In verse 14 we have our second reference to the day of the LORD, The great day of the LORD. A number of things are then said about that great day, things we must carefully note. First though,

1. The day of the LORD will soon be here. As in verse 7 so in verse 14 The great day of the LORD is near - near and coming quickly. The next great thing to happen to this world is that the day of judgment will be here. We must be ready. Even if it does not come in our lifetimes, we still have to die and face God and soon.

2. It will be a day of bitterness for many. Verse 14 goes on The cry on the day of the LORD is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry. The picture now is not of a sacrifice but, as hinted before, an invasion. There is a cry from the victims that is bitter and from the executors a battle cry. What bitter suffering on that day for those who refuse to repent.

3. It will be a day of wrath. 15a That day will be a day of wrath – a day when the unrepentant will know what it is to suffer God's wrath without stint. Already his wrath is being revealed but then it will come in all its unmitigated ferocity.

4. It will be a day of anguish. Zephaniah goes on with a series of four or five pairs that make very clear the kind of day it will be. First a day of distress and anguish. We have spoken already of bitterness – distress and anguish are also appropriate words to describe how it will be for sinners in that day - Trouble, terrible troubles, distress, destruction, sorrow, pressure, torment, great suffering, pain – those are the words the translations use to get the idea across.

5. It will be a day of ruin and gloom. He speaks too of it being a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. To sum up, there will be ruin and darkness. Clouds speak of judgment anyway but these are black clouds – threatening and mysterious. Desolation, destruction, disaster, darkness, despair – these five 'd' words sum it up well.

6. It will be a day of war, 16 a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. These are again war images designed to impress on the hearers that there will be nowhere to hide and the loss will be great.

The picture cannot be misconstrued then. A great day of trouble is coming. You must be ready.

4. The day of the LORD - a day of distress, confusion and pain when wealth will be useless

The final verses add nothing particularly new but serve to underline what has been said – the distress, confusion, suffering and wrath that is to come and the fact that wealth will then be useless. And finally, its suddenness again.

1. It will be a day of distress. Verse 17 begins I will bring such distress on all people …. Distress – one more 'd' word. No-one will escape the distress that is coming.

2. It will be a day of confusion. The main point in verse 17 is that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their sin is the problem and it will leave sinners groping about like the blind so nonplussed and confused will they be by it all.

It reminds me of that famous painting from the First World War called Gassed by John Singer Sargent. It is a large oil painting that depicts the aftermath of a mustard gas attack. A line of wounded soldiers makes its uncertain way to a dressing station. Sargent was commissioned to document the war and visited the Western Front in July 1918. The painting was finished in March 1919 and voted picture of the year by the Royal Academy of Arts that year. It is now in the Imperial War Museum. It well sums up what we are told here about people groping their way along like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the LORD.

3. It will be a day of pain. Suffering is bound to be part of it. Here two particularly gruesome pictures are used.

1 Their blood will be poured out like dust Into the dust would perhaps make more sense but given what we have perhaps the picture is the way dust is thrown out as waste in large quantities – so will it be with their blood.

2 and their entrails like dung is a striking image and speaks of no burial and of being left as carrion for the vultures. As manure is spread on the fields so their remains will be spread everywhere, as it were.

4. It will be a day when wealth will be useless. The point is again made (18) that Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath. In some ways it seems such an obvious thing to say.

Lily Safra, a Brazilian-Monegasque billionaire and socialite amassed considerable wealth through her four marriages. In June 2022 her net worth was estimated at $1.3 Billion. However, in that month she died from cancer. Her money could not save her.

Dietrich Mateschitz was an Austrian billionaire businessman. He was the co-founder and 49% owner of Red Bull. In April 2022, his net worth was estimated at $27.4 Billion. However, in October 2022 he died from cancer. His money could not save him.

John Shaw was a Scottish billionaire businessman. He made his fortune in textiles. He and his wife were said to be worth $2.5 Billion. However, in October 2022 he also died from cancer. His money could not save him.

We all know that when we die money will be useless to us and certainly it will count for nothing come the day of judgment yet how we are tempted to love and cherish it. When will we learn how useless it is?

5. It will be a day when the whole earth will be consumed in the fire of God's jealousy

He goes on In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed. This whole world is going to be consumed, eaten up, destroyed. God is a jealous God, jealous for his Son and for his people. Where they have been despised or ignored he'll bring vengeance and none of the guilty will escape.

6. On that day God will make a sudden end of all who live on earth

And the last phrase … for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth. No-one will escape (except, it is assumed, through Jesus Christ). Suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, the end will be here. It will be over. It is like in an exam when the invigilator suddenly says “Pens down”. It is like when a strict mother says to her children “It's time to come in from play”. It's like when the football referee's whistle blows at the end of play, when the boxing referee says 8,9,10 - out. How suddenly it will seem when it comes.

Are you ready?

Are you ready to meet Jesus? Are you where you ought to be?

Will He know you when He sees you Or will He say, "Depart from me?"

Are you ready? (Yes I am, get ready!) Hope you're ready? (ready, are you ready?)

Am I ready? (Are you ready? Get ready!) Am I ready? (ready, are you ready?)

Am I ready? (Are you ready? Get ready!) Am I ready? (ready, are you ready?)

Am I ready to lay down my life for the brethren And to take up my cross?

