Final thoughts on Song of Solomon 3:11
Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And see King Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him On the day of his wedding, The day of the gladness of his heart. NKJV
Having repented of her adultery with David, Bathsheba became a very godly, influential mother in the life of her son, Solomon. Even more important than the physical and temporal crown she sought for Solomon, Bathsheba sought a spiritual and eternal crown for her son, and this is the crown that every godly mother seeks for her children. I Thessalonians 2:19, II Timothy 4:8, James 1:12, and Revelation 2:10 all refer to eternal crowns given to true believers at the Lord’s coming. The greatest desire of every godly mother is to see her children saved, which begins by consistently teaching them the word of God.
During Israel’s public worship service, the mothers were there with their “little ones” for the reading of the Scriptures (Josh. 8:34-35). Whether her children are 4 years old or 14 years old, a godly mother will make sure that they are at her side in the church’s worship services. Scripture exhorts children not to forsake the “law” of their mother (Prov. 1:8, 6:20). The “law” of every godly mother is based on the “law” of God. Galatians 3:4 tells us that the “law” was a tutor to bring us to faith in Christ. It is through the teaching of God’s law that we learn we are sinners—divine lawbreakers (Rom. 3:10, 23; I John 3:4), and that the penalty for breaking God’s laws is spiritual, physical, and, ultimately, eternal death in the lake of fire (Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:15). Having realized as sinners that we cannot be saved by our good works (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5), we then look in faith to God’s remedy for our sins, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to save us by His works (substitutionary death, resurrection, and intercessory work in heaven) on our behalf.
In the Apostle Paul’s final letter, he said to Timothy, “from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (II Tim. 3:15) How was Timothy able to learn the Scriptures from childhood? They were taught to him by his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois (II Tim. 1:5). Bathsheba’s godly influence in her son’s life is clearly seen in Proverbs 31. Lemuel, a nickname given to Solomon by his mother, literally means “devoted to God” and is an expression of her desire to see him become a godly man and king.
In Proverbs 31, Bathsheba begins by teaching Solomon what not to do regarding women and alcoholic drinks (vs. 3-7), and then proceeds to teach him the value and characteristics of a virtuous wife (vs. 10-31). Through his mother’s instruction Solomon learns that a virtuous wife is industrious, not lazy (vs. 13-20). She values her God-given role as a homemaker and helpmeet to her husband (vs. 21-28) and does not consider being a homemaker beneath her dignity (Tit. 2:5). The virtuous wife is a woman who fears the Lord and speaks the wisdom of His word (vs. 26, 30). Likewise, if she has daughters, she will instruct her daughters in what to look for in a godly husband. The results of the virtuous woman’s life as helpmeet and mother is that her husband and children will call her “blessed” and “praise” her (v. 28).
Bethel Bible Church Hawaii 