THE WORD “GOD”
By Patricia Jackson
McDowell County
The word “God” is found four thousand, four hundred and forty-six times in the King James Version Bible. This number could vary with other versions.
You might be surprised to learn that two books in the bible do not have the word “God” in them or mention God at all. These are the books of Esther and Song of Solomon.
What is the storyline of these two books? The Song of Solomon is categorized as a book of poetry. It features a celebration of love, beauty, anatomy, and marriage. The bride and groom sing back and forth to one another and their community. You will find a lot of poetic references to the human anatomy, but you won’t find any mention of God.
The book of Esther is a historical book about a young Jewish girl. After Queen Vashti displeases the King, he selects Esther for his Queen. Esther risks her life to prevent an act of genocide against the Jewish people. Esther is a story of human action, and the Song of Solomon focuses on human love.
Why are there no direct words from God in these two books? The other books of the Old Testament mention God or prophets who speak on God’s behalf. Neither of these two books includes any spokesperson for God. Also, there are no recorded miracles by God’s prophet. When God does something out of the ordinary, we read it in the bible.
Even though these two books don’t mention God specifically, we should read them in the context of God’s covenant with Israel. There is an important message and teaching to us in both books. In the book of Esther, we recognize faith throughout the book, and The Song of Solomon describes the bliss of married love. God sees his relationship to Israel as one of marriage, even though Israel is a terrible bride to Him.
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea all use marriage to describe God’s covenant to Israel, usually portraying a picture of Israel’s sin. When we read the beginning of Ezekiel 16, we find the kind of generous, passionate love God has for Israel, and it sounds similar to what we see in the Song of Solomon. Even though these two books don’t mention God, they teach us a lot about God’s relationship with his people.
These two books would not be in the Bible unless God had some purpose in them. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine.” Take time to read Esther and Song of Solomon as you receive a blessing from understanding God’s word.
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Patricia Jackson is the Assistant Teacher for the Ladies Class at Redeemed Free Will Baptist Church, Glenwood, NC. She is a grant writer for non-profits, a published author, and a retired Nursing Home Administrator. She lives in Rutherford County with her husband. Contact information: email address: wyo2go@bellsouth.net.
You can read more good Christian news from Patricia HERE.
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