Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.
Song of Songs 3:6-11
Ascending From the Wilderness
(Typed 30 December 2024) The words of the passage today are exciting to read, even if they are difficult to understand. There is so much imagery in them that the mind is stimulated to form pictures as one progresses.
Reading one version of them will give you an idea of what the translator thinks is going on. Reading another version, and a completely different picture of what is presented will arise. Having said that, the more they are considered, the more confusing they can become.
Who is coming out of the wilderness in verse 6? What is the fear of the night in verse 8? Questions like these seem obvious until you read commentaries and discover there are vastly different scholarly views concerning them. You might ask, “How can that be? This is what it says.”
The NKJV, for example, doesn’t just translate the words, but they also add in extra-biblical identifiers intended to help the reader know what is going on. For example, all six verses in the passage are classified by the identifier, “The Shulamite.”
I have avoided using that term so far because her identification as a Shulamite doesn’t actually come until Chapter 6.
Another problem with saying “The Shulamite” is that the translators could be wrong. How do we know it’s not Solomon speaking? How do we know it isn’t a narrator talking about Solomon? How do we know it isn’t a narrator talking about the woman?
Text Verse: “Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
With Your glory and Your majesty.” Psalm 45:3
A passage like the one today is complicated. I was still working on the first verse two hours after I began. Several times during the day, I had to go back and retype things because I realized what I had typed initially was wrong.
Each word has been meticulously chosen to slowly and methodically reveal what is going on. To miss a single point can lead to a completely different conclusion. And even when a line of thought is considered correct, there are times where I will still say something like “Either way,” indicating that I am not entirely certain.
One might be inclined to think, “C’mon, this thing was written 2500 years ago! Enough people have looked at it to know exactly what is being said.” If you think that way, your thinking is amiss.
Typology has been evident throughout the books of Moses and the historical writings we have looked as so far. Most commentators don’t discuss that in their analyses. But in “Song the songs,” they almost exclusively focus on typology and allegory.
Unfortunately, their ideas about what is being hinted at from an allegorical or pictorial perspective are so outlandish that I don’t even bother considering them.
That tells us how difficult the words really are. Books that are specifically intended to give us typology, such as Joshua, are ignored in that regard. So far, this book only gives general hints of such things. And yet, it is almost exclusively evaluated as if this was its only purpose.
In the end, I hope you will enjoy what is presented. The typology of Christ is a bit more pronounced than some of the other passages we have seen so far. It is still a love song with vivid descriptions of the character for us to revel in.
Such wonderful things are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.
I. Dread in the Nights (verses 6-8)
6 Who is this coming out of the wilderness
mi zoth olah min ha’midbar – “Who this ascending from the wilderness?” The words “this” and “ascending” are feminine. As such, it is generally accepted that this is referring to the woman being brought forth in a bridal procession.
A minority opinion is that the next verse will explain what the “this” is while the “who” is speaking not of an individual, but as a feminine whole, such as “who is this procession.” The same words, mi zoth, are used again in verses 6:10 and 8:5 where they are certainly speaking of the woman.
Either way, being poetic, the words introduce what will only later be identified. They are intended to bring a sense of wondering and anticipation to the minds of those hearing the lines.
As for the wilderness, it is any place that is uncultivated, usually with sparse vegetation. Therefore, the contrast to the one coming out of the wilderness is highlighted. She is coming…
6 (con’t) Like pillars of smoke,
k’thimaroth ashan – “According to columns smoke?” The one coming from the wilderness is coming “according to” not “with.” As such, this may not be speaking of people actually surrounding a bridal procession with incense. Rather, it is referring to how she appears as she ascends.
When Israel came out of the wilderness, they were preceded by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Numbers 14:14). Someone in the distance may see the sight and say, “That looks like a column of smoke.”
In fact, that is how many interpret this. They say it is speaking of Israel as they were brought out of the wilderness after forty years of wanderings. That seems forced because there was one column, it was of cloud, and the word here is not the same.
