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.
Sadly, even today when someone dislikes another, they take every effort to slander their name. We can aptly call this the stone throwing of the present times. The people who indulge in this are those who have no regard for the truth or society, but are obsessed with making a name for themselves. In recent times you may have noticed that people use the social media to express their disfavor or dislike towards others. Many people resort to creating controversies deliberately in order to increase their viewership.
At this juncture when we are petrified by things that are happening around us, we must realize that we are in this calamity because we have not been using what God has entrusted to us, for His glory, but our personal gratification. In the same way, if we continue to misuse the freedom of expression on the internet, we could lose that great opportunity too.
This is form of stone-throwing happens in the family, at our work place, at church and in society at large. And if we have by any chance engaged in any such activity, this is the time to repent and let go of all the hatred and bitterness in our hearts against others.
Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ days we should not use the word of God to settle personal scores we have with others. The word of God teaches us to go to the person who has offended us and to resolve the matter with them on a one on one basis.
Here’s what the Law actually stated as was given by Moses to the people of Israel.
We read in Leviticus 20:10, “"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife or with his neighbor's wife, both he and the woman must be put to death for their adultery.” (GW)
The Law of Moses actually demanded that both the man and woman who were involved in the act should be put to death. However, in this incident, the religious leaders only brought the woman to Jesus.
Every time we condemn others we must be reminded that we too are prone to make the same mistakes. Also when we judge others, we should keep in mind that we do not know everything about the other person and most often we end up with totally wrong judgements.
No room to pass judgement on others
Here’s what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:1, “Stop judging so that you will not be judged.”(GW)
Jesus was very categorical that we should judge no one and only then we too will not be judged. Let me explain this from an experience that many of us may be familiar with. If someone were to ignore or not notice us as we pass by on the road side, we may assume that they willfully avoided us. We wouldn’t stop with that. We will add that their new position or job is what has made them so lofty which resulted in such behavior. However, the fact of the matter may be that the person might have been so burdened with the problems from their new job, that they actually did not notice us. Let us not judge others by mere outward appearances for this does not please the Lord. Sometimes the reason for this kind of a judgmental attitude is that we esteem ourselves to be higher than others. We need to be humble, be the first one to take the initiative and not pass unnecessary judgements on others.
The grace that Jesus extended to everyone
As the religious leaders continued to heap their accusations against the woman, this is what Jesus did in response.
We read in John 8:6, “....But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger.” (GNB)
Jesus did not lift up His head to look at the crowds that stood around Him and pretended not to hear them. He simply bent over and chose to write something on the ground with his finger. There has been much speculation as to what Jesus might have written. I tend to believe that Jesus was telling those who stood around accusing the woman with His silent reply, that they would be better off if they left His presence immediately rather than be exposed and put to shame in front of the large crowds. To these religious leaders, who were chosen to be the spiritual heads, Jesus was giving them one more chance to escape embarrassment before the people.
Many people continue to slander and judge others only because they have forgotten the grace of God that has been lavished on them. The grace of God is taken for granted because He does not judge us instantaneously. The time when Jesus wrote on the ground, corresponds to that period of grace that we are enjoying, when the Lord does not wish to shame us for all our sins.
There is something even more disheartening that is happening among the children of God. This is the fact that some people gather together to pray against others believers giving it a very religious attire. As we live among those who are unbelievers, may we make it our goal to not take the name of the Lord in vain, but to honor Him through our words, deeds, prayers and all of our lives.
There was a time when the disciples asked Jesus if they could command that fire come down to consume those who did not accept them, and Jesus rebuked them for this attitude.
No one could throw a stone
We read in John 8:7, “As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her."” (GNB)
We have the right to throw a stone at someone else only if we are totally without fault. However, when Jesus questioned the crowd that stood before Him that day, there was none who was without blame. There are some who claim that they have never coveted or stolen from others, but, when we defame another person’s good name it is definitely a form of robbery.
God does not approve of it for in His sight, He does not differentiate sins as little sins or big sins. There is nothing hidden from the sight of our Almighty God. We may justify ourselves saying that we are better off than others. This is like a student who secured ten marks in his exam who bragged to his father that he was far better than his classmate who got just one mark. The fact of the matter was that both of them had failed. God has not given us the authority as human beings with faults to judge our fellow humans. We are cautioned in Romans 3:10, “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;”” (NKJV)
Sinned and caught for it /or/ Sinned but not found out
There were two kinds of people who stood before Jesus that day at the temple. The woman who was caught in adultery and religious leaders. The former was caught in sin while the other group comprised of those who sinned, but were not caught, and hence had the boldness to stone others. So also there are those today whose sins have been found out, and are therefore penitent. There is however a majority of those who justify themselves, hide their sins and are eager to condemn others.
No one could condemn her
We read in John 8:9, When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. (GNB)
Jesus is truth and speaks words of truth. When the crowds heard His words of truth, there was not one from the oldest to the youngest who could take a single stone and throw it at that woman. Jesus was the Truth who was that woman’s shield and buckler.
Jesus did not condemn but freed her
Jesus looked at her in John 8:10-11, He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?" "No one, sir," she answered. "Well, then," Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again. (GNB)
Jesus sent her away with no condemnation and admonished her to leave her sinful life behind to start anew.
The truth of God will be a shield and buckler only to those who choose to put their faith in Him. If there are those who are hurt emotionally because of the condemning words of others, the Lord wants such to trust in the Lord believing that He will be our shield and buckler. When this is so, it doesn’t really matter if the stones are flung at us from those near to us or those far away from us. God’s word is with us to protect us and keep us safe.
We can come to the Lord however crushed or distressed we are knowing that He can change everything around, and give us a fresh start if we come to him in humility and repentance. May God help us to be associated with the right kind of people and stay away from ungodly relationships. If we have hurt anyone with our words of judgement may we ask forgiveness of the Lord and decide to live the way He want us to. It is good for us to turn to the Lord in repentance during this time of grace that He has extended to us and not wait for that day when we will stand to be condemned before everyone. Judgement belongs to God alone and none of us is worthy to take that place of judging others as we are all guilty and fall short of God’s standards. May the truth of God always be our shield and buckler.
Pastor F. Andrew Dixon
Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins
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