In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth. After creating everything, God rested. Does that mean God went to sleep?
As humans we grow tired and require a nap; at least I do in the afternoon. Does God grow sleepy and require a daily nap in the afternoon? If we take the days of the week literally as with the creation, does God sleep every seventh day?
As a child, when a storm came, my mother would put me to bed for a nap. I did not fear what the storm might do to me. I was not afraid. Mother told me God is with us always and protects us at all times.
As children of God, we should not be afraid of what the world might do to us. God is in charge. But one might ask, “What if something bad happens to me?”
Illustration from Jeff Strite, preacher of the church of Christ in Logansport, IN. Sermon titles ‘Help From The Hills’ Nov. 3, 2023. ILLUS: A young mother was putting her daughter to bed one night. Her husband was gone and they were there all alone, and while there was a full moon and the wind howled menacingly in trees both the mom and her daughter were uneasy. Then the young girl asked her mother if the MOON was God’s night light. “Yes, dear,” the mother replied.
Then the girl asked “Does God turn out his light when he goes to sleep?” “No honey, GOD NEVER SLEEPS.” “Oh,” said the child quietly. “Well, if God’s going to stay up all night, there’s no sense both of us staying awake.” And then she just turned over in bed, pulled up her blanket and fell asleep.” (childlike faith) That child found comfort in the fact that God didn’t sleep. God was going to be up all night anyway! She had faith that He would watch over her, and so she slept.
From a little child we are made known the power of God. By a child’s faith we can establish a greater faith. If God is not asleep during our night, He will look over us while we sleep. The child only knows mother and father always take care of them in every situation; it has never failed.
Even with these words, ‘a child like faith’, many believers falter in their faith accepting God will protect us. We need to be reminded often of God’s protection. God is our father; he created everything; even us.
Jesus tells us what to fear and what not. Mt. 10:28. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
We should never worry nor fear what might happen to us in this world. God is in control; so we tell each other. How is this possible? King David tells many people that God is in control, therefore, do not fear.
Do you realize God is omnipresent–meaning he is everywhere. If God is everywhere, how does he do it?
David tells us from where our help comes. Let us study Psalms 121.
Ps. 121:1. 121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. The hills represent God who is looking over us. As a hill is high, so is God. On a hill, you can see over a large territory.
Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian army one morning. The servant noticed the great army when he arose and went outside. He became afraid. Elisha calmed him by showing him the presence of God. turn to 2 Kings 6:14-17. 14 Therefore sent he [King of Syria] thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. 15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Have you opened your eyes to the Spirit realm to see the presence of God? God also being omniscient, knowing everything, finds out where you are and the conditions you are found in.
God, being above even the hills, (or in the hills) is looking over us. This is comforting, but it does not explain if God sleeps or not. In Psalms 121:3-4, David tells us, 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
It is comforting to know God does not sleep nor slumber. He is always on the job. How else could he know about our daily situations?
Is it comforting to you that God does not slumber? If God does not sleep he can see from the mountain tops and above how to protect you. God is keeping Israel, both the Israelites and Christians.
If God is always on the job, and we are a part of His fold, can you recognize that God is protecting all of Israel? Verse 1 said our help comes from the hills–God. David confirms this in verse 2. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
If you do not have God nor you are not a part of His family, what is a non-family member to do? Isaiah 55:6. 6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
When you are in a seeking mood to find righteousness, you are to call upon God while He may be found. There is a time when God will no longer hear or recognize you. While He will still hear, seek Him.
While you are heard or known from God, … ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12. God will protect you in all times, especially in times of danger. God never sleeps.
Let us read the rest of Psalms 121.
Vss. 5-8. 5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for ever more.
The Lord keeps His own. Deuteronomy 31:6 Moses is telling Israel, 6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. In Hebrews 13;5, the author restates what Moses had said generations before, 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
We are to never fear, worry or doubt. A Christian is to be content. Why? God never sleeps. God is always protecting His own.
When God never sleeps, he will be your keeper. God will protect you from harm; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. (vs. 5)
What might harm us? Evil is what harms man. Evil is what attempts to harm the righteous. But, The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: (vs. 7)
How long shall God protect us? Is it only in the daytime? No! We know most evil perpetrators do their evil schemes in the darkness. They find it harder to be detected in darkness rather than light. Some evil perpetrators are more bold and tempt or harm you in daylight.
Do you see the irony here? Jesus is ‘light’. Evil perpetrators do not like Jesus so they desire the darkness. Darkness represents unrighteousness. With more evil being allowed by our government, more evil is attempted in daylight. But God never sleeps, he sees at all times in daylight and even in our darkness of night. As the little girl mentioned, the moon is God’s nightlight. God can see because everything is illuminated before Him.
When God sees all things, God can and will preserve us for ever more. In all we do, God will preserve us. if we walk in the light as he is in the light, he will cleanse us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 para.)
This Psalm (121) and many others were songs David wrote for Israel to sing. Perhaps they sang them especially going to the required three annual feasts, Passover, Pentecosts, and Feast of Tabernacles. To Israel, going up on the ‘Hill’--Jerusalem–was where Israel could find God. It was considered the dwelling place of God. it was the place where God could be found.
With our everlasting High Priest, Jesus, who is found on the right hand of God, we can access God through Jesus in prayer. We do not have to go to the ‘Hill’ to find God. We can go to our knees.
Where can we find God in our world? Believe it or not, God is not asleep and can be found ‘in the hills’. The Spirit realm is everywhere in our world. Can you see their presence? By faith we can see the evidence of the presence of the Spirit realm. Faith is the substance of the evidence of things not seen by human eyes nor heard by human ears. However, if one trains themselves to see and hear the evidence of things not physically seen nor heard, they can truly see and hear by the Spirit those things of Spirit nature influencing our physical world.
Spiritual matters are only manifested to those of whom God gives to Christ to understand heavenly things. If you can mentally see Jesus Christ and witness the evidence of His being, you have been given a gift from God to see Spiritual, heavenly things.
However, we often fall prey to our physical feelings of being left alone without help ‘from the hills’.
When we feel we are the last righteous people remaining, remember Elisha. In 1 Kings 19, Elisha feared for his life from Ahab. Elisha said, vs. 14. …I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. God replied to Elisha, vs. 18. …I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
Where might these seven thousand persons be? Answer: in the hills which God made. They are all around us. We might not know them but God does. His servants are all around us to protect and keep us. Angelic servants are protecting us from evils.
David wanted Israel to remember from whom our deliverance and protection comes. These songs were to bring to remembrance the power and protection we have from God to His children.
Do you believe it? Does your faith increase knowing God is never asleep and is watching over us?
If you need reassurance, lift up thine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh thy help. your help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
We can lay our head down at night or during a great storm by day, but God shall deliver us. Develop this faith and you shall be richly blessed.
As humans, we need sleep, rest to rejuvenate our bodies. God is a spirit. He does not sleep. Thank God for His never slumbering nor sleeping on the job. Thank God for always watching over us. Jesus said, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mt. 28:20.
