THE WEDDING DAY AND NIGHT

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SONG OF SOLOMON 3:6-5:1
Lesson #04
THE WEDDING DAY AND NIGHT

• Memory Verse: Song 4:7
• The Narrative:
• Song 3:6-11 The Wedding Procession
  • Shulamith remembers the day of her wedding.
    • She was at her home in Lebanon when she heard a joyful group of people outside.
    • Solomon had sent a group from Jerusalem to collect his bride and bring her to Jerusalem. This royal procession carries Shulamith to Jerusalem for the wedding ceremony.
    • This procession follows the Jewish custom of the time regarding marriage.
      • A betrothed prospective groom would go to his father’s house to prepare a home for his future bride. Meanwhile the bride was to be spending her days preparing for her coming wedding.
      • When that home was finished, the bridegroom would gather his friends and, without warning, they would go to the bride’s house to get her.
      • Outside of her door he would call to her with a shout. Because she knew the voice of her beloved, she knew the time of the wedding had come.
      • All of their friends would follow the couple through the streets to the wedding ceremony with great rejoicing.
  • The chorus of women:“Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?” (3:6)
    • “Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. (3:7)
    • “They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.” (3:8)
      • The palace guard (60 soldiers) has brought a couch carried on the shoulders of 4 to 6 men to carry the bride to Jerusalem. It is decorated with flowers and fragrant with perfume.
      • A censer of frankincense was swung at the front of the procession and at the back to create a perfumed cloud of smoke marking the beginning and ending of the procession.
      • The palace guards are to be protectors of Solomon’s bride on this trip.
    • “King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.” (3:9)
    • “He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.” (3:10)
      • As the procession approaches Jerusalem, Shulamith joins Solomon in his, “chariot”. It is a couch made from the cedars of Lebanon.
      • It is decorated with silver (redemption) columns at the corners of the couch, gold bases to the columns, and purple curtains (royal wealth, the color of kings) to give privacy to Solomon and his love.
      • The daughters of Jerusalem decorated the chariot with perfume and flowers woven through the lattice door.
    • “Go forth, O ye 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.” (3:11)
      • It was the custom for the parents to crown the bridal couple with special festive crowns on the wedding day. This is not a kingly crown but a crown of rejoicing. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba. David, his father had already died.
      • The procession is met by the people of Jerusalem. The chorus of women from Jerusalem invites all Jewish women to rejoice in the wedding of their king.
• Song 4:1-5:1 The Wedding Night
  • Solomon: “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.” (4:1)
    • These are the same black goats with silky hair mentioned previously in chapter 1.
    • Shulamith’s hair was black.
  • “Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them. (4:2)
    • Her teeth are a pure white like sheep newly shorn.
    • Her top teeth meet her bottom teeth evenly like twins.
    • None of her teeth are missing (“none is barren”).
  • ^“Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.” (4:3)
    • Her lips are colored red with a lip cosmetic.
    • Her skin is smooth like the skin of a pomegranate and her cheeks are rosy like the color of a pomegranate.
  • “Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.” (4:4)
    • She holds her head erect with a queenly bearing.
    • Shields were hung from a tower for protection or to display victory. In other words, she is strength to him.
  • “Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies” (4:5).
    • The beauty of her body is compared to gazelles that are light and graceful animals.
    • This animal was served at Solomon’s table in 1Kin 4:23 as a delicacy.
  • “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.” (4:6)
    • You will recall that her body was perfumed with myrrh and frankincense in chapter 1.
    • These oils kept their fragrance all night.
  • “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” (4:7)
    • She is beautiful to him. Remember in the beginning she did not think she was beautiful but that her skin was too dark.
    • He expresses verbally what she needs to hear.
  • “Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.” (4:8)
    • All the images in this verse refer to the mountains of Lebanon that end in northern Israel.
    • He asks her to give up her home country and cleave to him. (Gen 2:24)
    • He promises to take her to these places on a honeymoon that would remind her of her home. Solomon had private homes in various locations.
  • “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.” (4:9)
    • One look from her beautiful eyes was enough to make his heart beat faster.
    • The chain around the neck represents commitment: his commitment to her and her commitment to him.
  • “How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!” (4:10)
  • “Thy lips, O 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.” (4:11)
    • The symbolism of honey in the Bible represents a natural sweetness and joy. (Psa 19:10)
    • The symbolism of milk in the Bible is the Word of God. (Heb 5:13)
  • “A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” (4:12)
  • “Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,” (4:13)
  • “Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:” (4:14)
  • “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.” (4:15)
  • Shulamith: “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.” (4:16)
  • Solomon: “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,…” (5:1)
  • Jehovah: “…O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” (5:1b)
    • The approval of the marriage by God.
    • The approval of sex in marriage by God.
• Theme #1: Marital Relationship:
  • In this passage of Song of Solomon, we see a legal, public ceremony that constitutes a marriage.
    • Marriage is more than just a legal ceremony or a decision to live together.
    • It is a commitment before God that is sealed by a legal ceremony and/or a piece of paper called a marriage license.
  • Read Gen 2:24. What is Biblical marriage?
    • Biblical marriage must include all three concepts on the part of both the man and the woman:
      • =1= There is a commitment to leave the parents.
      • =2= There is a commitment to cleave the spouse for life.
        • The Hebrew word “cleave” means to mutually stick together like glue.
        • The phrase in the book of Song of Solomon that is an echo of this aspect of commitment is:

