Love, Romance and Intimacy: A Mission 119 Guide to the Song of Solomon

Does God want us to enjoy romance and intimacy? Is the Bible just full of prohibitions? What does the Bible say the purpose of sex is? Or does the Bible even address the issue of physical intimacy? What is God’s intent for the sex life of Christians while they are dating? And after they are married? Does it even matter? The Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) answers these questions and much more. It is the most thorough treatment in the Bible of the issue of sexual pleasure within marriage. The Bible teaches that God created marriage and sex, and that physical intimacy within marriage is to be enjoyed. Unfortunately, the world reduces physical intimacy to nothing more significant than satisfying lusts. Modern entertainment is a race to the bottom, but the Song of Songs treats intimacy through Hebrew poetry. The Song is erotic without being crass, honest without being salacious, and instead addresses the subject matter from a qualitative perspective, conveying the emotions and experiences with imagery drawn largely from nature and primarily designed to show us the beauty of the lovers’ relationship and intimacy. At the same time, the book is wisdom literature, arguing that sexual pleasures should be reserved for marriage. More than that, the Song cuts through modern caricatures of the ancient world, presenting the material from a female perspective and painting a picture of her that is beautiful, independent, romantic, spontaneous and strong.