King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Konrad Witz, 1434
Desire Is Not Demonic
"The first application is this: desire is not demonic. Or if you’d like: Eros is not evil. Pick whichever alliteration you like better. That is, this desire for sexual intimacy expressed here so obviously is not only natural but can be (should be) naturally good.
"When God created the world he said, “It is good . . . good . . . good . . . good . . . good . . . good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). And when he created the pinnacle of his creation—human beings made of flesh and bones and with desires for intimacy—he said, “It is very good” (Genesis 1:31). Although we are now fallen creatures and cover our bodies in shame (as we should), and our natural desires can so easily be distorted and debased (contrast 1 Corinthians 7:9 with 7:37), there is still something very good about this natural desire for intimacy."
Read Solomon's Song of Love, by Douglas Sean O'Donnell, at Bible Study Tools
1 "I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys."
2 "Like a lily among the thorns, So is my darling among the maidens."
3 "Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the young men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 "He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love.
5 "Sustain me with raisin cakes, Refresh me with apples, Because I am lovesick.
6 "Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me."
7 "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases."
8 "Listen! My beloved! Behold, he is coming, Climbing on the mountains, Leaping on the hills!
9 "My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice.
10 "My beloved responded and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along.
11 'For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.
12 'The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
13 'The fig tree has ripened its figs, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along!' "
14 "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see your form, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your form is lovely."
15 "Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom."
16 "My beloved is mine, and I am his; He pastures his flock among the lilies.
17 "Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether."
Song of Solomon 2
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