JEHOVAH MAGEN Part 3

God’s name, Jehovah Magen, means God our shield and protector.  Another facet of God being a shield occurs in the gift of faith which He has given us.  Romans 12:3 tells us God has given each person a measure of faith. Faith is a vital component in our relationship with God.  We are warned of this in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.”

Ephesians 6:16 describes and gives instructions regarding faith, "above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts (arrows) of the wicked one (satan).”

To better understand the importance of the shield of faith, it is helpful to look at the necessity of a shield to soldiers in biblical times.  It was not an optional piece of equipment and no soldier would go into battle minus his protective shield. Without his shield, he knew there was nothing between him and his opponent, leaving him defenseless. The shield was the size of a door, which would completely cover the soldier. It was made of several layers of thick animal hide, woven together, making it strong as steel. Soldiers would rub oil into their shield every day. If the oil was not applied on a daily basis, the shield would crack and when hit by an arrow, break into pieces, causing it to be useless.  The oil is representative of the Holy Spirit. Without a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit’s power in our daily life, our faith will become hard and brittle, rather than long-lasting and durable.

Before a soldier went to battle, he soaked his shield in water.  This was to ensure the flaming arrows of the enemy would be extinguished when they hit the shield.  The saturating water on the shield is symbolic of God’s Word washing us. (Ephesians 5:26) Just as the soldier saturated his shield with water, we are to keep our faith saturated by the washing of the Word of God.  When we are not filled with God’s Word, satan can plant thoughts or “arrows” of anger, anxiety, unbelief, and worry in our mind. Because these thoughts, or lies, are contrary to God’s Word, they may cause us to be filled with doubt, allowing us to become an easy target.

Let’s take another look at Ephesians 6:16…” above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts (arrows) of the wicked one (satan).”  

  Above all means to position over.  The shield of faith is meant to be out in front, completely covering and protecting us from harm.  

Taking the shield of faith indicates we can pick it up or lay it down.  It is entirely our choice. When we choose not to walk in faith we are vulnerable, exposing ourselves to the enemy’s attacks.  When we choose to walk in faith, we are covered and protected.

During biblical times, arrows were a deadly form of weaponry.  Often they were dipped in tar and set on fire before being released.  The arrow could also be filled with a flammable liquid causing it to explode on impact.  The shield was able to quench all the fiery darts (arrows) of the wicked one, because it was saturated with water which did not allow the arrows to burn.  Today these fiery darts represent attacks from satan, which target our emotions. The saturating water on the shield is symbolic of God’s Word washing us. (Ephesians 5:26)  Just as the soldier saturated his shield with water, we are to keep our faith saturated by the washing of the Word of God.

When our shield of faith is well oiled by the Holy Spirit, out in front covering all, and saturated with the Word of God, it will extinguish every temptation and fire- bearing arrow the enemy tries to send our way.  Our faith positions us to be in line with God and His Word. First Peter 1:5 tells us, “ And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power.”

Father, we praise Your holy name and thank you for the gift of faith You have given each one of us. We thank You that it shields and protects us. I pray we would continue to allow Your Word and the Holy Spirit to wash over and empower us.  

JEHOVAH MAGEN Part 2

Jehovah Magen is the name of God we are currently studying and means our shield of protection.  The revelation that the Creator of the universe is our shield and protector should build our faith and bring us peace and joy.

The bible is a record of historical events which demonstrate to us Who God is.  Let’s explore a couple of these miraculous occurrences.

The first event is about a prostitute named Rahab.  The Israelites were getting ready to cross the Jordan River and take the land which God had promised them.  Joshua sent two men into the city of Jericho to spy out the land. The spies were in danger of being captured, but  Rahab hid the men, and helped them escape. She declared her belief in God, Joshua 2:11: “For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below”, and asked the spies to spare her life.  They agreed and told her to hang a red rope outside her window. This would be a sign to the Israelite soldiers not to harm anyone in this house.  The city of Jericho was destroyed. Everyone in the city was killed except Rahab and her family. (Joshua 6:22) Because she believed in God, knew Who He was, and trusted Him, her life was spared.  Proverbs 30:5 declares, “He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.”   

