{"id":4574,"date":"2019-05-22T18:41:19","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T23:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?page_id=4574"},"modified":"2022-11-15T11:58:19","modified_gmt":"2022-11-15T17:58:19","slug":"all-is-not-happily-ever-after","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-greatest-love-song-written-a-study-of-the-song-of-solomon\/all-is-not-happily-ever-after\/","title":{"rendered":"All is Not Happily Ever After"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<h2 align=\"center\">Chapter 10<\/h2>\n<h1>All Is Not Happily Ever After<\/h1>\n<p>I suppose the story could stop right here and we could float away on the clouds from the beauty of this marriage, but then the picture would be incomplete. Every marriage faces problems. Every husband and wife relationship must overcome difficulties, some of them of their own making.<\/p>\n<p>Some indefinite period of time has passed after the wedding. Our new scene opens with Solomon approaching a locked bedroom door while his wife sleeps on the bed inside.<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>2<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;I was asleep but my heart was awake.<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A voice! My beloved was knocking:<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8216;Open to me, my sister, my darling,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My dove, my perfect one!<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0For my head is drenched with dew,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My locks with the damp of the night.&#8221;<\/blockquote>\n<p>Shulammith was sleeping soundly when a knock caused her to stir. She was groggy, but she heard the voice of her husband outside the door. He gently called through the door, asking her to let him in. He apologized for being late, but he just got in from the outdoors. We realize that it must have been early in the morning because his hair is damp from the dew that had settled.<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>3<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;I have taken off my dress,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How can I put it on\u00a0<i>again?<\/i><br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I have washed my feet,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How can I dirty them\u00a0<i>again?<\/i><\/blockquote>\n<p>She groans to herself. The thought of getting up is too much. You never know who is in the hall, so she will have to get dressed before unlocking the door. Floors in those days were not covered with plush wall-to-wall carpets. To get up meant having to wash the dirt off your feet again before climbing back into bed. Oh, the misery of interrupted sleep!<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>4<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;My beloved extended his hand through the opening,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And my feelings were aroused for him.\n<sup>5<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;I arose to open to my beloved;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And my hands dripped with myrrh,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And my fingers with liquid myrrh,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0On the handles of the bolt.<\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_4496\" style=\"width: 192px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/latchstring.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4496\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/latchstring.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"182\" height=\"127\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4496\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lock with a latchstring<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As she heard him at the door, she was embarrassed at her careless attitude. She saw his hand reach through an opening near the door, perhaps attempting to unlock it for himself. The sight of just his arm stirs her into action and she jumps out of bed. When she touches the lock, she was startled to find it wet with his favorite cologne made from an expensive spice called myrrh. Paper was less common in those days, so instead of love notes, couples sometimes poured a little of their favorite perfume on an object their beloved would be sure to find. It was a simple way of saying, &#8220;I was here and thinking of you.&#8221; Solomon wasn&#8217;t trying to force his way in, he was quietly leaving a message before he left.<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>6<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;I opened to my beloved,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But my beloved had turned away\u00a0<i>and<\/i>\u00a0had gone!<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My heart went out\u00a0<i>to him<\/i>\u00a0as he spoke.<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I searched for him but I did not find him;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I called him but he did not answer me.\n<sup>7<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They struck me\u00a0<i>and<\/i>\u00a0wounded me;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.<\/blockquote>\n<p>She quickly opens the door, but Solomon had already left. Now he will think that she didn&#8217;t care enough about him to even open the door of their own bedroom. He didn&#8217;t know she came, but just too slow.<\/p>\n<p>Shulammith begins to search for him, calling his name, but getting no answer. Her search takes her out into the city, where the night watchmen find her wandering aimlessly through the streets. The situation brings to remembrance the young woman&#8217;s nightmares before her wedding of losing Solomon and not being able to find him. She did lose him, not because he left, but because she had become too complacent in her marriage.<\/p>\n<p>The guards mistake her for a prostitute or some other low-life looking for trouble. They start to rough her up, but when her shawl is removed, they discover they were striking the queen. Shulammith doesn&#8217;t seem to care or to notice. The only thing on her mind is that she has to find Solomon.<\/p>\n<p>She goes to the noblewomen, Solomon&#8217;s other wives, to see if they know what has happened to him.<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>8<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If you find my beloved,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As to what you will tell him:<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0For I am lovesick.&#8221;<\/blockquote>\n<p>She pleads with the women that if they find Solomon before she does to let him know that she has become ill from desiring him.<\/p>\n<p>However, before these ladies will agree to help her in her search, they ask her two very pointed questions that open her eyes to her own fault in this matter.<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>9<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;What kind of beloved is your beloved,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0O most beautiful among women?<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What kind of beloved is your beloved,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0That thus you adjure us?&#8221;<\/blockquote>\n<p>Their first question is &#8220;What kind of man are you claiming to love so deeply that you want us to deliver a message to him on your behalf?&#8221; The question is wise and telling. It was Shulammith who did not want, at first, to get out of bed just to open the door for her husband. It is a frequent problem between couples. We put all our energies into winning the love of our spouse, but once we have committed ourselves to our spouse, we begin to take the relationship for granted. &#8220;Of course, he loves me!