It has stood the test of time,
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God's book, the Bible.
00:00:12.63\00:00:14.73
Still relevant in
today's complex word.
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It Is Written sharing
hope around the globe.
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This is It Is Written.
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Thanks for joining me.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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As a newly minted high school
student, just 12 years old,
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I was fortunate enough to
have a good English teacher.
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A Mr. Braithwaite.
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Now he might have been
good but the truth is I don't
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remember too much about
the actual class - the odd
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writing assignment
maybe - although I do remember
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poetry.
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Somehow poetry made a
bit of an impression on me.
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And I vividly remember
learning this poem by the
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British poet Rupert Brooke:
"If I should die, think only
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this of me: That there's
some corner of a foreign field
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that is for ever England.
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There shall be in that
rich earth a richer dust
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concealed; A dust whom
England bore, shaped, made
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aware..."
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and so on...
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The poem was called, "The
Soldier", and Brooke was a
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soldier in World War I.
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I'm not really sure why we
young high schoolers had to
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study that particular
piece of verse, but I've never
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forgotten it so there must
be something about the way it's
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written.
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Good poetry endures.
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Sometimes poetry that
isn't any good endures too.
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And down through the annals
of time there've been many
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great poets and
many memorable poems.
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I was always
slightly amused by this one.
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I think that I shall never
see A poem lovely as a tree.
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A tree whose hungry mouth
is prest Against the sweet
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earth's flowing breast; A
tree that looks at God all
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day, And lifts her
leafy arms to pray...
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That's from 'Trees' by
Joyce Kilmer who was from New
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Jersey.
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TS Elliot was
slightly more gritty.
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Because I do not hope to
turn again Because I do not hope
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Because I do not hope to turn
Desiring this man's gift and
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that man's scope I no longer
strive to strive towards such
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things (Why should the agèd
eagle stretch its wings?) Why
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should I mourn The vanished
power of the usual reign?
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And so forth ...
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Which is from the
poem, "Ash Wednesday".
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In the 1800s Elizabeth
Browning Barrett wrote, How
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do I love thee?
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Let me count the ways.
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I love thee to the depth
and breadth and height My soul
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can reach, when feeling
out of sight For the ends of
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being and ideal grace...
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Well...
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And you can't really discuss
poetry without mentioning
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William Shakespeare.
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All the world's a stage,?
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and all the men and women
merely players; ?they have
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their exits and
their entrances,?
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and one man in his
time plays many parts,?
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his acts being seven ages.
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There you go.
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It's from Shakespeare's
work "As You Like It".
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I've got a brother who
used to be a bit of a poet - I
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mean, an amateur poet.
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His wife tells the story
about how she first became
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attracted to him by
the poetry he wrote.
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Evidently he had a way
with words back then and thereby
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won her heart.
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Just as wel certainly
didn't get her with his looks...
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The Bible
contains a lot of poetry.
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Of the 66 books in the
Bible, 5 of them are books
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of poetry: The book of
Job is a book of poetry.
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The book of Psalms is a
collection of 150 psalms -
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songs, mainly -
poems, really they are.
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Proverbs is another of the
poetic books of the Bible: 31
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chapters of wisdom.
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If you like, a chapter every
day for a month if you like
00:04:04.80\00:04:07.96
to read that way - and
it's fairly straightforward
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reading.
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Ecclesiastes is poetry -
Solomon's reflections on the
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ultimate meaning of life.
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And then there's one more
book of poetry in the Bible -
00:04:18.20\00:04:22.66
a book that has caused a
lot of people to scratch their
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heads and wonder.
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I'd say it's one of the
least read books of the Old
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Testament.
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It's The Song of Solomon.
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What's THAT about?
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There are only 117 verses in
the 8 chapters of the Song of
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Solomon.
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Yet it's a book of the
Bible not very many people have
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read.
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It's a love story, and
the language can get a bit
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intense at times...
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I would venture to suggest
that a lot of people have not
00:04:51.23\00:04:54.26
figured out how the Song
of Solomon can play a role
00:04:54.26\00:04:56.93
in their devotional lives.
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So let's consider -
the Song of Solomon.
00:04:59.26\00:05:03.30
How beautiful are your
feet in sandals, O prince's
00:05:03.30\00:05:06.60
daughter!?
00:05:06.60\00:05:07.80
The curves of your thighs
are like jewels, the work of the
00:05:07.80\00:05:11.40
hands of a skillful workman.
00:05:11.40\00:05:13.96
Song of Solomon 7:1
NKJV What's THAT all about?
00:05:13.96\00:05:18.80
We'll find out more
about the Song of Solomon
00:05:18.80\00:05:21.46
in just a moment.
