Shield And Buckler Series

Psalm 91 - Study 14 - Shield and Buckler

We read in Psalm 91:4, “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” (KJV)

The shield and buckler are weapons that protect one from the attacks of the enemy. The adversary may attack us from afar or from close at hand. Whatever be the case, God’s children must realize that God’s protection is available to us nonetheless. It is the truth of God that serves as the shield and buckler which alone can protect our lives. If you are wondering as to how the truth of God can save us let us study this incident recorded in John 8.

Jesus teaches at the temple

We read in John 8:2, “Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them.” (GNB)

The Lord Jesus was at the temple and a great number of people had gathered to listen to his teachings. If you notice the ministry of Jesus, regardless of where he taught, on the sea shore or at the temple or synagogue there were large crowds that thronged to hear his teaching. The reason was that Jesus taught the truth in a way that was easily understood by the multitudes, and His words were true life which transformed the lives of the people who heard Him. As Jesus taught the people that day at the temple, all of a sudden there was a commotion.

A commotion at the temple

We read in John 8:3, “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all.” (GNB)

As Jesus began to teach, perform miracles and wonders, large groups of people sought after Him and began to turn towards Him. Jesus’ popularity among the people was not received well by the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who were the religious leaders at that time. Their one intention was to trap Jesus and to hinder the work that He was doing. However, all their schemes and plots proved to be a total failure.

Strangely we notice that the teachers of the Law and Pharisees who had difference of opinions, set them aside and conspired together to target Jesus, simply so they could find fault with him. In this incident the religious leaders brought to him a woman who was caught in adultery and presented her to Jesus. When this problem was brought into the temple, the sad consequence was that Jesus had to stop His teaching that was eagerly being received by so many.

As children of God we must be cautious about the people we keep company with. Our friendships must be godly and if we are aware that some of these are detrimental to our walk with the Lord, we must let go of those relationships. Ungodly relationships will corrupt us and never build us up.

Recently many countries have amended their laws and according to this amendment, adultery is no more a punishable offense. Mankind has the unique distinction of being created in the image and likeness of God, and by compromising on God’s standards, humanity has lost their true identity. Laws have been altered to suit man’s desires so that things that were once frowned upon have now become acceptable in society. However, for those who are children of God, the word of God is our guide that we should follow. It is only those who heed these commands of God and follow them, who are promised entry into the Kingdom of heaven.

Problem brought into the Temple of God

When the Pharisees and Scribes brought into the Temple premises the woman caught in adultery, they actually disrupted the teaching of Jesus.

Even today people bring problems that happen outside the church into the church, thereby affecting the ministry of the church. Today the churches have been shut, but soon the doors of the churches will be opened. At such a time we must be cautious to see that we do not bring the problems that are outside into the church into it. If we do so, the ministry and teaching that the church should be engaged in will certainly be hindered.

The religious leaders sought to have the woman condemned

We read in John 8:4-5, "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" (GNB)

The group of religious leaders brought a band of people who had come ready with stones in their hands to stone the woman. Their premise was based on the fact that Moses had commanded them in the law that such a woman who was caught in adultery, should be stoned to death. They eagerly awaited the response that they would receive from Jesus. That group of people were not zealous for God or the truth, but their only intention was to trap Jesus and to find defect with His judgement. These religious leaders were using the Law of Moses as a tool in their hands to ensnare Jesus.