This word is timarah, a word believed to be derived from tamar or tomer, both of which refer to a palm. It is a column reaching upwards like a palm. This word is found only here and in Joel 2 –
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars [timarah] of smoke.” Joel 2:30
What seems most likely is that the man is saying this woman is ascending from the wilderness like columns of smoke. It is her physical appearance as she approaches that is poetically being described. One can think of her in Mideastern robes, ascending to him. As she does, the garments move like palm fronds swaying in the wind.
With this vivid picture in mind, he continues…
6 (con’t) Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
The verb is passive: m’qutereth mor u-l’vonah – “Smoked – myrrh and frankincense.” It is as if the columns, her flowing garments, are being continuously smoked with myrrh and frankincense as she ascends, allowing the fragrances to waft upon the winds.
As was seen in Chapter 1, myrrh, mor, is an aromatic resin used in perfuming. It is derived from marar, bitter. The name gives the sense of “distilling in drops.” It was seen in Exodus 30 in the making of the special incense for burning in the tabernacle.
Myrrh comes from a shrub and can be obtained in one of two ways. The first is the purest form where it naturally exudes from the plant. This is the “myrrh of freedom,” or “free-flowing myrrh.” Inferior myrrh comes from the bark when incisions are made in it.
Myrrh is fragrant to smell, but bitter to the taste. The prominent idea that it symbolizes is love. More especially, love in an intimate union, but not necessarily sexual in nature.
Frankincense, levonah, comes from lavan, white. That is derived from lavan, to be or make white or to purify. It also signifies to make bricks because bricks whiten when they are dried. The name is perhaps given because of its white resin and resulting white smoke when it is burned.
Myrrh was used in making the holy anointing oil recorded in Exodus 30. Frankincense was used in making the incense, also recorded in Exodus 30. Both were presented to Jesus by the magi in Matthew 2:11. Along with these two, it next says…
6 (con’t) With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
Rather: mikol avqath rokhel – “From all powder peddling.” It is not that the pillars were being smoked with all of the fragrances, including these two, but these two specifically were being used by her out of all of the fragrances that the peddler sold.
The word rakal, to peddle, is a verb. It signifies to travel for trading. In this case, it speaks of the dealings of a spice merchant.
7 Behold, it is Solomon’s couch,
hineh mitatho shelishlomoh – “Behold! His bed, that to Solomon.” As noted in the previous verse, a lesser opinion concerning the passage is that the words explain what the “Who this” were speaking of –
“Who this ascending from the wilderness?”
“Behold! His bed, that to Solomon.”
The word bed, mittah, ultimately comes from a root signifying to stretch out or bend away, including moral deflection. It is feminine, so this opinion is that the whole scene that surrounds his bed is being referred to with the singular words “who this.” If this is the case, then the bed is being used in parallel with the word palanquin, which will be noted in verse 9.
This is how the NKJV translates the entire passage, meaning that all six verses are referring to the coming of Solomon. In 2 Samuel 3:31, the word mittah is used to describe a funeral bier, a bed for the dead which was being carried. Thus, this interpretation is not impossible. The palanquin would be a traveling couch for reclining rather than merely a seat.
If the previous verse was speaking of the woman, then this verse supposedly switches from focusing on her to focusing on him.
However, I argue for a third possibility. The entire passage is referring to the woman who is being brought out of the wilderness. Solomon has sent his palanquin to carry her to Jerusalem.
Whichever is correct, the meaning of the name Solomon is most likely Recompense. Of this bed of Solomon, it next says…
7 (con’t) With sixty valiant men around it,
shishim giborim saviv lah – “Sixty mighties around to it.” Whether the bed is the palanquin or not, and whether it is Solomon or the woman on it, the words here are simple enough. The bed itself is surrounded by sixty warriors. However, the word is an adjective, geber, signifying strong or mighty. Being plural, it is sixty mighties. They are…
7 (con’t) Of the valiant of Israel.
migiborey Yisrael – “From mighties Israel.” These would be specially selected men who were chosen out of the army to act as a security guard, like the honor guard who serve before the president.
