The LORD, My Magen (Shield-Bearer)

About 49 times in the Old Testament, the LORD is called a shield or my shield. The Hebrew word that is used is magan.   In checking out the term, I find that there are five words in the Old and New Testament used for shield: javelin, magen, buckler/tsinnah, shelet, and thureos.  Interestingly enough, in about 40 of these instances, when the Lord is called a shield or my shield, the term is buckler and can be shield-bearer.  The magen is caried by the archers.  They are usually constructed of wood and are overlaid with leather.  The oil is a preservative on the leather, plus the oil is possibly able to extinguish the fiery darts and arrows.  

I Samuel 14, Jonathan, the son of King Saul, had an armor- bearer,  and in 1 Samuel 17:7,  one who carried Goliath's shield was a shield-bearer. In each case, Jonathan nor Goliath carried his own armor or weapon, it was carried by this one who went before each of them.  The armor-bearer was willing to sacrifice himself to protect his leader.  The Lord is truly our Shield.  He is our Protection/Protector.  He goes before us and accompanies us in spiritual warfare even having an armor fit for us personally (Ephesians 6: 11-18).  He is truly self-sacrificing giving HIS all for our sake at Calvary.  

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LAST THOUGHT ON LEVITICUS

Image
  For the first time in many years, I have enjoyed reading through Leviticus.  I have skipped it several times and read on.  This go round, I have sought to focus on some thoughts, words, phrases, or practices that God had instituted for the Israelites and their physical and spiritual well-being.  The Ten Commandments and many of the laws have real practical value for society and the Christ follower today.  The Lord God gave them a standard, a commandment, which is applicable for today, "You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees.  I am the Lord (Jehovah) your God (Elohim).  Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them.  I am the LORD."  Leviticus 18:4-5   My concluding thought from Leviticus is this admonition or commandment:  " You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."  Leviticus 20:26.  Even though spoken to Israel, the truth of being holy is directe
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress
Read more

ORDER AND DESIGN

Image
    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the
Read more