V.3:1 On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not.
2 I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not.
3 The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4 Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.
5 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
Solomon Arrives for the Wedding
6 What is that coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?
7 Behold, it is the litter of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men, some of the mighty men of Israel,
8 all of them wearing swords and expert in war, each with his sword at his thigh, against terror by night.
9 King Solomon made himself a carriage from the wood of Lebanon.
10 He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple; its interior was inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go out, O daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.
V. 3:1 – “On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not.”
A. The young Bride experiences Divine discipline. The Beloved withholds His presence from her because He wants her to discover that the only safe place in all the world is in rising up in partnership with Him. He holds out until we come to Him in obedience.
1. This was a new experience for her to seek Him without finding Him. She was disobedient to the Beloved in refusing to rise up to function the way that He told her (V.2:10-13).
2. She stays behind the wall of isolation and continues to pray on her bed, under the shade tree, eating grapes and raisin cakes instead of leaving her comfort zone (V.2:8,17). The Beloved refuses to come to her until she obeys because He loves her too much to leave her in a position of disobedience.
B. She has gone back to her bed and is wallowing in self-pity. We can do this when the Beloved is testing her about the concern for possession of Him. This is a 'night' (dark) time in her life where she seeks Him but doesn't find Him. This is true in our lives, where we wallow in self-pity but seem to be cut off from His presence. The reason is that He wants to draw us outside the boundaries we have confined ourselves in.
The 'bed' represents the place of spiritual slumber (here, the Hebrew word has the emphasis on 'sleep' - with the Beloved but can represent His intimate presence, but He has withdrawn Himself. We can seek Him in such a state but will not find Him, as we must first arise from our state of spiritual lethargy and take positive steps to find His intimate presence once again.
1. There is a breach in their relationship. He is absent. She is alone, without Him, on her own bed. Being on her bed is also in contrast to her rising up to go with Him (V.2:10,13).
2. Spiritual disciplines are no substitute for obedience. Her spiritual discipline did not solve her problem. Prayer is never a substitute for obedience. It is not an issue of coming to Jesus to feed our spirit. Jesus likes the prayer, ‘catch the foxes,’ when you are stumbling and failing.
3. The familiar spiritual disciplines in which we found God in one season do not automatically work in the next season if He requires a specific response of obedience.
C. The Beloved is getting her attention, and she is making the connection between her V.2:17 compromise and her inability to enjoy His Presence.
1. When we struggle to experience the Beloved’s presence using the disciplines of former days, then we should consider if He wants a specific response.
D. The young Bride seeks the Beloved without obedience, and her sincere heart of love for Him is affirmed.
1. People who understand the message of God’s affection for them in their weakness are drawn into the deep pursuit of God. This understanding doesn’t give us the liberty to live in more sin. When this powerful truth is understood, it will drive us to Him, not from Him. The true message of the love of God will never lead us from Him.
E. The young Bride earnestly seeks the Beloved.
F. The benefits of seasons of Divine withholding
1. Sometimes, God withholds His presence to drive us into an extravagant seeking of His face. The lack of His presence in our lives is not always a statement of His disapproval or displeasure. The seasons of withholding have profitable results in our resolution to know the Beloved intimately.
2. We are led to a deeper search of our hearts for hidden faults. Such honest searching of our own hearts helps us to find unperceived issues that might hinder the Presence of God in our lives.
3. Sometimes, He speaks through a different language of silence. This is a very powerful communication to us.
4. The withholding of His Presence forces us to walk by trusting-faith instead of by feeling. This strengthens our ability to see the unseen. These seasons test the consistency of our love and the maturity of our faith.
5. He hides Himself from us because He knows He can produce greater earnestness in our hearts by hiding His face. Only the Beloved knows the perfect combination for our spiritual best. Jesus combines the intensity of blessing and withholding of blessing to create the right response in our hearts. These seasons produce greater humility by making us see our own weakness and dependence upon Him. If we had unbroken feelings of His presence while in a body of sin, we might stumble in spiritual pride and self-righteousness.
6. We are dependent upon the Holy Spirit as the source of godly emotion and passion. David, in his weakness, said, “I love you, Oh, Lord, my strength.” (Psalm 18:1). David saw God as the source and strength of his emotion and affectionate love back to Him. The grace of God quickens and energizes our hearts for Jesus.
G. Our spirit becomes desperate in our quest for more of God because of the seasons of the withholding of His Presence, such as seasons of testing and affliction. People who have never experienced the sweetness of V.2:3-4, do not have the same longing when He withholds His Presence. He allows seasons of sweetness that make us ravenous with hunger for Him in times of withholding.
V.3:2 - "I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not.”
A. She now “arises” to obey the command. The disappointment of losing His presence motivates her to rise off her bed and leave her comfort zone. Our fears will be conquered when we take the first steps to obey.
