The Intent of Marriage - Song of Solomon 3-4

Song of Songs 4:8 (ESV)
Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;
come with me from Lebanon.
Depart from the peak of Amana,
from the peak of Senir and Hermon,
from the dens of lions,
from the mountains of leopards.

In Genesis, at the beginning of God’s creation, God said this about the man and the woman:

Genesis 2:24 (ESV)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

It goes without saying, in a marriage relationship, there is a unity of the man and the woman.  In God’s order, that unity begins with a separation.  The woman is separated from her parents/family.  That is probably either a foreign concept or an offensive concept to the world we live in today.   Never-the-less, that was God’s design.  In the above passage, the dialogue between Solomon and his bride, Solomon is compelling the bride to leave her familiar surrounding and to come with him.   The surroundings she comes from is a mountain region, in northern Israel.   The mountains mentioned would indicate she comes from a rugged places.  The mention of lions and leopards would indicate she comes from a dangerous place.   The groom (Solomon) is inviting her to come to him and live with him.   Solomon is inviting her to a place of beauty and safety:

Song of Songs 3:6-10 (ESV)
What is that coming up from the wilderness
like columns of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?
Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!
Around it are sixty mighty men,
some of the mighty men of Israel,
all of them wearing swords
and expert in war,
each with his sword at his thigh,
against terror by night.
King Solomon made himself a carriage
from the wood of Lebanon.
He made its posts of silver,
its back of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior was inlaid with love
by the daughters of Jerusalem.

This is the marriage theme as established by God.   The two are separated from their family and are untied in love and safety for each other.   God intended for this separation from family to take place.   He replaced one type of love (family love) for another (marriage love).