8 They all hold swords,
Rather: kulam akhuze kherev – “They all seized sword.” It is not that they are holding swords, something a coming clause will refute. The word akhaz signifies to seize, often with the added idea of holding in possession. The meaning is that they all seized swords, taking the life of a warrior as their profession. Their state is…
8 (con’t) Being expert in war.
m’lum’de milkhamah – “Taught war.” Having seized the sword, meaning taking on the life of a warrior, they were then taught war. The use of participles is telling a story about them, explaining why they were selected to serve Solomon.
Because of their decision to be warriors, followed by their training and conditioning in becoming mighties, they were qualified to serve as attendants to the king. As such, they surrounded his bed…
8 (con’t) Every man has his sword on his thigh
ish kharvo al y’rekho – “Man – his sword upon his thigh.” This tells us why the translations that say they are holding their swords are wrong. They are men who have seized the sword, trained in war, and who now stand as guards around the king as his protectors. Their swords are on their thighs, ready to be grasped if necessary. They are “just in case” men…
8 (con’t) Because of fear in the night.
mipakhad baleloth – “From dread in the nights.” The word fear is not speaking of Solomon’s fear, as if he was terrified of going to sleep, so he surrounded himself with warriors. Instead, it is the object that could harm, here called fear. This is how it is used, for example, in Psalm 91 –
“You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day.” Psalm 91:5
Because of the way things are being portrayed here, the scene seems to make the most sense as being the woman, not Solomon, who is the main subject. She was pictured as ascending from the wilderness.
From there, Solomon’s traveling bed was presented to her to carry her to him. The words of this verse are given as a description of the details of her protection as she traveled.
Any terror that may come against the caravan on its way to meet the king would be dealt with by the warriors assigned to protect her. The trip from Shunem, which is believed to be the modern city of Sulam, which is in the tribal allotment of Issachar, would take 25 to 50 hours depending on how fast a person walks.
Therefore, “dread in the nights” is a term that covers the night stops along the way. Anything that may arise as a threat was of no concern as she rested while surrounded by sixty mighties. As for the number sixty, it is the product of six and ten.
Six is a number stamped with the thought of human labor. It is the number of man, especially fallen man. Of the number ten, Bullinger says –
“Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.” EW Bullinger
Consider what you see and take it to heart
Contemplate what your eyes behold
Don’t be in a rush to make a jump start
Go slow and remember what you have been told
If you want joy and gladness of heart
You will take my advice
Don’t be in a hurry to make a jump start
Consider my words once and then consider them twice
When you see true happiness, note it as such
And be patient for it to come to you
Rushing ahead is not a sound crutch
Rather, being patient is the thing you should do
II. Go Out and See (verses 9-11)
9 Of the wood of Lebanon
Solomon the King
Made himself a palanquin:
The NKJV jumbles up the clauses: apir’yon asah lo ha’melekh sh’lomoh meatse hal’vanon –
“Palanquin made, to him, the king – Solomon,
From woods the Lebanon.”
The word translated as palanquin is found only here in Scripture, apir’yon. The BDB Lexicon says there is “no plausible Shemitic etymology” for it. It’s not just that there is no Hebrew root for it, but there is no root found in any of the languages which descend from Noah’s son Shem.
Therefore, they refer to the Yule Glossary of Anglo-Indian Words where the Sanskrit paryanka, a litter-bed, is identified as the possible source. Indians descend from Japheth, not Shem. Having an Indian word still makes sense based on other words in the Song which have an eastern flavor, such as the nard of verse 1:12.
The Greek translation uses the word phoreion, coming from phero, to bear. Greeks also descend from Japheth. Due to the Japheth connection, paryanka of the Indian Sanskrit seems likely.