Have I surrendered to the will of God Or am I still acting like the boss?

Am I ready? (Get ready!) Hope I'm ready? (ready, are you ready?)

When destruction cometh swiftly And there's no time to say a fare-thee-well

Have you decided whether you want to be In Heaven or in Hell?

Are you ready? (Oh yeah! Get ready!) Are you ready? (ready, are you ready?)

Have you got some unfinished business? Is there something holding you back?

Are you thinking for yourself Or are you following the pack?

Are you ready? (Oh yeah! Get ready!) Hope you're ready? (ready, are you ready?)

Are you ready for the judgment? Are you ready for that terrible swift sword?

Are you ready for Armageddon? Are you ready for the day of the Lord?

Are you ready for the judgement day?

Date 15 01 23 Text Zephaniah 1:1-6 Place CHilds Hill Baptist Church

As I'm sure you know, if you pick up a Christian Bible it is in two unequal parts - Old Testament and New Testaments. The last 12 books of the Old Testament are what we call the Minor Prophets. They are called this because the Old Testament writing prophets who wrote them wrote shorter books than the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel). The word doesn't mean minor in the sense of unimportant but of size. The longest of the minor prophets are Hosea and Zechariah (only 14 short chapters each). Obadiah has only one chapter and Haggai two. Because the books are only short it was possible to write all twelve on one big scroll – hence The Twelve.

Over the years we have looked at most if not all of these books but there are some that perhaps we have not looked at or have not looked at for a very long time. I would like to turn our attention this evening to one of them, to the Book of Zephaniah. It was probably written some time in the seventh century, certainly before 587 BC and the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians.

One reason why people shy away from the minor prophets is that they are full of words of judgement. Zephaniah begins, after the briefest of introductions, "I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. People are often slow to look at the subject of judgment. However, I am assuming that all of you here tonight are believers and so there is no reason for you to be afraid of the judgment. On the other hand, it is good to look at the subject in case we are mistaken about supposing we are going to heaven and in order to remind ourselves of what is going to happen to all those around us who refuse to repent.

So this week we'll look just at the opening verses of the book, Chapter 1:1-6. I want to say three things to you.

1. Who is the author of this prophecy and when did he prophesy?

The opening verse of the book reminds us that this is The word of the LORD. It is The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, presumably the great and good king. If so, Zephaniah was of royal blood. He may have left one generation out in his genealogy, otherwise Hezekiah was his great great grandfather. We know almost nothing else about Zephaniah.

He prophesied, he says, during the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah to whom Zephaniah must have been related in some way. Amon was assassinated around 641 BC. Josiah, in contrast to his father and grandfather (Manasseh) was one of the good kings of Judah. He began reigning when he was 8 years old and reigned for the next 30 years. In the twelfth year of his reign, there was a great revival and so the question arises as to when Zephaniah's prophecies were given. If they come from the period before the revival, perhaps they were one of the instruments that God used to bring revival about. If it was in the latter half of Josiah's reign that Zephaniah prophesied then presumably it was because it was not long before people began to fall away again, despite the reformation that had come about. The prophecies could have been given in both parts of the reign, of course.

This is the period when the power of Assyria was beginning to wane and the Babylonians were on the rise. It is the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar who eventually carried Judah off into exile.

So some lessons to begin with

1. Be thankful that we have here the word of the Lord. God speaks and he speaks in the Bible, including in this book of Zephaniah.

2. Recognise that throughout the Bible God speaks through human beings, including Zephaniah. As is often the case, we do not know much about the human writer but we know he was a real human being and that he was used by God in his generation to convey his word. God revealed secrets to his servants the prophets and we have those words today. The same Holy Spirit who spoke through Zephaniah then will illumine those words so that we understand them today.

3. Remember that plain, honest preaching is always needed, whether times are good or bad. We need to hear the Word of God.

2. Hear this word about the universal judgment that is going to come on this earth

In verses 2 and 3 Zephaniah plunges straight into the prophecy proper. First, God announces what he is going to do, the judgment he is going to bring about on this earth. Just as he once judged this earth by means of a worldwide flood so he will bring other judgments including a final judgment on all. Four questions

1. Who is going to bring about this judgment?

Verse 2 "I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. It is the LORD himself, the true and living God of Israel. It says that at the beginning of verse 2 and again at the end of verse 3. This is God speaking, this is indeed the word of the LORD and that is why we must sit up and listen. He is the God with whom we have to do.

2. What will be its chief characteristic?

You notice the repeated idea of sweeping away. It begins "I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the LORD. Then there is some itemisation "I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea - and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble." If there is any doubt about what such sweeping away by God entails, the phrase "When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth," declares the LORD makes it clear.

Just as when someone takes a brush and sweeps the rubbish up across the floor so God will come one day and he will sweep away all unrighteousness. It's a great clean up.

When I was a child, my mother would have a big clean up in the house, which was fine but sometimes there were things that I treasured that she would throw away because they were cluttering up the house. It is something like that when God is at work.

In doing what he says he will do God will destroy the whole earth including the unrighteous, consigning them to hell. The New Testament speaks of this (2 Peter 3:10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

3. What will be swept away?

In verse 3 Zephaniah enumerates who will be swept away. It is like Genesis 1 in reverse. There we read of the creation of man and before that of the beasts and before that the birds and the fish. Here he says I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea …. All of creation is going to be swept away when this great day of judgment comes. He adds - and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. On the fourth day God made the sun, moon and stars, which people have made idols of. But they also will be destroyed.

