“"You said that the two nations, Judah and Israel, together with their lands, belonged to you and that you would possess them, even though I, the LORD, was their God.” (Ezekiel 35:10)
This Scripture makes no sense without the context in which it was written. The Lord speaks to the prophet Ezekiel and tells him to condemn Edom also referred to as Mount Seir. Edom was located south of the Dead Sea and bordered Judah on the southeast at that time. God tells Edom that He is its enemy and that death is its fate which it will not be able to escape. (Ezekiel 35:1-9) Their offense was that they were Israel’s constant enemy and said that Judah and Israel belonged to it, when it was the Lord God the One Who possessed Judah and Israel. God made good on His promise. The Nabataeans, nomadic Arabian tribes, descendants of Ishmael, pushed the Edomites out. Edom is a desert which now half of it is part of Jordan.
God is protective of what belongs to Him. In reality God created all things and it all belongs to Him. But God takes special interest in His children born through faith in Jesus. He is our Jehovah-Roi, our Protector. He is also Jehovah-El Elohim meaning “The Lord God is my Strong Protector.” “But all who find safety in you will rejoice; they can always sing for joy. Protect those who love you; because of You they are truly happy.” (Psalms 5:11)
He is our strong tower and refuge. We can run to Him in times of trouble. “The LORD is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe.” (Proverbs 18:10) He is our hiding place. “You hide them in the safety of Your presence from the plots of others; in a safe shelter You hide them from the insults of their enemies.” (Psalms 31:20) When terror is around and when our enemy (the devil) sets his arrows to destroy us, the Lord shields us. “The LORD is my protector; He is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with Him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; He defends me and keeps me safe.” (Psalms 18:2)
God protects us but He has not left us defenseless. He has given us His Word known as the sword of the Spirit. When Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights and the devil came to tempt Him, Jesus used the Word of God to defeat the temptation. When sickness comes against us, when poverty threatens us, when fear is trying to overcome us and when danger is near, we can speak God’s Word. God’s Word is Truth. It will dispel the lies that the devil uses to defeat us, to prevail over us and to destroy us.
When there is confusion and we don’t know what to do, there is God’s Word to give us light and understanding. But what Scripture do we need at such a time? God’s Word is light. It will bring understanding. Yes, there are certain Scriptures that give us specific direction, but all of God’s Word will enlighten our time of darkness. There’s the book of Proverbs, full of Solomon’s wisdom. The book of Psalms reveals God’s greatness.
And there is God’s Presence. “The LORD is king! Earth, be glad! Rejoice, you islands of the seas! Clouds and darkness surround Him; He rules with righteousness and justice. Fire goes in front of Him and burns up His enemies around Him. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees it and trembles. The hills melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.” (Psalms 97:1-5) This is a prophetic psalm about Jesus’ return. When we are near such a magnificent God, how can we fail to overcome anything that would come against us. “Jesus looked straight at them and answered, "This is impossible for human beings, but for God everything is possible." (Matthew 19:26)
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