Walls And Doors

If she is a wall, we will build towers of silver on her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar. (Song of Songs 8:9)

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
(Proverbs 25:28)

There is interesting concept in Song of Solomon 8:9- from hearing several sermons I have heard the context is talking about two kinds of women, ones who are like fortified walls vs the ones who are more like doors.

There are women who can be more like doors- just ready to open for any man who tries to come their way. The point of Solomon 8:9 was not to make a woman like that feel less than or bad about herself- but provides wisdom in how we should, if we are fathers especially, teach our daughters to value and respect themselves enough not to just let any man come through the door of her heart with sweet sounding words (yet less then noble intentions) Indeed we should raise our daughters to be walls and honor themselves and their God given worth, making themselves firm and strong so not just any sweet talking man can enter their lives.

Each person has a different personality and composition. As human beings over all we are tempted by a variety of things and can be led astray easily, Obviously the brothers of this woman in Song of Solomon cared about their young sister enough to be the protective older brothers

“If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar” – meaning they would do their best to try to build a defense for her. When God asked Cain, “Where is Abel?” – Cain retorted “I don’t know, am I my brothers keeper?”

Yet we see here we do have a responsibility to look out for our family and close loved ones for their good. In Christ, we are all family adopted by the blood of The Lord Jesus Christ, we should be concerned for the well being of our brothers and sisters.

We should do our part to help them when we can- and build them up with cedar of truth, encouragement and remind them of the Word continually.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 –

Building terms are used both here in Song of Solomon 8:9 as well as 1 Thessalonians 5:11- “enclose” and “build each-other up”

In the scenario where “she was a wall” – they would adorn her with “silver”

This holds true I think in the sense where we do see someone standing firm and doing right- we ought to give them positive encouragement to keep up the good work and stand firm. We all need encouragement and positive affirmation when we are trying hard to do the right things. I helps us stay motivated and not grow discouraged.

In the case of Revelations 2 and Revelations 3, we see Jesus for most of the seven churches give a positive message but added something they needed to improve on. For example

Ephesus——2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Revelation 2:2-6

The Lord commended them for what they were doing right by in a sense “building towers of silver” of positive affirmation- but he also highlighted a weak door that needed strengthened by “panels of cedar”- (a rebuke, an exhortation and admonition)

Truth is we can say there are areas of our personal life that are “strong walls” and then areas of weakness (Doors)

Doors that give the enemy opportunity to attack and get into our lives. Yet what can we do, we should seek the Lord and ask His wisdom as to how to build and strengthen weak areas of our lives that are doors of entry to sin and attack.

When we daily take in the Word and seek God through prayer, this is one very practical way to strengthen doors that we know are weak entries in our lives. Whether we get tempted by this or that, we must be aware of what it is and work to strengthen such entry points.

She Is Not Yours Till The Deed Is In Your Name

Man found out his daughter was messing around with her boyfriend and instead of scolding her he said. “Daughter, we need to talk.” She said, “What is it dad?” He said, “Imagine if you were trying to sell a house for a potential buyer. Now imagine you found someone interested and just gave them the keys to your home and let them move in before they paid what you asked and title was in their name. Imagine then they moved in to live in it and trashed the place, only saying after few months, this house is not for me.” He then gently replied, “How would you feel?” She then said “I suppose Id feel cheated and they just used my home for fun for the moment but then up and left it a mess giving me nothing in return.”

The man replied, “Yes my dear daughter. Yet don’t treat your body that way and let any man have keys to it unless he is willing to do what it takes to pay the price you require and meet your standards- and commit to putting you under his name – when he is willing to commit and marry you then he has the title to all of you and your heart, not before.”

Standing Out As A Fruit Tree In The Forest

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.

