The Babylonian army entered Jerusalem for the last time and destroyed the Temple of the Lord and the walls around the city. With this, the residents became vulnerable to the armed gangs operating in the region as well as their enemies. In like manner, those who are not in the protection of God, fall into the traps of the forces of evil and are then controlled by them. Every living being requires protection from all other elements around it that are likely to cause some harm.
Type of protection required by all living beings – God created man in ‘His image and likeness’ with the blessing to ‘be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’ (Genesis 1:28). The dominion rights given to him enabled him to execute this difficult task, for the devil was ‘in Eden, the garden of God’ (Ezekiel 28:13). God revealed the light of the glory of His Son and the darkness that was already present, was separated from this light but not destroyed (Genesis 1:3-4). Apostle Paul has identified this ‘light’ clearly as Lord Jesus, that ‘All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist’ (Colossians 1:16-17). When God breathed into the pile of dust shaped like a human being, this light of His glory was breathed into it to make it ‘a living being’ (Genesis 2:7). Nothing can survive in this universe if this light is withdrawn, for only in this can one live, be useful and productive to be of use to God and others.
David had experienced the presence of God with him, to declare, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble’ (Psalm 46:1). God strengthens us to face any challenge and protects us all around. But in what way is this strengthening and protection given? This is more about spiritual aspects than material, though both are affected. Adam and Eve were provided all that they needed for a life of abundance and it was there in the Garden of Eden visible to them. Light reveals all that is given to us and we can enjoy that while only one tree was barred to them in the Garden (Genesis 2:16-17). The darkness tries to hide from our eyes that is available, while bringing our focus only on what is not for us. Apostle John revealed Lord Jesus as the source of life, ‘and the life was the light of men’ (John 1:4-5). Further, that the darkness ‘did not comprehend’ this light. Darkness creates a barrier to prevent the light to shine to keep the blessings readily available, hidden. Eve was pulled back into the darkness, away from God and both Adam and Eve hid from the God who in His love had provided them everything, even their very lives.
We need protection from outside as well as from inside. God has given free-will to choose and an active mind, heart and soul to make the right choices. Body being from the earth pulls us towards the earthly things only, while the soul and the spirit lead us towards the light. Apostle James has defined the cause of all this strife clearly, ‘Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?’ (James 4:1). The darkness was not removed but only separated and our body fell prey to it to lead us into evil. All sin comes from the devil and forces of darkness. Nobody wants to openly declare their sinful deeds, though, people do take pride now even in their sinful ways flaunting them openly.
Like Eve, for us also, the battle starts through shifting of focus on what we do not have, rather than being grateful for all that we have. This tests our faith, creating doubts about God and His love for us. We are commanded to ‘Enter His (God’s) gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name’ (Psalm 100:4). To be thankful, first, we have to find something to be thankful about and then the focus is on God rather than our storms. Thus, everyone needs protection from the evil outside and inside both, for both have great potential to lead us into or out of His Divine blessings. We are told of the Provider of this protection and also the way to protect ourselves, ‘He who dwells in the secret place of the Most-High shall abide under the shadow of His wings’ (Psalm 91:1).
The psalm goes on further revealing the various ways that help us receive this protection. It is an active move and seeking out and not lying in hope, that God will protect us, for He loves us. Mankind is a living, walking and thinking creature and not a creepy crawly insect. We move towards God and He blesses us.
Type of protective wall needed – Apostle Peter had suffered from the attack of the devil and denied knowing the Messiah three times in fear of the Jews. He was warned of the serious nature of this by the Lord Himself, with the assurance that ‘I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail’ (Luke 22:30-31). He never forgot these words of the Lord and how he was saved while Judas Iscariot committed suicide. Having suffered, he could warn all believers, ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour’ (1 Peter 5:8-9). Then he gives the weapon of protection, ‘Resist him, be steadfast in the faith’. A lion attacks at the weak moments, after silently following his prey for a while. Being sober is about avoiding the places that may lead us into our weakness to be exploited. Also, we must remember that he cannot devour any and everyone but only the weak and the vulnerable.
In our lives, as the first wall, there is a general protection for all and it is provided by the government through various laws. But in today’s world, this protection, especially for the poor and underprivileged is rarely available. In the newspapers every day we see crimes against such people resulting in little or no action except when there is an uproar. Sometimes, God also removes this wall due to sins of a group of people or a nation. Not long after the Israelites had been led to freedom from Egypt’s slavery, they ‘forsook the LORD God of their fathers’ (Judges 2:12-14). As a result ‘the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So, He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them’.
Prophet Jeremiah saw the moral decline of Judah and punishment from God. The work of the Lord is on four aspects of protection (Lamentations 2:8-10). First, ‘the LORD has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion’ and this weas with a detailed plan for ‘He has stretched out a line’.
With this ‘her gates have sunk into the ground’ and all protection was removed. And then, secondly, ‘Her king and her princes are among the nations,’ and the governing authorities were no longer effective. Thirdly, ‘the Law is no more’ and the protection available thus is removed. Finally, ‘her prophets find no vision from the LORD’, for God had turned His face from them. As a result of this, ‘the elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground and keep silence’. When the walls are removed by the Good Shepherd Himself due to our repeated sins, there is only grief and sorrow with no hope. With all institutions that are supposed to protect an individual, a family and a nation, having been destroyed, the collapse of everything becomes sure.
