The Lord is Guardian of His People

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. Zechariah 2:5
When war breaks out in a country, the people flee to the most safe and defendable place, which in times past was a city surrounded with strong high walls. Those that did not heed the warning and stayed outside when the gates were shut, would be found by the enemy and killed. Those inside would be safe within the walls. They could be defended with fewer people as long as the walls were intact. There was safety behind them with the hope that relief would come to defeat the enemy before they could knock down the wall. The wall was a separation between the people that were attacked and the aggressor. If no help arrived many or all would die because of hunger, sickness, or by the enemy breaking through. God, often in Scripture, uses these illustrations as in Nehemiah 2:17, “Then said I unto them, (the remnant of the Children of Israel) Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.” But this wall is only a temporary place of refuge or safety. The wall is man made and cannot keep the people safe for long.

Everything in this world is temporary, “But the word of our God shall stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8b). This becomes the hope and comfort of the people of God that no matter what happens here in the world, eternity is sure, as in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck out of my hand.” He (Jesus) brings all His people safely to the place He is preparing for them. Satan does much to cause them to almost despair of life, but he is defeated and can only do what God will allow him to do. God says, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further” (Job 38:11a): He (God) is the only Guardian worthy to have this title. His word is faithful and true, but only to those inside the wall of fire! Have you found it so? “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:15).

Jesus alone will bring them safety and keep them safe as the Good Shepherd who gave His life’s blood to make the wall of fire eternally sure, to the praise of His great and holy Name. As the pillar of fire at the Red Sea separated Israel from the Egyptians, so also at death there is a great gulf fixed, so that those outside cannot come over, but also those inside are safe forever more. “To Thee, O Lord, I fly and on Thy help depend; Thou art my Lord and King Most High; Do Thou my soul defend. I praise the Lord above whose counsel guides aright; my heart instructs me in His love in seasons of the night. I keep before me still the Lord whom I have proved; at my right hand He guards from ill, and I shall not be moved. My heart is glad and blest, my soul its joy shall tell; and, lo, my flesh in hope shall rest, and still in safety dwell. My soul in death’s dark pit shall not be left by Thee; corruption Thou wilt not permit Thy holy one to see. Life’s pathway Thou wilt show, to Thy right hand wilt guide, where streams of pleasure ever flow, and boundless joys abide” (Psalter 29). Is this God your guardian?

Written by: Cornelius VanKempen