The Bible is full of promises of God’s protection that are granted to the human family. There is a generic form of protection which blankets all of humanity, in which God takes personal interest in every living person, and every beast of the field. But with this form of protection some people will fall through the cracks, either inadvertently, or by their deliberate violation of natural or spiritual law.
Because of our freedom of choice God will not force persons to obey Him, and therefore, by our choices we can cut our own lives short, or in other instances we may extend our lives to the fullest according to the allotted time God has pre-ordained for us to live upon the planet. Three passages of scripture teach us these important truths. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, forever.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
Ecclesiastes 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Then again, there is a special form of protection by which God grants to His believing children angels of heaven, which encamp around those who fear Him 24/7. Were it not for God’s special protection over His people, the righteous would have been entirely eradicated from the earth long ago, and thus, even though we do not praise, and thank God enough for His mercies which are new every morning, angels never cease their watchful care over His people, day and night.
This truth is also sacredly enshrined in many verses of scripture, with the intent that we should always be mindful and thankful for God’s never-failing care. The very fact that we are currently doing Bible study in a peaceful environment, is due the protection of God alone, and nothing else. Let’s read:
Psalms 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Genesis 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
2nd Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
And there are several other promises, and passages which tell us of God’s care for His people, and even those who do not serve Him. It is solely because of the mercies of God why we are not consumed, and therefore, the following scriptures are being given to reinforce in our minds, the sacred truth that God cares and protects the human family, some more, some less. Let’s read:
Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Proverbs 21:3 There’s no wisdom or understanding nor counsel against the Lord. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle. but safety is of the Lord.
Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. 7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
And we can go on and on and on… “But”we must be aware that there are certain things, certain activities and certain choices, and actions that can, and do often short-circuit God’s protection, and it is one of these short-circuits which we will study this evening, for we are facing very volatile situations at home and abroad which have the potential to spiral out of control very quickly.
Therefore, when it pertains to God’s special care and protection over His people, strict obedience to all that we know is right is absolutely important, for God does not bless disobedience. We should never mistake God’s mercies as an endorsement of sin in any way shape or form, for even though He may show mercy, deliberately choosing a wrong course of action can expose our vulnerabilities. This sacred truth is also written in the scriptures. Let’s read:
Numbers 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor. 19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
On the contrary, when God’s people begin to walk contrary to what they know is right, and when this is done deliberately, the protection of God can be short-circuited, and then it is that satanic agencies can run riot, up to the point where God says thus far and no further. This is a critically important truth for all to understand. Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 723] Heretofore God's providence had preserved David against all the plottings of his enemies, and had been directly exercised to restrain Saul. But David's transgression had changed his relation to God. The Lord could not in any wise sanction iniquity.
He could not exercise His power to protect David from the results of his sin as He had protected him from the enmity of Saul. His claim to respect and obedience from his sons was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent, it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house. His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interpose to prevent the result. He would permit things to take their natural course, and thus David was severely chastised.
This leads us to our study for this afternoon, on the issue of God’s protection. The Hebrews were flush with the victory God had given them over Jericho, and specific instructions pertaining to the spoils had been given several times, so that God’s purposes in the matter would be clearly understood. They were commanded not to appropriate anything for themselves, for the city of Jericho was accursed.
Everything within the city was to be burnt with fire, except that which God had stipulated to be used for the sanctuary. But one lone individual disobeyed and thus short-circuited the protection of God over all those who did not pray. As we study the sad history of this one incident, we will highlight certain important points, of which we should be cognizant. Let’s read:
Joshua 7:1 “But” the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing.
The word “But” is a conjunction that is used to introduce a phrase or a clause that contrasts with what has already been mentioned. For instance, a man won the lottery, “But” he lost everything, or he lived like a king “But” died like a pauper. So, because the word “but” is used to mark a stark contrast with what was mentioned previously, we must of necessity read the last verse of the previous chapter, for this will shed great light on something that often occurs in the Christian’s life. Let’s read:
Joshua 6:27 So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
Great failures often follow great victories. After our mountain-top experience, many devils are often to be found waiting in the valley. Especially should we be vigilant and humble after God has done us some great favor, for it is then that we are most likely to become self-confident, boastful, proud, arrogant, or presumptuous. It’s then satan would often tempt us to go out on a limb without God.
