What does "do not arouse or awaken love" teach about relationships? Setting the Phrase in Context “Daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.” (Song of Songs 2:7) • Spoken by the Shulammite woman to onlookers while she delights in her beloved. • Repeated for emphasis in 3:5 and 8:4, underlining a universal principle, not a passing remark. • The imagery of “gazelles” and “does” evokes gentle creatures—love is precious and easily startled. Clarifying the Command • “Do not arouse or awaken”: a prohibition against prematurely stirring passions that God designed to flourish only in covenant marriage (Genesis 2:24). • “Until the time is right”: affirms God-ordained timing—every good gift, including romantic love, arrives best in the season He appoints (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Applications for Dating and Courtship • Pace the relationship: – Avoid settings or media that inflame sexual desire (1 Corinthians 6:18). – Set physical and emotional boundaries before temptation arises. • Honor one another’s purity: – View the other person first as a brother or sister in Christ (1 Timothy 5:1-2). – Encourage spiritual growth rather than feed infatuation. • Seek parental and spiritual counsel (Proverbs 15:22) to confirm God’s timing. Implications for Marriage • Marital intimacy thrives when love has not been cheapened by prior misuse (Hebrews 13:4). • Waiting cultivates trust; couples who honor God’s timetable enter marriage already practicing self-control, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Guarding the Heart • Romance, like fire, warms or scorches depending on containment (Proverbs 6:27-29). • Emotional fantasies can awaken love prematurely; capture every thought to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). • Fill the heart with Scripture and service so that impatience does not gain a foothold (Psalm 119:11). Embracing God’s Timing • God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). • Trust His sovereign schedule; impatience often springs from unbelief (Isaiah 28:16). • Waiting is active: pursue holiness, ministry, and contentment in Christ (Philippians 4:11-13). Takeaway Truths • Passion is a divine gift, not to be awakened by fleshly impulse but released under covenant commitment. • Guarding the season protects both individuals and the future marriage. • God’s timing secures joy; when He says, “Now,” love may awaken without regret. |
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