2008 is just around the corner. Where has 2007 gone? Maybe it’s just me, but time sure seems to fly. As the new year arrives, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect back and to look forward with a sense of starting over. As I look back, I wonder if I used this past year wisely. Did I take the time for my family and was I the husband and dad that I should have been? Was I the friend that I should be to those who have blessed me with their friendship? Most importantly, was I the Christian that I should have been? Was I faithful in my attendance? Was I involved in the lives of the other members of the congregation? Did I worship God with a pure heart? Did I study my Bible regularly? Did I pray daily? Can I honestly say that I tried my best to do my best? After reflecting on such questions, I am then able to look forward to the coming year and resolve to make the changes necessary to do what I need to do. I am able to start anew with a fresh slate. Will I make the most of this opportunity? Will I actually keep my resolutions for the entire year? Only time will tell, but I plan to start the new year off on the right foot, how about you?
Oftentimes, Hollywood portrays Christians as being anti-tolerant and narrow-minded. While I do not agree with the picture that Hollywood paints, I have lately been wondering if we as Christians have sometimes gone too far, especially with out attitudes. For example, I believe that homosexuality is a sin because that is what the Bible teaches (e.g., Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:26-27). However, I am to love the homosexual and to encourage him/her to come to Jesus. I shouldn’t use hate language and/or treat the person wrongly. I should reach out to this person as I would anyone. Obviously, I am not saying that I should overlook the sin, but I am saying that I should reach out to the sinner in a way that Jesus reached out to sinners. He demonstrated love and called upon sinners to come to God and be forgiven. As Christians, we are not “holier than thou.” There isn’t any sin that cannot be forgiven. There isn’t ever a time where it is acceptable to act with hate toward a person. We must hate the sin, but love the sinner and reach out to him/her in the spirit of Christ.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that the value of human life today isn’t what it should be. You can watch the news today and see a story about a woman who virtually got away with the murder of her preacher husband while followed by a story of an Atlanta quarterback who will serve at least a year in prison and has lost his career because of his involvement in dog fighting. While I am not condoning dog fighting, it seems to me that a human life should be worth more than an animal life. However, the quarterback will serve a longer prison sentence and will have greater difficulty getting back on his feet afterwards than the woman who killed her husband. While I know that not everyone will agree with me because many are quick to condone the woman’s actions because of her testimony that lacked any definitive proof in a court of law. All that I really know for sure is that her husband is dead and she didn’t kill him in an act of self-defense; therefore, I cannot condone that. That being said, I’m not wanting to get into a debate over whether the woman was right or wrong in her actions; instead, I am merely wondering what all of this says about the value of human life in our culture. Our culture believes that it is acceptable to abort babies as a means of birth control. Our culture believes that it is acceptable to euthanize our elderly citizens who become a burden upon society. Our culture glorifies violence. However, our culture will quickly condemn anyone who mistreats animals. While I applaud people speaking out against the mistreatment of animal, I find myself wondering who will speak out against the mistreatment of human life. After all, humans are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26; 9:6). From the very beginning, God commanded mankind not to murder (Exodus 20:13). Why are we disregarding these teachings today? Murder is still murder and is still wrong, regardless to whether you call it abortion, euthanasia, or acceptable homicide because the person who was killed was mean to you. Let us again value the life of all human beings.
I’ve had a request for the mid-term exam that I gave to my class on Revelation be posted online for others to view. Therefore, I have posted the test without the answers. If you would like to take the exam, you could e-mail me your answers at chrishodges@bellshoalscoc.org and I could then e-mail you back your results.
