Daughters of Zion, Part One

May 11, 2010 in Bible - OT - Zechariah, Children, Ecclesiology, Meditations

Zechariah 9:9-10 (NKJV)
9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’

Two weeks ago we read this passage as we celebrated the Triumphal Entry, the entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem as King. Today I would like to return to this passage for a moment as we begin to consider the lessons which young women have to teach us as the body of Christ. For they do have numerous things to teach us and so we should be learning from them.

The first thing they teach us is about our own identity. Notice that Zechariah’s announcement this morning is of the arrival of the great King, the King who would bring salvation and righteousness to His people; the King who would be humble and upright, not susceptible to the injustice and corruption which were permeating Israel at the time; the King who would bring peace to Israel, delivering her from bloodshed and destruction; the King who would bring peace to all the earth. This King is, of course, our Lord Jesus the Christ.

So here’s the question: was this good news just for the young women in Israel or for all Israel? All Israel! So when Zechariah calls upon the “daughter of Zion” to rejoice, whom is he urging to respond in this way? All Israel. Notice, therefore, that all the inhabitants of Jerusalem collectively are called the daughter of Zion, the daughter of Jerusalem. Men, women, young men, young women, children – all are identified as the daughter of Zion. Indeed, this is a common figure of speech throughout the prophets. Why? Why are the inhabitants of Jerusalem collectively referred to as the daughter of Zion? Because, as any father should be able to tell you, daughters are our special objects of affection, protection, and provision. As glorious and important as sons are – they’ve got to grow up, become men, carry on the family name – daughters are much more special, much closer to our heart.

God calls the inhabitants of Jerusalem collectively “his daughter” to indicate how much He loves them, and how strong is His intention to provide for them and to protect them at the hands of the coming King. Notice how this is the heart of Zechariah’s call to rejoice. Rejoice, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, for your King is coming to you, coming to protect you, coming to provide for you, coming to secure your favor and see you cared for.

So daughters – learn from Zechariah today how much you are beloved: how much you are beloved by your earthly father; but second, how much more you are beloved by Your heavenly Father. Even if your earthly father fails to love you as he ought, God never will. And He identifies you as a daughter of Zion, His daughter, to assure you of His care, His provision, His protection. And all you inhabitants of Jerusalem, you daughter of Zion, call to mind the Lord’s great love for you and His determination to provide for us and protect us. Rejoice, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, for Your King has come to You and shall come yet again.

Reminded that we have failed to trust God’s love, provision, and protection of us and have instead sought out the affection of other lovers, other providers, let us kneel and confess our sin to God.

Declared to be the Son of God with Power

April 5, 2010 in Bible - NT - Romans, Easter, Meditations

Romans 1:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Today is Easter – the most significant of the various holy days in the Church calendar. More pivotal than Christmas, more central than Pentecost, more crucial than Epiphany – Easter celebrates the single most world transforming event in all human history. Because of the resurrection, we have the Gospel. Because of the resurrection, we have cathedrals. Because of the resurrection, we have computers. All because of the resurrection.

It is this world transformation that Paul points out to us in the introduction to his letter to the Romans. After assuring us that Christ’s advent was proclaimed beforehand by the prophets and that he came as was foretold a son of David, Paul goes on to declare that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection of the dead. What does he mean by this turn of phrase?

While many have supposed that Paul is here outlining the two natures of Christ – according to his human nature he was of the seed of David but he was also the Son of God – the text does not support this notion. For how could Jesus’ status as the eternal Son of God undergo a transformation as a result of the resurrection? He has and ever will be the only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. This is not what Paul is addressing.

What is Paul saying then? He is telling us about the transformation that has occurred in the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as a result of the resurrection. He was born of the seed of David – had indeed the natural right to rule as King. But simply having the natural right to rule does not establish that one does in fact rule. Bonnie Prince Charlie may have had a rightful claim to the throne of England; but a mere claim means little if one does not actually have the throne. And it is this that Paul addresses with the next phrase. Not only was Jesus born to be King – not only did he have a legitimate claim to the throne – by the resurrection from the dead He was declared to be the Son of God, the King of Israel, with power – that is, the resurrection was Jesus’ coronation as King. God, as Peter says elsewhere, made Him to be both Lord and Christ by the resurrection from the dead.

What is the significance of Easter then? On this day we celebrate the coronation of our King. Nearly two thousand years ago he was crowned King of the Universe, the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him and this includes, because He conquered death, authority over death itself. He has the keys of death and hell. He opens and no one shuts. So death is conquered; death is destroyed. Christ is risen and those in Him shall arise as well. Death is no more the final word.

