Song of Solomon 6:10
Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
The she who looks forth is the church of Christ, beautiful and pure and bright and radiant, yet formidable and mighty and united and victorious like an army in battle array.
Clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness, she goes forth into all the world in her final conflict with the powers of evil, conquering and to conquer.
United with Christ and aided by the Holy Spirit and heavenly angels, she advances in her worldwide gospel mission from victory to victory, with nothing able to withstand her progress.
She fulfills this shining description when she takes up her appointed work in willing self-denial and sacrifice, circulating papers and tracts and books that preach the gospel and sound the needed warning in people's homes.
Reaching that condition of purity and brightness and power requires a complete transformation of character with all dross burned away, by walking humbly and living God's truth and overcoming lukewarmness, until by the gifts of His Spirit He makes her beautiful and strong.
Identity and Radiance
The one who looks forth is the church of Christ, the Lord's people. She is also called Israel and the saints.
Her looking forth as the morning, fair as the moon and clear as the sun means she is beautiful, pure, bright and radiant. That beauty, purity and strength become evident when she is purified and made ready to meet Christ at His appearing. She shows that shining purity and beauty when her members live God's truth and overcome lukewarmness, and when false members are separated from the true so the previously hidden faithful openly stand under Christ's banner. In that time of deep trial even the timid and hesitant boldly declare loyalty to Christ and His truth, the weakest show courage, and the darker the trial the more brilliant their faith shines.
Her terribleness as an army with banners means she is a formidable, mighty, united and victorious force. When she remains united with Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit and heavenly angels, she advances in her worldwide gospel mission, wins people to Christ, and goes from victory to victory with nothing able to withstand her progress. She is an organized, advancing army under God's leadership, where the Lord's Captain plans the work, arranges the battle and leads as constant leader so that every movement is a victory. When each man, woman and youth who professes Christ accepts individual responsibility for individual work, warfare and preaching Christ in daily practice and takes hold of the work, they become that mighty united force with the heavenly dove hovering over them, the Holy Spirit resting over them, the sun of righteousness shining upon them, and the light of God's glory resting on them as fully as it rested on Enoch.
The verse shows how precious the church is in Christ's eyes and how strong His love for His people is. It means He delights to magnify His grace to them, and if they walk humbly before Him He will make His church beautiful and bright and powerful like an army with banners by the gifts of His Spirit.
Victorious in Final Conflict
Clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness, she goes forth into all the world in her final conflict with the powers of evil, conquering and to conquer. Fair and clear yet terrible as an army with banners, she is beautiful and radiant, yet formidable in that worldwide advance. Purified and made ready to meet Christ at His appearing, she is radiant and pure as the morning, the moon, and the sun, and powerful and victorious as an army with banners in battle array.
When she remains united with Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit and heavenly angels, she advances in her worldwide gospel mission, wins people to Christ, and goes from victory to victory with nothing able to withstand her progress. She is an organized, advancing army under God's leadership, where the Lord's Captain plans the work, arranges the battle, and leads as constant leader so that every movement is a victory. She appears in that beauty, purity, and strength when false members are separated from the true and the previously hidden faithful openly stand under Christ's banner. Then even the timid and hesitant boldly declare loyalty to Christ and His truth and the weakest show courage, and the darker the trial for God's people the more brilliant their faith shines.
Moving steadily along together according to Bible order, Israel becomes powerful, formidable, and glorious as an army with banners. That condition is met only when everyone who has the truth and can explain it from the Word refuses to tarry but goes quickly to carry it forward. As mighty and terrible at the voice of God, the saints do not then execute judgment themselves, but after being changed and caught up with the resurrected saints they enter the city and sit with Jesus in judgment, assessing the wicked dead according to their deeds during the thousand years.
Becoming the Glorious Church
The glorious church described in the verse appears when she takes up her appointed work and goes forth in strength and glory, and that fulfillment comes through willing, unselfish self-denial and sacrifice given to advance the Lord's work. That appointed work is circulating Christian literature and giving time to the canvassing work, placing papers, tracts and books that preach the gospel in its several lines in people's homes and sounding the greatly needed warning. As papers, tracts and books carry the gospel into homes, she advances with beauty and brightness and with overwhelming power, going forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun and powerful as an army with banners.
Reaching that shining condition of purity, brightness and power requires a complete transformation of character in the hearts of many, with all dross burned away from religious experience, even by passing through the furnace of affliction. It requires God's servants laboring together with Christ to roll away the curse that has made the church lukewarm, while the members live God's truth and overcome lukewarmness. If they walk humbly before Him, He by the gifts of His Spirit will make His church beautiful and bright and powerful like an army with banners, delighting to magnify His grace to them.
She becomes that mighty united force when every man, woman and youth who professes Christ realizes personal responsibility for individual work, individual warfare and individual preaching of Christ in daily practice and takes hold of the work. That condition is met only when everyone who has the truth and can explain it from the Word refuses to tarry but goes quickly to carry it forward. Then believers are mighty as an army with banners, with the heavenly dove hovering over them, the Holy Spirit resting over them, the sun of righteousness shining upon them, and the light of God's glory resting on them as fully as it rested on the devoted Enoch.
Becoming mighty and terrible as an army with banners requires buckling on the whole armor and taking the shield of faith, so enabled to stand that the fiery darts of the enemy cannot move them. God keeps His watchful eye over them and His angels guard them from wicked angels trying to invent ways to annoy and destroy them, and He protects and saves them as they put their trust in Him, with the Spirit lifting up a standard against the enemy when he comes in like a flood. To keep this strength they must stay awake and watch, because they are on enchanted ground where they may fall asleep.