Sermon Tone Analysis

Song of Solomon points to Jesus, the true lover of our souls.

If you’ve read it you might be wondering how that can be.

The whole letter is the back and forth between a husband and wife who are deeply in love with one another.

Surely this book simply shows the depth and nature of a deep and intimate relationship between a husband and wife… And to be honest many are uncomfortable with the intimate language of Song of Songs in worship service or church gathering… and to that I say your wires are crossed!

If you can listen to classic country or rock songs about whiskey, sex, and loose living without being ashamed, then you have yours wires crossed if your awkward or ashamed of the poetry of the Bible…

The Song of Songs/Solomon is good for us.

In fact, the people of Israel would read this before they celebrated the passover… why you may ask, Aaron Menikoff writes and says, “In the Song of Songs they saw more than wisdom for marital living, they saw something of God’s covenantal love for his people.”

- Aaron Menikoff

For Isaiah 54:5 says, “For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer” (Isa.

54:5).”

Israel understood the relationship it had with God to be like that between a husband and wife.

God uses marriage throughout the entire Bible to illustrate His relationship with us.

This understanding of the relationship between God and His people is found throughout the entire Bible.

Genesis 2:24 (ESV), “24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

(via Ephesians 5)

Ezekiel 16:8-14

Jeremiah 31:32 (ESV)

32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.

Hosea 2:7

Jeremiah 3:20

Hosea 9:1 (ESV), “Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God.

You have loved a prostitute’s wages on all threshing floors.”

Ephesians 5:25–33 (ESV), “25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.

31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

John 3:29 (ESV), “29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.

The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.

Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”

Matthew 9:15 (ESV), “15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Matthew 25:1-13

2 Corinthians 11:2 (ESV), "2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”

Revelation 19:7–9 (ESV), 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Revelation 21:2 (ESV), “2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Revelation 22:17 (ESV), “17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”

And let the one who hears say, “Come.”

And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

The imagery of marriage to compare the relationship between God and His people helps us in so many ways!

Jesus loves you (desire)

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Song of Solomon 7:10, “I am by beloved’s and his desire is for me.”

“We are Jesus’s beloved because he, the Beloved one, set his inexhaustible and unwavering affection upon us.

We are the Gomers who looked (look) for love, and gave (give) our love, to anyone and anything other than Jesus.

Jesus is the great Bridegroom who, on the cross, became the not-loved one, that in him we might know the lavish love of God for us — for you, for me.

May we never get over or get used to this bold declaration: “For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21)" - Scotty Smith, Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN.

Ephesians 5:25–33 (ESV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.

31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Jesus loves the church deeply and His desire for us is evidenced in His sacrifice for us.

The love of Jesus is the pattern and example for men to follow as they love their wives.

The kind of love that we see in Song of Solomon is the love that we see and experience in Christ.

It is not only a deep or desirous love for us, it is a covenant and faithful love toward us.

Jesus is committed to His bride

Song of Solomon 8:7 (ESV) says, “7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.

If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.”

The bride of Christ is the church, and Jesus is committed to the bride in a way that cannot be drowned or quenched.

Not even your sin can quench the love that Jesus has for you.

Paul describes it this way in Romans 8:37–39 (ESV) “37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing can separate from you from the love of Christ… Nothing.

Not death, not life, not angels, not demons, not the present situation, or the thing that is to come… not even the power of evil and sin itself can undo the love that God has for you.

No height, no depth, nor anything that has been created can separate you from God… and the reason that nothing can separate from you from Him is the love that He has for you!

Jesus loves you and He is committed to you.

He loves you with an always and forever love.

I think one of the highlights of being a parent is leading your children to understand the Word.

We have thoroughly enjoyed the Jesus Story Book Bible with each of our kids because the main point of this little children’s bible is the gospel.

It’s not about characters and stories, it makes sure that everything fits under the gospel and points to Christ.

When describing God’s love the Jesus Story Bible says that God loves His children with a Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

- Jesus Story Book Bible

“You see no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children with a Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

And though they would forget him, and run from Him, deep in their hearts God’s children would miss Him always, and long for Him — lost children yearning for their home.”

- Jesus Story Book Bible

The love that God has for you is like this… it is a never giving up, unbreaking, always, and forever love.

And, everyone who knows this love through Jesus Christ is like the bride in the amazing marriage of Song of Solomon.

The church, the bride of Christ, is made up of believers.

People who’s lives have been changed and transformed by the love and grace of God… and these people, the church have a longing to be close with Jesus like a bride longs to be with her husband.

This un-breaking love is the love that our marriages are made of.

We are called to emulate the covenant love and sacrifice that Jesus makes for the church.

Jesus doesn’t copy our love, he calls us to copy his love.

God uses our marriages to demonstrate His love in the church and to the world

Men, this means that your love is to be like the love Christ has for the church.

Your love is to result in the purity, maturity, and faithfulness of your wife and family.

Being the man of the house means that you represent Christ in the home.

It’s true that Jesus is the King of the Universe… but He is also responsible for the universe.

It’s normal for men to want to be in charge, but being in charge means you are also responsible… and if you are responsible then you should exercise that responsibility with the same providential care and purpose that God does for the Universe.

The same kind of purposeful, intentional, and loving care that Christ gives to the church.

Women, this means that your love for your husband is to be like love the church has toward Christ.