00:05:21.46\00:05:23.46
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says, "It is written, man
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shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
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proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:05:32.56\00:05:34.63
Every Word is a one-minute
Bible based daily devotional
00:05:34.63\00:05:37.80
presented by Pr.
00:05:37.80\00:05:38.80
John Bradshaw and designed
especially for busy people
00:05:38.80\00:05:43.20
like you.
00:05:43.20\00:05:43.46
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:05:43.46\00:05:46.46
on-line every day on our
website, itiswritten.com.
00:05:46.46\00:05:50.66
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:05:50.66\00:05:52.80
Watch Every Word.
00:05:52.80\00:05:54.06
You'll be glad you did.
00:05:54.06\00:05:55.60
Here's a sample.
00:05:55.60\00:05:57.96
?[Music]?
00:05:59.00\00:06:01.06
The privilege of a believer
in Jesus isn't simply to believe
00:06:05.00\00:06:07.30
right or to be forgiven.
00:06:07.30\00:06:10.53
What God wants to do in
our lives goes much deeper.
00:06:10.53\00:06:13.93
It's important we let God do
a complete work in our lives.
00:06:13.93\00:06:17.16
This is Luke 11:24-26,
"When an unclean spirit goes out
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of a man, he goes
through dry places,
00:06:20.36\00:06:23.50
seeking rest; and finding none,
he says, 'I will return to my
00:06:23.50\00:06:26.90
house from which I
came.' And when he comes,
00:06:26.90\00:06:29.96
he finds it
swept and put in order.
00:06:29.96\00:06:32.83
Then he goes and takes with
him seven other spirits more
00:06:32.83\00:06:35.66
wicked than himself, and
they enter and dwell there; and
00:06:35.66\00:06:39.26
the last state of that
man is worse than the first."
00:06:39.26\00:06:42.86
Luke 11:24-26, NKJV
Faith in Jesus isn't simply the
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denying of what it wrong, but
it's being filled up with the
00:06:45.00\00:06:48.10
One who is right.
00:06:48.10\00:06:49.53
Let Jesus fill you up today.
00:06:49.53\00:06:52.43
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:06:52.43\00:06:54.70
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:06:54.70\00:06:57.76
Planning for your financial
future is a vital aspect of
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Christian stewardship.
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For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer
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For information on how
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Call today or visit
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www.hislegacy.com.
00:07:19.43\00:07:23.70
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:07:28.80\00:07:31.56
The book of Genesis.
00:07:31.56\00:07:33.00
Well, you know
what that's about.
00:07:33.00\00:07:35.00
It's the book of beginnings
- the creation story, the fall,
00:07:35.00\00:07:38.33
the flood, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph...that's
00:07:38.33\00:07:42.00
Genesis Then there's Exodus
- the Israelites exit Egypt and
00:07:42.00\00:07:46.90
they begin their
journey to the Promised Land.
00:07:46.90\00:07:49.26
What's Proverbs about?
00:07:49.26\00:07:50.70
- Well that's
the book of wisdom.
00:07:50.70\00:07:53.46
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
- the stories of Jesus' life
00:07:53.46\00:07:56.40
and ministry.
00:07:56.40\00:07:57.40
Easy.
00:07:57.40\00:07:58.40
But the Song of Solomon?
00:07:58.40\00:08:00.60
If you've spent much time
reading the Bible or going to
00:08:00.60\00:08:03.13
church you'll likely
recognize some of the verses
00:08:03.13\00:08:06.63
in the Song of Solomon.
00:08:06.63\00:08:08.46
"He brought me to the
banqueting house, and his
00:08:08.46\00:08:11.23
banner over me was love."
00:08:11.23\00:08:12.66
That's Song of Solomon 2:4
NKJV That phrase "The little
00:08:12.66\00:08:16.30
foxes that spoil the
vines", that comes from Song of
00:08:16.30\00:08:19.40
Solomon 2:15 NKJV "This
is my beloved, and this is my
00:08:19.40\00:08:23.83
friend."
00:08:23.83\00:08:24.83
Song of Solomon 5:16 NKJV
That's popular at weddings.
00:08:24.83\00:08:30.63
As is, "Many waters
cannot quench love, nor can the
00:08:30.63\00:08:33.30
floods drown it.
00:08:33.30\00:08:34.30
If a man would give for love,
all the wealth of his house,
00:08:34.30\00:08:37.23
it would be utterly despised.
00:08:37.23\00:08:39.10
Song of Solomon 8:7 NKJV
But the content of the Song
00:08:39.10\00:08:43.60
of Solomon is generally rather
different to any other book
00:08:43.60\00:08:46.66
in the Bible.
