Burunche’s Blog

Deuteronomy 33:25 – 29 “May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and your strength match your days.” “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’ So, Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew. Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.”

These verses embody some of the most wonderful promises God has ever given to anyone. Although the promises were originally given to the Israelites, anyone who is following the One True Living God and who is obedient to His Word can also claim them. Let’s examine and admire these promises one by one.

1. “May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and your strength match your days.” Some versions state that “your shoes will be iron and bronze.” Iron and bronze were some of the strongest metals known at the time of Moses. Cities that had heavy metal bolts and bars on their gates were far safer than those that just had wooden bars. Most people wore leather sandals that required continual repair and replacement due to the rocky nature of the paths. To have shoes that were iron and bronze would indicate that your shoes would not wear out and that you and the shoes would be strong perpetually. “May your strength match your days” means that for your entire life, you would remain strong and purposeful, not growing feeble or forgetful.
2. “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.” What’s the point of serving a wimpy god who can’t help you? Anyone who sets himself or herself up as his/her own god is doomed to despair. Only the Lord God of Israel is sovereign. Only an all – powerful, all – knowing, all – loving God is sufficient for your needs. Those of us who have flown know that even the clouds surrounding our planet are breath – takingly beautiful, and God lives in beauty. But God also “rides the heavens to your aid.” We can call on God, knowing that no sincere prayer ever goes unnoticed, and we can be quietly confident that God WILL swiftly come to our aid.
3. “He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’” Only God knows those who are opposing you or undermining you; therefore, it is God who can best protect you.
4. “So, Israel dwells securely; the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine, where even the heavens drip with dew.” This word picture of agricultural abundance is one of the most vivid in the Bible. Grain, new wine, and sufficient water would mean a plentiful food supply. To dwell securely means to live in safety, something all of us earnestly desire.  
5. “Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you, and you shall trample their high places.” As I am writing these words, conflicts all over the world are heating up. Those who wish only to live in peace are suffering at the hands of terrorists. Christians in Africa and India are paying the ultimate price for their faith. “But,” you ask, “if these verses are true and applicable, why should anybody suffer for their faith?” Good question. Evil exists, and because evil does exist, the righteous will suffer. But that does not mean that we cannot call upon the Lord and ask for His protection. If we are believers, there may come a day when we will be asked to stand for our faith; on that day, we may be asked to lay down our lives. But we can always ask God for His protection.

When Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie entered the concentration camp where Betsy later died, God protected them, blinding the eyes of the guards so that they were able to smuggle a Bible into the prison. Eventually, Betsie fell sick and died; however, God gave her the grace to forgive those who were persecuting her and the courage to trust that God was still good and merciful. Sometimes our most dangerous enemies are not physical but spiritual. Jesus told his disciples, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:28 – 30)

What does it mean to “trample down the high places of the enemy?” Cities were built on hills for protection against marauding bands. From a height, people could see their enemies approaching and prepare. But high places were also places of idol worship, and one group conquering another would also destroy the places of worship so that those who had been defeated could not worship their gods any more. Destroying the high places would render the conquered people spiritually powerless. For those of us who are Christians, we can rest assured that God will help us triumph over evil, even if we must pay with our lives as did Betsie Ten Boom.

APPLICATION: God is promising strength, health, protection, victory over enemies, and an abundant life. Did these promises come true for the Israelites? Yes, as long as the Israelites were obedient, God was faithful. Even when the Babylonians and Assyrians carried the Jews off into exile, God still fulfilled these promises. The prophet Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are all examples of God’s faithfulness to those who remained faithful to Him. Down through the centuries, God has blessed those who have blessed the Jews. Those of us who are Gentiles, non – Jews, can also claim these promises because God’s plan was always for the salvation of the entire world and not just for one group of people.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your precious promises! Thank You that You are our protector, our shield, our provider, and our deliverer. Thank You for loving not only Israel but also the whole world so much that You sent Jesus to die for all of our sins. Help us to trust You, even when things become difficult. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus.

This entry was posted on January 29, 2022 at 6:04 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.