Ravished

Song of Solomon 4:1-16

One of Satan’s most effective tools is discontent, and it is very destructive in a marriage.  Hebrews 13 4-5 instructs the Christian: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.   Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  All advertising is designed to make you dissatisfied with what you have, and cause one to covet the newest thing available.   One advertising executive is quoted as saying sex sells, so sell sex.  As a result most advertising has a sexual element, from a very attractive spokesperson or romantic setting to suggestive innuendo and openly sexual behavior.   

As Christians it is critical that we not allow Satan to gain power over us in this area.  In Proverbs 5:18-20, Solomon tells us how to avoid the temptation.  “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?”   It shows how we ought to view our mate.  Urban cultures may find his descriptions almost insulting, but to people who live in an agricultural society they have tremendous meaning.   

“Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.  Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them. ” (Song of Solomon 4:1-2)

To him her eyes are as gentle and pleasant as those of a dove, and her hair is as beautiful to see as a herd of goats streaming off the side of a mountain.  Her teeth are as white and beautiful as a bunch of freshly sheared sheep, who had just been washed for a show, with no missing or broken teeth. 

“Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.  Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.  Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.  Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.  Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.  Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.”(Song of Solomon 4:3-8)

Her skin is beautiful to him and she has a pretty mouth, and more importantly, he enjoys listening to her.   He sees her body as a beautiful thing, and longs to touch and hold her.   To him there is nothing he would change.    He would love to have her accompany him to see the things he has seen. 

In our world the idea of beauty had been taken over by the fashion and beauty industries, with the result people expect their mates to look like the most popular models or actors.   People who don’t meet the cookie cutter standard are viewed and made to feel as if they are less valuable.    Both sides need to learn to accept that they are made in the way that pleases God and not constantly fret that they or their mate doesn’t measure up to the world’s ideal.  Until we do, we are not experiencing or demonstrating real love.   

“Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.  How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!  Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. ” (Song of Solomon 4:9-11)

She has filled and taken control of his heart, and just a glance from her or a glimpse of a necklace around her neck can set his heart pounding.    Being loved by her is more pleasant than anything he could ever want.   He doesn’t feel she is always putting somebody down or griping at him.  We live in a day where deliberate rude and offensive speech is passed off as just being honest, and saying “I don’t mean to be rude” only emphasizes that one knows he is being rude.  It quickly becomes very annoying and discouraging, especially when directed at oneself.  Because it is so common today, it is easy to begin to look for things to be offended at.   Both sides need to be aware of both problems and demonstrate their love by avoiding them.

“A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.  Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.  

Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. ” (Song of Solomon 4:12-16)

His wife is like a private garden, the beauties and pleasures of which are reserved for himself alone.  Being with her is relaxing and refreshing, deeply satisfying.  It is exactly what the wife wants to be for her husband, someone he wants to come home to, rather than dreading coming home.