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The overcoming lover of Christ not only has a future that is full of hope and a life that is absolutely heavenly, but she is also a victor who constantly triumphs in her victory (3:7-8).
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A terrible army signifies that the Lord's overcomers terrify God's enemy, Satan (6:4, 10):
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The enemy is frightened by the church that is built up as the city of God (Neh. 6:15-16; Psa. 102:12-16).
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Satan is not afraid of individualistic Christians, even if they number in the thousands, but he is terrified of the church as the Body of Christ, the corporate warrior fighting against him and his kingdom (Eph. 6:10-20).
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David typifies the warring Christ in the midst of sufferings (1 Sam. 25:28), and Abigail typifies the warring church in the midst of sufferings (vv. 2-42):
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From 1 Samuel 25 onward, Abigail was always at the side of David the warrior and followed him in his wars (vv. 40-42):
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Abigail's marriage to David typifies the church enlisted as an army for warfare (Eph. 6:10-20).
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Abigail typifies the warring church, fighting for God's kingdom in the midst of sufferings (Rev. 1:9; 11:15; 12:10).
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The type of Abigail portrays the church's participation with the Lord Jesus in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-20):
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Not only must God's eternal purpose be fulfilled and the desire of His heart be satisfied, but God's enemy must be defeated; for this, the church must be a warrior (1:11; 3:9-11; 6:10-12).
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Spiritual warfare is necessary because Satan's will is set against God's will (Matt. 6:10; 7:21; Isa. 14:12-14):
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Spiritual warfare has its source in the conflict between the divine will and the satanic will.
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As the church, our fighting is to subdue the satanic will and to defeat God's enemy (Rev. 12:11).
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The purpose of spiritual warfare is to bring in the kingdom of God (v. 10).
Morning Nourishment
Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil.Matt. 6:10 Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.
God has no intention for His believers to possess only the heavenly beauty without possessing a warring nature. The heavenly warfare is never abated before the Lord.
Believers ought to be lovable and terrible at the same time. Believers today have lost their loveliness before the Lord, and they have lost their terribleness before the enemy and the world....The Bible often mentions the terribleness of the Lord; He is terrible because He is holy. If we maintain our holiness and victory, we will see the enemy retreating and the world standing back.
Not only does [the bride] have a future that is full of hope, and a life that is absolutely heavenly, but she is a victor who constantly triumphs in her victory. She is "terrible as an army with banners." She goes from victory to victory. (CWWN, vol. 23, pp. 97, 101)
When she becomes Tirzah and Jerusalem, something is built up to show God's beauty and God's loveliness. At that time God's enemy trembles because this little country girl has become an army with banners. A terrible army signifies that these overcomers of the Lord terrify God's enemy, Satan, and become terrible in the eyes of God's people. An army fights the battle for God's kingdom in the degradation of God's people to be the overcomers answering the Lord's call. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, "Crystallization-study of Song of Songs," p. 347)
Today's Reading
Not only is the church the Body, the new man, the bride, the family, the kingdom, and the dwelling place; the church is also the warrior to fight against God's enemy. God's enemy, Satan, is terrified of such a church. Satan is not afraid of individualistic Christians, not even if they number in the thousands. But whenever the believers come together as the church in the aspect of the Body and in these other aspects, Satan trembles. By the church in these seven aspects Christ is expressed, the Father has rest, and the enemy is defeated. May we all see the vision that the church is not a matter of individual holiness or spirituality. On the contrary, it is a matter of being built up together....As such a church, we defeat the enemy and prepare the way for the Lord Jesus to come back. (Life-study of Ephesians, p. 627)David typifies the warring Christ in the midst of sufferings; thus, his wife Abigail typifies the warring church in the midst of sufferings. From 1 Samuel 25 onward, Abigail was always at the side of David the warrior and followed him in his wars. Hence, she typifies the warring church, fighting for God's kingdom in the midst of sufferings. (Three Aspects of the Church, Book 1: The Meaning of the Church, p. 106)
In the universe there are three wills: the divine will, the satanic will, and the human will. If we would know how the church can be God's warrior to engage in spiritual warfare, we must know these three wills, these three intentions. God's will, being self-existing, is eternal, uncreated. As created beings, the angels also have a will. One of these angels, an archangel, was appointed by God to rule the universe that existed before the creation of Adam. Because of his high position and his beauty, this archangel became proud. This pride gave rise to an evil intention, which became the satanic will. Therefore, in addition to God's intention, God's will, there is a second intention, a second will, for now the satanic will is set against God's will.
Not only must God's eternal purpose be fulfilled and the desire of Christ's heart be satisfied, but God's enemy must be defeated. For this, the church must be a warrior. Even in the Song of Songs we see that as the seeking one enjoys the Lord's presence, the fighting is going on. Therefore, we walk according to truth and by grace, we live in love and light, and we fight to subdue the satanic will. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 527, 529-530)
Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msgs. 213-215, 218