So give heed to the exhortation of the psalmist in Psalm 2, the coronoation psalm of our King:

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Let us kneel therefore and acknowledge our rightful King, asking His forgiveness for our sins against Him.

Show Yourself a Man, Part 2

April 5, 2010 in Bible - OT - 1 Kings, Ecclesiology, Meditations

1 Kings 2:5-9 (NKJV)
And David charged his son Solomon, saying, “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 6 Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace. 7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

This morning we bring to a close the lessons which young men teach us as the people of God. It is fitting that we do this on Palm Sunday, the day the Church historically has celebrated the Triumphal Entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem. For this day Jesus demonstrated that He was a faithful son of David, willing to risk His all for the glory of His Father, and a true specimen of manliness.

Last week we noted that David urged Solomon to “show himself a man.” This manliness would manifest itself in two ways: robust obedience to God’s law as it was revealed through Moses and conscious dependence upon the promises which God had made to David.

Today David gives Solomon two more charges that highlight what it means to be a man. David had left some unfulfilled business which could pose some potential problems for Solomon’s reign – Joab who was a murderer and Shimei who was a traitor. And so David exhorts Solomon, “Show yourself a man! Take care of these men. Don’t ignore them and pretend that they will go away. Deal with them.” In the ensuing history, Solomon shows himself a man by fulfilling the charges his father gave him.

Jesus too manifest this same type of manliness. Luke tells us that Jesus “steadfastly set his face” to go to Jerusalem – knowing the opposition he would face, knowing he would be rejected, knowing he would be slain. But He did it. He was a man.

Likewise, young men, you have been given tasks to fulfill. Whether these are placed before you by your parents, your teachers, or your Lord, the measure of your masculinity is in how you respond to the challenges. Will you do the work and show yourself a man or will you sluff and procrastinate and show yourself a milksop? This is the choice that lies before you.

But David not only charges Solomon to take care of his enemies, he also reminds him to take care of his friends. “Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.” A man, David insists, not only strives to overcome his enemies, he is doggedly faithful to his friends and his father’s friends, looking out for their best interest. Solomon would later write in Proverbs, “Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away” (Pr 27:10).

And it is this faithfulness and loyalty that were and are manifest in our Lord Jesus Christ. He came to fulfill the promises made to the fathers, came because of His Father’s great love for us, and continues to teach and instruct us by His Spirit – no longer calling us servants but calling us friends.

So, young men, are you being faithful friends? A friend who sticks closer than a brother? Are you looking out for your friends’ best interests? For this is what it means to be a man.

Reminded this morning that true manliness consists in a willingness to deal with conflict and in a tenacious loyalty to one’s friends, let us kneel and confess that we have failed in both respects.

Show Yourself a Man, Part 1

April 5, 2010 in Bible - OT - 1 Kings, Ecclesiology, Meditations

1 Kings 2:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: 2 “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

We are losing our sons. Let us candidly admit this truth. As Douglas Wilson remarked in our Leadership Training yesterday, the number of women in evangelical churches greatly exceeds that of men. This, despite the fact that men outnumber women in both Islam and orthodox Judaism. By and large the ladies remain in the churches while the men head to the locker rooms. What has caused this lack of interest on the part of evangelical men? Part of the answer lies in our failure to appreciate that which is distinctly masculine and to cultivate that masculinity in our sons.

This failure is remarkable in light of the Bible’s delight in both masculine and feminine forms of piety. While we modern evangelicals tend to be inordinately fond of the latter, the Scriptures extol each in their place. We would do well to learn what this masculinity looks like and how it should be manifest in our congregation. What is biblical masculinity? What are the traits of the man of God? It is to these questions that we address ourselves as we begin to wrap up our discussion of the lessons which young men teach us as the people of God.

When David was on his death bed, passing on to the land of his fathers, he exhorted Solomon, “Show yourself a man” (1 Kgs 2:2). David expected Solomon to live up to the training he had received and to exhibit certain traits that were distinctly masculine. How was Solomon to do this? The portion of David’s charge we have read today identifies two ways.

