Bible Beds

"Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel." (Song of Solomon 3: 7 KJV)

The royal bed of Solomon! Truly worth beholding! The great king's couch that was transported about by seventy valiant men of Israel!

The Lord Jesus Christ is "king of kings," (Revelation 19: 16 KJV) and a "greater than Solomon"! (Matthew 12: 42 KJV) He too has a bed and a sofa, spiritually speaking, in which he reclines with his friends, and upon which he intimately communes with his bride.

"Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table." (Luke 7: 36 NIV)

"When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table." (Luke 11: 37 NIV)

This was the manner in which the Jews dined. They did not sit in chairs, but reclined upon couches or beds, with pillows as accessory aids in comfort. It was very sociable, dining not being a quick affair, as in today's Western society, but a slow delightful time of quiet enjoyment, not only of the meal itself, but of the fellowship and communion enjoyed with friends and with spouse.

"So they prepared the Passover. When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." (Luke 22: 13-15 NIV)

What a picture of delight! The apostles reclining at table with Jesus! A casual time of great joy! A time to be satisfied with good food and warm and exciting conversation! A time to relax and rest and enjoy the fruit that God has given! Here is another picture delightful to behold.

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10: 38-42 KJV)

Mary was reclining in the den of the home at the feet of Jesus. That was a good choice to make, that "good part" of which Jesus spoke. While Martha was in another room, in the kitchen, Mary was at Jesus' feet! She wanted to spiritually enjoy the bed with Jesus, to sup and dine with him in her heart and in the Spirit.

A bed or couch is intended for comfort and rest, and ought to be the one peaceful place a man has, if he has no other. So Job spoke of his bed and his couch as affording him comfort. "My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints" (Job 7: 13). It is therefore a really great tragedy when a man's bed and sofa can afford him no peace, rest, or delight.

"I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears." (Psalm 6:6)

"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Proverbs 26: 14)

The convicted sinner and the slothful find little rest in their beds and on their couches. Their woes and their griefs, because of sin, their guilt and shame, sap the joy out of even the one place that ought to be a kind of sanctuary from life's toil and care.

"For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it." (Isaiah 28: 20)

What a picture of discomfort! To try to sleep on a bed that is either too short or too narrow! To try to find joy from a blanket that is just too small to do its job! The beliefs, philosophies, and religions of men are fittingly represented by this most uncomfortable bed and blanket!

"He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil." (Psalm 36: 4)

"Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand." (Micah 2: 1 KJV)

Thus, the wicked and the slothful cannot even enjoy a good night's rest!

"The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." (Ecclesiastes 5: 12 KJV)

In the Bible, there are beds and couches to avoid, just as there are beds and sofas we ought to be happy to find and to enjoy. The bed of the whore is one that men ought to be careful to avoid.

"I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves." (Proverbs 7: 16-18)

"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. " (Revelation 2: 20-23)

There is a literal physical bed where men commit fornication and adultery against the laws of God. But, there is also a spiritual bed where religious hypocrites practice their idolatrous and iniquitous religion.

Rather than seeking false deities, while reclining upon our beds, and rather than meditating upon evil things, we ought to seek the Lord and meditate upon him and his works.

"By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not." (Song of Solomon 3: 1)

"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." (Psalm 4:4)

"When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches." (Psalm 63: 6)

"Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds." (Psalm 149: 5)

Those who enter into fellowship with Christ enter into this spiritual inner communion of soul that is typified in the joy, comfort, rest, and delight that comes from our beds and couches. When we are enjoying fellowship with the Lord upon our physical beds, we are mentally reclining in our thoughts, and great peace and rest is enjoyed in spirit!

"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13: 4)

There are defiled beds, and there are beds that are holy and pure. The bed of the whore and the bed of the wicked are not clean, but corrupt and filthy. The marriage bed is the only place for sexual practice.

"The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." (Psalm 41: 3)

That is such a precious promise! The Almighty himself promising to "make the bed" for his children! He promises to be with them when their beds become beds of sickness and languishing! He is able to turn such beds into beds of joy and delight!

"Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green." (Song of Soloman 1: 16)

The bed where Christ reclines with his bride! It is a green bed, because it is the place where life is enjoyed and renewed! It is the place of blessed and secret disclosure.

Friend, will you come to this green bed? Will you recline with Christ in your heart? He says to you - "Come unto me all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28) "Come, recline with me in spirit," he says to all. Will you come to him, and make your bed with him, or will you make bed with false deities, and "make my bed in hell"? (Psalm 139: 8)

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3: 20 KJV)