&#8221; &#8220;Of course, she will always be there for me!&#8221; Instead of thinking about fulfilling the needs of our spouse, we begin to think about our own needs. The question of why is he so special is important for Shulammith to remember.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, there is a second barb to this question as well. Why does Shulammith want the noblewomen to tell Solomon how much she loves him? If the relationship is as it is supposed to be, why isn&#8217;t she able to tell Solomon herself? Sure, she can&#8217;t find him, but why not just find out where he is and go directly to him?<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>10<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;My beloved is dazzling and ruddy,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Outstanding among ten thousand.\n<sup>11<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;His head is\u00a0<i>like<\/i>\u00a0gold, pure gold;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His locks are\u00a0<i>like<\/i>\u00a0clusters of dates<br \/>\n<i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And<\/i>\u00a0black as a raven.\n<sup>12<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;His eyes are like doves<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Beside streams of water,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bathed in milk,<br \/>\n<i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And<\/i>\u00a0reposed in\u00a0<i>their<\/i>\u00a0setting.\n<sup>13<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Banks of sweet-scented herbs;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His lips are lilies<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dripping with liquid myrrh.\n<sup>14<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;His hands are rods of gold<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Set with beryl;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His abdomen is carved ivory<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Inlaid with sapphires.\n<sup>15<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;His legs are pillars of alabaster<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Set on pedestals of pure gold;<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His appearance is like Lebanon<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Choice as the cedars.\n<sup>16<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;His mouth is\u00a0<i>full of<\/i>\u00a0sweetness.<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And he is wholly desirable.<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This is my beloved and this is my friend,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0O daughters of Jerusalem.&#8221;<\/blockquote>\n<p>Her answer echoes Solomon&#8217;s description of her on their wedding night. He is important to her because he is the most handsome man around. She describes him from head to toe. He has the golden complexion of an outdoorsman with raven black hair of tightly packed curls. His eyes are a peaceful gray and the whites of his eyes are like milk. The cologne he wears on his cheeks is wonderful to enjoy and his kisses are tender, soft, and fragrant. His hands are solid and beautiful. His abdomen looks like it was carved and he is lovely to behold (in other words, he is in great shape). He has strong legs that carry him with great endurance.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\"attachment_4481\" style=\"width: 284px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/datecluster2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4481\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/datecluster2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"274\" height=\"183\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4481\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Date Clusters<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<div id=\"attachment_4509\" style=\"width: 146px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/raven.gif.gif\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4509\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/raven.gif.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"136\" height=\"79\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4509\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raven<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<td>\n<div id=\"attachment_4475\" style=\"width: 146px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/carvedivory.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4475\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/carvedivory.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"136\" height=\"206\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4475\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Carved Ivory<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\"attachment_4492\" style=\"width: 146px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/goldenberyl.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4492\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/goldenberyl.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"136\" height=\"92\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4492\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Beryl<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<td>\n<div id=\"attachment_4466\" style=\"width: 146px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/alabasterpillars.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4466\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/alabasterpillars.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"136\" height=\"102\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4466\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alabaster<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<td>\n<div id=\"attachment_4512\" style=\"width: 146px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/sapphire.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/sapphire.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"136\" height=\"160\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4512\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sapphires<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<td>\n<div id=\"attachment_4510\" style=\"width: 146px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/redlily.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4510\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/redlily.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"136\" height=\"140\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4510\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Red Lily<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>These are all physical things. Sure, Solomon has a great body, but that cannot be the reason Shulammith wants him so badly.<\/p>\n<p>Well, he says the sweetest things to her and he really is desirable in every way.<\/p>\n<p>But again, this doesn&#8217;t really answer the question. It is not until we get to the very end that we reach the real reason for her love. He is her beloved and her friend. Life doesn&#8217;t have much meaning without the companionship of a close friend (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11).<\/p>\n<blockquote>6\u00a0<sup>1<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;Where has your beloved gone,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0O most beautiful among women?<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Where has your beloved turned,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0That we may seek him with you?&#8221;<\/blockquote>\n<p>On the surface, the noblewomen&#8217;s second question seems odd. They ask the woman where she thinks Solomon may be. Shulammith came to them asking for help in finding Solomon so why are they asking her where he is?