These idols that cause the wicked to stumble really are stumbling blocks. They get in the way of true worship and cause people to fall into sin. When someone trips over something in the street we say he has hit a stumbling block. That literal thing is a picture of the way idols get in the way and cause people to fall. But they will not last.

It all reminds us of Jesus's own words in Matthew 13:40, 41 As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

The whole thing may sound negative but in fact it is very positive for this will mean the end of idolatry and all the wickedness associated with it when God judges all the earth. This drive against idols has already begun but it will be completed when Jesus comes again.

4. How ought we to react to such a fact?

It is very clear that a great judgment is going to come on this earth and we need to be ready for it. If we are given to idol worship then what hope is there for us? We need to put our faith rather in Jesus Christ before it is too late. As Peter says (2 Peter 3:11-13) Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

We know there is going to be a judgment – our consciences tell us so and even if we do not know the Ten Commandments we have an innate sense of right and wrong and of God's justice. Paul says of unbelievers at the end of Romans 1 that they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, yet sadly they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

3. Hear this word about the judgment of Judah which anticipates it

The last thing in verse 4 is this - "When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth," declares the LORD …. It is really the beginning of the next sentence - When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth, declares the LORD I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem etc so we will take it as part of verse 5 and we will look at it along with the final two verses. We ask the same four questions.

1. Who is going to bring about this judgment?

Through into verses 4-6, it is still God who is speaking, it is still the LORD. He is the one who is going to destroy all mankind on the face of the earth and who in particular will stretch out his hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. When judgement comes it is God who is behind it.

2. What will be its chief characteristic?

This time God speaks about stretching out his hand against certain people - stretching out his hand no doubt to grab and to punish. Certainly the word to destroy is here again - I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests ….

Picture God then and his outstretched arm – an arm that os strong to save but that can also destroy when it is turned against a person.

Zephaniah is speaking both of a premature judgment on Judah that anticipates the final judgment and how the final judgment will affect the professed people of God.

In 2 Kings 23:4-8 we read about how The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the LORD all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel. He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem - those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts. He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the temple of the LORD, the quarters where women did weaving for Asherah. Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the gateway at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which was on the left of the city gate.

What Zephaniah speaks of here is what had happened or would happen, but there is more to come – a compete overthrow of idolatry lay ahead. We have seen how since the coming of Christ idolatry has been in reverse everywhere. The final phase of that will soon be here with the judgement.

3. Against who will God's hand be stretch out?

Here things narrow down. 4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem God says. This time it is not just all the earth but specifically the professed people of God. It reminds us of what Peter says reflecting on the way Christians suffer in this life, in 1 Peter 4:17, 18, For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Jeremiah 25:29 is similar. God says to the nations this time See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword on all who live on the earth, declares the LORD Almighty.

All are judged. As Jesus puts it in one place (Luke 12:47, 48) The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Privileges bring responsibilities. All will be judged but professing believers first and most severely.

He goes into some detail itemising this time every remnant of Baal worship ... the idolatrous priests - those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by Molek, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him.

This allows us to draw some more distinct conclusions about the judgment and who in particular will suffer at that time.

1 Firstly, we must underline the fact that a mere profession of faith will save no-one. That will not ever be enough for anyone.

2 God says I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests - those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host. Baal worship and other idolatries were everywhere in Jerusalem at this time. The people would go up onto the flat roofs of their houses from where they could see the stars and planets and they would bow down and worship them. All idol worshippers and those who worship the starry host God says will all be destroyed in this judgment. The very names of the idolatrous priests will be destroyed. Just as no-one remembered the names of the builders of the Tower of Babel, despite all their efforts, so the names of these idolatrous priests are forgotten and will not be brought to mind again.

3 This will include those who engage in what we call syncretism. Those who bow down and swear by the LORD and yet who at the same time also swear by Molek, the detestable god of the Ammonites. These too will be destroyed.

4 You do not have to be an idolater to know God's judgment, it is enough that you are one of those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of him. Such people are what we call apostates.

It is clear then that this worldwide judgment includes those who profess to belong to God's people and indeed begins with them. Merely to have the name that you belong to God is not enough. There needs to be more.

4. How ought we to react to such a fact?

Again it is a warning. The judgment is coming. Are you ready? Are you living as a person ought to be who belongs to the Lord? Is your profession of faith matched by a life of living to God's praise? It must be.

Do you know the phrase nominal Christian or Sunday Christian? The authors of Operation World suggest that there are 1.2 billion of these nominal or non-practising Christians alive today. The evangelical Lausanne Movement defines a nominal Christian as "a person who has not responded in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord" … [he] "may be a practising or non-practising church member. He may give intellectual assent to basic Christian doctrines and claim to be a Christian. He may be faithful in attending liturgical rites and worship services, and be an active member involved in church affairs." Jesus tells us that on the day of judgement (Matthew 7:21-23) Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' What a sobering statement.