The next narration is about a young Israelite named Daniel.  The Israelites were being held captive in Babylon, but Daniel had found favor with the king.  This caused the Babylonian rulers to become jealous and they tricked the king into signing a law stating anyone found praying to another god besides the king, would be thrown into the den of lions.  Even though Daniel was aware of the law, he publicly knelt down on his knees and prayed to God, Jehovah Magen. Because he openly worshiped God, the king was forced to stand by his law, and put Daniel into a den of lions.  The last thing he said to Daniel was, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” (Daniel 6:16) Even though the king was not a worshiper of God, He had an understanding of Who God was. The next morning when the king went to the lions’ den, Daniel said to him, “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me.”  (Daniel 6:22)

God, Jehovah Magen, demonstrated His miraculous power in the lives of both Rahab and Daniel by protecting them from what seemed to be an impossible situation.  Often times in life, like Rahab and Daniel, we face situations that seem hopeless. Proverbs 30:5 declares, “He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.”  Time has not changed God or His Word. He is still a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him. As we learn to trust God, we will see Him as Jehovah Magen, our shield. Psalm 20:7-8 warns us that those who trust is in things of the world will be defeated, but those who trust in God's name will rise up.

Let’s declare Psalm 18:2 over our lives.  “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;   my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.  He is my shield, the power that saves me,   and my place of safety.”

JEHOVAH MAGEN

The name Jehovah Magen is defined as: God our shield.  In our modern society a shield is not something that is common to us, yet in biblical times a shield was an important piece of a soldier’s equipment.  A shield protected, guarded, covered, hid and sheltered the soldiers as they went to battle. In Genesis 15:1 God compared Himself to a shield by saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”   God’s desire was to protect Abram from his enemies.  God has not changed, therefore by His name, Jehovah Magen, He is telling us HE will protect, guard, cover, hide, and shelter us.

Psalm 28:7 gives us a description of the shield of God.  “The Lord is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield.”   Because God’s shield cannot be penetrated, we are  protected and inaccessible.

Psalm 91:4 tells us, “His truth and His faithfulness are a shield”.

God’s shield surrounds us with favor.  ”For You, O Lord, bless the righteous man [the one who is in right standing with You]; You surround him with favor as with a shield.”  Psalm 5:12

Deuteronomy 33:29 describes God’s shield as protective: “How blessed you are, O Israel!  Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword!”

These scriptures declare God’s truth and faithfulness are a shield of surrounding protection which cannot be penetrated.

Although we have an enemy, satan, who is looking for whom he may devour, we can be confident in Jehovah Magen, Who shields us from adverse circumstances and from our physical and spiritual enemies.  

Father, because You, Yourself are a shield which surrounds and protects us, we declare we do not fear. Thank You for loving and caring for us. I pray You would open our eyes to the truth of Who You are.

JEHOVAH SHAMMAH Part 3

The name Jehovah Shammah denotes, God is there.  God has always desired to have fellowship with man.  Isaiah 30:18 describes God’s heart toward man: “Therefore the Lord waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.  For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them]”.

Joshua 1:9 gives a beautiful promise concerning the presence of God, “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

God’s faithfulness is not based on how well we are doing, but rather His faithfulness is based on how holy, kind, righteous, and good He is.

In the last post, part 2, we looked at several characteristics of God which usher in His presence: (protection, peace, wisdom, direction, favor, grace,  power, and joy). Let’s explore a few more.

1. MERCY...Ephesians 2:4-5    God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment).
2. HOPE...Romans 15:13   I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. KINDNESS...Romans 2:4   do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]?
4. LOVE...Romans 5:8   But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

As I read these scriptures I am overwhelmed by Who God is and His love for us.  What an awesome privilege to be in God’s presence. Psalm 95:2 encourages us to come before His presence with thanksgiving.  Psalm 22:3 tells us praising God brings His presence. As we thank and praise God this day we can be at peace, knowing He is with us.

Father I thank You that You are always with us and we need not fear our circumstances or situations.  I pray the reality of Who You are will fill us today and that the truth of Your character will penetrate deep into our hearts.

JEHOVAH SHAMMAH Part 2

The meaning of God's name, Jehovah Shammah, promises in Ezekiel 48:35 that His Presence would be with us.  

As a born again believer, His presence is always with us because WE are now the temple where God lives.  He is alive in us...He is there.

There is a deep spiritual hunger in each of our hearts that can only be satisfied by the presence of God Himself. God’s presence brings to us a culmination of all that He is.  Let’s look at a few of these attributes.

