I love You fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower. Psalm 18:1-2
I always take note when I find Scriptures that list 7 things. 7 is God's divine number and you'll often see things listed in 7's in the Bible. So, this verse stopped me. How often do we skim over a verse like this, read the words, and go "That's nice." and then move onto the next verse. If we've been a Christian for awhile, terms like the ones highlighted above are common place. They are found throughout Scripture. And we've even made songs saturated with them. But what do they really mean??
God is a Rock! But what is a rock? It's something solid, heavy and hard, right? And if it's big enough, it's immovable. When you call someone you know a rock, you mean they are dependable. You can count on them. They don't change their mind or their moods.
Deuteronomy 32:4 gives us some insight into what the Scriptures mean by Rock.
He is the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are law and justice. A God of faithfulness without breach or deviation, just and right is He.
God is a Fortress! - according to the dictionary, a fortress is a large fortified place; It is any place of exceptional security. A Stronghold. So, God surrounds us with thick fortified walls to protect us from our enemies. Like a fortress, He keeps us safe.
I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I confidently trust! Psalm 91:2
God is a Deliverer! A deliverer is someone who rescues or frees you from confinement, violence, danger, or evil. He is your Knight in Shining Armor. Your hero. The one who rides up on the white horse, fights off the enemy, places you atop his steed and charges into the sunset!!
God is your firm Strength! Strength is physical power. It is moral power, firmness, and courage. Of course we all know God is Strong. But the verse above says that He is your strength! So, when you feel weak, defeated, lonely and frightened, God comes along and boosts you up with His strength and courage!
God is your Shield! A shield is a broad piece of armor, varying widely in form and size and used as a defense against swords, lances, arrows and other weapons. In other words, when the arrows and swords of life come speeding toward you, God leaps in front of you to receive the blows in your stead!
God is your Horn of Salvation!
A horn is a sign of power (Deut. 33: 17)—literally of an ox (Num. 23: 22) or metaphorically of a people (1 Kgs. 22: 11). In Dan. 7: 8 the horns refer metaphorically to kings. So the ‘horn of salvation’ indicates the saving power of the king. The four horns on the corners of Jewish altar (Exod. 27: 2) were used as sanctuary to a fugitive who ran to them and clung to them, this saving him from his due punishment. The horn of salvation in Luke 1: 69 denotes royal saving power as with a king saving his people.
God is your High Tower! - We all know what a high tower is. It is a sturdy structure that is higher than anything else. In ancient days, castles were fortified with high towers from which people could rain arrows down on their advancing enemies. A high tower is not only a place of defense, but it is a place where you can see for miles in all directions, thus giving yourself an advantage over your enemies.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe, high above evil and strong. Proverbs 18:10
If you put all these incredible attributes together, you can't help but be amazed! God is immovable. God protects us. God rescues us. God gives us strength. He leaps in front of us when we are attacked. God saves us from eternal punishment and brings us to His high tower where we reign above all our enemies!! God is so awesome! He is all these things for us! You have only to believe them and call upon his name.
I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:3
0 comments:
Post a Comment