Solomon and His Bride
4/25/2025
The Song of Solomon is quite the love story. Some believe that it’s an allegorical picture of the love that Christ has for the Church. Others believe that it’s primarily a picture of the intimacy that a husband (in this case Solomon) and his wife share. I lean towards the latter of these two views while still recognizing that marriage reflects the love that Christ has for His own bride, the church. This book paints a picture of the joys of marriage and the unique intimacy that should only be found in the context of this union.
Let’s look at a few examples from the first chapter of the book. Solomon, speaking to his bride, says “I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels” (1:9–10 ESV). A few verses later he declares “Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves” (1:15). This poetic love story continues through all eight chapters of the book and describes the intimacy found between husband and wife.
It so happens that this Sunday’s sermon is on the topic of divorce and marriage. In Mark 10:1-12, the Pharisees attempt to test Jesus by asking Him a question pertaining to divorce. In Jesus’ response, He quotes from the first two chapters of Genesis, which describe the creation week. By quoting these early chapters in the first book of the Bible, Jesus grounds the institution of marriage in the creation order itself. From the very beginning, marriage was created by God with specific requirements. In Genesis 1:27 we read not only that “God created man in his own image” but that they were created “male and female.” In the second chapter, we read that “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (2:24–25). Let’s break down what we know about marriage from these early verses in Genesis, verses that Jesus draws upon when responding to the Pharisees’ test regarding the question of divorce.
- God designed marriage to only be between one man and one woman. Any claim to the legitimacy of gay marriage is undermined by the fact that God grounded the institution of marriage in the creation order itself. Marriage is also to be monogamous and involve the physical and emotional union of only two people, man and wife.
- Marriage involves leaving one’s parents and uniting with one’s spouse as “one flesh.” When we say “I do” our priorities shift to our spouse and that new family that’s been created.
- Becoming “one flesh” describes the union that takes place between man and wife and how a new family is born. This union involves both physical and emotional intimacy (see Genesis 2:25) and a uniting of one’s goals, ambitions, and desires. Rather than having my goals, my money, my dreams, it becomes our goals, our money, and our dreams. Both spouses make a commitment to faithfully walk together in lifelong unity. But we shouldn’t go on this journey with one another alone. We need to call upon the Lord and His guidance every step of the way.
- Marriage is to be lifelong. The first marriage in the Garden of Eden was a lasting union between Adam and Eve. Jesus affirms in Mark 10:9 that “what therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” So too, marriage today is designed to be a lifelong joining together of man and wife as they exercise dominion over God’s creation and glorify Him in all they do.
In summary, marriage is to be a lifelong, monogamous, and faithful union of one man and woman. It’s also to be characterized by intimacy as was the case with Solomon and his bride. Marriage is one of God’s many wonderful blessings that He’s given us. It’s also a beautiful picture of the gospel as the self-sacrificial love and commitment of a husband and wife is a reflection of Christ’s love for His own bride, the Church.