Are You Stashing an Egyptian Wife Somewhere?

            ¹¹Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not live in the house of David king of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.”

                ¹²Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD that he had built before the vestibule, ¹³as the duty of each day required...   - 2 Chronicles 8:11-13a

When a high-profile celebrity is compelled to function normally and proficiently against the backdrop of some scandal or crisis in his personal life, he is often praised for his ability to "compartmentalize." On one level, the ability seems valuable. The business of life must go. The responsibilities of a job do not screech to a halt because of problems at home. But, in matters of sin, righteousness and love for God, "compartmentalization" is a serious and sinful pathology.

Solomon is one of the Bible’s most perplexing characters. He was renowned for his wisdom. God once offered to give him anything his heart desired, but Solomon asked for "a discerning heart" (1 Kings 3:9) with which to govern the nation. The king became world-renowned for the wisdom God have him. He did not ask for riches or fame, but because he made a noble request of the LORD, he was blessed with those things as well. Solomon was well on his way to becoming one of Israel's greatest kings.

But, the sheen on Solomon’s image began to tarnish as his power and prestige increased. His wise and discerning heart gave way to carnal passions and geo-political ambitions. He married many foreign wives and took for himself even more concubines. Their idolatry was introduced into Israel, so the king built pagan worship sites throughout the nation to appease them. Thus, while Solomon’s reign was marked by numerous positive achievements, particularly, when it came to construction projects and global acquisitions that built up the majesty and prestige of national Israel, the spiritual life in Israel was imperiled.

One of Solomon’s greatest accomplishments was to build a temple for the LORD in Jerusalem. Not only did he design it and oversee its construction, but he was also central in leading the people in worship when the temple was dedicated. It was in the aftermath of this great event that Solomon’s sense of what was holy compelled him to find another town in which his Egyptian wife might live, for the City of David housed the temple, which in turn, housed the Ark of the Covenant. This wife was a pagan. Jerusalem was holy.

It is difficult to judge Solomon’s reaction to this peculiar predicament. Perhaps, he should be credited for recognizing the holiness of Jerusalem as well as the inappropriateness of this foreign wife living there. Solomon may have thought that he could make the best of an awkward situation by stashing this forbidden bride off-premises. More likely, the awkwardness of the situation was lost on him as this woman was just one of many forbidden women in his life. Solomon may have simply thought he could get a pass from God on this matter because of all the worshipful and cultural things he had done for God and for Israel.

For a fellow who was supposed to be so smart ... Even if Solomon’s precise motives were unclear, the foolishness of what he thought he could accomplish was manifest. He thought that he could “compartmentalize” his life into godly and ungodly categories and carry on temple business as usual by offering sacrifices "as the duty of each day required."

That is what happens when a believer fails to grasp the priority of purity in the Christian walk. Though God is faithful and just to forgive our sins, many of us still wrestle with baggage from the past and temptations in the present. But, while wrestling is a part of life, unrepentant succumbing is sin. And yet, many trade on what they foolishly believe is the cheapness of grace (I'll repent when I'm done doing as I please). Or, they bargain with God within their minds (If I maintain everything else in my religious walk, God should not care too much about this little vice). Whatever the rationalization, this is foolish compartmentalization, which is really just spiritual schizophrenia.

Are you stashing your own Egyptian wife in a tower somewhere where you pretend God will either not see, or mind if He does? Is there some private sin, some area of disobedience, or some indifference to the development of your maturity that you have deluded yourself into believing will not impede your spiritual character? Perhaps, your language or your sense of humor are coarser than they ought to be. Or, could it be that you have grown too comfortable with a temper that is undisciplined? If so, send your Egyptian wife away and repent. God will not be mocked. You cannot love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength as long as she is still hanging around.

When Love Finally Clicks

I am my beloved's,

            and his desire is for me.  - Song of Solomon 7:10

After recently sitting through a Sunday School lesson on the Song of Solomon, this particular verse struck a different chord for me than it ever had before. Jim McKay provided an outline which gave a very sensible progression to the modern reader for this ancient love poem. It is not merely a story of romance, but also a picture of how the love of Christ for His people conquers our sundry insecurities and various crises of belief.

The king in Jerusalem falls for a country girl, and this is not lost on her. She is initially enthralled, but she immediately begins to have doubts. She examines herself and realizes that she looks nothing like the beautifully adorned, alabaster baby-dolls that typically vie for the king's affections. She is dark-skinned, either tanned or sun-burned. For some undisclosed reason, her brothers got mad at her and relegated her to the role of the family's vineyard keeper. Even though Solomon reassures her of her beauty in his eyes, she remains somewhat unsure of why she is the recipient of the king's affection.

"I am a meadow flower, pretty enough I suppose out here in the sticks, but (by implication) nothing compared to the ornate floral delicacies to which you are accustomed in your regal circles. In response, the king makes a play on her own words and reassures her that she is by far the most adored of them all.

SHE: I am a rose of Sharon,

            a lily of the valleys.

HE: As a lily among brambles,

            so is my love among the young women.  - Song of Solomon 2:1, 2

This reassures her for a season:

SHE: He brought me to the banqueting house,

            and his banner over me was love.  - Song of Solomon 2:4

The romance is expressed mutually, but this young woman endures two dreams, one premarital and one after the nuptials, that betray a fear that her lover is not into this romance with both feet (see chapters 3:1-4 and 5:2-8). The latter dream is particularly terrifying. But, they are just dreams. His love is indeed genuine.

A thought recurs in the song that is similar to the text that introduced these thoughts:

SHE: My beloved is mine, and I am his ...  - chapter 2:16

SHE: I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine ...  - chapter 6:3

These declarations suggest the covenant reality of the courtship and marriage, but they are not quite as intense as that final declaration in chapter 7:10, which drops the idea that her lover is simply covenanted to her and replaces it with the certainty that "his desire" is for her. Could it be that she has graduated from her insecurities and doubts about her lover's authentic passion for her? Is she finally able to trust his heart? Is she finally willing to accept that he longs for the same degree of intimacy with her that is so much more than she has thus far been able to fathom?

It's poetry, folks. The analogies are not perfect. The historical Solomon had many serious moral deficiencies and character flaws, rendering him a very imperfect "type" for Christ. (His troublesome penchant for keeping a harem is alluded to within the song itself.)

Still, the Song of Solomon hints at a spiritual journey that can be recognized by many believers. This path leads them from trust in Christ, through personal doubts, fears of inadequacy, and crises of faith - all of which might finally lead them to that rest in Christ and intimacy with Him for which every believing soul craves.