God, Our Refuge

12
Apr

Deuteronomy 33:27—”The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, destroy them.”

Our eternal God was in the Ancient of days, before all things, and will be when time shall be no more. The same is true of Christ, who is the Father of eternal life; as appears from His nature, having the whole fulness, all the perfections of deity in Him; from His office, as Mediator, in which He was set up from everlasting; and in the everlasting covenant. God is our Refuge or Dwelling-place, our Protection amid the storms of life, and the unfailing Source of comfort and blessing in our pilgrimage state. Our Eternal God is our refuge in whom we are safe and at rest, as a man in his own house. Every Believer is at home in God: the soul returns to Him, and reposes in Him. If you make him your habitation, you shall have all the comforts and benefits of a habitation in Him. Over us is His sheltering protection, and underneath the support of His everlasting arms.

In His everlasting arms and with His Almighty power and infinite goodness, God protects and comforts us in our greatest distresses. Never were people so well supported and borne up. God’s everlasting arms keep our spirit from sinking, from fainting, and our faith from failing. His Divine grace is sufficient for us. He will support and defend us. Though He dwells on high, yet He comes down to the earth to assist and deliver us. To support, protect, keep safe, and secure, such are the arms of His everlasting love, which encircle us, and compass us about as a shield; His everlasting covenant, which is immovable, and in which we ever remain; eternal Redemption and Salvation, brought by Christ, which secures us from destruction; and everlasting power, by which we are kept and preserved as in a garrison; and everlasting consolation, which flows from all this. The arms of Christ are under His church, to support it, on whose shoulders the government of it is. He carries Believers in His arms, embraces them in His bosom, bears them up under all their afflictions and temptations, trials and exercises he will never let them drop out of His arms, or be plucked from them.

Our God shall expel our enemies and make room for us in their country. He shall give us power, as well as authority, to root them out. What He commands He gives power to execute. God has commanded Believers to destroy all sin in themselves; all evil tempers and corrupt inclinations, as well as all sinful words and actions; and will He not give us power to do so, if we ask and use it? His word comes with power. Thus Believers are more than conquerors over their spiritual enemies, through Christ that loved them.  Nothing can hurt those whom God helps. Never were people so well armed. Those in whose hearts is the excellency of holiness, are defended by the whole armour of God. Never were people so well assured of victory over their enemies. In the same manner Christ thrusts out Satan and this shows His mighty power; He also gives orders to destroy them, and makes us more than conquerors over them.