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SOLOMON.S09
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Study No. 9
SONG OF SOLOMON
RESTORING TRUE LOVE - Chapter 3:6 - 11
Introduction
In the previous section she was not prepared to be involved in
this new activity of the King and He went without her, leaving
her to her religion without His presence. Now she goes with Him.
i) In the first part of this section (3:6-11) the Shulamite is
never mentioned and is not seen at all. However, it would
be incongruous to think that having succeeded in bringing
her out from her wall and having her reciprocate His love,
the King would then leave her.
ii) She is actually there, but now never mentions herself. She
is co-operating with the next move of the King, but
emphasizes only Him. Her life is as Col. 3:3 - "dead (to
herself) and hid with Christ in God".
iii) The King had called her His Dove. The Holy Spirit as a
dove never speaks of Himself, but only of Christ - John
16:13-15, and the Bride is now filled with the Holy Spirit
and seeks to magnify the glory of the King alone.
3:6 - "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars
of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all
powders of the merchant?"
a) She is the speaker in this section, drawing the attention of
others to the majesty and provisions of the King (who is
this), and in so doing produces a great change in those less
committed.
b) This section (v.6-11) is a royal procession and related to
the public revelation of what has been a personal experience
between them. While they have been married and the King had
taken her into His chambers (1:4), it was not put on public
display. Now that she has put the major obstacles to their
relationship behind her, she is able to share with Him in
this outward manifestation of His glory and her
identification with Him.
c) "coming out of the wilderness..."
Because she is now in Him, she is able to leave the
wilderness of her past regression and failure. The King had
called her to rise up and come away (2:10) and she is now
putting the past behind her.
i) The wilderness is a place of wandering and futility.
Israel spent almost 40 years wandering there. There will
now be a purpose to her life and no more senseless
circuits of the sands of selfishness.
ii) The wilderness bordered on Egypt which is a type of the
world. Her refusal to obey the King had made her a
neighbour of the world.
d) "like pillars of smoke..."
The pillar of cloud - the manifestation of God's Shekinah
glory which led, covered and protected Israel in the
wilderness. The Shulamite is identified with the King
and His glory is now hers. She is coming out of
regression a totally new woman in attitude and ability.
e) She, through her associations with the King - being hid in
Him, becomes affected by His odours. The smell of Him is on
her.
i) Myrrh - His suffering and death, is re-emphasized to her
at this time as she seeks to rebuild on the foundations
of her life. She has taken Him to the chamber where she
was conceived and now feels the need to draw upon both
His redemptive work for her and His example to totally
deal with her past religious pre-occupation and her
selfishness by a sacrificial life herself (Rom. 12:1).
1 Peter 2:21,41.
ii) Frankincense - was part of the incense of the Tabernacle
(Ex. 30:34), and was used both at the Altar of Incense
for worship to God and as part of the sacrifices - Lev.
2. On both occasions it was fire which released its
pleasant odour as an offering to God. The relationship
of the Bride to the King is maintained by prayer, but
this prayer is not the routine of a religious exercise.
It is the effectual, fervent (or burning) prayer which
satisfied Him (James 5:16). She is now under the pillar
of smoke and His fire is working in her to produce a
fervent relationship, rather than one that is luke-warm.
Rev. 3:16.
3:7 - 10 - "Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore
valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
They all hold swords, being expert in war; every man
hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the
night. King Solomon made himself a chariot of the
wood of Lebanon. He made its posts of silver, the
bottom of it of gold, its covering of purple, the
midst of it being paved with love, for the daughters
of Jerusalem."
a) "Behold his bed"
i) It has started out as "our bed", then through the time of
her withdrawal from Him it became "my bed". Now it is
"His". In order to avoid the danger of once again taking
His blessings and excluding His presence she swings to
the opposite emphasis and continues to talk only of the
King.
ii) This bed is best described as a palanquin or litter -
similar to a sedan chair. It was a means of travel by
the monarchs of ancient times and was borne upon the
shoulders of men. It is also called a chariot (v.9).
This is really a picture of the Ark of the Covenant being
carried on the shoulders of the priests. It was directly
over this Ark that the Shekinah glory cloud hovered when
God was on the move, leading Israel through the
wilderness.
iii) They are coming up out of the wilderness together in the
palanquin. It speaks of both rest and progress. She
had previously clutched at the rest of total inactivity
and regression to past experiences. Now they are making
progress into something more of a revelation of both the
King and His purposes. True rest in God is never
regression or inactivity, but confident faith in Him,
which releases us from having to pull strings and
manipulate our environment to our ends.
b) "...threescore valiant men are around it..."
i) The genealogy of Jesus contains 60 generations - ie. 60
male ancestors.
Luke 3:34-38 lists 20 generations from Adam to Abraham.