Due to this, it is, therefore, a palanquin large enough to lay down in. These were common in India and were often highly decorated. Someone traveling to obtain nard and other Indian items may have been questioned about the things he saw while there, and such a palanquin might have been mentioned.
That would explain the words, “Palanquin made, to him, Solomon.” He heard the idea, liked it, and so, he directed one to be made. It is speculation, but there is a similar thought presented in 2 Kings 16 –
“Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the design of the altar and its pattern, according to all its workmanship. 11 Then Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus. So Urijah the priest made it before King Ahaz came back from Damascus.” 2 Kings 16:10, 11
Of this Indian style palanquin, it is described as having been built, “From woods the Lebanon.” In other words, it wasn’t of one type of wood, but several, each having been imported from Lebanon. Notable woods from Lebanon include the cedar, cypress, and algum.
The name Lebanon comes from the same word, lavan, that frankincense is derived from. The land is identified with the white mountain, covered in snow. That then identifies the whole mountain range that crosses the area.
The narrator next turns to a more meticulous description. Not only was it made from woods of Lebanon but also…
10 He made its pillars of silver,
amudav asah kheseph – “His pillars, made silver.” Because the previous verse said Solomon made the palanquin “to him,” meaning for himself, it is as if he is fashioning his personal articles. Thus, rather than “its,” they are “his” pillars, supports, etc.
The amud, pillar, comes from amad, to stand. It is the same word used to describe the pillar that went before Israel in the wilderness, the pillars of the temple in Jerusalem, etc.
These would be pillars from the base to hold up a roof or canopy covering the bed. In the Bible, silver, keseph, consistently pictures redemption. Next…
10 (con’t) Its support of gold,
r’phidato zahav – “His spreading, gold.” It is another word found only here in Scripture, rephidah. It is derived from raphad, to spread or relax, which was used in verse 2:5, “spread me in the apples.” It is widely translated as base, canopy, covering, bottom, support, seat, reclining place, floor, rail, back, pavement, top, etc.
Those options cover pretty much the entire structure. Due to the lack of agreement, a literal translation, spreading, may be the best option. This avoids misleading the reader and it allows the mind to make its own mental images as to what it might be.
However, if I was to guess, I would go with canopy or covering for several reasons:
- There was certainly a covering, based on the fact that there are supports. But more than that, to not have a covering would be undignified, like carrying a dead person on a bier.
- It is logical to identify what the supports hold up after identifying the supports.
- No covering is otherwise described which would be a seemingly impossible omission.
- As it is what covers the palanquin, it would:
- Be an appropriate symbol for the king, meaning a covering of gold.
- Radiate the heat of the sun, keeping things cool.
- Provide a beautiful sight to behold.
- The interior is described next. One would assume the description of the outside would be finished before starting on the inside.
Next, it notes…
10 (con’t) Its seat of purple,
mer’kavo argaman – “His seat, purple.” The word merkav comes from rakhav, to ride or mount. As such, this is its rider, meaning the place where the king would sit or lie. The word is used elsewhere to describe a saddle and also chariots.
The color, argaman, signifies purple formed from a mixture of blue and red. Its meaning is thus a combination of what those two colors mean, which is the law for blue, and war, blood, and/or judgment for red.
10 (con’t) Its interior paved with love
tokho ratsuph ahavah – “His midst, tessellated – love.” Again, a word is found only here, ratsaph. Strong’s defines it as a denominative from retseph, a noun signified by a burning coal. If one were to “coal” an interior, it would thus be tessellated.
There would be repeated shapes, like a mosaic pattern, adorning the inside. This would be done with inlays, overlays, stampings, or some other way that was unique and beautiful.
Affixing the word love provides scholars with all kinds of guesswork as to what the exact intent is. Some place the word paved as being an advanced accusative, as in “paved with love.” Some say it should be taken as an adjective, “paved in a lovely manner,” or as a noun, “paved of love.”
