Discussion Questions
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How are the teachings in Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs culturally relevant today?
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3 Replies
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Between the cultural emphasis of get all you can because there is nothing after life and the idea that we can find some sort of internal satisfaction from sex, when we read both books we can truly say like Solomon said “there is nothing new under the sun”. As both books point out, without God, what’s the purpose of life?
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The book of Ecclesiastes is so relatable for people today. Going through the pandemic, climate change, political anger of all sorts, and really just living in a digital age that increasingly isolates people and constantly provides platforms by which they can compare their lives and selves against those of others has caused people –perhaps especially young people — to feel depressed and that life has little meaning. Ecclesiastes begins in the same place and slowly takes the reader through a journey past those futile things of temporary earth toward things of universal and lasting life. This book is like reading a memoir of someone who went through debilitating depression, sought out all ways of fixing it themselves, and eventually realized that the God of the Universe is our only path away from the futility of death.
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I liked how Dr. Stuart expressed how Ecclesiastes can be used in evangelism. It really does challenge people to examine the meaningfulness of life apart from the one true God. It is absolutely a timeless book. For the Song of Songs, I believe this book to be very relevant as our culture as a whole is struggling hard with sexual immorality. It has become more rampant in our society. Song of Songs really challenges what is and is not acceptable in terms of a loving marital relationship. For those in a marriage, this book is a vital touchpoint in terms of remembering what our marital relationship is supposed to look like and that “romance” is not just purely a sexual phenomenon.
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What role should the teachings of the book of Song of Songs play in the instruction of young people today?
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3 Replies
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It should be a wonderful guide to teach what true love is based on.
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From this book, young people might learn about the plan God has for passionate love in their married lives. Rather than subscribing to ideas about romance and sex that make these things dirty, shameful, or something to obsess over, young (and old) people can find hope in a different way of becoming one with another person. When romance and sex become part of our physical and spiritual joys in life. This book sets an example for lovers who bring God into their relationships.
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I believe that this book should be used so much more with the youth in our churches. The idea of purity (in other words, no sex before marriage) is what is being driven into Christian youth today. While this is an important lesson, we really need them to see what a beautiful loving relationship SHOULD look like and that there is nothing to fear in that regard. Rather than society informing their decisions on what a marital mate should look like, it is so important that the Word of God be the tool that informs those decisions. Song of Songs is a beautiful portrait of what that relationship can be.