Wednesday’s Word – Page 5

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Song of Solomon 2

I am a rose of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.

He

²As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among the young women.

She

³As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
    so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
    and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
⁴He brought me to the banqueting house,
    and his banner over me was love.
⁵Sustain me with raisins;
    refresh me with apples,
    for I am sick with love.
⁶His left hand is under my head,
    and his right hand embraces me!
⁷I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
    by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
    until it pleases.

⁸The voice of my beloved!
    Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.
⁹My beloved is like a gazelle
    or a young stag.
Behold, there he stands
    behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
    looking through the lattice.
¹⁰My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
    and come away,
¹¹for behold, the winter is past;
    the rain is over and gone.
¹²The flowers appear on the earth,
    the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
    is heard in our land.
¹³The fig tree ripens its figs,
    and the vines are in blossom;
    they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
    and come away.
¹⁴O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
    in the crannies of the cliff,
let me see your face,
    let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet,
    and your face is lovely.
¹⁵Catch the foxes for us,
    the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
    for our vineyards are in blossom.”

¹⁶My beloved is mine, and I am his;
    he grazes among the lilies.
¹⁷Until the day breathes
    and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
    or a young stag on cleft mountains.

Questions to Consider:

1. Who wrote the book of Song of Solomon? What is the theme of this book? Which genre of biblical literature (epistle, poetry, historical narrative, etc.) is it? Why do you think God put this book into the Bible?

2. Refer back to chapter 1. Who are the “he” and “she” mentioned in chapter 2? Which person speaks the words in 2:1? (Hint: there were no chapter and verse numbers in this book when it was written.)

3. Examine the metaphors the man and woman use to describe each other. What are some of the objects each compares the other to? Why did they choose these particular objects? How does this chapter point to the importance of familiarizing ourselves with the culture and context of the Bible passages we study?

4. It has been said that the Bible has a “Victorian” or “repressed” view of sex. Do you think that’s true in light of this passage?

5. How does this passage (and the rest of Song of Solomon) fit in with God’s perspective of sex and marriage? Does it complement or conflict with passages such as 1 Corinthians 7:2-5, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, and Ephesians 5:22-33?

Wednesday's Word

Wednesday’s Word ~ Ecclesiastes 3

January 20, 2016January 20, 2016 Michelle Lesley

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Ecclesiastes 3

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

²a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

⁹What gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹²I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; ¹³also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

¹⁴I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.

¹⁶Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. ¹⁷I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. ¹⁸I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. ¹⁹For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. ²⁰All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. ²¹Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? ²²So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Questions to Consider:

Who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes? What is the theme of chapter 3?

How would you summarize verses 1-8? What are some of the ways the New Testament says Christians should respond to joyful or difficult circumstance in our lives and in the lives of others?

What does it mean that God has “put eternity into man’s heart”? (11) What does the remainder of verse 11 mean? How might the idea in this part of verse 11 connect with these other passages?

What can we learn from verses 14-22 about God’s absolute sovereignty, supremacy, authority, and control over the world and the events that take place in it? Make a list of all the things, beings, and events from these verses that God is sovereign over. How can contemplating God’s sovereignty in these areas help us to have a proper, humble view of ourselves compared to Him?

Taking verses 12-22 into consideration, why do verses 12, 13, and 22 encourage man to “be joyful,” “take pleasure,” and “rejoice” in his toil and work? What is the alternative? How does this relate to what the New Testament says about being joyful in work or difficulties? What impact might your joy have on an unbeliever?

Wednesday's Word

Wednesday’s Word ~ Titus 2

January 13, 2016January 11, 2016 Michelle Lesley

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Titus 2

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. ²Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, andsubmissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. ⁷Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. ⁹Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹²training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

¹⁵Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Questions to Consider:

1. Who wrote the book of Titus? Who was the audience of the book of Titus? Which genre of biblical literature is Titus (history, poetry, epistle, etc.)? What is the theme of Titus? If you have a few minutes, read the whole book – all three chapters (the longest of which is 16 verses) – of Titus.

