What’s the most impressive thing anyone has ever lent you?
You’re wrong.
Whatever you thought it was, it’s not the most impressive. Look at what God said through prophecy about how he would have to handle our sins.
“Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him
That there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries,
Recompense to His enemies;
The coastlands He will fully repay" (Isa 59:15b-18, Unless otherwise stated: Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Used by permission. All rights reserved).
This was looking forward to Jesus. What a comfort that when we were without strength, the Lord, by His own power, died to deliver us from our greatest enemy, death from sin (Look at Isa 53 with Acts 8:26-38; Rom 5:6-1). What’s more, God has left us with all we need to succeed in the spiritual warfare we will face. When we look in the New Testament, we see a parallel to what the warrior in Isaiah 59 wore and what we are encouraged to wear. It is as if God has lent us His armor.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Eph 6:10-18)
One item that is conspicuously absent from the armor of God in Ephesians 6 is “vengeance for clothing.” The writer of Hebrews quoted God as saying, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Heb 10:30).
The Lord will clothe us in salvation and cover us with a robe of righteousness (like Isaiah, in 61:10). He is the one who will come in judgment, taking vengeance (2 Thess 1:6-9).
Are you equipped with what you need for the fights you face? Are you battling things that God hadn’t intended?
Put on the whole armor of God,
Van