00:08:46.66\00:08:48.33
"Let him kiss me with the kisses
of his mouth, for your love
00:08:48.33\00:08:51.96
is better than wine."
00:08:51.96\00:08:54.10
Song of Solomon 1:2 NKJV
"Your lips are like a strand
00:08:54.10\00:08:58.53
of scarlet, and
your mouth is lovely.
00:08:58.53\00:09:02.20
Your temples behind
your veil are like a piece of
00:09:02.20\00:09:05.36
pomegranate."
00:09:05.36\00:09:06.60
Song of Solomon 4:3 NKJV
"Your two breasts are like
00:09:06.60\00:09:10.63
two fawns, twins of a
gazelle, which feed among the
00:09:10.63\00:09:13.90
lilies."
00:09:13.90\00:09:14.90
Song of Solomon 4:5 NKJV
Now that's an interesting book.
00:09:14.90\00:09:18.86
Why the...
00:09:18.86\00:09:21.46
language?
00:09:21.46\00:09:22.83
Well, the Song of Solomon
is an allegory, using the love
00:09:22.83\00:09:26.66
and affection expressed
between Solomon and his wife
00:09:26.66\00:09:29.20
- or at least, one of his
wives - to express the love
00:09:29.20\00:09:32.36
and tender care of
God towards the church.
00:09:32.36\00:09:35.90
No it's certainly a love
story, no doubt about it,
00:09:35.90\00:09:39.00
and in this story is expressed
the love between Solomon
00:09:39.00\00:09:41.76
and his wife.
00:09:41.76\00:09:42.76
But God uses it to represent
the greater love - the love
00:09:42.76\00:09:47.06
of God for His church,
and the love of God's people
00:09:47.06\00:09:50.90
for Him.
00:09:50.90\00:09:52.16
The key character in the
Song of Solomon is Jesus -
00:09:52.16\00:09:55.96
and some people find it
curious that God would express
00:09:55.96\00:09:58.53
His love for His
people and Christ's commitment
00:09:58.53\00:10:01.36
and devotion to a sinful
human beings in this way.
00:10:01.36\00:10:05.63
But perhaps the Song of
Solomon helps us to see how
00:10:05.63\00:10:08.03
the relationship between a
man and a woman who love each
00:10:08.03\00:10:15.76
other is designed by God to
be representative of the love
00:10:15.76\00:10:18.36
of God for His people.
00:10:18.36\00:10:19.53
The imagery isn't entirely
unique to the Song of Solomon
00:10:19.53\00:10:22.13
- in Isaiah 54:5 God says,
"Your Maker is your husband."
00:10:22.13\00:10:24.46
Isaiah 54:5 NKJV And Paul
told the Corinthians, "For I
00:10:24.46\00:10:28.90
have betrothed
you to one husband."
00:10:28.90\00:10:31.60
2 Corinthians 11:2 NKJV
In the Bible - especially in
00:10:31.60\00:10:36.16
Bible prophecy - a woman is
used as a symbol to represent
00:10:36.16\00:10:40.76
a church.
00:10:40.76\00:10:42.10
You find that in Jeremiah
6:2, where God says, "I have
00:10:42.10\00:10:46.06
likened the daughter of
Zion to a lovely and delicate
00:10:46.06\00:10:49.46
woman."
00:10:49.46\00:10:50.46
Jeremiah 6:2 NKJV Hosea uses
the same symbol (find that in
00:10:50.46\00:10:53.00
Hosea 1:2, in fact, the whole
book of Hosea) and God uses
00:10:53.00\00:10:56.96
the symbol of a
woman to represent a church
00:10:56.96\00:10:59.43
in the book of
Revelation, especially in
00:10:59.43\00:11:04.16
Revelation 12 and 13.
00:11:04.16\00:11:06.16
So for God to use this
story, The Song of Solomon,
00:11:06.16\00:11:09.33
to represent his love for
his church, isn't a stretch at
00:11:09.33\00:11:12.96
all.
00:11:12.96\00:11:14.70
It seems that in the Song
of Solomon, Solomon had just
00:11:14.70\00:11:17.53
become King.
00:11:17.53\00:11:19.16
In his early 20s he was rich,
powerful and very likely very
00:11:19.16\00:11:23.60
handsome and up until
that time a very eligible
00:11:23.60\00:11:27.03
bachelor.
00:11:27.03\00:11:28.70
You can imagine Solomon
thinking about his future
00:11:28.70\00:11:30.83
and thinking about his
world and then wondering where
00:11:30.83\00:11:34.43
he was going to find a wife.
00:11:34.43\00:11:36.26
At first blush you might
think that every girl in the
00:11:36.26\00:11:38.63
land would marry him
- if only he would ask.