1. She adds obedience to her spiritual disciplines. She saw that prayer alone would not solve her problem in this situation. It required active obedience. He held steady until she arose to obey Him.
2. We do not know how much time between verses 1 and 2. It could be a day, week, month, or years but our progress awaits our response of obedience. It is necessary in the Divine pattern for growing in holy passion.
B. The young Bride enters into the city, which speaks of the purpose of God (Hebrews 11:10). Going to the city speaks of involvement with others because the city is where corporate life and activity occur in the greatest measures.
C. She preserves in seeking the Beloved in the night season
1. She continues to seek Him regardless of the immediate results. This is the kind of tenacity that God rewards. She seeks Him after obedience. The despair of the maiden wandering through the desolate streets at night is pictured here.
2. She is seeking to obey the 3-fold mandate that the Beloved gave her in V.1:8 when He answered her question as to where He fed His flock. He gave her a three-fold answer in V.1:8:
D. She does not immediately find the Beloved
1. The Beloved required her to rise up to “follow in the footsteps of the flock” and to take care of the little goats (the little responsibilities) (1:8). However, He added that He wanted her to do this in right relationship to spiritual authority (1:8d).
2. The young Bride is motivated by love and genuinely loves the Beloved. She carries her reward in her heart. Her reward is the gift to feel love from God and then to feel love back to Him. The pleasure of our labor is in the gift of feeling God’s love. That is the greatest pleasure in this life.
3. There are other legitimate pleasures, but this is the reward of painful labor. She needs Him much more when she is in the streets.
E. The young Bride seeks the Beloved near the shepherd’s tent
Here, we see the answer to her deep depression. She got up out of her hopelessness and began to search for Him actively! There was a spark of hope, and she acted upon it. Until she faces the fact that the problem was her refusal to listen to His word and turn to go with Him, she will never have true peace (Ezekiel 3:17; Isaiah 62:6). The watchmen are responsible for overseeing the affairs of the city and “watch” the city so their enemies do not attack it. These are the shepherds in V.1:8. God entrusts the safety of the city (church) to them. They also “watch over” the souls of the Christians (Hebrews 13:17).
These watchmen are the same as the shepherds in 1:8d. She is finally obeying the exhortation in 1:8 to properly relate to the leaders in the body instead of retreating in isolation. She is recognizing spiritual authority in the Body. They were diligently doing their job, and they noticed she was troubled.
B She humbles herself to them and asks for their help. Her humility in recognizing her need for help from others is a new discipline that is quickly rewarded with the return of His presence in 3:4. It was only after she asked the 'Watchmen' (the mature and watchful Christians) that she found Him.
J. Her consistent emphasis is on loving the Beloved
V.3:4 – “Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me.”
A. She finds the Beloved in God's timing as she sought Him in the night and rose up to seek Him in the city.
1. The Beloved suddenly renews His Presence in response to her obedience.
2. Jacob was in trouble during a night season in his life (Genesis 32:26). Jacob is pictured wrestling with God. He was alone in the night, facing his fears as he anticipated the dangers of his enemy brother Esau. He wrestled and prevailed with God. Jacob refused to give up until he touched God.
a. Jacob is a picture of prevailing wrestling prayer that holds on to God until they receive the greater blessing from Him. Hosea describes Jacob’s experience and adds that Jacob sought the Beloved earnestly with tears and supplication (See Hosea 12).
b. Jacob conquered the heart of God through his earnest prayer that included weeping and supplication. The power of a person is no match for the omnipotence of God. Jacob’s strength could have never conquered the Angel of the Lord. It wasn’t a carnal wrestling match that spoke of natural strength.
3. The Divine principle of spiritual hunger cries out, “that if we can live without something in God, then often we will go without it. However, if there is something in the Word of God that we can’t live without, then we will receive it in due time. The Beloved declares, “If you want something in God's will so much that you can't live without it, then you'll have it in due time.”
B. We do not have to live bored in God. The most fascinating reality is in the tenderness we find in the knowledge of Him. Jesus will take the boredom out of our lives. All will not change in one month, but great spiritual change will occur in due time. We were designed in a way that spiritual boredom is overcome by intimacy with God as the Word tenderizes our spirit.
C. She will rise up to go as she obeys the command given in 2:10,13 to go to the place of risk outside the comfortable wall and bed.
1. She discovers a new holy embrace that results from her painful season of spiritual struggle.
2. This tender place in God is part of the Divine romance that was God’s main purpose in withholding His presence. Jesus knew this struggle would ignite a deep fire in her.
D. She holds on to Him with newfound zeal and conviction
1. She fulfills this commitment to “never let go of Him” throughout the rest of the SONG.
2. A new holy resolution results from her painful season of spiritual darkness. This holy resolution was God’s purpose in withholding His presence.