First, Solomon must obey the voice of the Lord. Solomon was to “keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies. . .” (2:3). Masculinity, David emphasizes, is not found in rebellion, as fallen culture erroneously surmises, but in a rigorous, zealous, full-orbed obedience to the God of all creation. Masculinity is willing to say, “No,” to ungodliness and unbelief; willing to say, “No,” to a gang of thieves and stand up against them; willing to say, “You idiot,” to a friend who speaks disrespectfully to his mother. So young men learn this lesson early–the mark of true masculinity is dutiful service to God. Disagree if you will, young men, but do it in a way that manifests a heart of obedience to the Father of Glory.

But there is a second lesson in our text that David teaches Solomon about showing oneself a man: humility. Solomon was to recall what God had promised his father and to live in light of this promise. This implies that masculine virtue is not afraid to confess its dependence upon others. Real men are willing to learn from their elders; to stand on the shoulders of their forebears; to glean all that can be gleaned from their teachers; to rejoice in the heritage which their parents have already passed and are continuing to pass down to them. As Coleridge once remarked, “A dwarf sees farther than the giant when he has the giant’s shoulder to mount on.” Young men, you are dwarfs, but if you are willing to mount upon our shoulders and we are willing to mount upon the shoulders of our fathers, imagine how far you will be able to see.

So give heed to the words of David today – Show yourself a man! Obey the Lord; treasure the inheritance of your parents. This is a taste of biblical masculinity.

Body Language

April 5, 2010 in Bible - OT - Proverbs, Ecclesiology, Meditations

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV)
16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

In the course of his instruction to his son, Solomon takes a moment to remind his son that there are certain things which the Lord despises, which He hates. While many today are fond of talking of God’s love, few have reckoned with the fact that those who love much must also hate intensely. He who loves his wife must hate him who would steal her away or injure her. He who loves his children must hate him who would lead them astray or hurt them. He who loves the Church must hate him who would disrupt her peace or divide her. As Jesus tells us, “One cannot love God and mammon. He who loves the one must hate the other.” So too the Lord who loves and cherishes righteousness must necessarily hate and despise wickedness.

Solomon arranges these sins which the Lord hates in couplets. The first and last go together; the second and second to last, so on. Let us consider each in turn.

The first and last items have to do with arrogance and pride – a proud look and one who sows discord among brothers. These exhortations picture a man who imagines that his way is always the right way; the one who cannot consider that perhaps others may have wisdom and insight to give; the one who is haughty and domineering, crushing his brothers. Haughty people inevitably cause discord among others because they have to prove that they know best – and the only way they can prove they know best is if they destroy everyone who might compete with them. Beware pride.

The second couplet addresses lying and deceit. The Lord despises the lying tongue and a false witness who utters lies. He hates the tongue that pours forth honey but under which are poisonous asps and adders; the tongue that plots the destruction of others while securing its own advantage. Beware lying and deceit.

The third couplet exhorts those whose hands and feet are destructive, “whose hands shed innocent blood…whose feet are swift to do evil.” Earlier Solomon warned his son about the gang mentality – do not follow a multitude to do evil. Our hands have been given to protect the innocent but the wicked man slays them; our feet have been given to walk in the path of life but the wicked man pursues the path of death. The reason we should shun gang violence, in other words, is because their conduct is offensive to a holy God. Beware violence.

At the center of these couplets comes Solomon’s most treasured instruction for his son. That which the Lord hates is a “heart that devises wicked plans.” Earlier Solomon had warned his son – “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life.” And here – in his arrangement of sins the Lord despises – he returns to this theme. Watch over your heart. It is our heart that leads us to scheme and plot and destroy. It is our heart that becomes bitter and resentful and moves us to wickedness. Beware an evil heart.

So reviewing these exhortations, I would like you to notice that Solomon addresses every aspect of our lives. First, he addresses body language. The Lord hates a proud look. Notice that this means that there is such a thing as a proud look. Beware your face and the tale it tells. Second, he addresses speech, he addresses our mouth. God hates a lying tongue, a false witness. Beware your speech. Third, God addresses our actions, our hands and our feet. Beware what you do and where you walk, whose steps you follow. Finally, He addresses our heart – for from it flow the issues of life. Beware what you are loving and esteeming; what you are hating and abhorring.

Reminded that our whole being – our looks, our speech, our actions, and our hearts – are open and bare before the face of Him to whom we must give an account, let us kneel and confess our sins to Lord.

Young Men and Peer Influence

April 5, 2010 in Bible - OT - 1 Kings, Ecclesiology, Meditations

1 Kings 12:6-11 (NKJV)
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?” 7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?” 10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! 11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ”

A catalogue of the lessons that young men teach us would be woefully inadequate did it neglect the danger of peer influence. As we learned several weeks ago, the very strength of young men can condition them to scorn the different types of strength that God has bestowed on others at different stages of life. And it is this folly that we find in our text today.