00:11:38.63\00:11:41.93
But Solomon had to walk
that minefield of finding out
00:11:41.93\00:11:45.00
whether a woman loved him
for himself or simply because
00:11:45.00\00:11:48.60
he was the king.
00:11:48.60\00:11:50.16
A modern royal love
story is that of Prince William
00:11:50.16\00:11:53.26
and Kate Middleton - now
the Duchess of Cambridge.
00:11:53.26\00:11:55.80
It seems to be a story of
two young people drawn together
00:11:55.80\00:11:59.13
by mutual love.
00:11:59.13\00:12:01.06
In apparent contrast the
Prince's father's experience
00:12:01.06\00:12:03.86
with finding true love
was rather more anguished.
00:12:03.86\00:12:07.80
Prince Charles' marriage
to Princess Diana was fraught
00:12:07.80\00:12:10.63
with difficulty
and ended in discord.
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.13
And later there was tragedy.
00:12:13.13\00:12:15.30
So how would Solomon find
a wife who truly loved him?
00:12:15.30\00:12:19.86
Well, he hatched a plan.
00:12:19.86\00:12:22.43
He disguised himself
as a shepherd and started
00:12:22.43\00:12:24.86
to travel throughout his
kingdom looking for Miss Right.
00:12:24.86\00:12:28.46
How long did that take him?
00:12:28.46\00:12:30.23
Well, some time I think,
because by the end of his
00:12:30.23\00:12:32.26
search he found himself
at the farthest end of his
00:12:32.26\00:12:34.60
kingdom in the land of Shulam
- and it was there that he
00:12:34.60\00:12:38.60
met the woman of his dreams.
00:12:38.60\00:12:40.70
They fell in love, the
girl from a farming family
00:12:40.70\00:12:43.70
and Solomon the King
disguised as a shepherd.
00:12:43.70\00:12:46.63
We can probably
imagine how Solomon felt.
00:12:46.63\00:12:49.56
He's head-over-heels in love,
walking on air because he's
00:12:49.56\00:12:53.06
found the woman
who truly fulfills him.
00:12:53.06\00:12:56.56
Now the girl -
though obviously beautiful -
00:12:56.56\00:12:59.86
had a low opinion of herself.
00:12:59.86\00:13:01.56
She said, "Do not look
upon me, because I am dark,
00:13:01.56\00:13:06.46
because the sun has tanned me.
00:13:06.46\00:13:09.00
My mother's sons were
angry with me; they made me the
00:13:09.00\00:13:12.26
keeper of the vineyards,
but my own vineyard I have not
00:13:12.26\00:13:16.60
kept."
00:13:16.60\00:13:17.60
Song of Solomon 1:6
NKJV This young maiden worked
00:13:17.60\00:13:21.06
on her family farm.
00:13:21.06\00:13:22.06
And the rest of the
Song of Solomon goes through
00:13:22.06\00:13:25.20
their love story,
hers and Solomon's.
00:13:25.20\00:13:27.33
It seems Solomon liveed
with the family for some time as
00:13:27.33\00:13:29.93
this relationship developed...
00:13:29.93\00:13:31.86
and then he disappeared.
00:13:31.86\00:13:34.73
Out of sight.
00:13:34.73\00:13:36.20
Never to be
found again it seemed.
00:13:36.20\00:13:38.53
Just --- gone.
00:13:38.53\00:13:40.53
How would a woman in love
feel having that experience
00:13:40.53\00:13:47.00
thrust upon her?
00:13:47.00\00:13:48.56
Now it does happen, you know.
00:13:48.56\00:13:49.56
Do you remember back in
2005, a woman in Duluth, Georgia
00:13:49.56\00:13:53.56
disappeared four days
before her wedding day?
00:13:53.56\00:13:56.06
Therwas a huge search,
more than 200 people taking part
00:13:56.06\00:13:58.90
in the search for her.
00:13:58.90\00:13:59.90
A 32-year-old, who
simply left her fiancé with
00:13:59.90\00:14:05.20
absolutely no
idea of where she was.
00:14:05.20\00:14:07.20
Now she called him a
couple of days later - the day
00:14:07.20\00:14:09.20
before they were scheduled
to be married - and she claimed
00:14:09.20\00:14:11.20
that she'd been abducted...
00:14:11.20\00:14:13.43
Now thankfully it was
all a hoax and the woman
00:14:13.43\00:14:15.93
hadn't been harmed.
00:14:15.93\00:14:17.20
The poor girl simply had cold
feet and skipped town, and at
00:14:17.20\00:14:21.66
the time the story
was unfolding there was an
00:14:21.66\00:14:23.73
outpouring of sympathy for
a young man whose wife-to-be
00:14:23.73\00:14:27.46
had simply vanished.
