Daily Dose of Hope

September 17, 2024

Day 3 of Week 25

Scripture: Song of Solomon 4-6; 2 Thessalonians 1

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan. Let’s get started with today’s Scripture.

In Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) 4, the text has moved into the marriage. The first three chapters were the courtship but now the marriage is being consummated. The imagery is interesting – how many women enjoy their hair being compared to a flock of goats? As the chapter progresses, it gets more graphic, at least for the Bible. I did a lot of research to determine if Solomon is speaking of himself here in this chapter and it just isn’t clear. If it’s Solomon, I struggle with this. With so many women as wives and concubines, how can he truly know what love is? What does marriage even mean if you have 700 wives? I actually find it more helpful to think of this chapter as the relationship the Lord desires with his people – one that is intimate and committed.

Chapters 5 and 6 seem to portray the trials of separation. Some might even interpret it as the highs and lows of a relationship. Has conflict entered the relationship, has one party pulled away? Most of us understand that in human terms what might that mean in terms of a relationship between God and his people?

Let’s move on to our New Testament Scripture, 2 Thessalonians 1. Similar to 1 Thessalonians, this letter is also written by Paul, Timothy, and Silas, but scholars consider Paul to be the primary author. The letter opens in a similar manner as I Thessalonians, with Paul giving thanks for the Thessalonian church. He is especially grateful for how their faith and love for one another has grown despite persecution. He even says that he boasts about how they have persevered in the midst of such difficulty. He doesn't give specifics about the persecution, but we can guess it was hostility directed at Christians by both gentile nonbelievers and Jews.

This chapter helps us begin to understand Paul's theology on the suffering of believers. First, he alludes to the fact that faithful endurance, perseverance in the face of struggle, makes them very worthy of the Kingdom of God. Certainly, endurance of hardship and persecution was seen as a virtue in early Christianity. What a change a couple thousand years make! At least in Western Christianity, we tend to balk at any kind of discomfort and certainly try to avoid suffering at all costs.

But their suffering does NOT mean that God isn't with them. Paul states that God's judgment is right. Temporary suffering doesn't indicate God's rejection; it may be character building or redeemed in some other way. God won't waste their experience but use it to grow them and the Kingdom. After all, that's what it's all about.

The second element in today's chapter is the concept of God's justice. God is all about just outcomes. He doesn't operate in a willy-nilly fashion but is fair and consistent. According to Paul, God considers it just to punish those who persecute the Thessalonians. This might be surprising to some, as we always focus on God's love. Yes, God is loving but God is also fair. Throughout Scripture, we read about God's righteous judgment. Knowing that God will judge others fairly frees us to simply extend love and grace and not feel the need to distribute our own judgment upon others.

I'll close with Paul's words in Romans 12:19-21, Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki