Protection

Do you have confidence in God’s protection? - Psalms 3:1 – 3:8 (commentary)

The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy’s thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test. He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until …

Exodus 2:1 – 2:15 (commentary)

Moses is born (vv. 1-2). His parents kept him inside for three months but when they could not longer keep him hidden they placed him in a basket and placed him in the tall grass along the edge of the Nile river (v. 3). The babies older sister stood at a distance and watched to se …

Heads of families return with Ezra - Ezra 8:1 – 8:23 (commentary)

This chapter contains a list of those who returned with Ezra to Jerusalem (vv. 1-14). This was a much smaller group than the one that had returned with Zerubbabel earlier. Those returning with Ezra totaled 1496 males plus 18 heads of families. It is interesting to see how the nam …

Paul’s Protection from the Posse - Acts 23:12 – 23:22 (commentary)

More than forty Jews banded together under an oath agreeing that they would not eat anything until they had killed Paul (vv. 12-14). This band of zealots were roughly equivalent to the terrorists who threaten us today. They made this plan known to the Sanhedrin and somehow Paul’s …

David Determines to Serve The Lord No Matter What Happens - Psalms 34:1 – 34:8 (commentary)

It is thought by Bible scholars that this psalm was written by David. When he killed Goliath in the valley of Elah it not only spelled triumph for David but it spelled trouble as well. King Saul immediately became jealous of him and tried to kill him. David finally began to becom …

Psalms 37:18 – 37:29 (commentary)

The wicked man has no protection. The psalmist likens his future to smoke that soon disperses and vanishes. God has His winds which can soon blow away the defenses of the wicked man. On the other hand no calamity can befall the righteous that God is unaware of (v. 18).One of the …

Psalms 48:1 – 48:8 (commentary)

Church history would indicate that this Psalm was written to commemorate the defeat of Sennacherib and the powerful Assyrian army. In his pride and ambition he had thought the conquest of Jerusalem was a foregone conclusion. However he had failed to take into account that he was …

Psalms 61:1 – 61:8 (commentary)

It is evident that David wrote this Psalm while he was undergoing some type of banishment. It seems that he may have written it soon after Absalom’s rebellion had been crushed by Joab. Absalom was dead and it looked like the way was now clear for David to return to Jerusalem. How …

Stand protected during our daily battle - Ephesians 6:14 – 6:17 (commentary)

To “stand” implies urgency and in place (v. 14). The “girdle” holds the other parts of the armor together in the same way that truth is an integrating force of the victorious Christian’s life. The soldier’s “breastplate” protected his chest from th …

Saul tries to Kill David and Michal saves him - I Samuel 19:1 – 19:24 (commentary)

Saul sets in motion several steps to kill David (v. 1). First, he asks his servants to kill him. Jonathan goes to his father, on David’s behalf, and is able to appease him for a time (vv. 2-7). In fact, Saul makes the statement, “As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain&quo …

Deliverance From Israel’s Enemy - Isaiah 31:1 – 31:9 (commentary)

This fifth “woe” is a brief summary of what Isaiah had already told the people. Their faith was in men and not in God. They trusted in “horses” and “chariots” and not in the hand of the Lord (vv. 1-3). God had warned the Jew …

God’s Protection of Israel - Isaiah 41:1 – 41:16 (commentary)

The Lord confronts the nations and the islands in judgment (v. 1). The reference to nations and islands suggest all the world’s people. God told the nations that because He controls history, they really have no control over the future (vv 2-4). The Lord affirms that He is …