What are we actually looking at here? I have said it was the Shepherd King coming up out of the wilderness from his time apart from His maiden, but what is the procession?

What is this coming up from the wilderness
Like columns of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all scented powders of the merchant?

Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon;
Sixty mighty men around it,
Of the mighty men of Israel.
All of them are wielders of the sword,
Expert in war;
Each man has his sword at his side,
Guarding against the terrors of the night.

King Solomon has made for himself a sedan chair
From the timber of Lebanon.
He made its posts of silver,
Its back of gold And its seat of purple fabric,
With its interior lovingly fitted out
By the daughters of Jerusalem.

Song of Songs 3:6-10

I actually believe we are seeing the wedding ceremony here. It is the marriage of the great Shepherd King and His lovely Shulamite.

We have see the maiden, representing the love struck believer growing in her devotion to Jesus over the last few chapters. Now we see, rather than wooing her to go out with Him in the uncertainty she had before, He is exposing all His grandeur, all His splendor.

Until now we have mostly seen Him represented as a beautiful Shepherd who has flocks and herds, and shepherds working with and for Him.

But today, the true nature of who He is comes out.

He is the King, and the Lord of a great army of many powerful warriors. I love how the Message Bible translates that old familiar “Lord of Hosts” as “Lord of the angel armies.”

Here the King has come, not only to reassure His bride, but to completely overwhelm all her fears and concerns.

She is not entrusting herself into a mere shepherd who might be taken by some terror of the night. Not even close. He command armies, and has access to unlimited resources. He is a trustworthy protector and provider.

He is showing her here that in terms of His relationship with her, He is all in. He is offering His hand and all that He commands to stand with Him as He offers Himself to her.

So it is with you beloved. This day, the King of Kings, the Great Shepherd, the Maker and Ruler of all things stands before you in all His splendor, and says “Will you marry me?”

So I ask you – Do you take This Man to be your lawfully wedded Husband?

I urge you to say “I do.” No really – say it out loud – right now, I DO!

Thanks for coming by today.

Have a great honeymoon!

Ben

I would love for you to check out one of my favorite posts at Another Red Letter Day.