Mid-Term Exam
“A Survey of Revelation”
1. Who is the human author of the book?
a. John Mark
b. John the Apostle, son of Zebedee
c. Unknown
d. Paul
2. What is the approximate date of the writing of the book?
a. A.D. 70
b. A.D. 125
c. A.D. 95
d. A.D. 83
3. What is the main style of writing throughout the book?
a. Apocalyptic
b. Poetic
c. Allegorical
d. Historical
4. How should this style of writing be interpreted?
a. Literal
b. Figurative
c. Unknowable
d. Impossible
5. When would the events referred to in the book be fulfilled?
a. The events, whether specific or general, would be fulfilled only in the first few centuries
b. The events, whether specific or general, would be fulfilled only at the end of times
c. The events, which are only specific, would be fulfilled throughout the course of human history
d. The events, whether specific or general, would be fulfilled in the first few centuries, today, and at the end of times
6. Who is the Son of Man seen in the chapter 1?
a. God the Father
b. The Holy Spirit
c. Jesus Christ
d. Ezekiel
7. Which 7 Churches of Asia are mentioned in the book?
a. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea
b. Ephesus, Antioch, Pisidia, Cyprus, Lystra, Sardis, Laodicea
c. Ephesus, Corinth, Pergamum, Pisidia, Philippi, Athens, Laodicea
d. Ephesus, Smyrna, Macedonia, Troas, Pisidia, Philadelphia, Laodicea
8. In chapter 4, who is sitting on His throne?
a. God the Father
b. The Holy Spirit
c. Jesus Christ
d. The Roman Emperor
9. What is the meaning of the throne vision in chapter 4?
a. The enemy is now in power because God is no longer in control
b. The church is losing the battle because God isn’t powerful enough
c. God is unaware of what is currently taking place
d. God is still in full control and will deliver His people and punish His enemies
10. Who is found worthy to open the seals and the book in chapter 5?
a. John the Apostle
b. The 24 elders
c. Jesus Christ
d. No one
11. What do the first 4 seals reveal?
a. 4 horsemen that literally will appear at the end of times
b. 4 horsemen that literally represent specific people throughout history
c. 4 horsemen that symbolically convey a message of: “Things will get worse before they get better”
d. 4 horsemen that symbolize Jesus and His army
12. Who are the 144,000 that are sealed in chapter 7?
a. A literal number of people representing those who get to go to Heaven
b. A literal number of only Jews who get to go to Heaven
c. A figurate number representing the Jewish Christians who are spared from God’s wrath and are rewarded eternally in Heaven
d. A figurative number representing the church, both Jew & Gentile, who are spared from God’s wrath and are rewarded eternally in Heaven
13. Beginning in chapter 8, as the seven trumpets are sounded, how many people of God’s enemies would be directly affected by God’s outpouring of wrath?
a. None of them
b. 1/3 of them
c. 2/3 of them
d. All of them
14. As the seven trumpets are sounded, why does God hold back a portion of His wrath?
a. He only punishes those who were really, really bad
b. He is giving time for the others to repent
c. He is only able to punish in a limited manner
d. He delights in stretching out the punishment
15. The interlude between the sixth & seventh trumpets in chapters 10-11 conveys what message to the church?
a. That the church should boldly & publicly continue to proclaim God’s message even during a time of persecution
b. That the church should only quietly & privately proclaim God’s message because of the time of persecution
c. That there would be a rapture at the end of times and the church would be persecuted for a literal 3 ½ years before Jesus’ final return and the battle of Armageddon
d. That 2 literal prophets would appear right before the end of times
16. In chapter 12, who does Satan attempt to destroy as a child?
a. John the Baptist
b. Moses
c. Elijah
d. Jesus Christ
17. Since Satan was unsuccessful in his effort to destroy the child, who does he seek to destroy today?
a. No one, because he is completely defeated and powerless today
b. God
c. Individual Christians
d. Angels
18. In the 1st-Century, who is most likely being referred to by the symbolic descriptions of the two beasts in chapter 13?
