"I am my beloved’s 
And my beloved’s is mine 
He feeds His flock amongst the lilies. "

Tender father and heavenly bridegroom: according to Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, these are the two faces of God that will be most needed in the coming times.  And in the later chapters of Song of Songs, the heavenly bridegroom emerges in full force. Long before Jesus even arrived on earth in human form, Solomon gave us this wonderful prophetic picture of the fulfilment of His mission: the cherishing of His earthly bride. 

In these memorable verses, He has been fully found by His bride, and she is now finally mature and ready for Him. The earlier chapters of Song of Songs detail how He first chose her and wooed her. Back then, she would alternately seek Him and then run away, doubting her own worthiness and beauty. In those days, he needed to draw back and conceal His presence to awaken her desire to come closer. Now however, they both rest in full confidence of belonging to one another, satisfying a place in each other’s hearts that nothing else has ever come close to satisfying. She proclaims with full confidence that they belong to each other, and this place of consummate belonging has become her identity. She recognises herself in Him, for they are now equally yoked and fully joined. 

Lilies, which were engraved on the upper pillars inside Solomon’s temple, represented both purity and fertility in Biblical times. Here, they symbolise the Shepherd King’s enjoyment of her exquisite beauty. Like the ‘lilies of the field’ which Jesus references in Matthew 6, they do not have to strive or work for perfection. The flower-like bride simply rests the arms of Her beloved, fully known as His Queen. 

And this is a picture for each of us to see, feel and meditate upon by faith as we draw closer to that bridal bliss, contemplating an eternity of that ‘just married’ feeling, together with God!   

This verse can be found in the ROOTS Bible verse theme, as well as the WONDER collections. It is also contained in our FEARLESS Greeting card packs.