December 2003

HINDS’ FEET IN HIGH PLACES

Part 25

“He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
and sets me on my high places!”

(2 Sa 22:34)

             We live in an age where the term “getting high” means to be lifted out of the harsh realities of stressful daily living by indulging in some form of artificial exhilaration. This expression was first associated with the abuse of alcohol; then it escalated to the misuse of drugs. Later it came to be identified with an overindulgence of any stimulant like: food, sex, making or spending money. It has now extended to address any form of temporary self-gratification. People in this darkened age are so terrified, they are looking anywhere and everywhere for some escape...even from themselves! This desperate quest for a haven of “higher ground” gave birth to the present Space Age. Since men could not find the peace and safety they so yearned for here on earth, they launched a search for just such a haven in outer space. The trouble with this was that other nations climbed on board, so to speak,, which posed a far greater threat to human security! With an enemy able to build space stations from which they can discharge deadly missiles on the earth, humanity is in worse peril than ever before in history. No wonder Rev 6:12-17 declares:

“I beheld when (the angel) had opened the sixth seal, and, lo,
there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the
stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts off
her unripened figs when she is shaken by a powerful wind.
Then the heaven split apart as a scroll when it rolled up;
also every mountain and island moved out of their places.
The kings of the earth, also her great men, and rich men,
and chief captains, and mighty men, even every bond and
free man hid in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.
They cried out to those mountains and rocks, Fall on us!!
Hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great and final day
of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

Of course, for true believers, there is only one answer
to this last question, and it is revealed in Eph 6:10-18.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the
Power of His Might! Put on the whole armor of God,
so you can stand against all 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 world, as well as spiritual wickedness
in high places! Now put on the whole Armour of God
so you can stand (hold your ground) in the evil day!!

And having done all this, make a stand! So stand with
your loins girded in Truth; wearing the breastplate of
Righteousness (right standing with God), having your
feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace;
and above all, holding the shield of Faith with which
you shall be able to quench the fiery darts ( ungodly
thoughts that assail our minds- but possibly extended
to destructive missiles from outer space fired at us by
agents of the wicked one! And lastly, put on the helmet
of Salvation, and take up the Sword of the Spirit, which
is the Word of God!”

             Beloveds, let us not allow our fears to be stampeded into looking out there for our enemies, when our Savior and Lord told us that our enemies would be “of our own household”!! (Mt 10:36)
              For indeed, a fearful man is his own worst enemy; and no matter where we may try to run and hide, we have to take him along with us! Our own carnal nature is our deadliest foe, and the only way we can be free of him altogether, is to “PUT ON CHRIST” (Gal 3:27) which also just happens to be “THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD”! The six pieces of Armor (one for each day of creation) all typify Christ: 1.“TRUTH” [Jesus says, “I AM the Truth!” Jn 14:6]; 2. “RIGHTEOUSNESS” [2 Co 5:21 says, “(God) has made (Christ) Who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so we may be made the Righteousness of God in Him!”]; 3. “PEACE” [Isa 9:6 calls Christ the “Prince of Peace!”]; 4. “FAITH” [Ro 4:3 says, “Abraham believed God; and his belief was counted as Righteousness for him”; then Ro 3:22 says “The Righteousness of God comes by the Faith of Jesus Christ!”] “SALVATION” [Heb 2:10 calls Christ the “Captain of our Salvation”!]; and last, but not least, “THE WORD OF GOD” [Jn 1:1, 14 clearly establish Jesus Christ as the Living Word of God]!
              Therefore, when God sets us up on His “high and holy places”, we will need only Christ as our complete Armor! For He, alone, is mankind’s Sovereign Protector against all his enemies!

[TO BE CONTINUED]