The Flame of the Lord

Text: Song of Songs 8:1-7

Thesis: Love has the power to create life and to destroy life.

Application:

Intro

Review Chiastic Structure

Go through the Song movements up til A.2

Point out the connection between the end of Song of Songs and the end of Ecclesiastes

The final two weeks will be looking at the two direct teaching moments in the Song

Reading of the Word

Song of Songs 8:1-7

“O that you were my brother…”

The Song was written in a different culture with different views on…

Family dynamics

Marital dynamics

How men and women interact in public

Remember Jesus’ interactions with women and how scandalous they were!

So what’s the point?….

The Bride wants to love her lover everywhere all the time - free from shame

Like the song, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” she wants to kiss her Groom every minute of every hour of every day.

Like Buddy the Elf, she wants to proclaim her love boldly; she’s in love, she’s in love, and she does not care who knows it.

The Flame of the Lord

The first of two direct teaching points

Love is like a fire, the very flame of the Lord.

This is the only mention of God in the entire Song, and it is debatable if the original Hebrew was intended to reference God.

The Hebrew word for flame is “shalhebeth.”

The word used here in the song is “shalhebethya”

“Ya” or “ah” typically points to “Yahweh.” This is why so many names in Hebrew end in “ah” sounds. Their names are designed to communicate messages about God. For example,

Joshua (in Hebrew, Yeshua, which is Jesus’ Hebrew name) means “The Lord (Yahweh) saves.”

Jeremiah means “The Lord (Yahweh) will exalt.”

Elijah (or in Greek, Elias) means “The Lord (Yahweh) is my God.”

Elisha means “The Lord (Yahweh) is my salvation.”

Nehemiah means “The Lord (Yahweh) comforts.”

Ezra means “helper,” and is a shortened version of the name Azaryahu which means “The Lord (Yahweh) has helped.”

Isaiah means “The Lord (Yahweh) is salvation.”

Obadiah means “Servant of the Lord (Yahweh).”

Zephaniah means “The Lord (Yahweh) has hidden.”

Zechariah means “The Lord (Yahweh) remembers.”

So what the author of the Song of Songs has done here, is he has taken shalhebeth (meaning flame) and has added “ya” to the end.

The “ya” could be a superlative, saying that love is like the greatest fire to ever exist. Or, it could be (and I think this is the much more likely scenario), that the author is linking the power of love to the source of all love: Yahweh

God is love

1 John 4:8 - God is love.

All true love finds its source in Yahweh, the God who created the heavens and the earth. Because God is love and the source of all love, every single thing that God does is done in, and with, and through love. God’s holiness, His redemption of us, His creation, His justice - all of it is born from love. Every emotion of God is born from love, even His anger and wrath.

Extreme Fire

The Bride is making the point that love is this intense, extreme fire. It is as strong as death! No amount of waters can put out true love!

Fire can provide life

Fire can destroy life

When we love, we must recognize that we are playing with fire. Love is a dangerous game.

Transition Statement - Look to Christ and the Gospel

A Love Free From Shame

Shame is born from Sin

-> Adam and Eve hide in the garden

-> God responds, “Where are you?”

Yet Christ frees us from all Shame

Psalm 25:20 “Guard my soul and save me; Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.”

Romans 10:11 “For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be Put to shame.””

2 Samuel 6:21b-22:a “I will celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!”

For David knew that there was no shame in being enchanted with the love of God.

A Holy Fire, A Love Stronger Than Death

The Love That Christ Bears for You is not As Strong as death; it is Stronger than Death

Outro

May We Respond to this Shame-Free, Stronger than Death Love

May we rejoice in our Savior.

May we echo His love.