Our unclaimed Shunemite, however, can only look on. No kiss for her. Being the most beautiful woman in Israel isn't enough for Solomon. Solomon is seeking partners to help him grow a very special nation. Abishag is relegated to wishing Solomon's new wives well, but in the mean time, her life as an outsider is bitter. 'Take me away,' she will later lament.
Michael Ben ZehabeTags: lament outsider partners shulamite song-of-songs song-of-solomon abishag shunemite most-beautiful-woman-in-israel special-nation
Beware young brides: The cruelest behaviors on earth are done in the name of, what some call, 'love.' Therefore, the Shulamite does a much better job at defining love than pop-culture.
pg 4
Tags: marriage engagement shulamite song-of-songs song-of-solomon shunemite cruelest-behaviors defining-love in-the-name-of-love young-brides
Genesis began with the Father losing His family. Revelation ends with Him getting them back. Is there nothing to be learned from this sad cycle? Truly, family is the legitimate theme of holy text.
pg vi
Tags: family divorce father happy-endings daughter family-loss god-lost-his-family holy-text sad-cycle theme-of-bible theme-of-holy-text
It sickens me to admit this, but the divorce rate is the same for religious couples as it is for non-religious couples. Is it preposterous for us to think that we can love someone for a lifetime? Marriage is held together with such flimsy things--lace, promises and tolerance. We humans are so unskilled at sustaining intimacy. We begin with such high hopes, yet lose our way so quickly.
pg i
Tags: song-of-songs song-of-solomon promise-keeper oath-keeper bad-at-intimacy bad-at-love dangers-of-love dangers-of-marriage divorce-rate failure-in-marriage high-hopes love-for-life marital-failure marriage-gone-bad religious-marriage
Abraham had eight sons--not one. All eight sons bring something to the table. Abraham loved all of his sons. He was a good father who made sure all his sons were literate, of good character and shared a common ideology with their father, Abraham. Abraham did good. Where did we go wrong?
Michael Ben ZehabeTags: peace prejudice forgiveness muslims isaac interfaith shulamite song-of-songs religious-intolerance sons-of-abraham
Some day you will look back on these days as the happiest of your life. You will forget your financial struggles. You will forget the unfair division of duties. You will forget feeling trapped and smothered, imagining that you are in a loveless marriage. You will only remember the joy of a young family, working together making your way through an unfamiliar world. Appreciate what you have now.
pg vi
Tags: daughter marital-advice looking-back advice-to-daughter appreciate-your-marriage loveless-marriage marital-dissatisfaction some-day young-family
All Abraham's sons were taught that God would progressively reveal Himself. God's wholeness has yet to be realized. There will always be gaps in our understanding. Why should we fill those gaps with suspicion, bigotry and accusations? Men do it to women; Jews do it to Christians; Christians do it to Muslims. Yet, all these have an implied duty to Abraham.
Michael Ben ZehabeTags: peace hate religion intolerance christian muslim bigotry jew abraham song-of-solomon
If our reputation rests on the decisions we make, then Abishag has impeccable taste. If fragrance is worn to make a personal statement, then the unchosen Abishag has publicly proclaimed her allegiance. She has put on the scent of her lord, for her lord. She belongs to him. Every facet of her character proclaims rejection of other, so-called, 'shepherds.' Whether he chooses her, or not, she has chosen him.
Michael Ben ZehabeTags: choice courting christian-marriage godly-woman shulamite abishag godly-wife religious-dating shunemite
No ancient Jew was ever promised, or expected, a heavenly life. That was a wild and outrageous teaching of Jesus. Holy text never offers a heavenly hope--before Jesus. Think about it: No matter how faithful Adam would have been, he could never graduate to heaven. Going to heaven was a 'Jesus teaching.' It simply does not exist in Torah.
pg xxvii
Tags: heaven paradise rapture adam-go-to-heaven christian-hope how-to-go-to-heaven jesus-the-unusual-teacher jewish-hope jews-go-to-heaven millennium outrageous-teachings thousand-year
You may have started as my daughter, but it was always understood that one day you would be a wife, mother, and contributor to this Messiah's kingdom. I will never ask anything from you again, but an entire world will.
pg 1
Tags: marriage daughters engagement daughter godly-woman shulamite song-of-songs song-of-solomon shunemite
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