00:14:27.46\00:14:30.60
The woman in Song of Solomon
expresses her sorrow like
00:14:30.60\00:14:33.33
this.
00:14:33.33\00:14:34.33
Song of Solomon 3:1-3 "By
night on my bed I sought the
00:14:34.33\00:14:39.73
one I love; I sought
him, but I did not find him.
00:14:39.73\00:14:44.16
'I will rise now,' I
said, 'And go about the city; in
00:14:44.16\00:14:47.43
the streets and in the
squares I will seek the one I
00:14:47.43\00:14:49.86
love.' I sought him,
but I did not find him."
00:14:49.86\00:14:54.23
Song of Solomon 3:1-3 NKJV
She must have felt as though
00:14:54.23\00:14:56.60
her world was coming to an end.
00:14:56.60\00:15:00.10
Put yourself in that
position: she likely had
00:15:00.10\00:15:02.26
trouble focusing on work
and probably didn't get much
00:15:02.26\00:15:05.06
sleep.
00:15:05.06\00:15:06.20
But while we don't know how
long this separation went on
00:15:06.20\00:15:09.10
for, it can't have been
"very" long because in Song
00:15:09.10\00:15:12.36
of Solomon later on in
chapter 3 it says this.
00:15:12.36\00:15:17.43
Who is this coming out of
the wilderness like pillars of
00:15:17.43\00:15:19.96
smoke, perfumed with
myrrh and frankincense, with all
00:15:19.96\00:15:24.70
the merchant's fragrant powders?
00:15:24.70\00:15:27.53
Behold, it is Solomon's couch,?
00:15:27.53\00:15:30.26
with sixty valiant men around
it, of the valiant of Israel.
00:15:30.26\00:15:34.93
They all hold
swords, being expert in war.
00:15:34.93\00:15:38.06
Every man has his sword on
his thigh because of fear in
00:15:38.06\00:15:40.76
the night.
00:15:40.76\00:15:41.96
Of the wood of Lebanon
Solomon the King made himself
00:15:41.96\00:15:45.33
a palanquin [chariot]: He
made its pillars of silver,
00:15:45.33\00:15:49.23
its support of gold, its seat
of purple, its interior paved
00:15:49.23\00:15:53.30
with love ?by the
daughters of Jerusalem."
00:15:53.30\00:15:57.23
Song of Solomon 3:6-10
NKJV The cry must have gone
00:15:57.23\00:16:02.23
through the land,
"Solomon is coming!
00:16:02.23\00:16:04.76
Lets go out to meet him."
00:16:04.76\00:16:05.83
Her heart would have
raced: "Where is he going?
00:16:05.83\00:16:10.36
Is he coming to see me?"
00:16:10.36\00:16:12.20
Well we know the answer.
00:16:12.20\00:16:13.46
He was traveling to
the furthest reaches of his
00:16:13.46\00:16:15.60
kingdom to the land of
Shulam to find his true love.
00:16:15.60\00:16:19.33
Can you imagine what it
was like when Solomon and his
00:16:19.33\00:16:22.43
entourage stood at her door?
00:16:22.43\00:16:24.40
And you can you imagine how
she felt when she realized it
00:16:24.40\00:16:27.46
was Solomon...
00:16:27.46\00:16:28.90
the one that she loved so much?
00:16:28.90\00:16:31.26
Chapter 3 verse 4 says
that when she found Him "I held
00:16:31.26\00:16:35.73
him and would not let him
go till I had brought him to my
00:16:35.73\00:16:40.06
mother's house, to the room
of the one who conceived me."
00:16:40.06\00:16:43.10
Isn't that a wonderful story?
00:16:43.10\00:16:46.50
Now, how does this
tell us about Jesus?
00:16:46.50\00:16:50.00
How does the Song of Solomon
reveal the love that God has
00:16:50.00\00:16:53.50
for his people?
00:16:53.50\00:16:55.03
I've got that just ahead.
00:16:55.03\00:16:57.03
Eyes for India is giving
sight to the blind and you
00:17:05.00\00:17:08.83
can be a part of this
amazing work that God is doing.
00:17:08.83\00:17:12.16
15 million blind people live
in India, more than any other
00:17:12.16\00:17:15.53
country in the world.
00:17:15.53\00:17:17.00
And many of the blind in
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00:17:17.00\00:17:20.20
only they could have
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00:17:20.20\00:17:23.26
It Is Written is
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Would you
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That's 1.800.253.3000 to
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India.
00:17:47.10\00:17:48.10
Or you can write to It
Is Written, Box O, Thousand
00:17:48.10\00:17:51.46
Oaks, California 91359.