Rather, being a noun, it is an independent thought given to describe the state of the tessellation. It is paved love. The tessellation was carefully and meticulously done with the care only a woman could provide, becoming a state of love that exists. Only with that understood as its inherent state, does it next say…
10 (con’t) By the daughters of Jerusalem.
mib’noth y’rushalim – “From daughters Jerusalem.” The women of Jerusalem may love their king, something evident in various ways. But their tessellation is a provision of love expressed to him.
To understand, we can all know that God loves us because of His care for us. He sent Jesus who is as love from Him. The crucifixion of Jesus was accomplished with love from Him. However, if in our minds we look at the cross with the beaten, bloody, and dead body of the Lord on it, knowing what it signifies, we can rightly say that Jesus is crucified – love.
If somebody asked us what we were looking at, we could respond, “That is love. It is from God.” Likewise, every time Solomon got into his palanquin, he could express the same thought, “This is love. It comes from the daughters of Jerusalem.”
That thought becomes a perfect segue to the next words…
11 Go forth, O daughters of Zion,
ts’enah ur’enah b’noth Tsiyon – “Go out and see! Daughters Zion.” Scholars seem in agreement that these are not the same women as the daughters of Jerusalem just mentioned. But that seems like a giant stretch. Rather, the words are being presented synonymously.
They were just noted as having tessellated love. Now, rather than repeating the same designation, they are redesignated for emphasis. The women of Jerusalem are the daughters of Zion.
The name Zion, even if not originally Hebrew, is believed to come from the same root as tsiyun, a signpost, meaning a monumental or guiding pillar, or tsiyah, dryness or drought.
Therefore, it is translated as either Very Dry or Signpost. The connection between the two words is not as disparate as it may seem. In an arid location, something standing would be conspicuous.
11 (con’t) And see King Solomon with the crown
ba’melekh sh’lomoh – “In the king Solomon.” These words are connected to the words “and see” of the previous clause, “Go forth and see…in the king Solomon.” The word raah means to see. However, this is as often as not a way of expressing something more abstract, such as considering, deeming, understanding, etc.
God saw that each step of the creation was good. Eve saw that the tree of life was good for food. Yehovah came down to see Babel as to what was going on there.
If these women were just called to see Solomon, it would have said so, “Go see Solomon.” However, it says, “in the king Solomon.” They are being asked to consider what they see, evaluating him…
11 (con’t) With which his mother crowned him
baatarah sheit’rah lo imo – “In the crown that crowned, to him, his mother.” This is not referring to the crown of his coronation, but a wedding crown, as will be noted in the next clause. Repeating the word “in” means that what they are to consider continues this first thought –
Go forth and consider –
in the king Solomon
in crown
A particular point in Solomon’s life is being highlighted. The crown refers to the one that his mother crowned him with…
11 (con’t) On the day of his wedding,
b’yom khathunato – “In day his wedding.” It is a word found only here as well, khathunnah. It is derived from khathan to give away in marriage, and thus to contract affinity by marriage.
Solomon may have been crowned with many crowns. He may have gotten a crown for being the best wrestler at Zion High School. He may have gotten a crown for best archery skills at Ir David College. He may have gotten crowns from other kings for various reasons.
However, the daughters of Jerusalem are being pointed toward considering Solomon for a particular crown that highlights a particular event –
Go forth and consider –
in the king Solomon
in crown
in day his wedding
But even that isn’t the end of the “ins.” Solomon eventually had lots of weddings. 1 Kings 11 says that he had three hundred wives. Many of them were certainly arranged marriages. However, there is one wedding that stands out. We know this because it is recorded in “Song the songs.” It was…
*11 (fin) The day of the gladness of his heart.
u-v’yom simkhath libo – “And in day cheerfulness his heart.” Solomon truly loved this woman. His heart was cheerful at the thought of marrying her. He may have married other women in order to make an alliance, but if the daughter presented to him was a dud, he probably wouldn’t be very cheerful about the union.
