The readings begin this week with the end of Ecclesiastes and then through the entirety of Song of Songs (also called Song of Solomon). Remember that the author of Ecclesiastes is going to come back and summarize what ‘the teacher,’ a King Solomon-like figure, has said throughout the book. Similar to Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs is also assumed to have been written either by King Solomon or someone honoring the renowned wisdom of King Solomon. Song of Songs is meant to be just that, the ultimate poetry about human love the way God honors. The book has a lot of sexual imagery and language, and that is exactly the point. God created romance, marriage, and sex (in that order) for its proper enjoyment in the world He created. Sex was intended for the enjoyment of one man and one woman in the confines of marriage and procreation. Marriage and sex were never intended to take the place of God, which American culture struggles with idolizing. It was meant to point us to the deeper reality of God’s love and intimacy offered to us. If everything in this world is but a shadow of the world to come, then what must God have waiting for His people? That is the big picture.
Each week, as you take in the Bible, find some friends to talk it out. You can follow this simple guide to help. First, R.E.A.D. and P.R.A.Y. on your own. Then, meet with friends to share what you've learned.
R - Repeated words
E - Examine and mark
A - Ask what you learn about God
D - Do if there is anything to do
P - Praise
R - Repent
A - Ask
Bible Reading Plan - Week 7
Daily Prayer Plan – Week 7
START IT.
We're reading the Bible together in 2025 to see how Love Shows Up from the Old Testament and into the New Testament. How do we understand so many stories and lessons through the entire Bible while trying to stick to the "sacred timeline"? The answer is the big picture. If we get the big picture, we get the story the Bible is trying to tell. From Sunday's message or The Big Picture Bible Reading Plan this week in the book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs, what is impacting you the most? How has praying daily through the Psalms impacted you? Was there a word, phrase, Bible verse, or theme that impacted you?
STUDY IT.
Read Ecclesiastes 1:1-3. Who is introduced, and what do they say? Read Ecclesiastes 12:9-11. What else do we know about this person? Read Ecclesiastes 12:12-14. How does the author summarize everything the ‘teacher’ said between chapters 1 and 12?
Read Exodus 34:14. What does this tell us about God? Why was God this way?
Read Ezekiel 16:8, 16:14-15, and 16:59-63. What happened in these verses? How does God speak about the way he views His people?
Read Ephesians 5:25-27 and 5:31-33. What does marriage ultimately point to? Why might the enemy hate marriage and try to destroy it in any way possible?
Read Matthew 22:30. What will not happen in heaven? Read Revelation 19:6-9. What better thing will happen in heaven?
SHARE IT.
Read Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, 8:4. How can you practically protect yourself from sexual temptation whether single, dating, or married?
Read Exodus 34:14. Why would God being jealous or His desire being for you be the best thing for you? What are you tempted to find more attractive than God that disappoints?
Read Genesis 2:24. Read Hebrews 13:4. Read 1 Corinthians 16:9. What does this tell you about God’s design for sexual intimacy?
Read Revelation 21:8. What warning is there about sexual immorality? Read 1 Corinthians 16:11. What hope is there for you or others who practice various types of sexual immorality?
Read Ephesians 5:21. How is your submission to Christ related to your “one anothering” between believers or in marriage?
FINAL THOUGHT
It is important to say that God did not need to create man because he was deficient in love or needed to be loved. The opposite is true. God was perfectly loving Himself in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that He created man to join in that perfect love. Song of Songs 8:1 states, “If only I could treat you like my brother, one who nursed at my mother’s breasts, I would find you in public and kiss you and no one would scorn me.” This seems odd to us, but in that culture, it was acceptable to show affection to family in public, but other shows of affection were scorned. The woman is simply stating that she wishes there were no barriers between her and her lover, but unfortunately, there is. Humankind also created boundaries to God's loving us; however, to magnify God’s perfect love (and all His other attributes as well), He broke down the barrier of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The church is the promised bride of Christ that all marriages point to. “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived—God has prepared these things for those who love him,” (1 Corinthians 2:9) and “..at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (Psalms 16:11). This is what awaits the Christian. If you are single, if you have a rocky marriage, if you have a failed marriage, if you are widowed, if you have the best marriage ever, the best is yet to come in your perfect union with Christ.
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