“My beloved is mine and I am his…” (2:16)

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” (6:3)

• • • • • In other words, both the husband and wife commit to stand together against everyone else, including opposition and/or interference by the parents.
        • This aspect of Biblical marriage is the most important.
      • =3= Then there is a commitment to being one flesh.
        • This is the sexual consummation of the marriage. (Heb 13:4)
        • Sexual activity alone does not make two people married to each other.
    • A public testimony:
      • The believer in Jesus Christ is subject to those in authority over him. (Rom 13:1-7 1Pet 2:13-25)
      • If the government requires a legal secular license for marriage, the believer should follow the demands of the government.
      • In the Bible marriage was a public event where the commitment was made in which all would rejoice.
    • Expressions of love:
      • Salomon’s words give praise to his beautiful bride. He tells her how beautiful her body is to him.
      • He makes a date with her even after marriage. Planning time together does not end with the marriage ceremony.
  • The wedding ceremony:
    • In this book Solomon is proud of his bride. He wants everyone to know of his love for her.
      • Many people say that the wedding ceremony is a time when women celebrate, and men just passively go along for the show of it.
      • We do not see that in this book. Solomon is involved in every aspect of the wedding ceremony.
    • Why is it important for a man to be involved in the details of the wedding?
      • It demonstrates to his bride that she is special and deserves his best.
      • It is part of his public commitment to his bride.
  • Making love sexually:
    • Solomon expresses his admiration of the different aspects of her body that please him.
    • Making love is not just physical action but verbal appreciation as well.
    • The desires, responses, and needs of your spouse should always be of utmost importance. (Phi 2:3-4)
• Theme #2: God and Israel:
  • There are three Hebrew words for love in the book of Song of Solomon. These three words are distributed evenly throughout this book.
    • =1= (ahav) = This is unconditional love brought into the New Testament with the Greek word “agape”. For example, we see this word in Song 2:4.
    • =2= (rayah) = This is a word of commitment that occurs with a close, personal relationship of acceptance of another person. For example, see Song 1:5 and Song 4:7
    • =3= (dod) = This is the word that expresses intense emotions and sexual desire.
  • God expressed through the Old Testament his great love for Israel.
    • Read Hos 2:16, 18-20
    • Read Eze 16:8-14
  • God identified His people with the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey. (4:11)
  • They were to be a “garden enclosed”. (4:12) In other words, they were not to worship other gods but they were to keep their worship only for Jehovah.
    • Read Isa 61:9-11 When in Israel’s history is the fulfillment of this prophecy?
    • At the second coming of Christ in the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ Israel and God will be joined together in love through Jesus Christ.
• Theme #3: Christ and the Church:
  • The wedding procession reminds us of the event of the rapture of the church. Believers do not know when this event will occur. Neither did the Jewish bride know ahead of time when her bridegroom would come for her. For the New Testament church, this event will occur suddenly with a shout to announce the Lord’s coming.
  • Read 1Cor 15:51-52
  • To follow the Jewish wedding tradition, we see Christ make a parallel commitment to His church:
    • He will go and prepare a place for us. (Joh 14:3)
    • He will come for us with a shout. (1The 4:16-17)
    • He will elevate and honor his church to make her a beautiful bride without spot. (4:7) (Eph 5:27)
  • We can see this marriage procession in the parable of the ten virgins with lamps. (Mat 25:1-12) Some had prepared for the Lord’s coming and some had not. The oil in the lamps represents the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is only a New Testament occurrence that first occurred on the day of Pentecost (Act 2)
    • The wedding night represents the moment when a person is unified with Christ to become a born- again believer with the entrance of the Holy Spirit into the spirit of that person.
    • This intimate action makes the believer part of Christ’s bride.
      • Solomon’s praise of his bride echo’s Christ’s praise for His bride, the church:
        • Dove’s eyes = blameless (4:1)
        • Flock of goats = moving and dynamic (4:1)
        • Teeth like shorn sheep = pure and in unity (4:2)
        • Lips a scarlet thread = preaching the blood of Christ (4:3)
        • Pomegranates = Christ’s healing compassion (4:3)
        • Tower of David = strong and alert (4:4)
        • Among the lilies = peaceful heart (4:5)
        • Myrrh and frankincense = Until Christ returns He will be our savior/healer and high priest.