Rehoboam has received a deputation from Jeroboam and the northern tribes of Israel – be kind to us; reduce our workload; stop taxing us so heavily. Rehoboam begins well – before he responds he seeks counsel. The elders advise moderation, kindness, and service from Rehoboam. “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” The elders urge Rehoboam to humble himself, to acknowledge the complaints that the northerners are making against him, and to serve these people.

But the idea of serving is distasteful to Rehoboam. And so he seeks other counsel – and counselors to tell him that these elders are just a bunch of fools are not hard to find. Don’t listen to them. You’re the king. These people must submit to you. Let them know who’s boss.

Young men, beware the folly of Rehoboam. There will always be fools about to counsel you to spurn the words of your parents and elders. Unfortunately, today, there are even old folks who would counsel you like Rehoboam’s companions. God is speaking to you from the life of Rehoboam – listen to the wisdom of your elders. Give heed to their voice. Do not be overcome by the flattery of your peers.

So, young men, imitate Rehoboam in this: seek counsel before you act. But don’t play the fool and seek counsel only to spurn it. Listen to your elders; listen to the Word of God; humble yourself. In other words, imitate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who grew in favor with God and with men by honoring and respecting his parents and elders.

Likewise, the rest of God’s people. Learn from Rehoboam’s folly – seek counsel and follow those who speak in harmony with God’s Word not with your own desires.

Reminded that we are often prone to listen to the wrong counselors, that we scorn the wisdom that God sets in front of us for folly, let us kneel and confess our sins to God.

Sexual Sin

March 1, 2010 in Bible - OT - Proverbs, Ecclesiology, Meditations

Proverbs 7:7 (NKJV)
7 And I saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding,

For a number of weeks we have considered the positive lessons which young men teach us as the people of God. Unfortunately, there are also negative lessons they teach as Solomon remarks today. And one of these is their propensity to sexual sin.

Young men frequently imagine that having sex makes them all grown up. Having sex is the measure of a man. Interestingly enough, however, Solomon teaches us that the young man who falls into sexual sin is not doing the leading, he is being led. Far from being manly, he is being effeminate. Solomon remarks later in the chapter that “he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.” As Solomon remarks in our verse, a young man who falls into sexual sin is “devoid of understanding.” He is the consummate fool.

So, young men, beware sexual temptation. There was a day in American culture when it was more difficult to convince a woman to have sex outside the confines of marriage. That day is gone. Throughout your life, particularly if you go off to college, you will find that there are plenty of young women not just willing but urging you to come along with them. Understand Solomon’s warning. The offer they are making may look good up front – she’s attractive, your hormones are engaged, sex is a good and great thing – but the end is death, shame, destruction. Don’t be like an ox going off to the slaughter.

But sexual temptation comes in more shapes than the three dimensional one. Pornography is a killer and it is more easily accessible today than ever before in history. The same women who are willing to seduce you in person, are more than willing to sell themselves in magazines and on the internet. Flee from it. Pornography is the way of death – it will destroy your initiative, undermine your marriages, and, most importantly, estrange you from your Maker and Redeemer. If you need help, get help. Do not be a young man lacking sense.

As we consider the particular temptation that young men face, the exhortation comes to all of us. Beware sexual sin. It is the path to destruction and death. Though Satan may make it look attractive up front, be assured its end is in death and destruction.

Reminded of our propensity to take the good gifts of God like sex and turn them into instruments for our own death, let us kneel and seek His forgiveness.

Being Passionate

February 22, 2010 in Bible - OT - Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiology, Meditations

Ecclesiastes 11:9 (NKJV)
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.

For some weeks now we have been considering the lessons which young men as part of the body of Christ teach us. Solomon reminds us today that young men are full of energy, vision, passion, commitment, goals, dreams and aspirations. And so he exhorts young men to thank God for this energy and enthusiasm. “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.”

The desires to conquer the world, to chart unknown territory, to discover new things – these are good and noble. The reckless abandon with which young men can press ahead and pursue dreams and visions, is a lesson which young men have to teach us as the people of God. Passion is a good thing. So Solomon urges young men to follow these desires. “Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes.” Take advantage of the passion which God has given you – dream lofty dreams, pursue outrageous goals.

