Song of Solomon 3:6 – 5:1

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The Marriage: Christ United With His Earthly Bride
Song of Solomon 3:6 – 5:1
 
The Appearing of Christ. The day will come (Rev. 19:11) when Christ appears. He will be united with his earthly people at last. He comes from the wilderness with clouds of smoke surrounded by valiant men with swords. It is not hard to see Christ coming with clouds, with the armies of heaven, “and every eye shall see him.”
 
Lo, He comes from heaven descending,
Once for favored sinners slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of His train:
Hallelujah!
Jesus comes, and comes to reign!
 
 

Part 4: The Wedding (3:6-11)

Bride: Description of the Wedding Procession and Marriage (vv.6-11)

vv.6-11 The long awaited moment will come when the King arrives to take his bride.
 
6 Who is this, she that cometh up from the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all powders of the merchant? … vv.6-11 The bride describes the wedding procession and marriage, women are forever interested in the details of weddings.  a contrast with western weddings, the bridegroom is the culmination of the procession, not the bride.
  1. pillars of smoke, perfumes, etc. – the moral glories of Christ
  2. The bed, and the valient men – the power of Heaven in Christ
  3. Solomon’s chariot – the official glories of Christ
  4. the King himself – the person of Christ in his earthly relationship.
7 Behold his couch, Solomon’s own: Threescore mighty men are about it, Of the mighty of Israel. 8 They all hold the sword, Experts in war; Each hath his sword upon his thigh Because of alarm in the nights. vv.7-8 Solomon has three score valiant men about his bed, experts in war. The Jewish remnant view the Lord coming is his glory, and With him are 10000 of his saints, the armies of heaven following him! practically speaking, If we desire communion with him, his valiant me won’t let anything come between us.
 
9 King Solomon made himself a palanquin Of the wood of Lebanon. 10 Its pillars he made of silver, Its support of gold, Its seat of purple; The midst thereof was paved with love By the daughters of Jerusalem. vv.9-10 next the king’s chariot is seen, a picture of the official glories of Christ.
 
11 Go forth, daughters of Zion, And behold king Solomon With the crown wherewith his mother crowned him In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the gladness of his heart. v.11 the king himself.
 

Part 5: Consummation of the Marriage (4:1 – 5:1)

The consummation of the marriage really takes up the majority of this section. Each of them have a garden… hers is full of spices, his is full of pleasant fruits. At the peak the spices flow out of her garden, and then he enters his and enjoys his pleasant fruits. It is touching to see how tenderly he puts her pleasure before his own.

Husband: He Declares What She Is in His Sight (vv.1-5)

CHAPTER 4
1 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are doves behind thy veil; Thy hair is as a flock of goats, On the slopes of mount Gilead. 2 Thy teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep, Which go up from the washing; Which have all borne twins, And none is barren among them. 3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, And thy speech is comely; As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples Behind thy veil. 4 Thy neck is like the tower of David, Built for an armoury: A thousand bucklers hang thereon, All shields of mighty men. 5 Thy two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, Which feed among the lilies. vv.1-5 He declares what she is in his sight. The Lord declares his view of the Jews (Hos. 2:15). In a similar way, The highest points in our Christian experience begin with hearing Him state His love for us, not by our expression of our love to him.

Husband: Invitations to Love, Exclamations of Adoration (vv.6-11)

6 Until the day dawn, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, And to the hill of frankincense. 7 Thou art all fair, my love; And there is no spot in thee. 8 Come with me, from Lebanon, my spouse, With me from Lebanon, — Come, look from the top of Amanah, From the top of Senir and Hermon, From the lions’ dens, From the mountains of the leopards. 9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, With one chain of thy neck. 10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine! And the fragrance of thine ointments than all spices! 11 Thy lips, my spouse, drop as the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under thy tongue; And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. vv.6-11 He invites the Jews to take the position of his earthly bride. The highest point in our Christian experience comes through accepting the place that we have been given by the Lord, not by presenting him with our works or service.

Husband: He Tells Her What She is to Him (4:12-15)

12 A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; A spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 13 Thy shoots are a paradise of pomegranates, with precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants; 14 Spikenard and saffron; Calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; Myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: 15 A fountain in the gardens, A well of living waters, Which stream from Lebanon. vv.12-15 The mountains of spices are those deep desires that can only be satisfied by him. Every person is born with something which they can give to God… their worship. We are gardens enclosed, full of precious fruits. When we are united with the Lord those desires are satisfied and we have joy. The Jews feel everything fall into place.

Wife: The Climax Reached, Calls for Them to Enjoy the Fruits (v.16)

16 Awake, north wind, and come, thou south; Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow forth. Let my beloved come into his garden, And eat its precious fruits. v.16 The King of the North and King of the South come up and only serve to draw out that which Jehovah delights in. The result of this experience is that we share with the Lord in the joys of our union with Him.

Husband: He Is Satisfied, Blessing Showered on the Nations (v.1)

CHAPTER 5
1 I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, beloved ones! v.1 He declares that he has partaken and is satisfied, he invites the wedding guests to enjoy the meal. Jehovah declares that he is satisfied with the fruit of the travail of his soul… Israel is his, not you by right, but now in practical reality. Blessing is showered on the Nations.
 
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