2. In verses 2-12 Paul addresses character attributes that certain people are to display. Who are the people, and what are the attributes he mentions for each? What are the similar or dissimilar attributes these people are to display? How does the word “likewise” (3,6) connect similar attributes?

O____ M__ (2):

O____ W____ (3):

Y____ W____ (4-5):

Y____ M__ (6):

T____ (“yourself”) (7-8):

B________ (9-10):

A__ P____ (11-12):

3. Verses 3-5 outline two very important roles for older and younger women in the church. What is the role of older women? Younger women? Examine the things older women are to teach and younger women are to learn. What are some practical ways you can carry out these instructions in your life and in the church as an older or younger woman?

4. How can we apply Paul’s instructions to “bondservants” (9-10) to our lives today? What can we learn from these verses about being a godly employee?

5. What do verses 5, 8, 10, and 14, tell us is the reason for believers to be people of godly character? What is the main idea of this chapter?

Wednesday's Word

Wednesday’s Word ~ Malachi 4

December 16, 2015December 15, 2015 Michelle Lesley

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Malachi 4

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. ²But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. ³And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

⁴“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

⁵“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. ⁶And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come andstrike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Questions To Consider:

1. Which genre (history, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, epistle, etc.) is the book of Malachi? What is the overall tone or theme of this chapter?

2. Some prophecies have a “near” meaning (something that will happen in the near future to the people the prophet is currently talking to), some have a “far” meaning (something that will happen far in the future in another context), and some have both. Which would you say is the case for this passage? In either or both cases, who is the audience for this prophecy? What is the near and/or far meaning?

3. How does God contrast the wicked with those who fear the Lord in verses 1-3? Why does God say to “Remember the law of my servant Moses…”? (4) How does verse 4 fit with verses 1-3?

4. What are some possible connections between verses 5-6 and Luke 1:13, 16-17, Matthew 11:13-14, and Revelation 11:3?

5. What are some general truths we can learn from this passage as we look ahead to Christ’s second coming?

Wednesday's Word

Wednesday’s Word ~ Proverbs 3

December 9, 2015December 8, 2015 Michelle Lesley

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Proverbs 3

My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
²for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

³Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
⁷Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise the Lord‘s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
¹²for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.

¹³Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
¹⁴for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.
¹⁵She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

¹⁹The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
²⁰by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹My son, do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
²²and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck.
²³Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror
    or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being caught.
²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
²⁹Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
    who dwells trustingly beside you.
³⁰Do not contend with a man for no reason,
    when he has done you no harm.
³¹Do not envy a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
³²for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.
³³The Lord‘s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
³⁴Toward the scorners he is scornful,
    but to the humble he gives favor.
³⁵The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get disgrace.

Questions to Consider:

1. Who wrote Proverbs, and to whom is this chapter addressed? (1) What is the key word for this chapter (and the theme of the book of Proverbs)? (13, 19, 21)

2. Examine verses 1-2. Do you notice that the first verse is an imperative (command to do or not do something) and the subsequent verse gives a result of obeying the command? Can you identify this pattern throughout the rest of the chapter? List some of the specific commands and their results. Are these results guaranteed in all situations for all people? Is Proverbs a book of God’s promises? Can you think of any exceptions, in the Bible or in your life, to the results when people obey the commands? For example, compare verse 35 to Isaiah 53:3 (speaking of Jesus).

3. Read through the chapter from the perspective of Solomon – a loving parent instructing his child in wisdom and godliness. List two things you can glean from this passage to help you be a more godly mother or a more godly daughter.

Read through the chapter again from the perspective of God instructing you, His child. List two things you can learn and apply about obeying God’s word.

4. Most of this chapter centers on Solomon imparting his wisdom to his son, but in verses 19-20, Solomon speaks specifically about God’s wisdom. How does man’s desire for wisdom reflect that we are created in the image of God? What are some differences between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom? Differences between knowledge and wisdom?

5. Why is godly wisdom important for Christians?