In the reign of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, the Word of the Lord came to Prophet Jeremiah and Baruch the scribe helped wrote down the words according to the Word of God from the prophet’s mouth to the nation of Israel, king and all the people to change and to obtain mercy of the Lord. King Jehoiakim of Judah was furious and angry against the word of God and burnt the scroll that contained the word as he ordered for the arrest of Jeremiah the Prophet and Baruch the scribe but the Lord hid (protective eyes of God) them. Jeremiah 36:26.
Though the princes bade them abscond (the wicked watches the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Psalms 37: 32-33) but it was neither the princes’ care for them, nor theirs for themselves that secured them. It was under the divine protective eyes of God that they were safe. Jeremiah 36:19
God will find out a shelter for his people, though their persecutor and the haters of the Lord are ever so mad to hurt and harm them. Who is he that will harm you when you have the great Lion of the tribe of Judah as the protective shield and hiding place? If the Lord be for us, who can be against us….thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Psalms 32:7.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father, you are of more value than many sparrows – the Lord will protect his people by all means and at all cost-even at the expense of other’s life, he will not hesitate to give men’s life in exchange for his loved ones just as he sacrificed the lives of the soldiers in whose care Peter is secured when Herod would have him killed to please the Jews…. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Isaiah 43:4.
You can dodge the surveillance camera; cover up your face to hide identity in the light or darkness; to cause harm and to do evil. None can elude against the protective eyes of God over his children to cause harm, deceive or to do them any evil. His eyes never got dim, nor sleep, nor slumber – his eyes of flaming fire over his own, to keep and to shade them against the smiting sun by day and the striking moon by night.
Shelter and accommodation is of paramount necessity in man’s life. Every man does his best to have a roof under his head either by mortgage to owe a house or renting one.
The purpose of a roof over man’s head is enormous from rain, heat; stormy wind and tempest of life and of this world etc. sometimes, the roof on top of us cannot even cover nor hide us from the strongest wind like Katrina and Tsunami – only the protective eyes of God can!
The safest and strongest habitation and shelter is our God. We see King David re-affirming his confidence and trust in the Lord in his hour of trouble and of the uncertainties of life. He knew that the Lord is known in her palace for refuge, a sure resting place, where the blast of the terrible one cannot reach. Psalms 48; 3.
There is a need for spiritual shelter over our heads which is provided by the protective eyes of God and those who run and turn to God alone for protection and refuge shall not be troubled by that which destabilizes others.
They shall be preserved from that trouble so as that it shall never overthrow them, never sink them into a dejection of spirit, or diffidence in his mercy! They shall find storms, but a stout and strong ship under foot; they shall feel thunder and lightning, but garlands of triumphant bays shall preserve them; they shall be trodden into earth with scorns and contempt, but yet as seed is buried, to multiply to more.
The believer’s troubles in the trial of his faith are to multiply the testimonies of Christ in his life: and as his suffering abounds in Christ, so his consolation abounded by Christ…thou shall compass me about with songs of deliverance. Never run from troubles for man is born unto it.
For envy and bitterness of heart (and it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed (to eliminate as rivalry) David from that day and forward. 1 Samuel 18: 6-9)
King Saul declared himself as the enemy of heroic David. Twice he tried to kill him in the palace with javelin while the young David ministered deliverance unto him from his demonic oppression and torment as David dodged the attacks and escaped. 1 Samuel 18: 10-11.
He gave his daughter to David for wife and demanded the foreskins of the Philistines as dowry that he might destroy David by the hands of the Israeli enemy lest any man say Saul has killed David- yet the Lord eyes were on David for protection against the pit of untimely death…..And Saul said to David, behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
And David said unto Saul, Who am I? And what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.
And Saul commanded his servants, saying, commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law.
And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David. And Saul said, thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son in law: and the days were not expired. Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.1 Samuel 18: 17-29.
Saul knew that God was with David, yet he pursue and sought him relentlessly every day to eliminate and to frustrate divine purposes and plans over the life of the young shepherd and the sweet psalmist of Israel. Note: when the enemy is hardened with a conscience sealed with hot iron in their perpetual hatred and evil labor, it is that they might be destroyed without remedy- for the wicked is reserved against the day of destruction and are brought forth to the day of wrath. Job 21: 29-30.
For his good and heroic act for his nation and God’s people, David found evil as payback from King Saul as he turns a national fugitive and wanderer for the fear of Saul and for his life, nonetheless: the un-failing protective eyes of God were upon him in the day or night, valley or mountain, deep or open, plain or rough places…. And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.
And the Lord said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lordsaid, They will deliver thee up.
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. And Saul said, blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me. Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. Saul also and his men went to seek him.
And they told David; wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth (separation – the divine eyes shall separate and protect the righteous from the wicked). And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi. 1 Samuel 23: 6-29.
The root (blood of the Lamb) and privileges of our relationship with God, his plans and purposes for us, obliged the increasing measure of divine security over and around us as he employs his ministering spirits and even of man to protect us (Acts 9:25. 18: 9-10. 23:10-24) in addition to the gentle whispering voice of the helper within – the Holy spirit to reveal and warns us against any possible danger or evil and to re-assures us of his sharp protective eyes over us. Genesis 28: 10-17.