a. The Roman Emperor & the Imperial Cult
b. The Roman Emperor & Roman Catholicism
c. The Roman Emperor & Satan
d. It had no meaning in the 1st-century, it refers to events yet to come
19. What is the mark of the beast?
a. A literal mark that will be necessary in the future to avoid persecution during the period of the rapture
b. A literal mark that people received in the first century who were spared from persecution
c. A literal mark that people received in the first century and that people will receive in the future to avoid persecution
d. A figurative mark set in contrast to the seal of God in chapter 7; in other words, everyone either has the mark of the beast (i.e., non-Christians) or the seal of God (i.e., Christians)
20. What does the number 666 mean?
a. It is the number of evil and should be avoided like the plague
b. It is a literal number representing a literal anti-Christ that will rise up at the end of times
c. It is merely a figurative number symbolizing that the enemy is human, not Divine, and will be defeated by God
d. It is literal number representing the Roman Emperor of the day
Most Christians that I know seem to be afraid of the book of Revelation for various reasons. Some fear the book because of its style of writing. Others fear the book because of all of the confusion in the religious world about the teachings of the book. Unfortunately, many Christians do not study the book as they should and, therefore, miss out in the blessings found in the great messages in the book. I believe that the book of Revelation contains one of the most powerful messages found in all of Scripture. Currently, I am engaged in teaching this book during the A.M. Bible study period. My chief goal is to help everyone understand the overall message of the book.
The way that I am trying to accomplish my goal is by focusing on the overall point of each chapter and not getting too bogged down with all of the details and interpretations of each symbol. I believe that the symbols are important and that we should try to understand what they mean, but I also believe that it would be impossible to be dogmatic about interpretations where we clearly don’t have enough information.
That being said, I believe that the overall message of the book is a vision of victory for the church. Throughout the history of the church, it has and will continue to be persecuted. Enemies will attempt to destroy the church, but the church will endure forever. Ultimately, the enemies will be destroyed and punished eternally and the church will overcome and be rewarded eternally. The key is that we stay true to God so that we stay on the winning side. The victory is found in Christ Jesus alone.
In Galatians 5, the fruit of the Spirit is set in contrast to the works of the flesh. The implication is that a Christian is to leave behind the works of the flesh and live anew according to the fruit of the Spirit. Obviously, the change will not occur overnight. The transformation is an ongoing process that will only reach its culmination on the final day when Christians then will be just like Jesus (cf. 1 John 3:2). However, in the meantime, we are to be bearing the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives.
One of the fruits that we are to bear is “patience.” This word comes from the Greek makrothymia, which carries the idea of holding in check large quantities of emotion. It is used in the LXX to translate a Hebrew phrase meaning “slow to anger” (e.g., Num. 14:18; Psa. 86:15). One commentator observed, “The main emphasis here is on a passive quality – bearing up under the stresses and strains of life.”[1] One author defined the word as “the powerful capacity of selfless love to suffer long under adversity. It is that noble ability to bear with either difficult people or adverse circumstances without breaking down.”[2]
This particular word is used fourteen times in the New Testament (Rom. 2:4; 9:22; 2 Cor. 6:6; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 4:2; Col. 1:11; 3:12; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:10; 2 Tim. 4:2; Heb. 6:12; James 5:10; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 3:15). In these verses, we learn first that this is a quality of God that is to be imitated by His children. Think about how much God is long-suffering with us. He doesn’t write us off forever when we make a mistake. He gives us time to correct our actions. He allows us the time necessary in order to grow into the person that He would have us to become. He is truly long-suffering.
Second, we learn that this quality is one that is to affect positively our relationships with others. For example, we must learn to “put up with” people, even difficult people. Everyone cannot be our best friend. Some people just rub us the wrong way. Some people are just mean and hateful. How are we to deal with these people? We must love them in spite of their shortcomings. We must not return insults with insults. We must be the “bigger person.” However, in a day and age where road rage is rampant and violence is glorified, most people have forgotten how to get along with one another. Nevertheless, Paul wrote: “Love suffers long and is kind … does not behave rudely … is not provoked.”[3]
Third, we learn that this quality also implies a willingness to wait. We must wait on God to answer prayer on His time schedule. We must wait for God to execute justice and not take matters into our own hands. We must wait on others to grow in the faith. We must wait for the Lord’s return. In an age of instant gratification, the idea of waiting is oftentimes viewed as ludicrous. However, the Scriptures teach us to wait “with perseverance” (Rom. 8:25). The emphasis is not upon waiting, in and of itself, but rather is upon how we act while we wait (e.g., Col. 1:11).