3. She discovered in 3:1 that she could lose His presence. She has a new carefulness in her walk (Ezek. 36:26), as an expression of her gratitude and desperation. She is deeply resolved to never consciously compromise her walk again with the “little” foxes (2:15) that destroy her life in the deep things of God.
4. Times of spiritual turmoil sometimes birth “holy violence” in us to hold on to Jesus until we go deep with God (Mt. 11:12).
a. This speaks of a violent holding on to Jesus in a life of prayer until we have the deeper things of His heart.
b. This creates spiritually violent people in whom the Spirit of God has worked an unquenchable resolution to do the will of God.
c. This births a holy resolve in your heart to have all that God will give.
d. This “holy violence” creates a resolution to give everything unquenchable obedience and abandonment.
E. She immediately finds Jesus after she relates to the shepherds. She finds the Beloved immediately after her encounter with the city of God (church) and the watchmen (spiritual authority). Jesus is not far off to those who persevere in earnest humility.
F. Her love for the Beloved
1. The blessing of God returns quickly to her because of her new depth of obedience and humility. This is the result of her obeying the call to arise and to humble herself to the watchmen. She immediately finds her Beloved.
G. Her obedience extends to the most difficult places
V.3:5 - "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.”
A. God has every one of us on a course that is tailor-made just for who we are and where we are going.
1. Spiritually dull people sometimes foolishly counsel the fervent yet immature into legalism or compromise in the name of grace. Jesus wants no premature stirring in the “name of love” that distracts her from His work of discipline.
2. If the Hebrew word were translated,’ He,’ then it would refer to the Beloved being awakened or stirred to action by the daughters of Jerusalem. The Beloved has no her.” She is so content right now. The Holy Spirit is about to disturb her in a very surprising way.
3. Three times, the Holy Spirit speaks this phrase, “Don’t arouse or awaken my love until it pleases.” (2:7; 3:5; 8:4)
B. The Holy Spirit appeals to the need for gentleness and discernment.
1. This expression denotes how carefully and gracefully Jesus wants them to relate to His young Bride. A gazelle or doe is easily stirred and startled.
2. This speaks of the importance of gentleness and extra sensitivity in relating to people in the different seasons. This is in contrast to religious opinions that will be detrimental to the maiden’s spiritual growth.
3. This is the same protection that the Beloved gave the young Bride in 2:7. There are seasons in God that we are in. The charge is given specifically to the spiritually dull members of the church who do not possess the fervency of the Bride. The daughters of Jerusalem were not experienced in holy passion and thus were not equipped to help the young Bride in a skillful way.
C. The solemn charge of God to operate in the Divine season
1. God is solemnly telling others not to disrupt her right now. God has her in a strategic season.
2. God does not want her to be comforted by religious opinions.
Solomon Arrives for the Wedding - Overview
A. Having been mightily blessed and deeply loved and then having her selfishness exposed, the Beloved comes to her as a Mighty Warrior to take her deeper into a Covenant relationship with Him (this is where they have their Espousals (Marriage), and we see the Wedding Procession).
B. Although it is a joyful occasion, there is much pain as she has to leave many things that have been dear to her (childhood home, etc.) and learn to open herself up, like a closed garden letting its beautiful fragrance go forth to bless many. This time, she actually ventures further and receives painful blows from those who have helped her before. But she seems willing to endure pain just to break forth out of her comfort zone to follow the one she loves.
C. This is the fourth revelation of the Beloved in the SONG. In this session, she teaches the daughters of Jerusalem her discoveries of His safe leadership (3:6-10). The incarnation and death prove that He has our good in mind.
D. The Holy Spirit asks a rhetorical question and gives a two-part answer. Then, she communicates this two-part answer to the daughters of Jerusalem.
1. The first answer is seen in V.3:7-8. The Holy Spirit uses military language to reveal how safe the people of God are under Jesus’ leadership.
2. Her second answer is seen in V.3:9-10. The Holy Spirit uses the language of a royal procession to reveal how safe the people of God are under Jesus’ leadership.
C. She exhorts the daughters to press into Jesus in light of His glorious redemption and excellent leadership (V.3:11).
1. She received the revelation of Jesus’ safe leadership when she “held on” to Him (V.3:4). The Beloved removed fear from her heart in context to her rising up (V.3:2) in obedience to be involved in the purpose of God (life in the city). She is now taking the risk of ministering to others as she rose from her bed to minister in the city.
D. Jesus is being revealed to her as a “safe Savior.” The only safe place for our hearts is in the context of 100% obedience. She reveals the fruit of her discovery in this session to the daughters of Jerusalem. She sees Jesus as the “safe savior” who provides her spiritual and physical safety on her journey through the wilderness.
E. This session proves to be a significant revelation that prepares her for the great turning place in her commitment in V.4:6-16. She believes that her heart will be safe, so she is no longer afraid of leaving her comfort zone. She knows that obedience will bring life and not death. The depth of commitment she manifests in chapters 4-8 flows out of this new insight into the Beloved’s safe leadership.
