The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’ Deuteronomy 33: 27, NKJV
Dear Lord, thank You so much for being willing to lead us into all truth; in the name of Jesus. Amen
Our promise for today is also taken from the blessings that Moses pronounced upon the children of Israel just before they entered the promise land. After pronouncing individual blessings upon each tribe, Moses pronounced one final corporate blessing upon God’s people. Let us analyze a portion of this promise together.
“The eternal God is your refuge.” Just what is a person looking for when he or she goes in search of a refuge? Allow me to suggest some possible expectations: protection, a place of safety, a haven, a sanctuary. In other words, a place where they are safe from harm. If they are a fugitive, they are safe from the pursuer. If they are a prisoner of war, they are protected from the enemy, as long as they remain in the sanctuary. Whatever danger they face, their refuge, guarantees them protection from it. When the children of Israel left Egypt, although they were leaving slavery, the prospect of facing the unknown loomed before them constantly, causing them to grumble and complain. They never found in the eternal God, their refuge. They had the Refuge, par excellence, yet they never found rest in Him. A refuge is only a refuge to us, when we make good use of it; when we allow ourselves to be sheltered and protected by it. We could be in front of a refuge and die unprotected. We have to enter the refuge to be safe.
“And underneath are the everlasting arms.” Isn’t it wonderful to know that the hands that “put the stars in place,” and hung “the world in space,” will be beneath you and me, whenever we need it? A child will jump into the arms of his or her mom or dad, just because the parent tells him or her to do so; even in the dark! Such should be the confidence we have in the everlasting arms of our heavenly Parent. We should know that if He bids us take a leap of faith, He will be there to catch us. During all the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, God carried them, as it were, “on eagles’ wings” (Exodus 19: 4). Jesus, talking about his followers said, “neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand… and no one is able to snatch them out of My father’s hand” (John 10: 28, 29). How safe is that!
He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, ‘Destroy!’ God is not only our refuge. He does not only sustain us with His everlasting arms; but He will also cast out the enemy from before us, and empower us to destroy it. How often our enemy stands in our way and tries to keep us from entering the doors of opportunity that God has opened for us! When God brought Israel to the promised land, many of the inhabitants refused to leave. Many preferred to remain in the land and fight to the end. But their efforts were in vain, because they were fighting against God. When God’s people were willing to obey Him, and allow Him to drive out the enemy, God fought on their side, and vanquished the enemy! You see my friends, if we do not destroy “the enemy” the enemy will destroy us. But if we are willing to allow God to drive the enemy out, He will do the same for us, as He did for the children of Israel, and perhaps, even more abundantly!