Song of Songs 2:3-4 – 

This woman compared him to an “Apple tree among the trees of the forest, many forest trees were not apple trees, but he bore fruit. He stood out among the ordinary trees (men of his day) earlier on he compared her as a “lily among thorns” she stood out different among the other women. Yet she compares him to an apple tree who she loves to sit “under his shade”

“His fruit is sweet to my taste”- he is a good man that “bears much fruit” (John 15:8)

Not uncommon language throughout Scripture, John the baptizer said in the time of Jesus

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 3:10 – 

Christ came to change us from ordinary fruitless trees to become fruit trees, that “produce good fruit” and our lives should with each year reflect more fruit of Spirit (See Galatiams chapter 5)

Yet whats with him being a source of shade, a godly man who fears the Lord ought to shade her as best he can from the heat of the sun- the hardships she faces- he can be to her a safe place to rest and find refuge. Ulitmately Christ is our “refuge” but as Christ’s disciples, as men of God we ought to become strong tall trees that give our wives safe shade and protection.

This passage has truths that apply universally to Christians- but also I feel specifically to husbands in how the treat their wives.

In the most general Christian sense, all believers are to be like fruit trees among ordinary trees (people) of the world. We ought to stand out and people ought to see we are different and recognize fruit in our lives. 

Yet for a man who is in Christ who is a husband, may he too aspire to do his best to be a source of shade and let his words and actions be fruit to refresh her heart and emotional vitality- we can do this in a number of ways, encourage her, support her under our shade- and let her be fed

“Let him lead me to the banquet hall”

Banquet halls were places to feast. It I feel is the duty of any man of God who is married to set the table and prepare food for her in a metaphorical sense- being that person she can express herself to (Like a shade tree) and look to feed her emotional and spiritual needs the best we can.

“His banner over me is love”

The kind of environment we create in a home I think lies on us/ it should be our duty and privilege that we set the atmosphere and thermasdat of the home. A man can create an enviroment where his wife and children feel loved and safe. 

To set an atmosphere of safety, security, trust and love is so important in family life. When people can feel safe to have their bad days yet know they wont lose love means so much. We all have off days where we are not becomming. We all have days we act ugly. Yet think its so important for a man regardless how stressed he was after his job to not take his stress out on his wife or kids, or the dog.

If he does, he ought to own it and be honest that he is stressed and just let it come out the wronf way. One respectable quality about a good father is he will own up to when he blows it. I can recall several times my dad lost his temper and came to each of us and apologized after. I respected him later for it.

Though no marriage or family is perfect, it can be growing and does not have to end as a sad statistic. Though I think as men we can do our best to feed our marriages the food that increases chances of success. Though not every marriage falls apart because “the man failed” because thats not true- but as men we can definately reflect good character, try to meet our wives emotional needs, spiritual needs and others she has the best we know how with God’s wisdom, and it increases chances the wife will respond in a better way

Christ set the perfect example for His Bride, the Church, and the Scripture says a man ought to reflect Christ to His family. One of the ways a man can truly do that is, write it down- gazing regularly on Christ in his own personal time, fellowship in prayer and regularly consuming the Word.

A man who does not put Christ as first love does not have nearly a chance to reflect Christ’s love to his wife and children

For after all: “4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

Divine Preposal

But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister and go.” Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. The young man, who was the most honored of all his father’s family, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Genesis 34:17-19 –

This man was willing to suffer a tremendous amount of physical pain for Jacob’s daughter. He “delighted” so much in the maiden he was willing to be circumcised before local anethesia existed.

What to learn from this story, well simply when a man delights that much in a woman he is willing to go to great lengths for her. Yet let us consider, the One who loved His Bride the Church went through even more physical pain than Shechem the son of Hamor- As the Lord hung there beaten and bloody, it was as if he was down on hand and knee proposing to a woman who did not deserve him or value him as much as he delighted in her. HIS BLOOD ran down, a proposal to an unlovable people who He chose to love as wrinkled and unlovely as She was.

Never say unto yourself reader “how could a loving God send a one to hell?” But rather ask how could a God without such deep love let Himself hang their bloody and humiliated just to say “I love you and want you as my own”?

Dear reader when a man proposes to a woman she can either accept or reject it, yet how she responds is truly up to her.

Clean Instruments

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:19-22 –

A surgeon is not going to use a dirty scalpel to perform a procedure, and so too our Lord wants us to be clean instruments before he chooses to use us to the fullest potential.