Beginning and maintaining a covenant relationship of love

Text Song of Songs 8:5-14 Date 18/09/22 Place Childs Hill Baptist

We come this week to the last section of Song of Solomon. Again, I want to consider what we learn about the love story between King Solomon and his beloved Shulamite and their covenant relationship of love, both in light of what it teaches on the horizontal level and what it teaches on the vertical level, ie what it teaches about human love and marriage and what it teaches about the relationship between Christ and his church, the people of God. Previously we’ve had sometimes quite lengthy speeches fairly easy to identify, mainly from the Bride and her Lover. Here we have a series of speeches in rapid succession from various speakers. These are not always so easy to assign. Probably the NIV is right in identifying six different speeches – three from the woman, two from the Friends in verses 5a and 8, 9 and one from the Lover in verse 13. How ever we divide things we get the impression of a coming together and a certain concluding togetherness. The passage raises four useful questions for us.

1. How should a covenant relationship of love continue?

We begin with the chorus, by means of a question, drawing attention to the Beloved walking along, on the arm of her Lover, coming up out of the wilderness. 5a Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? Back in 3:6 we had a similar reference when the marriage procession was described. Here the question is asked again and this time we see that still, at this more mature period in their marriage, the Bride is leaning on her husband. She puts all her weight on him. This is a powerful picture firstly of marriage itself but also of the relationship between Christ and his church. There are three things to note in particular.

1. They are together 2. They are leaving the wilderness behind 3. The Beloved leans on her Lover

This is how a marriage should be. We are not saying that husbands and wives need to be physically in one anther’s company 24 hours a day but they do need to spend time together and to be together in other respects too. Always a marriage should be going forward and where there are barren patches, dry and fruitless times, then they must be left behind by the grace of God. The normal pattern is that the woman should lean on the man, not the other way round. Although in one sense it works both ways, he should be a source of strength to his wife. She is to be treated (as the New Testament exhorts) as the weaker vessel. Ideally, the way forward in marriage is to leave the wilderness behind, to stay together and for the wife to lean more than ever on her husband in Christ. Problems come in marriage when there is no progress, when there is no togetherness or when the husband fails to shoulder his responsibilities as he ought to.

Certainly, when we come to the relationship between Christ and his church that is the situation. We must always lean on him. He is the one who supports us and leads us out of the wilderness and on to heaven as together we share his easy yoke. It is a question to ponder Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? It is the Lord Jesus Christ and his church, the people of God heading for home in the company of its one Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Is Christ leading you out of the wilderness? Are you with him? Are you leaning evermore heavily on him? That's the way forward for a Christian. This is how we must go forward as individuals and as a church.

2. What will enable a covenant relationship of love to continue?

So here is our basic principle for going on in a covenant relationship of love but what can we learn here about what we need to do to go on? We can say three things in particular.

1. Remember how it began

The woman then speaks next or is it the man? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labour gave you birth. It is probably the case that one of them is recalling their first meeting. One is sleeping under an apple tree when he or she is awakened by the other. Bearing in mind the spiritual application which we believe is appropriate to this portion of Scripture it is tempting to assume that it is the Lover who speaks. It is appropriate to think of her as being asleep – exhausted perhaps but certainly dead to his charms. Then he comes to her and awakes her and she was, as it were, conceived and born. That was the beginning of life. If you are a Christian you may not be exactly sure when you were converted but you can at least remember the first time you were really sure that you were or when you first awoke to your spiritual situation. Such a memory is precious and ought to be recalled. There you were dead to God and to life in Christ but then the Lord came and awoke you. He gently raised you up and you were born again.

However, it is probably more likely that it is the woman who is speaking. She has referred to him before as an apple tree and it may be that she is speaking of him by using this term. Otherwise, she has in mind simply a fruit tree and all that evokes of romance. Spiritually speaking, she is recalling, as she has before, the coming of Christ into this world and her discovery of him by the grace of God. It is good when we remember, as best we can, how it all began. How excited we were to discover Christ, asleep as it were. How eager we were to awake him and receive his blessings. That is how it should go on.

There is an application to marriage too. There is probably no such thing as love at first sight but there is certainly attraction at first sight and many couples can talk about how they first met and the feelings they had even then for one another. Some, of course, knew one another for many years before there was any serious thought of marriage. Every couple has its story. You children you might like to ask mam and dad their story if you don’t know it. I’m sure that it is generally a good thing to keep in mind how it all began. Marriages can hit difficult times and sometimes the best antidote to troubles is just to remind yourself of what attracted you to your husband or wife in the first place. Of course, some marriages get off to a shaky start and it’s better in some ways not to dwell on how it all began, although God turns situations around remarkably at times even in seemingly hopeless situations and it is to such turning points that attention must be directed.

2. Nurture it with the right desires

In verses 6 and 7 it is generally agreed that it is certainly the Bride speaking. She sums up the whole theme of the Song and brings it to a climax, Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned. So here we have an earnest request to the Lover prompted by a realisation of the nature of true love.

We look at the earnest request first. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm she prays. In ancient times seals were used by important people, especially kings, as a quick and easy yet unique means of identifying their authorship and ownership. By means of a ring or a pattern engraved on a pendant or bracelet, a seal could be impressed in wax marking ownership. There is also some evidence that lovers would exchange seals. Her prayer then is that she might belong uniquely to her Lover, that she might be his alone. She seeks such assurance.