F. Many of the authority figures in our lives have not been safe. The enemy lies to us continually about Jesus, our ultimate authority figure. We can only see Him as safe from the point of view of eternity. He is omniscient. He sees the end from the beginning and, thus, knows how to lead us. This is difficult to grasp, but it is the key to understanding what is on His mind.
V.3:6a - "What is that coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke”
A. The Holy Spirit is presenting the ascension of the Beloved after His incarnation and crucifixion to grant assurance to the young Bride.
B. This is a question being asked to highlight the drama associated with Jesus' return to the eternal city. It is a rhetorical question in which the answer is obvious.
1. The question is answered in two different ways: V.3:7-8 and V.3:9-10.
2. The Holy Spirit asks the rhetorical question, and she proclaims to the daughters her discoveries of the Beloved's excellence and safe leadership and that He is not negligent in any of His leadership. He is a triumphant King who uses great wisdom and power.
C. King David asked a similar question with the same intent to draw us into the beauty, drama, and pageantry of Jesus' return to heaven.
Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:7-8)
D. The necessity of the wilderness in God's plan for the Beloved and the Bride.
1. The wilderness can speak of several things.
a. The wilderness speaks of life in this fallen age. Israel’s 40-year journey through the wilderness is a picture of our struggle in a fallen world on our way to the promised land filled with God's glory.
b. The wilderness speaks of an intense time of testing. It speaks of difficult times
c. The wilderness speaks of a time of failure and sin. The wilderness is the time when the flesh and sin wage war.
d. The wilderness speaks of a season of spiritual warfare against the enemy.
e. The wilderness is a place of encounter with God. Jesus and John the Baptist both had supernatural encounters in the wilderness.
2. Jesus was driven by the Holy Spirit to an actual desert wilderness to be tested for 40 days.
a. Jesus spent 33 years on the Earth in the wilderness of this fallen world.
He set aside the form of God, and He took upon Himself the form of creation. He leaves the eternal city to descend into a depressed, sin-ridden world filled with demons and oppression. This world is a wilderness for Him. We talk about people who are very sensitive in the Spirit, and they feel the burdens and oppressions. He walked for 33 years in perfect sensitivity. When the Holy Spirit rested on Him, His sensitivity was heightened.
b. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert fasting in the wilderness as He encountered the Father. Jesus was driven by the Holy Spirit to an actual desert wilderness to be tested and to qualify as the High Priest who could make propitiation for sin (Hebrews 2:17; Matthew 4:1-11).
c. Jesus knew the wilderness of testing in the Garden of Gethsemane and the Cross.
E. Jesus' victory over the wilderness.
1. Jesus ascended back to the Father in total victory in the resurrection, reentering the celestial glory of the eternal city. The host of Heaven witnessed Jesus coming up out of the wilderness of this fallen world after the resurrection as He took His position on the throne of glory at the Father’s right-hand.
4. Jesus returns to the ivory palaces in the eternal city.
“All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.” (Psalm 45:8)
a. The Psalm is sub-titled “the Song of Love” written in the language of the SONG of Solomon.
b. Jesus is pictured as “coming out of” the ivory palaces as He descended in the incarnation, which speaks of His life as God in eternity, Heaven, and the eternal city.
c. Jesus descended from the ivory palace to dwell in the form of a man in the wilderness of a fallen world. In the ivory palaces, His clothes were scented with the rare fragrance of the ivory palaces. When Jesus left Heaven, He came to Earth as a fragrant-filled, 100% human and 100% fully God.
d. He ascends back to the place scented with heavenly fragrances. In V. 8:14, Heaven is called the mountain of spices.
5. Jesus comes up out of the wilderness victorious in 3:6. Jesus’ victory over this fallen world makes Him a sympathetic high priest who understands our temptations.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
“…He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11)
a. He doesn’t stand at a distance, commanding us to come up to Him. He experienced human life in this fallen wilderness. He knows what we are going through in our quest to emerge victorious from the wilderness.
b. This uniquely qualifies Him to bring us to a place of safety because He understands the perilous journey. He too has traveled through the wilderness.
c. He came up out of the wilderness in victory. Therefore, we do not have to fear. He is revealing Himself to her as the One that she does not need to be afraid to obey. We are yoked to the One who conquered the wilderness. Therefore, we will conquer the wilderness with Him.
“Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” (V.8:5)
6. The same question is asked in 2 different places in the (V.3:6; 8:5).
a. The first one is Jesus coming out of the wilderness victorious. Then, at the end of her journey, she comes out of the wilderness victorious. Her victory in 8:5 is a reflection of His victory here in 3:6.
