Numbers 6:24, “The LORD bless you and
keep you…”
This wonderful blessing grows, as it moves from God’s promise of
provision and prosperity, to the promise of God’s divine protection.
The word used for keep is a word that paints a picture for us, as it
expresses something of value being guarded, something of value that has a hedge
of thorns placed all around it. God is promising to keep the people of Israel
in safety and security from those who seek to harm them or attack them. The
Israelites will have the assurance and comfort of knowing that God is their
protector.
This is a truth would have already known. God had brought them out of
Egypt safely, protecting them from Pharaoh’s army and opening a way through the
sea for them to walk through. They saw the pillar of cloud, or the pillar of fire,
which reminded them God was present amongst them. Their God, their protector
what at hand, ready to act and defend them.
Numerous passages of Scripture in the Old Testament speak of God’s
hand of protection being upon His people. Think of the well-known and much
loved Psalm 91 and Psalm 121. Why not take a few moments now to read those
wonderful Psalms.
Psalm 121 speaks of God never sleeping or slumbering, and we see this
reality in the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, which remained among the
people of Israel throughout those 40 years. Psalm 91 tells of the confidence
the people of God have in the midst of a fierce battle against a formidable opponent,
or the safety they will know as they journey through the wilderness where
numerous wild animals roam. All this the Israelites came to know the full truth
of as they journeyed to the Promised Land, and continue to know as they lived
in the land.
In Zechariah we see God making this promise of keeping and protecting
His people who have returned from exile. Zechariah 2:4-5, “and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, 'Jerusalem shall be
inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and
livestock in it. (5) And I will be to her a wall of fire all
around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.'"”
Finally, in the New Testament we see God’s protecting and keeping hand
upon God the Son, the Apostles and the early Church. Numerous attempts were
made upon Christ’s life, yet none of them succeeded until the appointed time.
The Apostles were protected time and time again, God opened jail cells, sent
earthquakes, kept them alive in the midst of fierce persecution, kept them from
harm from wild beasts and from venomous snakes and even kept them when
shipwrecked and left floating in the open sea.
There can be no denying that God has been faithful throughout the ages
to this promise of protecting, keeping His people, placing a divine hedge of
protection around them. This gives us great assurance, hope, comfort and peace,
for God still remains faithful to this promise. In fact several passages in the
New Testament letter reflect this truth. 1 Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to
his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(4) to an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (5)
who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time.”
Jude 1:24-25, “Now to him who
is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the
presence of his glory with great joy, (25) to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus
Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time
and now and forever. Amen.”
What a joy it is to know that God is keeping us, each and every day He
has His hand of divine protection upon us, and will do so until He calls us
home. This is all part of the reason why God promises to keep us, so that He
will also fulfil His promise to bring us safely into His Kingdom. Note what
Peter says, we are being kept for heaven and heaven is being kept for us. Jude
tells us that we will be kept from stumbling, from falling and will be
presented to God in glory.
Our God is truly good and gracious to us, we agree with the hymn
writer who tells us:
A sovereign protector
I have,
Unseen, yet forever at hand,
Unchangeably faithful to save,
Almighty to rule and command.
He smiles, and my comforts abound;
His grace as the dew shall descend;
And walls of salvation surround
The soul He delights to defend.
Unseen, yet forever at hand,
Unchangeably faithful to save,
Almighty to rule and command.
He smiles, and my comforts abound;
His grace as the dew shall descend;
And walls of salvation surround
The soul He delights to defend.
(Augustus Toplady)
Our divine and sovereign Protector, we
worship and adore You today for Your hand of protection that rests upon us day
after day. Thank You that we have the comfort of knowing that You in Your
omnipotence are able to protect us from all things, there is nothing,
absolutely nothing that can pluck us from Your hand. We rejoice in the truth of
the words spoken by God the Son, John
10:28-29, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one
will snatch them out of my hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”
Thank you that we have the assurance of knowing that You are keeping us for
eternity and eternity is being kept for us, and the fact that You WILL bring us
safely into Your glorious presence. We pray that we would rest in Your
protection and we pray especially for those today who are under attack because
of Your name, may they know Your presence, protection and strength. Amen.
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