1. PEACE..John 14:27  I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.   

2. WISDOM...James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

3. DIRECTION...Psalm 37:23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail.

4. FAVOR...Psalm 5:12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

5. GRACE...2 Corinthians 12:9  My grace (undeserved favor and divine influence on your heart) is sufficient for you.

6. POWER...2 Timothy 1:7   For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

7. JOY...John 15:11  I have told you these things so My joy may be in you and your joy may be full.

Scripture is clear that all of life is about being in God’s relational presence.  This is why David proclaims in Psalms 16:11, “in Your presence there is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore”  

The presence of God brings life.  His presence will take you through every situation you face.  What a privilege it is to have God’s presence in your life!

Father, I pray Ephesians 3:17-19: Christ may dwell in our hearts through our faith.  And may we, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love,  be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];  and [that we may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that we may be filled up [throughout our being] to all the fullness of God [so that we may have the richest experience of God’s presence in our lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

JEHOVAH SHAMMAH

Our relationship with God grows as we begin to learn about, and know Who God is.  God reveals facets of His nature and character through His name. Jehovah Shammah means “God is there”.

 This name is first found in Ezekiel 48:35, “and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”  God was promising His people that He would be there in a new temple that was to be built.  God’s heart is the same today. He desires to have a relationship with His creation, to be there.  God no longer needs temples made of stone, because as born again believers, WE are now the temple where God lives.  No matter where you are, God is there. He will not leave you because His presence is with you. We are told in 1st Corinthians 3:16, “ Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”   In 2nd Corinthians 6:16 God says, “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  

Jehovah Shammah is here with you and in you.  When our circumstances seem impossible, we must remember God is right there with us.   

In Daniel chapter 3, three Jewish men, who were being held captive, were ordered to bow and worship a golden idol.  Because they refused to worship another god, the king vowed to throw them into a fiery furnace. The men responded by saying in Daniel 3:16-18, “ We do not need to defend ourselves before you.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.  He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty, but even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”  The king was so angry, he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. The three men were bound, thrown into the furnace, and fell into the midst of the fire (Daniel 3:19-23). When the king looked into the fire, this is what he saw: verse 25:  “Look! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”  Verse 27 goes on to say, “they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed, nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.”   Jehovah Shammah was there with them as they were going through the fire.

Are you going through a situation, like the three Jewish men, that may look as though it is impossible? When you are surrounded by difficult circumstances, know that Jehovah Shammah is there with you. You are not alone.

Father, thank You for always being with us and never leaving us alone.  I pray that we would continue to have revelation of how powerful your presence is in our lives.

JEHOVAH SHALOM Part3

In Ephesians 6:11 Paul encourages us to, “ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”  He continues in verse 15 by saying, “and having shod your feet (put on shoes) with the preparation of the gospel of peace.“  In the Greek, preparation is defined as a solid foundation and peace is defined as: a state of rest, quietness, calmness, absence of strife, or a peace that rules in all situations.

 Paul is telling us to put on shoes of peace, which come from God, so that we will be fully prepared to face life’s challenges. He is comparing peace to the shoe the Roman soldiers wore in battle.  This shoe consisted of two parts, the greave and the shoe itself. The greave was a metal tube which began at the knee and extended down the length of the leg, ending at the upper portion of the foot.  It completely shielded the lower leg from being bruised, cut, or broken. The greave was a defensive weapon which protected the soldier and kept him from being vulnerable to attacks. Like the greave, God’s peace protects your mind and emotions from fears which could make you defenseless by weakening your faith. God's peace is a divine weapon that will insulate you from satan’s attacks and enable you to navigate successfully through every situation in life.

On the bottom of the soldier’s shoes were spikes which were one to three inches in length.  As the soldiers stood ready for battle, the spikes in his shoes were planted firmly into the earth allowing them to stand their ground.  Similar to these spikes, the supernatural peace of God causes you to: stand firm, be immovable, and hold in place.

Philippians 4:7 portrays a promise to all believers.  “And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is YOURS].”

We do not have to live a life full of chaos, confusion, and fear.  As we surrender our life to God and begin to trust in Him completely, His peace will guard our hearts and minds.

Father, I thank You for Your gift of peace. Help us to trust you in all things and surrender all that we are to you.