June 1

Song of Solomon 1-8
This is a wonderful celebration of marital love.  Yet, it does have a glaring inconsistency.  Even though Solomon is declaring his love for one woman, he still maintains multiple wives and concubines.  His polygamous lifestyle, seemingly winked at by God, doesn’t really mix well with our idea of love.  I understand that he lived in a different culture, and that we live in a fallen world.  However, with the wisdom he received from God, one would think that he would practice monogamy.  It’s quite clear from Genesis, forward, that monogamy is God’s will for mankind.  But, He seems to allow some of His most famous and respected leaders throughout the Old Testament to have more than one wife.  It is this inconsistency that causes some to reject the Bible as the inspired word of God.  It’s important to understand that God has had a developing plan from the beginning for the redemption of mankind and the adornment of His bride, the church.  He has unfolded this plan over thousands of years, removing one blemish after another.  In the final presentation, where there will be neither male nor female, all of the inconsistencies will be gone, along with the glaring blemishes witnessed throughout the ages.