“Who is this who looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?”
A crowd breaks into admiration and asks who this woman is. The answer reaches for the sky itself: dawn, moon, sun — and then an army under its banners. Who is speaking, and why does praise of a bride end with a picture of military power?
The Chorus of Admirers
The verse reads like a crowd speaking, not the Bridegroom, and it marks the end of a long darkness. The writers quote an older translation: where the ESV has "looks down like the dawn" and "awesome as an army with banners," they read "looks forth as the morning" and "terrible as an army with banners."
Andrew MillerThis verse seems to be the language of the bride's admirers. It comes in like a chorus to the song. Everyone is speaking her praise. The dreary night is past; the morning breaks. "Who is she that looks forth as the morning?" She is only now coming out of the darkness of the long, long night she has passed through. But now she leaves it all behind, and comes out in the freshness, beauty, and hope of the morning. She will soon appear in the full splendour of noon, clothed in the beams of "the Sun of righteousness."
Their praise says something about her past as well as her beauty.
Hamilton SmithThe Bridegroom had used the fairest cities of earth to describe her beauty. Now the daughters of Jerusalem use the most glorious objects in the heavens to praise the restored bride. Every trace of failure and of the wandering days is past, and she comes out fresh as the morning, pure as the light of the moon, and glorious as the sun.
Sun and Moon: Light and Rule
God gave the two great lights two jobs at creation. Both stand behind the picture here.
The Emmaus Correspondence CourseGod set the sun and the moon in the natural world to rule the day, the night and the seasons, and to give light. So they picture ruling power. And, because they give light, they also picture a teacher, or a group, that is a source of spiritual light. God set Israel in the Old Testament, and the church in the New, to be a source of light to a world that was groping in spiritual darkness. […] Israel will not govern by force alone. Her heart will be fully won by the Lord, so she will be wholly devoted to Him. She will govern the nations according to His own mind and will, and she will also be the highest source of spiritual light in the world.
Awesome as an Army with Banners
The last comparison comes not from the sky but from the battlefield. Authority to rule is one thing; the power to back it is another.
The Emmaus Correspondence Course"Terrible as an army with banners." Israel will have authority under Christ to govern the world. She will also have full power, given her by God, to keep order according to His mind. It will be a victorious power, used in righteousness, and a terror to the wrongdoer if any ever dare to do wrong. It will be a reign of righteousness, held up by that God-given power to judge and to punish evil justly, so that righteousness, godly order and peace are secured for the blessing of the whole earth.
The Reversal for a Despised People
Commentators read the passage first as prophecy about Israel. What makes it striking is the size of the turnaround.
Andrew MillerWhat a change for the long-despised, downtrodden Jew! The admiring daughters, queens, and concubines look at the royal tribe — bridal Judah. She is clothed with light, glory, and dignity, as the fair bride of David's royal Son. She becomes the great attraction of earth, and the object of admiration everywhere. What a happy morning! The darkness is past, "the Sun of righteousness arises with healing in His wings."
Borrowed Light
The picture also carries a lesson about how a believer shines at all. One of these two lights has nothing of its own.
The Emmaus Correspondence Course"Fair as the moon." The moon has no light source of its own. But when its face turns toward the sun, it reflects the sun's clear light like a mirror. Every believer should reflect Christ in the same way. The moon can only reflect the sun's light while its face turns toward it. So we must keep "looking to Jesus" if we are to reflect Him.
That leaves a plain test for what onlookers should notice.
The Emmaus Correspondence Course"Clear as the sun." The world should see nothing but Christ in us. He is the Sun, the supreme source of light to the world.
Summary
- Dawn — The admirers speak, not the Bridegroom. Their question marks the end of a long night. She steps out of darkness into the freshness of morning.
- Moon — She has no light of her own. She shines only as her face stays turned toward the Sun, which is why a believer must keep "looking to Jesus."
- Sun — God set the two lights in the sky to rule and to give light. Both meanings stand behind the praise. Both were His purpose for His people in a dark world.
- Banners — Praise ends in power. Israel will rule under Christ, with strength enough to punish evil, so that righteousness and peace hold across the whole earth.
- Change — Commentators read the verse first as prophecy. The long-despised nation, once trodden down, becomes the object of admiration everywhere when the Sun of righteousness rises.