F. Jesus ascends to heaven in the glory of God.
1. He is pictured as being likened to pillars of smoke.
2. Smoke speaks of the glory and wonder of God. (Exodus 19:18; Isaiah 4:5; 6:1-4; Joel 2:28-30; (2 Chronicles 7:2; Acts 2:19; Revelation 8:4)
3. She describes Jesus as being like a pillar of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense when He ascended out of the wilderness in victory.
G. The Fragrance of the Ascended Christ
V. 3:6b - “Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense”
A. He is “perfumed” with two different things, “with myrrh and with frankincense.” Myrrh speaks of Jesus’ sufferings. It is the fragrance of His glorious death. Myrrh was a costly, fragrant burial spice. It had a double meaning: it meant death, but it also meant sweet aroma. It was a death that worked into a sweet aroma. He has accomplished the finished work of the Cross. He is perfumed with myrrh as He ascends back to God the Father’s throne. When He cried, “It is finished,” the perfume of the myrrh of God drenched Him.
1. If He suffered for her, how much more will He protect her? He is a sympathetic high priest. He experienced the perils of the wilderness. He is clothed in the glory of God again. He knows what the Cross is about, but He is also perfumed with frankincense.
2. Frankincense speaks of the fragrance of His intercession for the Saints (Hebrews 7:25). As the Jewish High Priest went into the most Holy Place with the golden censer of frankincense or incense, so Jesus entered the Holy Place in Heaven with His glorious censer, filled with intercession.
a. The bowl of incense of Revelation 5:8 is frankincense. It speaks of the prayers of the Saints.
3. When the three wise men came to Him, they came to Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They were coming to Him with three prophetic gifts, signifying what His ministry would be like. The gold spoke of His
deity and His Kingship. All three of them spoke of His life and ministry on the Earth. Some people relate them to His three offices as prophet, priest, and king.
4. Jesus’ deeds are scented with myrrh
“All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.” (Psalm 45:8)
a. He died to His human will to do the will of the Father, so His garments are scented with myrrh. He desires that our garments, our deeds, be scented with myrrh, which again speaks of that sweetness that comes out of dying to ourselves to do the will of God.
b. When He cried, "It is finished," the perfume of God’s myrrh drenched Him on that day He hung on the cross saying, "It is finished!"
5. This language is consistent with these issues in the Old Testament sacrificial system.
V.3:6c - “with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?”
A. The Holy Spirit described a third aspect of His divine fragrance. He ascended with the pillar of smoke, perfumed in myrrh and frankincense and with all the merchant's fragrant powders.
1. He spoke of the merchant as the one who sold everything to obtain the treasured inheritance. The merchant found a pearl and then sold everything for this pearl.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls.” (Matthew 13:44-45)
a. First, Jesus is this merchant who saw the pearl and sold all to have it. The pearl is His Bride, which cost Him everything to purchase. He paid the whole price, including His death upon the cross.
b. Second, we are the merchants who sell everything to follow Him.
2. The fragrant powders sold by the merchant are scented with perfume. The merchants were scented as a result of handling the expensive powders in the marketplace. This speaks of the fragrance the merchant all ove Jesus to the Father as He embraced the Cross.
B. The Beloved did all to secure our safety. He is doing everything to bring us to safety. He is not negligent or overlooking anything. His incarnation and death proved He has our good in mind (V. 6-7a). He suffered for His Bride, so how much more will He protect her in this season (Romans 8:32). He is a sympathetic high priest. He knows how to get us through the wilderness. As His Bride, we are protected by His work on the Cross and His continued intercession during our journey in the wilderness. He is safe because He is the merchant who gave up everything to redeem us. We do not need to be afraid to follow Him.
V.3:7a – “Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!
A. “Behold” indicates a startling announcement is being made. The litter (couch) of all the Ages has been prepared for all who will come freely to Him.
B. The announcement of the royal procession
1. This speaks of the Holy Spirit guarding, keeping, and protecting ministry. It is pictured in military language. Solomon’s chariot speaks of Jesus resting on His chariot and of His final triumph over all His enemies (Psalm 110; Ephesians 1:20-22).
2. “Who is coming up?” It is not just Solomon coming as God's king. It is Solomon’s litter (couch). It is His palanquin (a covered litter carried on poles on the shoulders of multiple bearers). In the Eastern world, a Bride, on her wedding day, was carried on a man’s shoulders in a sedan chair, referred to as a litter or couch.
3. It is what He produced so that His Bride could rest at His side, with His authority and affection, throughout all eternity.
a. Ezekiel 1 describes Jesus’ litter as a chariot of glory. Elijah left this world in a chariot.
C. “Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh, perfumed with frankincense, perfumed with the merchant’s fragrant powders?