In marriage it is important that there is such assurance. Not only must the relationship be an exclusive one in terms of there not being a closer relationship with anyone else but there must be a willingness not to let anything else so dominate that the husband or wife is put into second place. To desire assurances that this is the situation is right and good. Similarly, this is an appropriate prayer for us to address to Christ Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. We want every assurance that we really are his. The greater our assurance, the more certain it is, the better. Let’s seek it earnestly.

3. Understand the nature of true love

She makes this request because she truly loves him. She describes her love for him using several images to express how strong it was. Some take it to rather to be a description of his love to her. Perhaps we are wisest to see it as a description of true love that will manifest itself in similar ways wherever it occurs.

Its strength - as great as death. Think of the power of death. Slowly but surely it picks us off one by one. None of us can escape it, none of us can escape it. Love is as strong as that. For love is as strong as death. We see it supremely in Christ and his love for his own. He even went to the point of dying on the cross in order to save his own. Because he first loved us, as believers, we ought to love him too with a strong and enduring love. In marriage husbands have the model of Christ’s love for his church and wives that of what the church ought to show to Christ.

Its intensity – as unyielding as the grave. Its jealousy unyielding as the grave. True love is as determined as the grave itself. Nothing can overthrow it or defeat it. It will win out. We tend to think of jealousy as a bad thing and, of course, in fallen sinful man it can go out of control but jealousy itself is right and proper. True love brooks no rivals. God is a jealous God and he will have no rivals for his people’s affections. In response we ought to be jealous for his honour also. All this should be reflected in marriage. Woe to that person who tries to interfere with the marriage of another and arouse their jealousy. We do not condone murder but it is true that some people have lost their lives in such a move.

Its passion - as unquenchable as blazing fire. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love. Fire is another powerful force. You have seen film of forest fires in America and other countries. Despite their best efforts fire fighters cannot hold the flames back. You have seen, perhaps at close quarters what devastation fire can cause. That’s what true love is like. Do what you may to dampen it down, to quench it or quell it, yet still it thrives. It blazes and flames. Even when you think it has died right down, the embers can be fanned into flame again and the blaze is raised once more. The phrase mighty flame is literally ‘Flame of the LORD’. God is love. He has a passionate, unstoppable love for his own. Again this ought to be part of marriage. We sometimes speak of keeping the flames of passion stoked – we must.

Its unquenchableness - as immovable as a rock. Perhaps the phrase Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot sweep it away is moving to a different picture. You know the power of water to alter the landscape. When floods come or the sea is high whole chunks of land can be removed and carried off. True love is not like that. It withstands such onslaughts and like a rock in a storm it remains unmoved despite all that may be thrown at it. Here is another picture then of the true love seen in Christ that ought to be reflected in our love to him and the love that binds man and wife together in marriage.

Its preciousness – it is beyond price. If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned. It is part of the nature of true love that it cannot be bought. Sometimes people can be bought off. They want something badly but if you get your price right they can be bought off. True love is not like that. If you say to a true lover ‘Listen, I will give you £100 pounds, £1, 000, £10,000 if you will give up your love’ not only would the true lover refuse you – he would look at you with scorn. ‘Do you understand the first thing of what real love is all about?’ Money can’t buy me love. This explains why a wife will stay with her husband even though he is poor. It explains why neither bribery nor persecution can persuade the true believer to deny his Lord.

‘All you need is love’ was John Lennon’s famous phrase. Poetically speaking he was right, of course. However, we must understand what love is all about. Until we do chanting the phrase ‘All you need is love’ is like chanting a mere mantra. It means no more than abracadabra or rhubarb, rhubarb.

3. How should a covenant relationship of love be begun?

At this point the chorus comes in again with words in the form of a question and an answer that at first sight seem rather strange and misplaced. 8, 9 We have a little sister they would say in those days, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for? If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. This leads us on to the subject of how a covenant relationship of love begins. There are two things to note.

1. Understand the responsibility of others

1 See the need to be discerning. The friends seem to be recalling something that the Bride had often told them about. She would quote the words of her brothers when she was younger. They, it seems, were responsible for bringing her up, she presumably being an orphan. We have a little sister they would say in those days, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for? Even though she was still young at the time the brothers were aware of their responsibility to find a husband for her. Cultures differ, of course, and perhaps if we were responsible for bringing up a little girl (or a boy for that matter) we might be slow to think that it was our responsibility to arrange a marriage for her. However, surely it is part of the responsibility of whoever is bringing a child up to see that they are properly prepared for marriage. We may not go to the extent of arranging a marriage as in some cultures but there is a responsibility to bring up children to be marriageable in the best sense, to delicately and appropriately teach them the facts of life (as they are usually called), to help them as best we can to meet the right sort of prospective husband or wife, etc. It may be the Lord’s will that the child we are bringing up should remain single but we don’t know that and should assume that it is most likely that they will one day marry.

Of course, there is, if anything, an even greater responsibility to see that children under our care come to trust in the Lord Jesus – that they are married to him, as it were. This responsibility extends beyond our own children to any we know who like children are ignorant and vulnerable and likely to go astray. While they are still young we must be thinking of how we can lead people to Christ.