However, this is the woman that stole his heart. They are being asked to consider this –
Go forth and consider –
in the king Solomon
in crown
in day his wedding, and
in day cheerfulness his heart
This meticulously worded sentence is intended to take us back to verse 3:5 –
Adjured you, daughters Jerusalem,
In gazelles or in does the field –
If wakens and if awakens the love,
Until she inclines.
A man might marry many women, but a woman was set to marry just one man. The adjuration was made to the women. These words are a concrete example of why a woman should be patient and not stir up love.
Solomon had plenty of chances to get married, but he had one marriage that was set apart from all others. The daughters of Zion, who are the daughters of Jerusalem and who had tessellated love for Solomon, are being instructed on what love is.
What thing can we do to purify ourselves?
Is there something that will make God favor us?
Or should we put our deeds up on the shelves
And simply trust in the work of Jesus?
We are already stained with sin
So it appears there isn’t much we can do
In fact, it seems we are already done in
Isn’t there some way we can start anew?
It is certain that Jesus is the only way
That’s what the word says, claiming it’s true
If you want reconciliation on that Day
Call on Jesus! He will carry you through
III. Christ in the Contents
The ongoing narrative has placed the woman, the beloved, as a type or picture of the redeemed of the Lord. She is ascending from the wilderness, a place of God’s grace and of closeness to Him, but also a place of testing.
Out of all of the fragrances of the peddler, she is smoked with myrrh and frankincense. Myrrh speaks of bitterness. Frankincense refers to the process of purification but also of works. Both are derived from Jesus’ work on the cross. It is He who suffered for His people. It is His works that provide purification for them.
It next noted Solomon’s bed. As was seen, the root word indicates stretching out and is inclusive of the idea of moral deflection. Christ’s grave would signify such a place. It is the place where man’s sin was ultimately disposed of.
The sixty mighties form a unified picture of Christ’s work. They are from the mighties of Israel, an apt description of the mighty spiritual men of Israel, but these sixty, anticipating the Lord, together seized the sword. Christ is the ultimate warrior who seized the law and held onto it.
Remembering the typology from many previous sermons, the kherev, sword, is identical in spelling to Horeb, the mountain of the law and, thus, emblematic of the law – חרב. The only things that makes the two distinguishable are the later added vowel points.
It doesn’t say they all seized swords. Rather, they all seized sword. Christ was taught the war of law. He seized it and prevailed over it. With that, it then said, “Man – his sword upon his thigh.” The words are excitingly reflected in Psalm 45:1, our text verse.
The bed, the palanquin as it is later described, was guarded “From dread in the nights.” It is a note of the protection of the Lord because He is the Fulfiller of the law. The one who is watched by Him is secure. That is reflected in the first words of Psalm 91 –
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.’” Psalm 91:1, 2
This psalm was cited earlier to show that the “dread” was not a personal feeling but the object of dread. The number of warriors is also an anticipation of Christ.
Sixty is a product of six and ten. It speaks of His human labor under the law in the appearance of fallen man (6) who completed everything necessary for His redeemed, demonstrating that nothing is wanting and the whole cycle is complete (10).
The focus next changed, describing the palanquin. It is a carrier for a king, but which is used for conducting His betrothed. It was first described as being made from “woods the Lebanon,” meaning its trees.
Trees are given as an identification of something. The olive tree has its own symbolism. The cedar, cypress, and oak, each have particular symbolism. The trees of the Lebanon, not being further defined, are thus identified by Lebanon.
As seen, it has the same root as frankincense. Thus, these trees signify what Lebanon signifies, works leading to purification. As this is the king’s carrier, anticipating Christ, it would anticipate the works of Christ as the carrier of the one inside.
It is Christ’s works, not those of the redeemed, that allow them to be carried to Him. The pillars, standings, of silver anticipate the firm redemption of the Lord. They remain (stand) and endure because of His redemption.