1. The answer is in one sentence: “It is Solomon’s couch.” It is Jesus and His protection of the Bride!
a. He comes perfumed in myrrh, the finished work of the Cross. He comes perfumed in frankincense, His continual intercession in Heaven. He comes perfumed in the merchants’ powder, a 100% commitment to us. The whole picture of Jesus is the one providing the safety couch. The place where she would sit and rest at His side.
b. He is coming up out of the wilderness on His chariot, and sixty valiant bodyguards are around Him in a grand procession, carrying the king's couch. In the actual love story, they are coming to escort the young Bride in the wilderness back to the palace. In the spiritual interpretation, she is in the wilderness of a fallen world, being escorted to heaven.
3. The couch / chariot is coming to bring her to the wedding. Solomon sent the chariot to escort the Bride in a wedding procession. This created the smoke and dust in the wilderness. The observers proclaimed with awe, "Who is this? Oh, it is Solomon and His chariot, coming for the Bride." But in the symbolism, Jesus is the King that ascended out of the wilderness, drenched with myrrh and frankincense, and His chariot is now being revealed. The chariot that brings the maiden to the wedding feast is now revealed to the young Bride, which is the Good News! It is the place where we are seated with Him on His chariot in heavenly places.
4. Fear of 100% obedience is a significant reason why people compromise. There is, obviously, the flesh and the principle of sin in us, as well.
a. Fear of 100% obedience was her problem in V. 2:8-17. It causes many to draw back. They fear they will be hurt, left alone, or left without adequate resources. These are the accusations of the enemy against Jesus.
V.3:7b - “Around it are sixty mighty men”
A. This depicts the Holy Spirit’s guarding, keeping, and protecting ministry, which is pictured in military language. This couch has “sixty mighty men” around it, which speaks of Solomon’s ability to deal with his enemies in natural warfare. In a spiritual sense, it is talking about spiritual warfare.
B. The guard of 60 speaks of security for those on His couch. Sixty guards around one King speaks of extravagant protection. The President or King of a nation only has 20 to 30 bodyguards. So, the number 60 speaks of extravagant protection. The number 60 speaks of a sufficient army against the surprise attack of the enemy.
1. Moses' Tabernacle had 60 pillars of support. This guard of 60 men speaks of the extravagant security protection around this couch on its way to the wedding feast.
2. The Holy Spirit is a skilled warrior who can even protect us from the lions and leopards in V.4:8. The Holy Spirit uses many agencies in the grace of God. He uses intercession, Angels, the gifts of the Spirit, the
authority of Jesus’ name, the affection of the Father, the Cross of Jesus, etc. There are many ways that protection is manifest.
3. “Mighty men” speaks of Solomon’s ability to protect his Bride in the wilderness. In the Eastern world, often the enemies would try to ambush a royal procession to harm the Royal family and steal the gold from the wedding ceremony.
4. The enemy seeks to ambush the Bride, but the Beloved watches over us as depicted by the 60 valiant men guarding with great carefulness and power. In terms of the Gospel, Jesus is on the chariot with her as she experiences abundant protection from the skilled warriors. Solomon is sending the chariot to bring her to himself, as He waits in Jerusalem. He is forever with us, but still, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is protecting us until the day that we are with Him face to face.
5. The Beloved is pictured as coming up out of the wilderness with a procession around Him. The Holy Spirit surrounds the Bride on the chariot with protection during her journey through the wilderness of this fallen world. There are many ways in which the protection of the Beloved is made manifest. Being surrounded by these warriors, speak of the various ways in which Jesus protects us by His grace.
V.3:7c - “Some of the mighty men Israel”
A. They have extravagant loyalty. In other words, the protection is sure. The King used native-born, patriotic, committed, Israel-loving experts in war to guard him. “The valiant of Israel” means the best of the best because they have loyalty and are experts.
V.3:8a – “all of them wearing swords and expert in war”
A. They are mature warriors, not novices in spiritual warfare. This group of soldiers around her provided great protection. This is a military picture of extravagant protection of highly skilled warriors. It means extravagant protection on the way to the wedding feast.
B. They are mature soldiers who are experts in war. They know how to overcome every scheme of The enemy (Ephesians 6:10-12). The Holy Spirit knows how to release the grace of God, to send people to us, to release Angels. The Holy Spirit has extravagant warring abilities. He is the most excellent protector there is. He is an expert in war in whatever agency He uses.
C. The Beloved’s protection over us is passionate, skillful, and diligent. Therefore, nothing can escape His notice as the enemy plans to attack us in the Gospel couch on the way to the wedding feast (Revelation 19). The Beloved will do everything to protect us.
1. A prepared guard pictures extravagant protection
V.3:8b - “each with his sword at his thigh, against terror by night.
A. Their swords are girded on their thighs to be drawn at a moment's notice. it is not the picture of a soldier sleeping at night with his sword taken off and set aside. A sword girded on the thigh was a soldier ready for action. He was vigilant and diligent. He was on call right then, ready to take action. This speaks of diligence and effectiveness in warfare. The Beloved is asked to gird His sword on His thigh as a type of intercession for Him to prevail over the powers of darkness (Psalm 45:3).