2 See the need to act. It seems that there was some discussion among the brothers about how they should deal with this particular matter and we may want to debate things like what we tell children when and what steps we take to help them in this area, however the idea of simply leaving it to work itself out is surely wrong. One thing they were clear on was this If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. In other words, if she tends to be shy and chaste, modest and restrained in her dealings with boys then we can encourage her to show herself off to best advantage and all will be well. If, on the other hand, she proves to have a tendency to be promiscuous, if she is a bit of flirt then we will have to take steps to protect her from being taken advantage of. Girls differ in their personalities and it is incumbent on parents or guardians to get to know the children they are responsible for so that they can steer them in the right direction. ‘Dad, I’ve been invited to Jason’s party and it doesn’t finish until midnight’; ‘Mum, can I go to the ball?’; ‘Is it okay for me to go and do some studying at Darren’s house?’ I think those who are bringing up young girls will want to answer such questions in different ways depending not only on how old the child is but her personality.

Again, the same thing applies in the spiritual realm. For various reasons some are more drawn to other religions and philosophies than others. We are all different and we all struggle with different sins. Where we have responsibility towards others we therefore take great care that no-one should be led astray. For example, what books we recommend to people.

2. Face your own growing responsibility in this matter

The sort of response one would seek from a mature young girl is the one in verse 10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. In other words, even though I am now fast becoming a mature young woman, I am determined to be chaste and virtuous. I am a virgin and I intend to remain so until the day I marry. It is not that I am not interested in boys. Rather it is that I’m determined to wait until I marry until I become intimate with a man. By this means a young woman can win the heart of a Lover such as the one described here - Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment. It could be one bringing or one receiving contentment. Literally it is Thus I the Shulamite have become in the eyes of Sholomo like one receiving/bringing Shalom. Who will want you if you are ready to go off with more or less anyone who comes along? People are looking for constancy and commitment. True love is marked by such an attitude. It is a great pity when young women get it into their heads that the way to win love and favour is by being willing to sleep with a boy before marriage. The temptation presents itself in various forms all the way from the temptation to promiscuously sleep around with just about everyone through to the temptation to give in to your fiancé and sleep with him before your wedding night. Such a sin is always a mistake. The way to give a man contentment is to be willing to wait.

In verses 11, 12 she uses a different figure to express her attitude. In verse 11 she says Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; he let out his vineyard to tenants. Each was to bring for its fruit a thousand shekels {c25 lbs/11.5 k} of silver. Then in verse 12 she speaks of herself as a vineyard But my own vineyard is mine to give. Back in 1:6 she spoke of her brothers making her take care of their vineyards causing her to neglect her won, that is herself. Perhaps they are the tenants referred to here. Certainly Solomon probably owned many vineyards. However, he did not own her. Nevertheless, she is willing to give the fruit of her vineyard (her affections, time, energy) all to him - the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon. She adds and two hundred {c5lbs/2.3k} are for those who tend its fruit. She is not suggesting that no-one else can get a look in. She'll give each member of her family (those who brought her up) their due, but Solomon is first in her life.

So, as far as marriage is concerned young people ought to be chaste, waiting for the time when, in the Lord’s will, they find the man or woman they will marry. You have a vineyard, as it were, that is yours to give. Don’t give it away until the right time. Keep it until it is time to marry. Similarly, don’t throw your life away on empty human philosophy. Give the income from your vineyard to the owner of the vineyard not to anyone else. Be devoted to him.

4. How should a covenant relationship of love end?

In verse 13 Solomon responds warmly to her words as he speaks for the last time You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice! Many love to hear the voice of this sweet girl but he especially. Again and again from every direction you hear it noted how important in the marriage relationship communication is. When couples stop speaking, and especially when they stop listening, trouble is ahead. Here is a good motto for all husbands – listen to your wife! Say to her regularly let me hear your voice. On a higher plane this is how Jesus speaks to believers. Let me hear your voice. He loves for us to come to him in prayer. Remember that. He has placed us in gardens of delight (a picture of the church), he has given us friends to attend us (brothers and sisters in Christ) but he wants to hear our voice in prayer.

She in turn then responds to him by repeating the phrase (14) Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains. It is very like 2:17. The ending then is not quite what we may have expected – not the two of them together in a warm embrace but the husband listening for the wife’s voice and she calling to her husband to come away with her. It seems that he is not there at present but she is full of anticipation about their next encounter. She is looking forward to being with him forever.

This is very realistic then. Marriage is inevitably a series of meetings and partings. Eventually, there is the parting of death. Marriage is ‘Till death us do part’. However, in Christ even then there is a reunion to look forward to – a reunion of brotherly and sisterly togetherness forever in heaven. The Christian life too is a series of drawings near to God until that day when Christ comes again in glory. Then we will be with him forever and forever and there will be no parting.

In a love which cannot cease I am his and he is mine forever.

The nature of love in its maturity

Text Song of Songs 7:1-8:4 Date 11/09/22 Place Childs Hill Baptist

I want us to look again this evening at Song of Solomon. We have considered the courtship and the marriage between the two lovers in the book, the King and his beloved Shulamite. We have considered the falling out and separation that threatened the relationship in Chapter 5 and led to the beautiful reconciliation that brings us down to the end of Chapter 6.

Tonight I want us to look at 7:1-8:4 where we see the relationship between these two in its maturity. Once again, there are lessons for us to learn about a covenant relationship both on the horizontal and the vertical planes. Here we may learn both about mature married love and about a mature Christian relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. These verses are full of instruction.