It was after Peter walked on water that he began to sink, for he took his eyes off of Christ who alone had empowered him to do the impossible and he looked back with pride upon his fellows. Again, it was after the miracle of feeding the five thousand that severe storms rolled through almost engulfing the disciples upon the water. Therefore, we reiterate, “Great failures often follow great victories, for it is after your mountain-top experience that many devils are found waiting in the valley”
Joshua 7:1 But Achan, the son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
We must pose two direct questions to ourselves: What is the accursed thing? and in our day are there any accursed things currently in our homes or on our persons? The answer to these two questions could affect our prayers for protection, either for good, or for evil according to the next 3 passages. Let’s read:
Joshua 6:18 And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. 26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.
Acts 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Again, the question is asked: “Are there any accursed things in our homes, or on our persons? Pornographic literature, videos, movies and any and all types of sexting. Literature on horoscopes, palm reading material, talismans, specific rings, bracelets and amulets that are believed to possess magical powers, all magic books, and information on casting spells. Good luck charms, all genies, and anything that is marked in the Bible as being accursed. Any or all of these are accursed and should not be found on our persons, or in our possession, or in our homes, and here’s the reason why. Let’s read:
Joshua 7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 And Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
There is a common human tendency to blame God whenever things go wrong, instead of searching our own souls to see if we have contributed in any way to the adverse circumstances that have gathered on our doorstep. Whenever signal failures attend our way, it’s then a good time to do some serious soul-searching to see if maybe, just maybe, we have not followed all of God’s instructions in the matter. Let’s read:
Joshua 7:10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
It is of critical importance that all of the proverbial ducks that we know of, be in a row, so that nothing on our part will hinder God’s protecting hand from covering us. If there is anything out of place in our lives, or if we know of deliberate, cherished sins, let us clear the way by confession, while we still have opportunity to do so, for in earth’s final conflict that is heading our way, The Lord will only be covering the obedient.
For many years, the mercies of God have attended the righteous, and to a large extent, those who do not serve Him; but a day is coming, when there will be a tectonic shift under our feet, when the forces of evil that are now restrained, will be let loose, and all who are not in a covenant relationship with God will be unsheltered. Let’s read:
Revelation 7: And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Mark 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains. 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
Question: Why did the devils specifically ask to go into the swine? Answer: They asked to go where an atmosphere of deliberate disobedience to God’s express command was being fostered and therefore the vulnerabilities of the people who owned the herd was exposed. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. 8 The swine, because it divides the hoof, yet chews not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass.
Devils do not eat swine, they thrive on atmospheric conditions that are conducive to evil, and therefore, wherever known sin is being practiced or cherished, there the presence and power of evil spirits will be felt. In fact, it was only because of the mercies of Christ why the owners were not cast over the cliff with the swine. One day it will be discovered that the overwhelming majority of cancers, tumors, and ailments that the human family suffers from can be traced right back to the those forbidden foods, outlined in the Bible. Together with the practice of eating blood in any form, they constitute the lion share of all known illnesses.
Therefore, The Lord solemnly declares, to all who would listen, that any known sin that is cherished, and any forbidden indulgence that is consciously being practiced will adversely affect our prayers for His protection. When Moses was on his way to do battle against pharaoh and his magicians, an angel of God blocked him with a sword drawn in his hand in a threatening manner. That is because Moses had only one duck that was not in a row, but that one duck would be sufficient to short circuit God’s protecting care. Let us read:
Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go.
Let no one listening this evening be deceived by any smooth-talking preachers, who custom design their sermons to soothe itching ears. Obedience to all of God’s commandments, all His instructions, and all that He has been pleased to reveal as truth or duty is the only course of action that will suffice to cover us in the day of trouble. We close with a solemn revelation coming from the pen of inspiration. Let’s read:
[Early Writings pp 270>271] I saw angels of God hasten to the assistance of all who were struggling with all their power to resist the evil angels and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”
But all of our ducks must be in a row.
God Bless!