As we waltz through the rest of chapter 3 and into chapter 4, we rapidly approach the moment this couple has waited for: their wedding night.
He
6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from all the spices of the merchant?
7 Look! It is Solomon's carriage,
escorted by sixty warriors,
the noblest of Israel,
8 all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.
9 King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10 Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11 come out,
and look, you daughters of Zion.
Look on King Solomon wearing a crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
the day his heart rejoiced.
He [Chapter 4]
1 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from the hills of Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
not one of them is alone.
3 Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
are like the halves of a pomegranate.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David,
built with courses of stone;
on it hang a thousand shields,
all of them shields of warriors.
5 Your breasts are like two fawns,
like twin fawns of a gazelle
that browse among the lilies.
6 Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
and to the hill of incense.
7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling;
there is no flaw in you.
Chapter 3:6-11 speaks of King Solomon. As you may know, Solomon was a majestic and prosperous king. If you think Kate Middleton and Prince William's wedding was somethin' fancy, there is no comparison to King Solomon's entourage. Just reread the verses with the descriptors about the royal wedding:
Sixty mighty men surrounding him
A fancy bed (or a type of carriage) — posts of silver, the roof of gold, its interior seat of purple.
Wearing crowns
Just a reminder that Solomon was not in a monotonous relationship. He had hundreds of wives and concubines (1 Kings 11:3) — which ended up causing him to stray from the Lord.
The adornment and eloquence of Solomon's procession would've been breathtaking, to say the least. Yet, the Shepherd and country girl who captivated us with their love conversation in chapter 1 are nearing their consummation moment, and money can’t buy love — especially the holy and divine kind.
As we retrace our steps, Chapter 1 began with a woman expressing her desire for the man of her dreams. And, he wanted her just as bad. That said, they both wanted the blessing that would come only with pursuing God's best, inclusive of His timing. They sought godly people's counsel in their community ("fox catchers"), her parents' blessing, and observed proper boundaries.
In Chapter 4, the attention is no longer on Solomon's majestic description. It shifts to the bride, just as it does in our wedding ceremonies today. The audience anxiously awaits the bride's entrance, and as she enters, the attention shifts away from the groom. We stand in awe. And, we sing, for Song of Songs is a love song.
The shepherd man sings of the splendor he sees. My oldest son read some of the words this man said and asked me if I would send this to daddy:
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from the hills of Gilead.
Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
not one of them is alone.
I wouldn't recommend you use these words for your Valentine. A more modern interpretation might be, "Your hair is beautiful and flowing. You brushed your teeth, and you have none missing!"
He begins to describe her beauty — seven attributions, which signifies the number of perfection. She is altogether beautiful to him, and he wants her to know it. We talked about the necessity of words of affirmation, particularly for the life of a woman. This world speaks a narrative to us each day, and the only way to counter-act that narrative is to hear God's instead.
What does the Lord say about you? What words does He speak over you? Here is a list of Scriptures of what God's Words say about you, beloved. Write them on a 3x5 card and tape them next to your computer, in your car, or another prominent place. We must continue to saturate ourselves with the identity Christ has given us.
God's Word is transformational. It's supernatural in that when we hear it, we are changed from glory to glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
A fundamental way the Holy Spirit speaks to us is through remembrance. He helps us remember and recall God's Word. Therefore, we must hear God's Word, and through the process of hearing, our faith is strengthened.
Lord, You say in John 10 that Your sheep hear Your voice. Tune my ears to hear from You. Holy Spirit, bring to remembrance the Words of God's Truth so that I may be transformed by You each day. Amen.