We will never be totally sterile or sinless but we must cleanse ourselves as best as we can from all known disobedience so God can use us as effectively as possible.

How Long Will You Mourn Over The Past?

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
1 Samuel 16:1 –

Samuel spent more than enough time mourning over Saul who at once was good but let his pride ruin his heart. The Lord asked “Samuel how will you mourn for Saul”

Samuel was having trouble letting go of the past we see, like we too often struggle with, but God wanted Samuel to embrace His plan for the future- namely David.

Had Samuel chose to wallow in self pity and hold onto the past, he would not have stepped out at the Lord’s command to anoint the Lord’s better choice and future king of Israel.

Dear reader let not your past hold you back either: Perhaps the Lord is saying to you “How long will you mourn for what was, yet now is not?”

Step forth reader and friend, and the Lord’s command. The Lord was not merely suggesting Samuel let go of the past, it was a command. The failure to do so in Samuel would have been just as much disobedience as it was when God sent Saul earlier on to destroy the Amalekites, yet failed to fully carry out The Lord’s orders.

Obey the Lord reader and ask Him to reveal all you be holding onto that would hinder his perfect purpose- all that would hold you back from what He has for your future. May the Lord grant you insight reader into anything that may chain you to the past today- and grant you grace to move forward therefore by faith- even if the steps are one at a time and path seems clouded by uncertainty! Always trust your guide, He wont lead you wrong!

When A Fellow Christian Lets You Down

It’s hard enough when the world persecutes us- yet we often expect that, yet harder Id say is when a fellow believer wounds us or lets us down.

Yet at the end of the day we must realize the only one who never truly hurts us or fails us is the Lord

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:16-18 –

Paul was let down by fellow believers here- under intense persecution from unbelievers, Paul’s friends even ditched him.

Yet Paul does not wallow in self pity but says “The Lord stood by and gave me strength” and what a blessed reminder for us. Job is another example of this, his friends who were supposedly believers of God unfairly assumed Job’s suffering was because God was angry at him over sin. Even his wife seemed to let him down in her own moment of weakness and sorrow over his situation.

I would warn younger Christians ahead of time to be wise in who they express their personal struggles to- In my early years I found out the hard way not all “Christians” are the same in maturity level.

Some will distance or even abandon friendship because the struggle you share they cannot handle with grace. There have been believers I felt I shared personal struggles with sin I wanted to overcome, they were less then gracious.

Yes its true believers should be the most gracious people around, but we don’t grow into the full measure of that over night. So often we must show grace to believers who have not fully grown in full measure of it. Even if they failed us, hurt us- we never go wrong praying God fulfills his will in their lives and helps them better reflect the Kingdom and King.

Challenge- if a fellow Christian has let you down, remember only Christ is worth true trust and full confidence- people- no matter how strong they seem will let us down at times

Secondly, pray for their growth, maturity and they live up to who God called them to be. WE NEVER LOSE PRAYING GOD’S WILL IN OTHERS LIVES

At the end of the story of Job, inspite of how his friends failed him- we see it says

So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

Job 42:8-9 –

I don’t believe God directly told Job to pray for his friends, but being the interceding men he was (See Job 1) I believe Job chose to pray for them not knowing in advance God would restore him. Job prayed because it was right not because he knew God would restore his blessings. What a wonderful example for us.

Invited To Eat At The Kings Table

1 Kings 2:7

The sons of Barzillai of Gilead were faithful to David when he fled for his life when Absalom revolted.

If we look back we see this, “When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness. ” (2 Samuel 17:27-29)

Yet later when David made Solomon king and died at 70 years old, he told Solomon to be sure that these men sat at Solomon’s table.

Yet this foreshadows the way the Father will let eat at the table of the Kingdom of Heaven all those who were loyal to The Son here.