<\/p>\n<p>As with the first question, the point being made is astute. They are hinting that Shulammith knew in the depth of her heart where Solomon would most likely be, but she was avoiding confronting him. Her fear that Solomon had rejected her for her shameful behavior has been keeping her from seeking him out directly. That is why she wanted the noblewomen to approach him on her behalf. She wanted someone else to cushion the blow.<\/p>\n<p>It is here that we see that the women are not totally without heart. They offer to go with her for moral support, but they insist that she go to Solomon.<\/p>\n<blockquote><sup>2<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;My beloved has gone down to his garden,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To the beds of balsam,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0To pasture\u00a0<i>his flock<\/i>\u00a0in the gardens<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And gather lilies.\n<sup>3<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0&#8220;I am my beloved&#8217;s and my beloved is mine,<br \/>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He who pastures\u00a0<i>his flock<\/i>\u00a0among the lilies.&#8221;<\/blockquote>\n<p>Shulammith was able to answer the question. She knew in her heart where Solomon would be. Before they were married, Solomon would spend time among the sheep in his garden when he needed time away from the hectic life of a king (Song of Solomon 1:7, 2:16). Her rejection of him would send him to a quiet place where he could think. Balsam is a herb used for healing wounds and he needed time to heal the wounds she gave to his spirit.<\/p>\n<p>She repeats the phrase she said in Song of Solomon 2:16 to say that they belong to each other. However, there is a subtle difference. Before, her hold on his love was foremost. Now, his hold on her love occupies her first thoughts.<\/p>\n<h3>Questions:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Why would Shulammith become careless in her treatment of her husband?<\/li>\n<li>How does having someone change the nature of your relationship?<\/li>\n<li>Does a good marriage have no problems?<\/li>\n<li>Why was Solomon&#8217;s &#8220;love note&#8221; a better way to handle the problem than getting angry? How did it help lead to a resolution?<\/li>\n<li>Why did Shulammith look in the wrong places for Solomon?<\/li>\n<li>When couples fight, what interferes with solving the problem?<\/li>\n<li>What causes Shulammith&#8217;s love to be rekindled?<\/li>\n<li>What does Shulammith find attractive in Solomon?<\/li>\n<li>Often after marriage, you see couples letting themselves go &#8211; not dressing up, getting out of shape, slacking off in grooming practices. Will that help or hinder the relationship? Why?<\/li>\n<li>Why did the women refuse to act as a go-between for Shulammith? Why did they insist that she go herself?<\/li>\n<li>What was Shulammith afraid of? Was it reasonable? Did her fear need to be reasonable to be there?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-greatest-love-song-written-a-study-of-the-song-of-solomon\/their-first-night-together\/\" target=\"_self\" role=\"button\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrior Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-greatest-love-song-written-a-study-of-the-song-of-solomon\/\" target=\"_self\" role=\"button\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Greatest Love Song Written\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-greatest-love-song-written-a-study-of-the-song-of-solomon\/the-art-of-repairing-a-broken-relationship\/\" target=\"_self\" role=\"button\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNext Lesson\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chapter 10 All Is Not Happily Ever After I suppose the story could stop right here and we could float away on the clouds from the beauty of this marriage, but then the picture would be incomplete. Every marriage faces problems. Every husband and wife relationship must overcome difficulties, some of them of their own&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4463,"menu_order":9,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4574","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31982,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-gospel-accounts-a-chronological-harmony\/the-sermon-on-the-mount-divorce\/","url_meta":{"origin":4574,"position":0},"title":"The Sermon on the Mount: Divorce","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Sermon on the Mount: Divorce Reading Assignment: Matthew 5:31-32 Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Jeremiah 3:8 Did you understand what you read? What is this quotation based upon? Does God permit divorce in all cases? Who should determine when a marriage may end, man or God? Why? What is the only acceptable\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20371,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/the-corinthian-letters\/marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":4574,"position":1},"title":"Marriage (Corinthians)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Marriage Getting Married\u00a0(I Corinthians 7:1-9) Now that Paul has addressed his primary concerns, he proceeds to answer questions that he has received from the Corinthians. The first set deals with the topic of marriage. We don't know the exact questions Paul was asked; we can only surmise what they could\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8156,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/preparation-for-a-lifetime\/what-is-marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":4574,"position":2},"title":"What is Marriage?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 23, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"What is Marriage? When you need a definition, one is inclined to look in the dictionary. Webster\u2019s dictionary defines marriage as \u201cthe state of being married.\u201d Well, that helps! Fortunately, they go on to state that marriage is \u201cthe mutual relation of husband and wife. The institution whereby men and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":70458,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/bid-the-older-women-train-the-young-women\/train-the-young-women-to-love-their-husbands-and-to-be-submissive\/","url_meta":{"origin":4574,"position":3},"title":"Train the Young Women to Love Their Husbands and to be Submissive","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Lesson #2 Train the Young Women to Love Their Husbands and to be Submissive (Titus 2:4-5) by Barbara Roush In Genesis 2:18 and the following verses, we learn of God's original role for women. God said, \"It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8223,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/preparation-for-a-lifetime\/solving-common-problems\/","url_meta":{"origin":4574,"position":4},"title":"Solving Common Problems","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Solving Common Problems Almost every couple approaches marriage with idealism. With our hearts all a flutter and the excitement of the approaching wedding day, it is hard to imagine anything going wrong. The world is full of roses so it is easy to overlook the thorns. No marriage is without\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8170,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/bible-studies\/preparation-for-a-lifetime\/love\/","url_meta":{"origin":4574,"position":5},"title":"Love","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 23, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Love A husband is also responsible for providing love to his wife (Ephesians 5:25). The word translated love in this passage is the Greek word\u00a0agape.\u00a0Agape\u00a0is a love that serves, or a devotion to the one being loved. The example given is the love Christ had for the church. Jesus loved\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4574\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}