1. The expressions of the grace of God protect like protective soldiers. Everyone has a sword on their thigh for the fear of the night. The sword girded on the thigh is a sword ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. However, when they gird their sword on their thigh, they tied it. It was ready for instant action and ready to pull it out for war.
2. The Psalm of Love describes Jesus with His sword girded on His thigh.
“Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty.” (Psalm 45:3)
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 1: 24)
B. No one can stop the delivering power of Jesus because He is able to make us stand blameless on that day with great joy and keep us if we stay within the simple boundaries and principles of the Scripture.
1. The "victorious saints" of history are really just weak, broken people who continued in the simple guidelines of Scripture, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit keeps them.
V.3:9a - "King Solomon made himself a carriage”
A. “Made Himself” speaks of Jesus’ work on the Cross. King Solomon actually made a chariot to carry His queen. The Bride sits at His side on His couch, resting and enjoying His protection as they travel through the wilderness of this fallen world on their way to the eternal wedding ceremony (see Revelation 19).
B. Redemption came from a human Messiah
1. We see the Beloved resting as He is being carried. There is no battle scene here. The war was won at Calvary. All we need to do is appropriate it by trusting-faith during every battle. The wilderness may bring fear with its real dangers lurking about, but the Beloved is resting on His chariot because He is the victor and is not worried or concerned! In the surrendered life, we carry our victorious King wherever He is leading us. We must take Him in all our circumstances and allow His character to flow out of us to those in our lives.
2. This “carriage” was not made by a God, who stayed in Heaven to observe our dilemma at a distance. Jesus had to become a man, i.e., the wood of Lebanon. He had to descend from the ivory palace to take on the human form. The wood had to come under the fire of God. This chair was made by God who was willing to become flesh and paid the price Himself.
C. The glory and the marvel is that this chariot was made of the costliest and the strongest flesh that ever walked the Earth. Jesus had to become flesh in order for this thing to work. Because He willingly set aside the form of God, He will protect you.
D. The chariot speaks of three things.
1.It speaks of the Gospel. It is the chariot (Gospel) He provided first and foremost and most prominent.
2. It is the universal church. We are the chariot that He rides on. The way that Jesus gets around in this world is through His Bride, His body. Jesus moves and gets His will done in this world through this chariot.
3. This chariot also can speak of His plan for our life. There is a course He is taking us up through the wilderness. Primarily, it speaks of the Gospel, but it also includes two other thoughts.
4. The chariot was covered in purple, the costliest color. Over 200,000 mollusk shellfish were needed to make an ounce of purple dye! It was used by royalty (Judges 8:26) and the rich (Proverbs 31:22; Luke 16:19).
V.3:9b - “from the wood of Lebanon”
A. Wood, in the language of the Old Testament, speaks of humanity.
1. Jesus is the rock. The rest of us are wood. But in this case, Jesus had to become human as the wood of Lebanon.
2. In the Temple, they would take wood and cover it with gold. Wood was strong and lasted long, although it eventually would decay and could be broken by fire.
3. The wood in the Tabernacle, covered with gold, spoke of Jesus being 100% fully man, yet 100% fully God. Lebanon had the strongest and the costliest wood in Israel. There was no wood stronger or more valuable than the cedar wood of Lebanon.
4. Jesus became like the wood of Lebanon (V.3:9a). Adam, before sin, was the choicest, strongest, most fragrant wood that could be purchased of the human race, and he could not endure the temptations of the enemy. Jesus comes in the same sinless state as Adam was originally and has victory over temptation, and that is why He is the choice wood of Lebanon in a unique way.
5. The trees of Lebanon were the strongest, most powerful, stately, fragrant, rare, and costly wood that made Solomon's Temple the habitation of the Beloved's glory. He wants His dwelling place made of redeemed humanity.
6. Jesus is called the rock when it refers to His deity. He is called the wood when it refers to His humanity. Wood eventually dies, and Jesus died in terms of His death upon the Cross. Those are the two main building materials of God's house: wood and rock, the deity and humanity. This chariot was made personally by Jesus. He didn’t stay in Heaven and decree something. He came down and made this couch.
V.3:10a - " He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple"
A. The ‘posts’ are support railings around the chariot that had a purple seat on the inside. The supports were made of gold with silver inlays. It is a protective railing around the Gospel seat made of the divine grace of God that we are all in as we go through this wilderness.
B. “Gold” speaks of the divine character. Its support is of gold. The protection is of divine wisdom and power. The protection is made so that the Bride, who is legally engaged but not fully manifested as the Bride, cannot fall out of it. God’s wisdom surrounds her at every angle, protecting her on the couch.