00:17:51.46\00:17:54.76
You'll also find Eyes
for India on-line at It Is
00:17:54.76\00:17:59.06
Written.com.
00:17:59.06\00:18:00.13
Every $75 you give gives
someone the precious gift of
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sight.
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Eyes for India, doing the
work of Jesus in opening the
00:18:04.73\00:18:08.23
eyes of the blind and opening
hearts to the love of God.
00:18:08.23\00:18:11.86
Call 1.800.253.3000 or
write to Box O, Thousand Oaks,
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California 91359 or
visit itiswritten.com
00:18:18.20\00:18:24.63
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:18:25.86\00:18:27.86
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:18:27.86\00:18:29.26
Do you think that God is busy?
00:18:29.26\00:18:31.06
Now by human terms, I'd
say that God probably is.
00:18:31.06\00:18:34.03
The Bible tells us that He
created all things and that
00:18:34.03\00:18:36.60
includes this vast universe.
00:18:36.60\00:18:39.13
Then about $6,000 years
ago, Adam and Eve turned their
00:18:39.13\00:18:42.26
back on God.
00:18:42.26\00:18:44.23
They allowed sin into their
lives - and into the world.
00:18:44.23\00:18:46.90
The Bible is clear that
sin is the transgression of the
00:18:46.90\00:18:50.96
law and the
wages of sin is death.
00:18:50.96\00:18:54.10
Let me ask you this: In
his busyness, did God turn his
00:18:54.10\00:18:56.66
back on Adam and Eve?
00:18:56.66\00:18:58.76
Well no, of course he didn't.
00:18:58.76\00:18:59.93
In fact, ahead of time,
God had devised a plan where if
00:18:59.93\00:19:03.80
Adam and Eve were to turn
from Him, God would restore
00:19:03.80\00:19:07.10
them.
00:19:07.10\00:19:08.10
Jesus - like Solomon in
the Song of Solomon - would go
00:19:08.10\00:19:11.36
out in search of the lost.
00:19:11.36\00:19:13.23
Jesus left heaven and
travelled to the farthest
00:19:13.23\00:19:16.43
reaches of his kingdom.
00:19:16.43\00:19:18.13
And where did he end up?
00:19:18.13\00:19:19.13
He came to us.
00:19:19.13\00:19:20.83
He came to this sinful
world and calls to our hearts -
00:19:20.83\00:19:25.20
just as He called to Adam in
the Garden of Eden after they
00:19:25.20\00:19:28.20
fell.
00:19:28.20\00:19:29.53
God went in pursuit of
Adam and Eve and you'll read in
00:19:29.53\00:19:32.13
the Book of Genesis that
God came to them saying, "Adam,
00:19:32.13\00:19:35.90
where are you?"
00:19:35.90\00:19:37.90
The Song of Solomon discusses
the love between a Creator
00:19:37.90\00:19:40.86
God and His children here
on the Earth: a Saviour who
00:19:40.86\00:19:44.20
loves us so much that he
crossed the universe to find
00:19:44.20\00:19:48.13
us and save us for His kingdom.
00:19:48.13\00:19:50.43
And the Song of
Solomon doesn't stop there.
00:19:50.43\00:19:53.26
It tells us just what type
of relationship Jesus wants to
00:19:53.26\00:19:56.70
have with us.
00:19:56.70\00:19:58.56
What happened when
Solomon met his girl?
00:19:58.56\00:20:01.83
Sparks began to fly!
00:20:01.83\00:20:03.76
They got married.
00:20:03.76\00:20:05.46
And in chapter 8:5 we
see Solomon and his bride.
00:20:05.46\00:20:11.36
"Who is this coming up from
the wilderness leaning on her
00:20:11.36\00:20:14.86
beloved?"
00:20:14.86\00:20:16.50
Song of Solomon 8:5 NKJV
This is a picture of 2 people in
00:20:16.50\00:20:18.50
love.
00:20:18.50\00:20:19.50
It describes Mrs. Solomon
as leaning on her beloved.
00:20:19.50\00:20:23.20
It is not just a picture
of 2 people holding hands.
00:20:23.20\00:20:25.86
It is more than that.
00:20:25.86\00:20:27.03
They are in love and she is
described as leaning her full
00:20:27.03\00:20:30.10
weight on Solomon.
00:20:30.10\00:20:31.13
Solomon is supporting her.
00:20:31.13\00:20:32.86
If he'd pulled away right
then, Mrs. Solomon would have
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.50
fallen over.
00:20:35.50\00:20:36.63
She trusts him completely.
00:20:36.63\00:20:39.10
And isn't that the same
type of relationship Jesus wants
00:20:39.10\00:20:42.53
us to have with him?
