QT 30/01/2025 Thu. Song of Songs 1. Do not gaze at me because I am dark. 你们不要因为我黑,就盯着我.

QT 30/01/2025 Thu. Song of Songs 1. Do not gaze at me because I am dark. 你们不要因为我黑,就盯着我.

QT 30/01/2025 Thu. Song of Songs 1. Do not gaze at me because I am dark.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/song1

Kissing intimacy (1:2), pursuit of love (1:4, 7), colour of skin (1:5, 6), discriminations against the lady (1:6), equal opportunities and social mobility regardless of vineyard labourer (She) or king (He) (1:6, 12). Wow! Such modern and contemporary topics we have here in Song of Songs 1.

Trump's signing of executive orders last week regarding matters he promised on the campaign trail (and eventually got elected on) touched on immigration, race and sex. These topics all related to human beings created in the image of God regardless of their similarities or differences, or preferences in life.

Song of Songs is one of the books of the Bible grouped under "The Writings" (the third group of "Law, Prophets and The Writings). The Writings were designed encourage readers and to maintain their spiritual lives so that His people would not face extinction, but instead multiply, flourish and bloom. The demise and disappearance of people groups throughout the history of the world in various continents cause us to ponder over this Chinese New Year period the rise and decline of people and cultures. Why did certain groups in history disappear? Couldn't they have "maintained" their population and culture? Couldn't they be encouraged to carry on to live as God intended?

One of the most important topics on humanity is their sex—male and female. And here we have an entire book devoted to this topic: the topic of sex, the topic of love between a man and a woman, and the celebration (applause) by others (onlookers, bystanders) of this love between the two main characters of the book—a man and a woman.

Song of Solomon 1:2–4
She
[2] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine;
[3]  your anointing oils are fragrant;
your name is oil poured out;
therefore virgins love you.
[4] Draw me after you; let us run.
The king has brought me into his chambers.
Others
We will exult and rejoice in you;
we will extol your love more than wine;
rightly do they love you. (ESV)

It is not the teaching or goal of Old Testament Scripture, or New Testament, to totally mute expressions of sexuality, love or attraction to other humans as much as possible. In fact, Song of Songs is God's declaration, revelation and promotion to the world that Sex is HIS IDEA, not the world's. Sex and related topics were not the masterful creations of parents, doctors, medical science, movie houses, novelists nor coffeeshop talks.

The transcript of Trump's inaugural address (https://au.usembassy.gov/the-inaugural-address/) has this, "As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female.  (Applause.)"

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Regardless of the outcome of the implementation steps of this policy reset or legal challenges that would follow, these do not change that fact that political parties, agendas or their Supreme Court are not authors nor the final authorities of the reality, existence or concepts of Sex. The LORD is.

APPLICATION: Readers of Song of Songs must reset their minds, to be more aware of and reclaim the narrative of The LORD right from the start:

Genesis 1:27–28
[27] So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

[28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)


QT 30/01/2025 星期四. 雅歌 1. 你们不要因为我黑,就盯着我.
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/son/1

亲吻的亲密(1:2)、对爱情的追求(1:4, 7)、肤色(1:5, 6)、对女士的歧视(1:6)、平等的机会和社会流动性,无论葡萄园工人(她)还是国王(他)(1:6, 12)。哇 《雅歌 1》中有如此现代和当代的主题。

特朗普上周签署的行政命令涉及他在竞选时承诺(并因此最终当选)的移民、种族和性别问题。这些话题都与按照神的形象创造的人有关,无论他们有什么相似或不同之处,也无论他们在生活中有什么偏好。

《雅歌》是《圣经》中被归为 “写作” (The Writings)(“律法、先知和写作 ”的第三组)的书籍之一。"写作"的书卷的目的是鼓励读者,维持他们的属灵生活,使祂的子民不会面临灭亡,而是繁衍、兴盛和繁荣。世界各大洲历史上民族群体的消亡和消失引起了我们在这个春节期间对民族和文化兴衰的思考。历史上的某些族群为什么会消失?难道他们不能 “保持 ”自己的人口和文化吗?难道不能鼓励他们按照上帝的旨意继续生活下去吗?

人类最重要的话题之一就是性别--男性和女性。在这里,我们有一整卷书都在讨论这个话题:关于性的话题,关于男人和女人之间的爱的话题,以及其他人(围观者、旁观者)对书中两个主角--男人和女人--之间的爱的赞美(掌声)。

所罗门之歌 1:2-4 所罗门的歌,是歌中之歌。2 愿他用口中的热吻与我亲嘴,因为你的热爱比酒更美。3 你的膏油香气芬芳;你的名字如同倒出来的膏油;所以众童女都爱你。
4 愿你吸引我,我们必快跑跟随你。王领我进入他的内室。王啊!我们要因你欢喜快乐;我们要提说你的爱,胜过提说美酒;她们爱你是合理的。

《旧约圣经》或《新约圣经》的教导或目标并不是要尽可能完全抑制性、爱或对其他人的吸引力的表达。事实上,雅歌就是上帝向世人宣告、启示和宣传:性是祂的点子、想法,而不是世人的想法。性及相关话题并非父母、医生、医学、电影公司、小说家或咖啡馆谈话的杰作。

特朗普的就职演说记录 (https://au.usembassy.gov/the-inaugural-address/) 中有这样一段话:“从今天起,美国政府的官方政策将是从此只有两种性别:男性和女性。(掌声)”

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无论这一政策重设的实施步骤结果如何,也无论随后会出现怎样的法律挑战,这些都无法改变这样一个事实,即政党、议程或其最高法院既不是 “性别 ”现实、存在或概念的始作俑者,也不是其最终权威。耶和华才是。

应用:《雅歌》的读者必须重新定位自己的思想,从一开始就更清楚地认识到耶和华的叙述,并重新认识耶和华:

创世记 1:27-28 于是, 神照着自己的形象创造人;就是照着他的形象创造了人;他所创造的有男有女。28 神就赐福给他们,对他们说:“要繁殖增多,充满这地,征服它;也要管理海里的鱼、空中的鸟和地上爬行的所有生物。”