C. “Silver” speaks of redemption; gold speaks of divine character; purple speaks of royalty and authority. The Gospel that we rest on was planned by God. It has the very authority of the Ancient of Days behind it. who planned the making of the couch. Noone can challenge it and win.
1. We rest on a Gospel that was planned by God and has His authority. Nobody can overthrow it because it is made of His purple royalty.
2. God is motivated by His own eternal love
V.3:10b - “its interior was inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.”
A. Made “for” the daughters of Jerusalem and not “by” them. If they were the ones who paved it, that would be completely contradictory to everything happening here. It is the work of Jesus for the daughters, not the work of the daughters for Jesus.
B. “Inlaid with love” means the affections of Jesus are foundational to His redemption. God’s plans are always and only carried out through love for us. The interior, all the tapestry, of this couch, was love. The manifestation of God’s victory and purpose is only and always through love for His Bride. This Gospel, the tapestry of it. is the affection of God.
C. The interior is covered in the tapestry of love for us and woven by God because of His passionate love for weak people. He will not spare us difficulty if it will prepare us to walk in greater love, but He never trains us with too great of intensity. Notice the luxury in this chariot. God's plans are always and only carried out through love. He is as gentle as possible in His dealings. He will not spare us difficulty, but He will make it as gentle as possible. Everything that He does for us in the Gospel, even His discipline, is paved with love. The interior of the Gospel, its inner workings, is decorated by the love of God.
V.3:11a-b - "Go out, O daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon”
A. The daughters of Jerusalem are also referred to as the daughters of Zion. She uses the same method in encouraging their growth as was effective in encouraging her growth. She speaks prophetically according to who they will become.
B. "Go out” Gaze on the Beloved.
1. The principle is that the revelation of Jesus will motivate us to walk in obedience.
2. The Bride is exhorted to fix her eyes on Jesus, the triumphant one as the Beloved.
V3:11c - “with the crown with which his mother crowned him with the crown”
A. We crown Jesus as King when we respond to His Kingship in a personal way, which is manifested in billions of souls when those billion souls submit to Him voluntarily in love.
B. There is a crown that He wants more than all the other crowns. He wants the crown, which is the voluntary love of His Bride. He has many crowns, but that is the crown we crown Him with. He will be
crowned “on His wedding day.” Which is described fully in Revelation 19:5-10. That’s the crown He’s waiting for. There will be a day when the church throughout history will crown Him as King.
V.3:11d-e - “On the day of His wedding, the day of the gladness of His heart”
A. This is an exhortation for the Bride to see herself as the inheritance of the Beloved. You are a part of the Bride, the rose of Sharon. She is pleading with the daughters who are the more immature ones. He is exhorting her to see who she is as the Bride of the Beloved.
B. The final triumph is described as the wedding day between Jesus and His Bride (Revelation 19). That is when we become the Bride in fullness and when we fully give Him everything. The wedding day is called the gladness of God's heart. Jesus is presented as receiving us with the gladness of a Bridegroom.
C. As the Beloved rejoices over the Bride, so God will rejoice over you (Isaiah 62). The war with the enemy and the flesh will soon be over, and the days of temptation, conflict, and pain, as well as the times of trial and testing, will soon be over. There is a day that is coming called the day of the gladness of His heart where all of Heaven is rejoicing with great joy because it is the day of His wedding (Revelation 19:6). The Beloved Jesus is presented as receiving us with the gladness of a Bridegroom.
D. It will also be the day of gladness in our hearts as we love our eternal Beloved throughout the eternal ages. There is a day that will make your heart fully glad when we crown Him King of Kings by making Him the Beloved of all that is on our hearts.
E. This is the essential revelation of our heavenly Bridegroom King
1. As she looked upon the Beloved, she saw a new revelation of His safety and His splendor. She wants the daughters to see the same thing so they can arise like she did. She is now bringing the Gospel to others. She has seen the chariot, the wilderness, the security, the marriage day, His authority, and His affection.
2. She wants everyone to see it. She is telling the daughters, "Go forth, rise up like I did."
a. Nothing motivates us more to challenge others to obedience than facing our sins in Chapter 1, our fears in Chapter 2, seeing the crown, seeing the chariot, seeing His victory in the wilderness, and having our hearts encouraged.
b. When we face the shame of our sin and the power of our fears, we conquer them to whatever degree through the revelation of the triumph of Jesus, which gives us the power to call others to it. That is what she is doing. She is actually running with Him now. She is fully engaged in doing the work of the ministry.
3. We are to gaze on Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 12:2). The revelation of Jesus motivates us to walk in full obedience (Philippians 3:8). The Bride is exhorted to fix her eyes on the triumphant King Jesus as the heavenly Bridegroom. She looked upon Him and received fresh revelation of His safety and splendor. She now wants the daughters to receive this same revelation so they can also rise to fearless obedience. She is now bringing the message of the gospel to others.