00:20:42.53\00:20:44.93
I remember reading about
some Bible translators somewhere
00:20:44.93\00:20:47.36
in the South Pacific trying
to find a way to translate
00:20:47.36\00:20:49.73
the word 'faith' into the
local language, as the word
00:20:49.73\00:20:52.83
didn't exist in that language.
00:20:52.83\00:20:54.86
They finally decided to
use the idea of leaning one's
00:20:54.86\00:20:58.23
whole weight upon something
to portray what faith was.
00:20:58.23\00:21:02.56
To lean your whole weight upon.
00:21:02.56\00:21:05.06
To have faith in.
00:21:05.06\00:21:06.30
God wants us to lean
our whole weight upon Him.
00:21:06.30\00:21:09.26
To cast all our cares upon Him.
00:21:09.26\00:21:12.30
Verse 7 of Song of Solomon
chapter 8 says "Many waters
00:21:12.30\00:21:18.33
cannot quench love, nor
can the floods drown it.
00:21:18.33\00:21:22.66
If a man would give for love
all the wealth of his house,
00:21:22.66\00:21:25.96
it would be utterly despised."
00:21:25.96\00:21:28.06
Song of Solomon 8:7 NKJV Pure
love is something that cannot
00:21:28.06\00:21:32.03
be destroyed.
00:21:32.03\00:21:33.03
It isn't something
that can be bought.
00:21:33.03\00:21:35.33
And this is the kind of
love that God offers to us...
00:21:35.33\00:21:38.86
for free.
00:21:38.86\00:21:40.10
God comes to us at a time
that we most need Him and he
00:21:40.10\00:21:43.16
sweeps us off our feet.
00:21:43.16\00:21:44.60
He says, "I have loved
you with an everlasting love;
00:21:44.60\00:21:48.43
therefore with lovingkindness
I have drawn you."
00:21:48.43\00:21:51.30
Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV I got
to know a lady once, a single
00:21:51.30\00:21:55.70
Mom with a lovely daughter
about, oh, 10 to 12 years
00:21:55.70\00:21:58.66
old.
00:21:58.66\00:21:59.66
She'd had some unfortunate
relationships that had caused
00:21:59.66\00:22:02.00
some real trouble in
her life in the past.
00:22:02.00\00:22:05.06
She said to me one day, she
said, "John, I've finally met
00:22:05.06\00:22:09.56
a man that I can love!"
00:22:09.56\00:22:11.76
I was happy - so I
asked the obvious question.
00:22:11.76\00:22:15.03
"Who?"
00:22:15.03\00:22:16.30
She smiled, she paused,
and then she said, simply,
00:22:16.30\00:22:22.06
"Jesus.
00:22:22.06\00:22:23.36
She said, He'll never leave
me, He loves me for who I am
00:22:23.36\00:22:26.66
and He'll never let me down."
00:22:26.66\00:22:30.56
How right she was.
00:22:30.56\00:22:31.63
And perhaps this is one of
the most encouraging verses
00:22:31.63\00:22:35.33
in the book.
00:22:35.33\00:22:36.40
"Who is she who looks forth
as the morning, fair as the
00:22:36.40\00:22:43.06
moon, clear as the
sun, awesome as an army with
00:22:43.06\00:22:47.93
banners?"
00:22:47.93\00:22:48.93
Song of Solomon 6:10 NKJV You
see God looks with admiration
00:22:48.93\00:22:52.83
upon His church - a church
that will one day be ready to
00:22:52.83\00:22:55.73
meet Him.
00:22:55.73\00:22:57.10
What a day that's going to be!
00:22:57.10\00:22:59.10
And the thing that's going
to get us from here to there is
00:22:59.10\00:23:02.10
the love of God
and our love for Him.
00:23:02.10\00:23:05.16
When we understand that God
loves His people passionately
00:23:05.16\00:23:08.40
- using one of the greatest
love stories in the Bible to
00:23:08.40\00:23:10.76
describe that love -
something wonderful is going
00:23:10.76\00:23:13.46
to happen.
00:23:13.46\00:23:14.53
You can trust Someone you
know loves you completely.
00:23:14.53\00:23:18.66
You can feel safe with
Somebody that you know loves
00:23:18.66\00:23:20.96
you completely.
00:23:20.96\00:23:22.66
And you can love Somebody
that you know loves you no
00:23:22.66\00:23:26.46
strings attached, which is
why the Bible says, "We love
00:23:26.46\00:23:30.43
Him, because He first loved us."
