God Protects

Entering Into God’s Presence
Knowing God Through His Works & Ways (VERBS)

To Study and Ponder:

• The Old Testament word most often used for protect is shamar 'to keep, guard, observe, give heed, keep watch and ward, protect, save life, preserve’ (online Bible) In the NT Greek words used for guard & protect mean‘toattendtocarefully,takecareof,toguard;tokeepwatchover,preserve’. (OliveTreeBibleStudyApp.)

• God’s promise to protect those who love Him is clear, though this does not mean that believers are exempt from difficulty in a world where there is evil (most of the disciples were martyred) but it means NO FEAR.

  • -  Psa 91:14 “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name” Psa 41:1-2; 97:10

  • -  Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear

    when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

  • -  Psalm 121 speaks of the watchful protection of God

  • -  In Psalm 68:5 it says God is a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows

  • -  2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. (Also 2Ti 4:17-18)

• In the Old Testament God regularly fought for His people as they trusted and obeyed him, winning impossible battles(Gideon and Hezekiah), sending hornets (Exo 23:28), hail (Exo 9), confusion (Josh 10:10).

  - Joshua acknowledges God’s protection over Israel - As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. Joshua 24:17

• There are many prayers for protection recorded in the Bible (Ps 64:1; 69:29; 140:1,4)
  - In Psalm 35:1 David is being attacked by many enemies and he calls out: O Lord, oppose those

  who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me. That is exactly what happened! - Jesus tells us to pray to God our Father, “rescue us from the evil one“(Matt.6:13).

  - Twice in John 17, Jesus asks God to protect his followers from the evil in the world. (v.11,15) - Jabez also prayed for God to keep him from evil. 1Chronicles 4:10

• Man’s strength is NOT enough to protect and deliver! (Read Psa 147:10; Isa 31:1; Jer 9:23, 17:5)

  • -  The best- equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don’t

    count on your warhorse to give you victory—for all its strength, it cannot save you. But the Lord watches

    over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them .. Psa 33:16-19

  • -  Paul prays that believers will understand “..the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who

    believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come” Eph 1:19-21

• Throughout the Old Testament God is called a ‘fortress’, ‘stronghold’, ‘high tower’, ‘rampart’, a ‘shield’, titles that show the ‘battle’ dimension of His protection (Psa 9:9, 18:2, 37:39; Pro 18:10).

  • -  Afortressisamilitarystronghold,oftenafortifiedcity,aplaceofprotectioninwar;a‘rampart’isa defensive wall of a castle or walled city, a protective barrier; a shield is for individual protection in battle.

  • -  Wemaynotfacephysicalbattles,butwedoneedGodaswefight/wrestleagainsttemptations,theflesh, the world and unseen forces of darkness (Eph 2:2, 6:12).

  • -  Eph6:14-18describesthearmor(beltoftruth,breastplateofrighteousness,shoesofreadiness,shieldof faith, helmet of salvation) and weapons(sword of His word, prayer) given for the battles.

• The biblical metaphors of shelter and refuge help us picture God’s protection from things that try to harm us. “Shelter” - That which covers or defends from injury or annoyance; a protection; a screen, a guardian or defender. The state of being covered and protected; protection; security.

  - Psa 31:20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them; You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.

  - The image of God spreading wings of shelter & protection is repeated through the OT:- Ruth 2:12; 2 Sam.22:3; Psalm 17:8, 36:7, 61:4, 57:1, 64:2, 63:7, 91:4

  - God’s Spirit provided Israel with a pillar of Cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to protect them from the harsh desert environment they were living in for 40 years after they left Egypt.

  - God also wants us to be a shelter to those in need, showing his love & sharing our faith. “Refuge” - a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble (Online Dictionary)

  - Psalm 61:3 for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
  - Psalm 17:7 By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies.

- Psalm 9:9-10 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

- He becomes our refuge as we spend time with Him and trust and pour our our hearts to Him in hard places. Psalm 62:8b Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

• In the Old Testament God established “cities of refuge” If a man had killed another man accidentally, he could flee to one of these cities, for safety and protection. (Nu.35, Deut.19, Josh.20)
  - They were available to all as well as accessible to all - their gates were always open.

  • -  They were widely advertised and within a day's journey.

  • -  They were prominently located at high elevations, visible from great distances.

  • -  Whoever needed to could flee to one of the cities, whether or not he was an Israelite.

  • -  The refugee was free to leave after the death of the high priest, then he was declared guiltless and

    allowed to return to his inheritance. (Numbers 35:25).
    - The cities of refuge can also be seen as a picture of Jesus, the One to whom a sinner can flee and

    plead for God's mercy.

• In ancient Hawaii there were places of refuge where those who had broken a law could go to escape

  the penalty of death. See http://www.nps.gov/puho

  • As part of His protection God also asks us to be alert, vigilant and watchful for the enemy. Commands to to watch, be careful and to be on guard appear around forty times in the scriptures.

  • -  Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Matthew 26:41

  • -  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Eph 6:18b

  • -  Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has

    been entrusted to you. 2Timothy 1:14

  • -  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking

    for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1Pe 5:8 - Also Mat 7:15, 24:4,1, Acts 20:28, 1Th 5:6, 1Tim 4:16

• Some excellent study material for this theme can be found on this website:- http:// www.jesuswalk.com/names-god/7_stronghold.htm

Meditation/Memory:
Lower Grades: He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His

faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4 (NLT) But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NLT)

Middle Grades: But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. Psalm 59:16 (NLT)

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11 (NLT)

Upper Grades: Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.

1Peter 5:8 (NLT)

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings. Psalm 61:1-4 (NLT)