People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:29 –

In that time we too will regularly eat at the Kings table, and only if it is said of us: “28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 22:28-30 l

Though he spoke directly to the disciples here, we too who have believed in Christ, and endured in Christ will taste the glory and feast to come

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

David and Solomon rewarded the sons of Barzillai for being faithful loyal friends, who stuck by David’s side not just when it was easy but also hard. The Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will also reward the faithful followers who endure by his side in this life.

Kings That Got Blotted Out Of Geneology

Kings That Got Whited- Out, Blotted Out Of Geneological record

Kings of Judah

David
Solomon
-Kingdom Divides—
REHOBOAM
I
ABIJAH
|
ASA
|
JEHOSHAPHAT
|
JEHORAM
|
AHAZIAH
|
JOASH
I
AMAZIAH
I
UZIAH (Also known as Azariah)
I
JOTHAM
I
AHAZ
|
HEZEKIAH
|
MANASSEH
I
AMON
|
JOSIAH

If you later read the Gospel of Matthew you will see something interesting

Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
Matthew 1:7-11 –

It makes it sound like Jehoram king of Judah is directly the father of Uzziah, however there was a gap between that, Jehoram was father of Ahaziah, Ahaziah the father of Joash, Joash fathered Amaziah who then became Uzziah’s father

Is this a Bible contradiction, no- but there is a possible explanation. One being that the Scripture erased the names of Ahaziah (Very wicked king) and erased Joash (Joash started well but later turned away from the Lord and had Zechariah put to death after Zechariah prophesied against him for his sin)

Joash gets blotted out of the book of kings, yet serves Id say as an example of those who seem to at one time profess to be the Lord’s yet reputiate the faith and turn away. It was as if Matthew under divine inspiration was told to take white out to those kings between Jehoram and Uzziah.

We see Jesus in Revelations say “5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.
Revelation 3:5 –

We see reference to be “being blotted out of the book” as early as Exodus 32:32. What is the significance of a name appearing in the Genealogy of Matthew

The whole reason Matthew wrote the genealogy was to show us God kept His covenant with David to bring forth the Messiah through David’s biological line

Yet Joash even though he was a king, was given no part in Christ’s Genealogy, I venture to say to show he had no part in Christ at all, neither in written record or faith

Had his faith been real he would have not become the Apostate king he later showed himself to be. Therefore he and few others were not even worth recording in the book.

Today’s Sermon- Scars That Tell Stories

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:26-28 –

Many feel uncomfortable about scars. Some feel they make them look ugly. Yet we see Jesus after he rose from the dead still had scars on him- God could have done it so that that Jesus rose with no scars, but think God wants us to learn that scars can be valuable reminders of what we have endured that God helped us overcome.

Jesus’s scars showed he suffered and his scars reminded us that he suffered death and overcame it.

We too have scars in our lives that tell stories of how we went through things. Yet whether they be physical or just emotional things we overcame. Our scars can also be used as stories of how God has been faithful. The physical scars we get are result of the body healing wounds and causing the damaged tissue to repair stronger then before. Scar tissue is in essence the body’s way of making the affected area stronger than before it was injured.

Relational conflicts that people work through and come out on top can be like this too- conflict can either tear people apart or if they work through things they can have an even stronger relationship. Some couples separate or divorce when things get hard, but in successful marriages the two go in the conflict and work through it- as a result their marriage is stronger often

Likewise there will be times our faith gets tested, God wants to make it stronger than before and does not allow trials to destroy our faith but rather build it up stronger.

The things we go through in life never have to end in final defeat, but if we rely on the Lord we can overcome challenges and have the scars to prove God saw us through to the other side.

When a woman has a child, she may have to have a C-section and have scars on her abdomen, some women think their scars are ugly yet others embrace them for what they are- a story of how they brought wonderful blessings of children into the world.

A warrior in times long ago is also not without some scars, perhaps he escaped the jaws od death and survived the lash of a sword and shows his battle scars like trophies. Scars both literally tell of how we endured some bodily injury and made a recovery, but metaphorically we too have scars from things God delivered us through and from. We do not have to feel ashamed of our pasts but can use the “scars” of life to proclaim how he has always faithfully got us through difficult things we went through in our lives.