00:23:30.43\00:23:33.96
1 John 4:19 NKJV [Music]
00:23:33.96\00:23:37.03
And if you've ever wondered
if God has a plan for this
00:23:37.03\00:23:39.06
troubled world, the
Song of Solomon assures you
00:23:39.06\00:23:43.06
He definitely does.
00:23:43.06\00:23:44.76
Jesus left this Earth 2000
years ago, but not so He'd be
00:23:44.76\00:23:49.33
gone forever.
00:23:49.33\00:23:50.33
Like Solomon in the story,
He'll be back soon to get His
00:23:50.33\00:23:55.60
bride.
00:23:55.60\00:23:56.60
If you'll learn to lean
on your beloved, one day soon
00:23:56.60\00:24:00.13
you'll see Jesus return.
00:24:00.13\00:24:02.06
The wait will be worth it.
00:24:02.06\00:24:04.90
We'll be reunited with
Jesus - and we'll be with Him
00:24:04.90\00:24:09.10
forever.
00:24:09.10\00:24:10.10
You can be ready.
00:24:10.10\00:24:12.10
You don't need to think
that your Beloved has forgotten
00:24:13.23\00:24:15.23
you, or that when He comes
back He won't be coming back
00:24:15.23\00:24:18.76
for you.
00:24:18.76\00:24:19.83
If you can choose to have
faith in this great God who
00:24:19.83\00:24:24.13
interestingly the
Bible says is Love.
00:24:24.13\00:24:26.63
It doesn't just say that
God loves, it says in 1 John 4
00:24:26.63\00:24:29.10
that God IS love.
00:24:29.10\00:24:31.20
If you can learn to accept
that love, you'll experience
00:24:31.20\00:24:37.86
a complete transformation
in your life and you will find
00:24:37.86\00:24:40.46
loving God is the
easiest thing in the world.
00:24:40.46\00:24:44.26
Perhaps we should pray now
and ask that God, the one who
00:24:44.26\00:24:47.36
loves us so much, will keep
us, preserve us and soon come
00:24:47.36\00:24:52.16
to get us and take us home.
00:24:52.16\00:24:53.30
Let's pray.
00:24:53.30\00:24:55.46
Our Father in heaven, I
thank you that you love us
00:24:55.46\00:24:58.96
passionately.
00:24:58.96\00:25:00.66
I thank you that you
are crazy about this world.
00:25:00.66\00:25:02.66
I thank you that you long
to come soon and gather up your
00:25:02.66\00:25:06.23
people and take them home.
00:25:06.23\00:25:08.16
Let that day come soon and
let us be ready by exercising
00:25:08.16\00:25:13.20
simple faith in this
great God who is love.
00:25:13.20\00:25:16.50
Lord, we choose you today.
00:25:16.50\00:25:18.23
Thank you for loving us.
00:25:18.23\00:25:20.00
Give us the grace to love you
back and to grow in you as we
00:25:20.00\00:25:25.23
trust you and lean on you.
00:25:25.23\00:25:27.33
We thank you today and we
pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:25:27.33\00:25:35.26
Perhaps our program today
has touched your heart and
00:25:56.43\00:25:58.73
impressed you with a personal
need for deeper Bible study.
00:25:58.73\00:26:02.30
If you desire to listen
to God and follow where he
00:26:02.30\00:26:04.63
leads, we've got a wonderful
resource that can help you do
00:26:04.63\00:26:07.60
that in a systematic way,
The Discover Bible Guides.
00:26:07.60\00:26:11.86
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00:26:11.86\00:26:14.03
truths taught in scripture.
00:26:14.03\00:26:15.06
They give you the big
picture, showing how it all
00:26:15.06\00:26:18.26
fits together.
00:26:18.26\00:26:19.53
The Discover Bible Guides
are a wonderful way for you to
00:26:19.53\00:26:22.36
become grounded in the
Word of God and to see how Jesus
00:26:22.36\00:26:25.63
Christ relates to all
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00:26:25.63\00:26:29.40
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00:26:29.40\00:26:32.36
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00:26:32.36\00:26:33.96
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Lines are open 24 hours.
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If they are busy when
you call, keep trying.
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You can also request today's
offer by writing to, It Is
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Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, CA 91359.
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If you wish to support the
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Written, your tax-deductible
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address or you can
make a gift on-line at
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itiswritten.com.
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Thank you for your
letters and for your continued
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support.
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Our toll-free number is
1.800.253.3000 and our web
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address is itiswritten.com.
00:27:37.03\00:27:40.30
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:47.50\00:27:48.93
I look forward to
seeing you next time.
00:27:48.93\00:27:50.93
Until then, remember - It
Is Written, man shall not live
00:27:50.93\00:27:54.56
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:54.56\00:27:58.63
mouth of God.
00:27:58.63\00:28:00.86