1. Consider the observations and desires that characterise true and mature husbandly love

The institution of marriage continues to be under much pressure in our day. Not only has the attempt been made to obscure marriage by allowing same sex marriages but real marriages are also under pressure from all directions. It is not simply that marriages often fail to work out after a short while but in some cases there are divorces after 10, 20, even sometimes 30 years of marriage. There seems to be a widespread failure to understand that one of the great things about marriage, ideally, is that it should get better and better as it goes on. It is foolish to think that after a few years a couple has experienced all the joys there are to experience in married life. Perhaps this is one of the factors that makes the divorce rate so high – that many seem to think like this. Or it may be the other way round - may be expectation is high but realisation low. The marriage relationship is meant to be a developing, a maturing thing, a relationship of increasing and growing intimacy that gets better and better as the years go by. Sadly, it is not always like that.

Now if this is true of the marriage relationship, how much more so of the covenant relationship between the believer and his Lord, that marriage so imperfectly reflects. Conversion really is only the beginning. How much more there is in store, even before we reach heaven.

The hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets

Before we reach the heavenly field or walk the golden streets.

At first sight some of the verses in Chapter 7 may seem rather familiar but if we look more carefully we will see change and development. Here we are observing the lovers at a more mature stage in their relationship – after the courtship, after the marriage, after certain setbacks and reconciliations that have strengthened the relationship. When you read the opening verses of Chapter 7 your mind immediately goes back to the description of the bride that the groom gave on their wedding night (Chapter 4). There are definite affinities, even repetitions, but also certain differences and additions. No doubt the writer is following the same pattern to help us to compare the two descriptions. We immediately notice it is a fuller and more sensual description. Things have moved on from the wedding night. Then he saw that she was perfect for him and so he gave a sevenfold description of her. Now he sees it even more so and so this time his description has ten items! This is also the same number of items found in the description she gives of him in Chapter 5. Christ enables his own to grow evermore lovely by letting them become ever more like him.

1. Consider the observations that characterise true husbandly love in its maturity

Previously he began with her face and did not go much further. Here he begins with her feet and works his way up to her hair. Perhaps the thing to note there is how as true love develops. It sees more and more things to admire. Things once considered insignificant perhaps are now seen in a better light. Solomon is here answering the question of why so much attention should be paid to the Shulamite. The description is intimate and personal but not lustful, perverted or disrespectful. He observes her

• Feet - How beautiful your sandalled feet, O prince’s daughter! Perhaps at this point the beloved is dancing or at least turning around (giving a twirl!). Hence the observation first of her sandalled feet. He uses a term of the highest respect for her - prince’s daughter. This reminds us of the exalted state of those who trust in Christ. They are not left to go barefoot but are given sandals, as it were, just as in the wilderness, God made it so that the Israelites shoes never wore out. Like the Shulamite they are nobodies by nature but they have become prince's daughters, royalty, by the grace of God.
• Legs - Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of an artist’s hands. This follows on. He is thinking probably not only of the shapeliness of her legs but also of their movement – like a jewelled pendant swinging back and forth in time. An artist has been at work to bring this about. It is God who makes beautiful legs and he is the one who enables believers to stand and to dance with joy too, to his glory. 
• Navel - 2 Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Think here of a goblet full of wine. Whether he can see her navel or not is unclear. Perhaps it is covered. By likening it to a glass of wine he is saying she is like a satisfying drink to him. So husbands should see their wives and so Christ sees his church.
• Waist - Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies. This time the picture is of wheat stacked up as it would be at harvest time and encircled with flowers. He is probably thinking of the slimness of her waist and the flowers on her dress. This time it is food then rather than drink but again there is an abundance. It speaks of the way Christ sees the church and is satisfied in it.
• Breasts – 3 Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle. This is the same phrase as in 4:5. As we said then, this is not something we would normally speak about but this is an intimate moment. He does not mean, of course, that her cleavage looked just like two four legged fawns. Rather, he is thinking of the gentleness, the softness of baby deer lying with their legs tucked under. Breasts again speak of provision and abundance.
• Neck - 4 Your neck is like an ivory tower. This may seem a strange description. He is thinking of the smoothness and the length and perhaps the whiteness of her neck. Believers, like ivory, are costly and precious to the Saviour.
• Eyes - Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Heshbon was the old Amorite capital. Her eyes are like the pools there - large, deep and clear. Eyes are often mentioned when we think of love. Christ looks into our eyes and he sees us. He looks with complacency if we are looking to him.
• Nose - Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking towards Damascus. Again this seems a little strange to our ears. Some think a very small nose is the desirable thing but he is thinking here of a straight nose not a crooked one, a strong feature. Straightness and vigilance are further qualities that the Lord looks for in us and admires when he sees.
• Head – 5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. As Mount Carmel dominates the north west of Canaan near the Mediterranean with grandeur, so her head caps it all. Carmel was marked by fruitfulness and it is where Elijah led that great victory over the prophets of Baal. Perhaps we should think of the way Christ looks to us to stand out for him in fruitfulness and faithfulness. When he sees that he is delighted.
• Hair - Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses. Her hair has a richness and a beauty all its own. It is silky and full of colour. He imagines himself tied down by her tresses, he is so drawn to this aspect of her beauty. A woman’s hair, as the New Testament remarks, is her glory. Note the royal reference again. We do find it hard to believe that Christ should show such an interest in us but he does. Think of how he reacted to the amazing faith of the centurion. So he seeks such virtues in us who believe. Do we remember just how highly we are regarded by Christ? We must realise how great his love for us is.