Myrrh = healing; frankincense = incense used in worship and prayer.

Like fragrance, our prayers and praise to him are like a sweet smell. (2Cor 2:15)

• • • • Solomon describes 9 characteristics of his bride as plants. (4:13-14) Christ gifts His bride with 9 fruit of the Spirit and 9 gifts of the Spirit: (4:13-14)
        • The 9 aspects of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:22-23)
        • The 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor 12:7-12)
  • The demonstration of Christ’s great love for his bride, the church:
    • The relationship of love between Solomon and Shulamith is described as fountain with a well of living water. (4:15) The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the believer is equally described as a fountain with a well of living water that springs up unto eternal life. (Joh 7:38-39)
    • That tremendous love from God sustains and protects the believer from the lion’s den of the enemy. (4:8)
    • She invites the north wind and south wind to blow upon her. (4:16) The wind is a Biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit like on the day of Pentecost. (Act 2:2)
    • Chapter 4 of Songs ends with Shulamith’s invitation to enjoy her presence. (4:16) This is the bride’s submission to the will of her husband in the same way that believers in Christ must submit to the will of Christ in obedience for this love relationship to flourish.

Homework
Song of Solomon 5:2-6:10

• Application of Song 3:6-5:1
  • We read in Song 4:7 and Eph 5:27 that the church is without spot. We wonder how that can be when we see so many problems in churches. Remember that love covers a multitude of sins. (1Cor 13:5-7 1Pet 4:8)
  • How can you as a believer in love with Jesus Christ and part of His bride demonstrate that unconditional love that covers a multitude of sins of your brothers and sisters in Christ?
• Preparation for Song 5:2-6:10
  • Read Song 5:2-8
    • What are some things that can possibly spoil a love relationship?
    • What are the dangers of rejecting your marriage partner?
    • What was it that spoiled the relationship between Shulamith and Solomon?
  • Read Song 5:9-6:3
    • What attitude changes are necessary to mend a love relationship?
    • What attitude changes does Shulamith make?
    • What attitude changes does Israel need to make toward God?
  • Read Song 6:4-10
    • In our relationship with Christ, what is Christ’s response to our failures?
• Memory Verse: Song 6:1