Patience is a much-needed trait in the lives of Christians. We should pray for patience. However, we must understand that God will answer our pray by putting us in situations wherein we will learn patience. With this trait in our lives, we can be better spouses, better parents, better children, better friends, and better Christians.
Another of the fruits that we are to bear is “self-control.” This word comes from the Greek enkrateia, which carries the idea of one’s being in control of his/her desires and passions. One commentator noted, “The fact that self-control appears last in Paul’s list may indicate its importance as a summation of the proceeding virtues.”[4] Basically, self-control “means that I say no to all that God forbids and yes to all he ordains.”[5]
This particular word is used three times in scripture (Acts 24:25; Gal. 5:23; 2 Pet. 1:6). However, a cognate of this word is used three other times in Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 7:9, the word is connected with sexual desires. In Titus 1:8, the trait is listed among the qualifications for an elder. In 1 Corinthians 9:25, the word is used in connection to a runner in a race. Here, Paul tells us that the runner “for the sake of the goal toward which he strives … refrains from all things which might offend or hamper.”[6] This is closely akin to the idea expressed in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
What are some things that we allow to hinder our Christian walk because we fail to be in control? Emotions would have to top the list. Too often we allow our emotions to control us. We are stressed, so we lash out at a co-worker or family member. We are angered, so we throw something and/or hit someone. We are disappointed, so we just “throw in the towel.”
Desires would also be on top of the list. Addictions are growing daily. People are addicted to drugs and alcohol, and lives are destroyed. People are addicted to sex and pornography, and families are devastated. People are addicted to spending money, and debt continues to grow. People are addicted to food, and obesity is on the rise. People are addicted to popularity, and comprises are made for the goal of “fitting in.”
How do we overcome these and other hindrances relating to self-control? First, we must decide what we really want out of life. A runner must have a goal toward which to aim. Is our goal fame or fortune? Or, is our goal heaven? If so, we must “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). If we are to press toward our goal of heaven, we must, second, be willing to make sacrifices along the way. As a runner practice discipline, we must also be willing to do what it takes for the kingdom of heaven. For some of us, we may need to learn to walk away during confrontations. We may need to stay away from any place that serves/sells alcohol. We may need to enforce stricter boundaries in our relationships with the opposite sex. We may need to disconnect our internet services. We may need to cut up our credit cards. We may need to stay away from certain foods.
Also, a runner will employ help from others. We need to pray to God for strength and help. We may also need someone to be there for us so that we can be accountable. The true question is this: “Are we willing to do whatever it takes in order to get this matter resolved?” Unfortunately, some people are not willing to commit to the work necessary.
Third, we need to remember that we must keep trying, no matter how many previous times we have failed. There will be times that we will fall flat on our faces, but we must get back up again and again. What is the difference between Peter and Judas? One gave up after a failure and the other tried again. God says: “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58).
[1] Donald Guthrie, Galatians (Nashville, TN: Nelson, 1969), 149.
[2] W. Phillip Keller, A Gardener Looks at the Fruit of the Spirit (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1979), 117-18.
[3] All scripture references are to the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
[4] Timothy George, Galatians (USA: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 404.
[5] Stuart Briscoe, The Fruit of the Spirit (Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press, 1993), 142.
[6] Walter Grundmann, “Enkrateia,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964), 1:342.
In the 1st-century world, a sect of Jews known of the Pharisees had perfected the art of “check-list religion.” They had come up with their own list concerning what made a person faithful to God. Their list included items from the Torah and items from their own oral traditions. If a person failed to live up to all of the items on their list, then he/she was not faithful. Their list focused on the outward actions and overlooked the inward attitudes. To the Pharisees, salvation was found only by strict adherence to every item on the list.
When Jesus came onto the scene, He pointed out that salvation was not found through any man-made list but rather only through Him (cf. Jn. 14:6). He also pointed out that all outward actions, even those that are good, are meaningless unless they are accompanied by proper inward attitudes. For example, on one occasion of dealing the Pharisees, Jesus said: “How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside. In the same way, on the outside you appear good to everybody, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sins” (Mt. 23:27-28, TEV). The Pharisees thought that they had everybody fooled. However, Jesus was able to look at their heart. In so doing, He saw a heart in the Pharisees that was far from God (cf. Mt. 15:8-9).