2. Consider the desires that characterise true husbandly love in its maturity

In verse 6 he sums her up How beautiful you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights! To God his people are Hephzibah – the Lord delights in us. Then in verse 7 he uses a picture to sum up Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. She stands tall and steady, graceful, elegant. Her breasts are like fruit, dates perhaps, growing on the palm. Fruitfulness is a common picture of productivity in the Christian life.

Then in verses 8 and 9 he uses two images to describe his desire for this woman, his wife. Firstly, he thinks of embracing and caressing her. I said, I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit. May your breasts be like clusters of the vine …. Just as a man may hug a tree in order to climb it so he pictures himself embracing his beloved intimately and coming ever nearer to her fruit. He then speaks of taking hold of her fruit – caressing her. Think of holding a lovely bunch of succulent grapes.

Secondly, he thinks of her intimate kisses. The fragrance of your breath like apples, which continues the fruit image and your mouth like the best wine. There should be a fragrance about God’s people. In our singing and speaking and in all our lives there should be something of the aroma of Christ.

And so they fall asleep, arm in arm, embracing.
2. Consider the elements that characterise a mature response to true husbandly love
Then in 7:9b-8:4 we have the Shulamite’s response to all this. How does she react? Is it ‘Not to tonight dear’ or ‘Oh you are a soppy one’? No, she responds appropriately. As he sleeps, she speaks of her love for him.

1. Mature commitment

In 9b she takes up his image of kisses being like wine in the mouth and she says May the wine go straight to my beloved, flowing gently over lips and teeth. Then in verse 10 we have I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me. We have had similar phrases in 2:16 and 6:3. If you look at the three phrases carefully you will observe a deepening love and security.

She puts her possession of the beloved first and her possession of him second (My beloved is mine and I am his).

The second time she reverses that, suggesting a greater sense of security.

Here she reverts to putting the fact that she belongs to him first, then expresses her desire for him and does not even mention her possessing him. The word for desire is a very strong one.

How great are our desires for Christ?

2. Willing desires to see love renewed

As he wakes, she then speaks again. She has a plan. 11, 12 Come, my beloved, she says let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages. Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom - there I will give you my love. We need to get away she says. We need to spend time alone. We need to be out from all these distractions and interruptions.

This is how mature love responds then. It is not just young lovers who need time alone but those who have been married for some time. It is difficult with children, especially as they grow older and are around longer but somehow husbands and wives have to be alone together. The Ezzos’ talk of sofa time and the need for children to realise that sometimes mum and dad come first.

If this is so in marriage how much more so when it comes to intimacy with Christ. It is a struggle sometimes but with sanctified viciousness we must guard our times of being alone with the Lord to pray and read his Word. Vital.

Are we finding the time? The mention of being up early is perhaps a clue to this. Note too the idea of looking for evidence of growth. Love has to be expressed if it is real love. If we really love the Lord it will find expression. We need to find time for that – together and alone.

In verse 13 she says The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved. She has it all prepared. Mandrake plants are part of the potato family and produce sweet smelling flowers. They were also renowned for their aphrodisiac qualities. Whether that is true or not, their very mention shows that she has everything ready. I suppose today you might speak of flowers and chocolates, perhaps. The plenty and variety and the phrase new and old are very suggestive in both the horizontal and vertical spheres.

3. Eager longing for ever greater intimacy

Finally, in the opening verses of Chapter 8, she speaks of her desire for ever greater intimacy with her beloved. Things differ from culture to culture but in many middle eastern cultures even today displays of affection in public even between husbands and wives are taboo. The only people you see kissing in public are brothers and sisters. That is why here she says If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother’s breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no-one would despise me. She wishes he was her little brother. She would like to be free to kiss him when she wished. She goes on (2) I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house – she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. This is another picture of great intimacy, the intimacy she longs for with him and that all husbands and wives ought to long for. Finally, in verse 3 she says His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me. There they are alone, intimately embracing, making love in complete bliss, as it should be.

3. Consider the repeated warning about the need for patience in all this

We close with 8:4 Daughters of Jerusalem I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. This repeats the warning previously found in 2:7 and 3:5. It is such a wonderful picture that we are immediately attracted and there is the danger then of so wanting such a thing that we try and bring it about immediately. However, such a thing comes only with great patience and perseverance. If you are a child you need to concentrate firstly on growing up to be a man or a woman that someone might want to marry. You don’t need to worry at all about marriage now. If you are still single and would still like to be married you know that there is no point just marrying anyone. Great care and patience is necessary. That is true especially in courtship. Even when we are married we must see that the closeness that we have seen in other couples does not come overnight. Marriage is hard work. There is a need for perseverance and persistence, for fresh starts and increasing delight and devotion.

Something similar can be said about intimacy with Christ. That does not come over night either. Growing in grace is something that again demands hard work and much patience. If we walk in the right way the Lord Jesus will increasingly delight in us. We also ought to respond with deeper and growing desires for a close walk with him. Things ought to get better and better, closer and closer.