Matthew 1:2-16 lists 14 generations from Abraham to
David, another 14 from Solomon to Jeconiah, and there are
a further 12 from Solathiel to Joseph - Jesus' pillars of
the Tabernacle's Outer Court.
These threescore men around Solomon's bed are for
security. The greatest security we have is in the face
that Jesus is truly human as well as divine, and His
genealogy connects him to Adam, the human father of us
all. During the night of our physical separation from
Him, we have a truly human High Priest in the heavenlies
who fully understands our need and was tempted in all
points like as we are. He is touched with the feelings
of our infirmities. (Heb. 4:15-16)
ii) A further level of protection that Jesus has set in His
Church are the Ascension Gift Ministries, which God has
established as the Government of His people. Heb.
13:7,17. There are 5 of them (Eph. 4:11). Twelve is the
number of perfect Government. (There were 12 original
apostles. Note also the 12 apostles of the Lamb - Rev.
21:14. 12 and 5 are the factors of 60. These
appointments of the Lord are empowered by His own
abilities - swords on their thighs. This is spoken of
the King Himself in Ps. 45:3.
iii) In addition to the true humanity of Christ and the
leadership of His Church being a security to us in the
night, God has provided His "mighty men" of angelic hosts
to protect us.
Note all of Psalm 91 (especially v.11). Ps. 34:7.
Heb.1:14.
c) Solomon's palanquin was constructed of:
i) wood (cedar) of Lebanon - again emphasizing the real
humanity of our heavenly bridegroom.
This wood was the framework of the chariot or litter and
it shows us that the physical nature of Jesus is the
framework upon which all of the redemptive work He has
done for us depends. He did not come to us as God, but
laid aside His heavenly glory and took upon Him the form
of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.
Phil.2:7-8.
ii) Silver columns or struts. These gave the litter
stability and strength and kept it in shape. The reason
for Christ's coming was to accomplish redemption. He
didn't come to live a good human example for us. He was
born to die. (Silver is a type of redemption money was
used to make the supports for the timber walls of the
Tabernacle.) Redemption gave His humanity shape or a
reason for being.
iii) Gold - various commentators disagree whether this was the
bottom, back, or canopy. Strong interprets the Hebrew
"rephidah" as railings. This would cause the rider to be
covered and secured by gold, which is a type of Deity.
The redemptive work Christ came to do was not done by
human energy at all, although He was perfectly human and
humanly perfect, but God was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself (2 Cor. 5:19) and it is this same
quality of Deity which is the transforming factor in the
Bride. Gal. 2:20. God overshadows and transcends every
human ability.
iv) Purple seat (covering) or throne. This colour
specifically represents Kingship. The bride is seated
with the King in heavenly places by faith and love during
the "night season". He is now reigning - all things are
under His feet and He is seated (Eph. 2:6 and 1:20-22).
His authority is established by the Bride's restoration
and rest in Him and the progress that is being made in
their relationship and joint ministry is dependent on the
wood, silver, gold and purple. Jesus didn't operate on
earth as God, but as a human being anointed of the Holy
Spirit and by His Father's authority. Acts 10:38. The
Church's progress and activity depends on exactly the
same formula.
v) The revelation of the King and the bride in "His"
palanquin typifies the Church's means of locomotion on
the earth - ie. as He is lifted up and glorified, so all
men are drawn to Him.
d) It was paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem (or
inlaid with love by these daughters of Jerusalem - as most
translators express this section).
i) They are changing. The devotion of the Bride for the
King is gradually affecting them and inspiring these
carnal and settled believers to a new desire for the
King. They are now concerned with His glory and
progress.
ii) In fact the next verse (3:11) calls them the daughters of
Zion. This is the only time in the book that this term
is used and it shows the King's intention to bring them
into a Bride relationship. Zion is that special place in
Jerusalem where the presence of God was on open display
in David's Tabernacle - 2 Sam. 6, and 1 Chron. 15.
3:11 - "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon
with the crown with which his mother crowned him in the
day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of
his heart."
a) These daughters of Jerusalem who can become the daughters
of Zion, (they are never spoken of in this way again -
showing that it is possible for them, but depends on
their response) are challenged by the Bride to go forth
and behold King Solomon. It was seeing Him which had
changed her from a member of His Kingdom to one loving
Him and earnestly pursuing the King in the first
instance, and it is the place where they must begin also.
b) Most of this fallen human race, through His redemptive
work, is, or will be, redeemed and become His crown. It
is the saints who cause Him to be admired and glorified
in His Second Coming when He will be united to them in
the Marriage Supper of the Lamb - the day of His wedding
and the gladness of His heart. Note 2 Thess. 1:10, and
1 Thess. 2:19.
END of STUDY NINE