That is then highlighted by the rephidah, the spreading. I argued it was a canopy. However, regardless of what it actually is, the gold speaks of Christ’s kingship and deity. That is the support which ensures that His works and redemption are capable of restoring us to God – because He is God.
The rider, the merkav, is that which carries or transports. Its only description was that it is argaman, a mixture of blue and red. It speaks of Christ’s embodiment of the law (blue) and His death in fulfillment of it (red) where judgment was rendered. It is that which carries the redeemed.
The last description was “His midst tessellated – love.” It is a description of the sum total of the mosaic of Christ’s existence, His inner being, which is love. This was said to be “from daughters Jerusalem.”
The form of the word, mib’noth, from daughters, is found sixteen times. In all the other fifteen times, it is not referring to “from” as in “this came from her” but “out of” as in “she is from (out of) the daughters of Israel.” Taken in this manner, it would say, “from the daughters of Foundation of Peace.”
Reading it in that manner exactingly describes Christ as the product of the line leading to His incarnation. God set forth the Foundation of Peace in the women in Christ’s genealogy, many of whom are noted in Scripture, such as both daughters of Lot, Tamar of Genesis 38, Rahab the Harlot, etc., leading finally to Mary.
The final verse was its own implied adjuration. The daughters of Zion, Signpost, were essentially being instructed to behold Solomon in the day of his wedding and to consider what they saw through the carefully constructed words.
Solomon, Recompense, is being given as a type of Christ, the Recompense of the Lord for the sins of man. He is the fair payment required for restoration to be realized.
The hints of Christ and the redeemed are being seen throughout the book. It explains why the book is read each Passover.
The roots of each selected word keep pointing to the Person and work of Christ, culminating in the cross. The Passover was given in anticipation of that event. And so, when the Jews read this book each Passover, it is a call for them to see the true “Song the songs.”
Jesus, His life and work, culminating in the cross, is the highest expression of God’s love. They should recognize this each Passover and consider what God has done. As a nation, that has not yet happened. But someday, it will take on a new life that will excite them all their days.
For those who know Jesus, we can read this book and understand that the greatest love song ever written is an event in history that centers on the coming of Jesus to restore us to God. What a marvelous song it is. Thank God for Jesus Christ who makes intimate and eternal union with God possible.
Closing Verse: “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
Next Week: Song of Songs 4:1-6 It is amazing, four sure, and it is intense… (Myrrh and Frankincense)
The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He alone is the perfect example of love – untarnished, unblemished, and completely pure and holy. He offers this love to you. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.
Song of Songs 3:6-11 (CG)
6 Who this ascending from the wilderness,
According to columns smoke?
Smoked – myrrh and frankincense,
From all powder peddling.
7 Behold! His bed, that to Solomon –
Sixty mighties around to it,
From mighties Israel.
8 They all seized sword –
Taught war.
Man – his sword upon his thigh.
From dread in the nights.
9 Palanquin made, to him, the king – Solomon,
From woods the Lebanon.
10 His pillars, made silver,
His spreading, gold,
His seat, purple,
His midst, tessellated – love
From daughters Jerusalem.
11 Go out and see! Daughters Zion,
In the king Solomon,
In the crown that crowned, to him, his mother,
In day his wedding,
And in day cheerfulness his heart.
Song of Songs 3:6-11 (NKJV)
6 Who is this coming out of the wilderness
Like pillars of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all the merchant’s fragrant powders?
7 Behold, it is Solomon’s couch,
With sixty valiant men around it,
Of the valiant of Israel.
8 They all hold swords,
Being expert in war.
Every man has his sword on his thigh
Because of fear in the night.
9 Of the wood of Lebanon
Solomon the King
Made himself a palanquin:
10 He made its pillars of silver,
Its support of gold,
Its seat of purple,
Its interior paved with love
By the daughters of Jerusalem.
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.