Alongside these encouragements, Solomon delivers one reminder to young men in the midst of your passion: be tenacious in holding on to what is good and right. Too many young men allow their passions to direct them in ways that despise truth, goodness, and beauty. Their passions drive them to seek one more sexual encounter, one more drug enduced euphoria, one more victory at the gaming table. Notice what Solomon says, “But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.” One day you will give an account for the choices you have made. One day you will answer to God for the way in which your passions have driven you. One day you will no longer be young.

In other words, Solomon is counseling you young men, that your passion can be put to either good use or evil use. If your passion drives you to honor the Living God and uphold His law, then rejoice for you are being precisely the type of young man He wants you to be. If, however, your passion is driving you to despise or ignore God and His statues, then you are in the clutches of the Evil One. Far from being a young man, you are nothing more than Satan’s tool. Too many young men have assumed that just because they feel like doing something, because they are passionate about it, therefore it must be right. Solomon teaches you otherwise. Passion is good – but it must be driven to achieving that which is honorable in the sight of God. Therefore your passion must be regulated by the Word of God.

What then do we as the people of God learn from young men today? Two things. First, the glory of passion. I fear that many of us have forgotten what it is to be passionate. John wrote to the church of Ephesus, “But this I have against you, that you have left your first love.” Have you forgotten what it is to be passionate? Then look at a young man and remember again and imitate him. Second, the danger of passion. We too must ask ourselves, “Have our passions driven us to evil?” Then we too must look at the Word of God and remember what it is we are to be truly passionate about.

Reminded that we have failed to learn the lesson of passion from the young men in our midst, let us kneel and confess our sin to God.

The Way of a Man with a Maid

February 22, 2010 in Bible - OT - Proverbs, Marriage, Meditations

Proverbs 30:18-19 (NKJV)
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: 19 The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid.

Today is St. Valentine’s Day, the day our culture celebrates the affection of lovers for one another. We have been considering the lessons that young men teach us as the people of God. Their strength is a glory, a glory that should manifest itself not only in their physical feats but their spiritual development. But there is perhaps no truth more evidently known about young men than that they begin to develop a rather keen interest in young women.

Solomon reminds us today that this desire is good. After all, it was God who first designed man and woman to be together. He said the man was not complete when alone; He put the man to sleep and pulled a rib from his side; He crafted and shaped the woman; He presented her to the man. God designed the affection that lovers have one for another.

So perfect was the design, that Scripture records the first words spoken by Adam in the Garden, words spoken when this new creature was first brought before him. And these weren’t just run of the mill words. No, they were astonished words, glorious words, affectionate words. The first words of mankind, after all, were poetry:

This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh,
She shall be called woman
Because she was taken out of man.


The first couple was designed by God and praised by man. And every couple since has been His handiwork as well. Solomon reminds us that though riches and wealth come from one’s fathers, a good wife is a gift from God Himself.

Evolutionary culture would have us believe that the attraction of a man and woman for one another is a mere matter of biology. We are mere animals and the sight of certain things arouses us. But as Solomon meditates upon God’s gift of love, and the gift of lovers, he confesses that it is all mystery – not biology.

There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid.


How is it that a man otherwise taciturn and sullen, suddenly awakens and becomes sociable and amiable? How is it that a man directionless and purposeless, suddenly develops a clear and distinct vision? How is it that a man intent and disciplined, suddenly forgets himself, finds it difficult to focus, and is distracted from his work? And how is it that any man convinces a maid to love him and covenant with him?

All these things, Solomon confesses, are a mystery – but not because they are so petty and foolish, rather because they are so glorious and resplendent. We all shake our heads at some fool who wastes his substance at the gambling table. Sin is a mystery. But this is not the type of mystery that confronts us when considering the way of a man with a maid – no this is a mystery of God’s making. A marvel like eagles in the air, serpents on a rock, ships in the sea.

So, young men, God himself gave you the desire to be with a woman. Desiring to earn the hand of a woman is a good and noble thing. But a woman whose hand is worth having, is a woman who makes you earn it – so be purposeful, be intent, be honorable – and treat all the women in your life with respect until God in His grace and kindness gives you one specific woman upon whom to shower your affections.

And older men, let us not forget the ardor with which we pursued the woman by our side. Let us remember that she is a gift of God – and let us continue to pursue her to the glory of God and the beautification of our bride.

Reminded that we often despise the gifts of God, that we often seek His gifts in unlawful ways, that we often fail to thank Him for the gifts that He has given, let us kneel and confess our sin to Him.