Song of Solomon 3:7

The King provides the bed, or litter, on which the bride travels through the wilderness. In the same way, the Christian does not travel at his own expense, or by his own ideas, but in the way God has provided. But this brings conflict. So the wilderness journey develops Christian graces, and it also calls for Christian warfare. For this we need the "valiant men."

Nothing could be plainer: Solomon is not the picture of Christ in relation to the church. David may be. I do not mean that David always is. But David may be that picture above all others, because he at least knew more of the sufferings of Christ. He shared the rejection in a way Solomon never did. Solomon knew nothing but glory. He was the man of peace. Everything, so to speak, was bright and glorious as far as Solomon was concerned. Clearly the one she looks for here is not a suffering one.

This is not the Lamb rejected on earth and glorified in another scene. That is what we Christians look for, and so we are willing now to follow Him — glad to follow Him in His path of rejection. But here it is another thing. Here is a beautiful picture of what is to be, of what belongs to Him. Sixty valiant men surround the bed, valiant men of Israel. "They all hold swords and are expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh because of fear in the night." You see, it is not yet day. She is expecting and looking for the day. You find her here, but this is a vision of the night. It is not yet day. She expects the day, looks for it, counts on it; but it has not come.

The bed is the place of rest for the bridegroom and His bride. So here it pictures that glorious rest which the redeemed remnant of Israel will enjoy together with the Lord, the Prince of peace (Solomon means peacefulness). A strong bodyguard of sixty valiant men surrounds the bed. That shows that this glorious rest of our Lord and His redeemed Israel is secure, well guarded against any power that would attack it from outside... Under Christ's mighty scepter of righteousness, redeemed Israel will enjoy peace and blessing beyond compare, and that peace will reach out and embrace the whole world too.

In the same way, the good soldier of Jesus Christ is armed with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).

What is more, we must not only be "armed" and "expert" but ready — every man with "his sword upon his thigh." It was so in Nehemiah's day: "Every man had his sword strapped at his side as he built" (Neh. 4:18). The moment of attack will give no time to strap on the sword. We must be ready to "preach the Word," in season and out of season.