The free-will given to mankind is not to do what we please to do, but to choose the best possible way that suits my temperament, to serve God. God revealed His glory, the essence of His being to Moses by declaring His traits, ‘THE LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin’ (Exodus 34:6). God is a loving and a forgiving Father, ready to forgive and the sacrifice of His Son on the cross is the greatest example of this. He turns His face only when the inner state of someone reaches a point when there is no thanksgiving for what we have but focus instead on an odd thing that we do not need and do not have. It started with Adam and Eve, who deliberately chose to disobey God and had to leave the best that was given to them. The external and internal walls collapse in such a state and one falls to the lies of the devil and his forces of evil.
It is said that a shepherd keeps on getting a sheep back into the fold, that has a tendency to repeatedly go astray. Finally, to save it, he breaks one of its legs, fixes that and helps it recover. That sheep never goes astray after that but stays very close to the shepherd. We need to introspect daily to seek forgiveness for the workings of the day and seek God’s protection and strength to overcome our tendency to sin. This must help us remain in His protection through an inner transformation in the Power and self-control provided by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Our responsibility for strengthening our walls – Apostle Paul was trained and taught by Rabbi Gamaliel, the most influential teacher of that time and a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council. He was a Pharisee and a committed Jew, who initially believed faith in the Messiah and salvation through His sacrifice, as a lie and evil. On the road to Damascus, his meeting with Lord Jesus, changed him completely. We are grateful to God for having chosen him and blessing us with such wonderful words through him. We are to serve God by presenting our bodies ‘a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God’ (Romans 12:1-2). And then he has provided the way to that, ‘do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’.
After leading the Israelites from Egypt’s slavery, the first thing was for them to receive the Ten Commandments, God’s Word (Exodus 20:1-17). While Moses was on the mountain with God for forty days, the Israelites asked Aaron, the priest, and got a Golden Calf made as their god, to worship (Exodus 32:1-6). Psalm 119:105 Recognising the necessity of the Word of God for mankind, the psalmist could declare, ‘Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Romans 12:1-2). The Scripture is a guide-map for mankind to live as per God’s plan to prosper in everything.
After the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians, the first group to return to Jerusalem was for the purpose of reconstructing the Temple. Ezra, the priest, ‘prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances to Israel’ (Ezra 7:10). With the presence of God’s glory established, it was time for the people to learn the Word of God and do it. A believer turns to Lord Jesus and with this wall set inside, the strengthening of the defensive wall is carried out by His Word. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in him, to teach, remind and guide to live as the children of God.
The next step was repair and reconstruction of the physical walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:3-5). Nehemiah received the King’s permission to return for this and the King even issued letters to the concerned officials to provide all help. Once the visible aspects of the work started, the forces of evil also started opposing. Sanballat cast doubts on the people’s efforts, saying, ‘Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish – stones that are burned?’ (Nehemiah 4:2-3 & 17-18). His partner Tobiah the Ammonite went one step further, saying, ‘whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall’. To ensure safety and protection, all the workers were armed and ready to defend their work.
The ‘armour of God’ given to every believer has all for protection and stand ground (Ephesians 6:13-18). Only the ‘sword of the Spirit, the Word of God’ is to attack. When we thus arm ourselves and have protection through earnest prayers, our walls are strengthened by God. Our loving Father assures us, ‘See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me’ (Isaiah 49:16). In His love, He shows us His hands as proof of His love. The Risen Lord appeared in the midst of the disciples and ‘He showed them His hands and His side’ (John 20:20). His wounds are the guarantee of our freedom from the forces of evil and His protection.
We sin and go astray but we are not destined to live in the pigs’ pen but in the House of our Lord. The Prodigal son returned to His father and was welcomed. The father said to the servants, ‘bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet’ (Luke 15:22). Thus, he was now covered by his father’s protection, blessed by the father to use his authority to start afresh and walk in His ways. The worldly powers will not allow us to remain protected for long. The process of checking, repairing and defending ourselves is a continuous work. This we do by remaining focused on God’s Word and His truth. Victory is not only in continuous walk but in falling down, getting up and returning to His Word and ways. When we do this our thinking process starts getting aligned to God’s way. An odd chip in the wall will get mended earliest and not allow us to fall into captivity.
The great warrior, Apostle Paul, has taught very clearly, ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh’ (Romans 13:14). Our worldly desires lead us into sin but following His ways, we are transformed bit by bit into His image and likeness. Then God becomes our hiding place, and He preserves us from all troubles (Psalm 32:7). He is always with us and in us to remain protected, for any erosion in our security is quickly corrected. Inner and outer walls of protection remain intact and we praise and worship Him.
God has promised us never to leave us and our protection and provision is fully assured. Our walls crumble only when we astray and away from His presence, following our sinful ways. Our walk and work either keep on repairing and strengthening it or chip away bit by bit to destroy it. Meditation on the Word of God, prayers and doing good to others expressing God’s love towards them, help us stay strong and protected.