Likewise, Paul discussed the absolute necessity of having a proper inward attitude to go along with proper outward actions. He wrote: “If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever” (1 Cor. 13:1-3, NLT). Basically, Paul told the Corinthians that religion starts from the inside out.
Today, the spirit of the Pharisees continues to live on within the church. Many Christians see religion as nothing more than just keeping a set of rules. To many of these Christians, faithfulness is based upon whether a person attends every church service, carries the right Bible version, says a daily prayer, holds the right views about all of the hot topics, and adheres to everything thing else that they add to their list. Oftentimes, Christians who buy into the “check-list” mindset become people who merely “go through the motions.” They outwardly “look religious,” but inwardly are dead.
Christianity goes straight to the heart. Jesus said: “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (Jn. 14:15, NIV). In other words, love must be the motivation for everything that a Christian does. Christianity starts from the inside out. The only “check-list” that truly counts is a heart check. How is your heart? Do you love Jesus with your whole being? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Christianity is more than just knowing about God. It is about knowing Him intimately. When we come to know Him, then our inward attitude will translate into outward action. As John wrote: “Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments” (1 Jn. 2:3, NRSV). Simply, when you come to love Jesus, then you will do the things that you know will make Him happy. You do these things not trying to earn salvation, but because you are saved. However, you can lose your salvation by failing to live a life that pleases the Lord (see 2 Peter 2:20-22).
Unlike the Pharisees, we must place our faith in the Lord, not in a man-made list. We must seek only the Lord’s approval, not man’s. We must follow the advice of Solomon: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6, NKJV).
Do you remember Ray Steven’s song “The Streak?” Well, the man described in Mark 5:1-20 was a first-century example of “the streak.” This unnamed man was possessed by several demons, one of whom who called himself “Legion.” A Roman legion was composed 6,000 foot soldiers, 120 horsemen and technical personnel. Because of these demons, this man’s life had been destroyed. This naked man “lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones” (Mark 5:3-5). He had been ostracized from society. Children ran when they saw him. Parents hurled insults at him continually. No one had anything to do with him. He was lonely, hurting, and unloved.
However, Jesus loved him. Jesus was experiencing great success in
As soon as Jesus arrives to the region, the demon-possessed man came running toward him. What would you have done? Imagine a naked man running toward you who lived in a graveyard. Most people would have ignored him. Most people would have run the other direction. Most people would have mocked him. Thankfully, Jesus isn’t like most people. Jesus paid attention to him. Jesus went toward him. Jesus talked to him. Jesus first cast out the demons. Then, Jesus gave the man a mission to be a witness in
What does this story mean to us? First, we learn that Jesus loves everyone, regardless of one’s problems and past. Jesus doesn’t ever write you off. No matter what you’ve done, no matter how many times you’ve done it, Jesus loves you. No matter the skeletons in your closet, no matter a shady past, Jesus loves you. Jesus thinks that you are worthwhile. Jesus is willing to leave behind the crowds in order to come to your home. If you had been the only person alive on the earth, Jesus still would have left heaven and died upon the cross so that you may be saved. People may make fun of you, people may ignore you, but not Jesus. He will never forsake you. He will always love you. All that he asks in return is that you love Him back.
Second, we learn that Jesus has a mission for everyone. This man would have been voted “least likely to succeed” by everyone around him. Nevertheless, Jesus saw a man who could be used in the
The Bible repeatedly paints an image of God as a loving, merciful, forgiving father. After all, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). He is the merciful king who forgives his servants of their unpayable debts (Matt. 18:23-27). He is the forgiving father who receives back prodigal sons and daughters (Luke 15:20-24). He demonstrated His undying love for us by sending Jesus to die for our sins (
However, that same Bible mentions a sin that cannot be forgiven (cf. Num. 25:30-31; Matt.12:32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-31; 12:16-17; 1 John 5:16-17). How can we harmonize the image of a forgiving God with the reality of an unforgivable sin? First, we must look at the context concerning an unforgivable sin. For example, in Mark 3:20-30, the context involves people viewing Jesus as being “out of his mind” and as being empowered by Beelzebub. These people could not deny the miracles of Jesus. These people just could not accept the logical implication of His miraculous powers. Therefore, they attempted to explain away His power and authority because they refused to crown Him as King of their lives. Thus, the context reveals that the sin under discussion has to do more with an attitude that refuses to accept Jesus for who He truly is rather than with some specific sin that a person commits once and then never again has any hope of being saved.
