Outline
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In Song of Songs we see that the overcoming lover of Christ becomes as beautiful as Tirzah and as lovely as Jerusalem; however, to the enemy she is as terrible as an army with banners—6:4, 10:
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The lovers of Christ should be lovable and terrible at the same time; however, many believers have lost their loveliness before the Lord and their terribleness before the enemy—vv. 4, 10:
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The lover of Christ is beautiful and comely before the Lord, as solid as the heavenly city and as serene as the sanctuary; at the same time, she displays the glory of her victory before the enemy and the world—vv. 4, 10.
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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 is terrified of the church as the Body of Christ, the corporate warrior fighting against him and his kingdom—Eph. 6:10-20.
Morning Nourishment
S. S. 6:4 You are as beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as terrible as an army with banners.Eph. 6:12-13 …Our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God…
Ultimately, the lover becomes a terrible army with banners and the Shulammite (S. S. 6:4b, 10b, 13).
When we become one with God to be God’s dwelling place, we are as beautiful as Tirzah and as lovely as Jerusalem in the eyes of God. However, to the enemy this lover, this overcomer, is as terrible as an army with banners. Banners indicate a readiness to fight and also mean that the victory is won… When she becomes as beautiful as the moon and as clear as the sun, she is also as terrible as an army with banners (v. 10).
When she becomes the garden, she is nothing more than a garden, but 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 (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “Crystallization-study of Song of Songs,” pp. 346-347)
Today’s Reading
[In Song of Songs 6:4] the Lord is viewing the believers from heaven, from within the sanctuary. Hence, this is something which happens within the veil.Tirzah is where the palace is (1 Kings 14:17). Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Tirzah signifies the heavenly sanctuary, the dwelling of God. Jerusalem signifies the heavenly Jerusalem. The Lord is examining our heavenly nature and life within the sanctuary. In that Jerusalem everything is comely, and in that Tirzah everything is beautiful, because both are God’s new creation. Today believers are already displaying the beauty and comeliness of the coming sanctuary.
Weapons are the most important thing to an army in battle, whereas the banner is the most important thing in victory…An unfurled banner signifies the glory of victory. This verse indicates that the maiden is beautiful and comely before the Lord, as solid as the heavenly city and as serene as the sanctuary. At the same time, she displays the glory of her victory before the enemy and the world. A life within the veil is not just a life before the Lord, but a life before the enemy, because the heaven in which the saints dwell is the very heaven which the enemy assails. 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. But believers today have sacrificed their terribleness, and neither men nor demons are afraid of them any longer.
“Terrible as an army with banners.” Not only does she 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. Do you know such a one? Have you seen her? (CWWN, vol. 23, “The Song of Songs,” pp. 96-97, 101)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “Crystallization-study of Song of Songs,” msg. 12; CWWN, vol. 23, “The Song of Songs,” sec. 4