Second, we must rule out what the unforgivable sin is not. It is not a sin about which a person is concerned and desires to repent. I believe that James Edwards is correct in this observation: “Anyone who is worried about having committed the sin against the Holy Spirit has not yet committed it, for anxiety of having done so is evidence of the potential for repentance. There is no record in Scripture of anyone asking forgiveness of God and being denied it!”[1]
Consider this … David was forgiven of his sins of adultery and murder. Peter was forgiven of denying the Lord. Some of the people who were involved in having Jesus crucified were forgiven on the Day of Pentecost. Paul was forgiven of having Christians put to death. All of this being true, there is no one sin that we can commit of which we cannot be forgiven if we desire God’s forgiveness.Third, we must seek to understand what is involved in this sin. We have seen that the context deals with an attitude of continual rejection and that there is no Biblical record of any one specific sin that a person committed for which he/she was ever denied forgiveness when sought. Therefore, we must conclude that the unforgivable sin is the one where a person refuses to seek forgiveness in Christ. When a person refuses Jesus, “they have refused the only way of forgiveness that God has provided, they have slammed the door.”[2]
In order to avoid committing this sin, we must now accept Jesus for who He is. He is the Son of God. He is the Lord of Lords. He is the King of Kings. He is our Savior. He is the only way to God. He is the only hope that we have. As C. S. Lewis said: “You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God”[3] Let us fall at the feet of Jesus like Thomas and proclaim: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
[1] James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark (
[2] R. Alan Cole, Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1983), p. 142.
[3] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1960), p. 55.
Of all the books of the Bible, one has stood out as taboo for most churches. The Song of Solomon is rarely a main text for a sermon or a class. However, most church members know that the book is in the Bible and oftentimes joke around about some of its contents. Truthfully, it is difficult not to laugh at some of the descriptions throughout the book because they don’t mean today what they meant during the time of Solomon. Despite the unusual descriptions in the book, it was included in the Old Testament canon for a very specific purpose. The content of the book focuses on the marriage between Solomon and his wife, possibly, his first wife Abishag. From this marriage, we today can learn several principles that can help strengthen our marriages.
First, Solomon and his wife continually complimented one another. This fact is evident throughout the whole book. For example, in Song of Solomon 1:8-11, Solomon calls his wife the “most beautiful of women.” Also, in Song of Solomon 4:1-7, Solomon compliments his wife in three ways: 1) Physically (vv. 1-5); 2) Emotionally (v. 6); and 3) Spiritually (v. 7). Further, in Song of Solomon 5:10-16, Solomon’s wife describes him as “altogether lovely.” The lesson for us today is that compliments are a vital ingredient in a healthy marriage. Mark Twain said: “I can live for 2 months on a healthy compliment.” The Bible teaches us that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). Therefore, we must use our tongues to encourage (1 Thess. 5:11) and compliment our spouses. However, too often, we use our tongues to criticize. The Bible teaches us that evil words destroy (Prov. 11:19) and stir up anger (Prov. 15:1). In a survey conducted by David Olson, he found that 4/5 of unhappy couples reported that they regularly put one another down whereas 4/5 of happy couples did not. Josh McDowell observed that the ratio of praise to criticism for healthy relationships must be 9 to 1. We must start today telling our spouses on a regularly basis that we love them and begin to compliment them for all the good that they do.
Second, Solomon and his wife were able to keep the romance alive in their marriage. At the beginning of the book, we see them in love and delighting in each other’s presence (Song of Solomon 1:1-2, 8-10). However, at the end of the book, we see th