We are children of promise, the object of his love and affection –precious in the eyes of God- the apple of his eyes as Father and Shepherd, the Lord shall protect us from the ravening wolves. He shall send his angels to deliver us from all troubles (Psalms 34:7. Daniel 6: 18-) and shall stir himself up to protect and defend his children like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. Isaiah 31:4-5
His protective eyes are over his children as the eyes of the husbandman is over his vineyard to dress, water and weeds against unwanted plants and fowls of the air from wasting the fruit and harvest thereof….In that day sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine.
I the Lord do keep it (protective eyes of God) I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Isaiah 27: 2-3.
Great is the faithfulness of God. His promises and purposes are unchanging if our heart is perfect and right before him; and if we walk wholeheartedly with him, we shall be kept, live and to see his days in our lives (Joshua 14: 6-14).
If we are walking constantly with him, trusting fully in the shadow of his wings: if our reliance is not in any protective means of human or diabolical origin (Isaiah 30:1-3) like Ezra shunned those things – we shall be safe and secure from all alarms…then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help (protect) us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated (divine protective eyes upon them) of us. Ezra 8: 21-23.
In any situation and under any terrible condition whatsoever, we can only be in safety under the protective eyes of God as long as we are abiding in him – that is, walking in the light of his Word and in his will (1 Samuel 25:16) and in the engagement and occupation of our heart to his business – the enemy dare not try it to touch his anointed, neither to think of doing his prophet any harm for fire shall go before him and consume all his enemies….And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the Lord’s priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house. Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. 1 Samuel 22: 20-23.
By the grace of God, I shall gladly love to expatiate more on the three major mechanisms of the protective eyes of God through the revelation of the Holy Spirit that lives in us in the re-assurance of his abiding presence and protection in our troubles, fears and un-certainties of life and future. As we walk with God in Christ Jesus, there is the testimony and inner witness of the Spirit of God in our spirit and whoever receives the Son of God has the witness in himself.
Just as apostle Paul was twice re-assured of the Lord protection against any hurting him: and his hands were strengthened to fulfilled his ministry (Acts: 18: 9-10: 23:10-11) Simeon also had the promised by the revelation of the Spirit of God that he shall not die until he witness the birth of Christ and so it came to pass…….that he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; Luke 2: 27-34.
There is nothing like the personal witness and assurance of the Spirit of God in us for the edification of our faith and establishment in the will of God that under any situation and adverse circumstance(s) we can say like David….for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Jacob ran way for the fear of his from Esau his twin brother. In his sleep at night, he saw the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending to the earth and the Lord stood above it. In his revelation at Bethel; he was promised the presence and protection of the Lord in his journey and the re-assurance that all shall be well in his trip for a safer return. This is the faith builder and empowering promise(s) of the protective eyes of God – it is the greatest assurance and solid foundation non comparable to any other means of protection and security.
Whatever is said or revealed by the Spirit of God shall be accomplished by him as Jacob was protected from being hurt by Laban when he secretly stole away from him (Genesis 31:29). He was protected from being hurt by Esau at their reconciliation (Genesis 33:1-4.) He was protected from being hurt by the Hivites in the land of Shalem after Simeon and Levi furiously avenged the defilement of Dinah their sister (Genesis 34: 30-31.) He was secured and protected from being hurt by the inhabitants of the cities on his way back to Bethel Genesis (35:5).
(2) Angelic representations of divine protective eyes of God – the angels are ministering spirits in the service of saints. Every believer has the right to an angel(s) protection and services: seethat yedespise not oneof theselittle ones; for I say untoyou, that inheaven their angelsdoalways behold the face of my Fatherwho is inheaven (Matthew 18:10) they are to guide, defend and protect the believer’s against possible attacks and dangers…..I will mention the lovingkindnesses of theLord, and the praises of theLord, according to all that theLordhath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses.For he said, surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In their entire affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9. Psalms: 34:7: 91: 1-12.
Peter was rescued from the prison by an angel called Peter’s angel (Acts 12: 13-15) while Daniels answered the king the next day he was thrown into the pit of Lions that God sent his angels to shut the mouth of the lions so that they could not hurt him because he was innocence of the accusations spoken against him before the king (Daniel 6: 18-23) while Apostle Paul was re-assured of his safety and protection in the storm by an angel of God after many days of turbulence journey in the sea….But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Acts 17: 21-25.
(3) In 2 Kings 6, 24-33: we see a good illustration of the protective eyes of God in the discernments of our circumstances in Elisha’s action when Benhadad king of Syria besieged Samaria which resulted in a great famine until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. Two Samaritans women, for the dearth, famine and hungerhad made a barbarous agreement, that, all provisions failing, they should boil and eat her son first and then her neighbor’s; hers was eaten and now her neighbor hid hers and she cried to the king for foul play and justice.
Instead of the nation, king and the people to repent of their sins and turn to God for mercy and deliverance from the siege as the judgments from God (Deuteronomy 28: 53-57) he chose to blamed the prophet for the famine in the land and sought to slay the innocent man of God but Elisha foresee it and took to his heel to escape for his dear life….And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. And he said, If theLorddo not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
And the king said unto her, what aileth thee? And she answered, this woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, see ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? Look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and holds him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of theLord; what should I wait for theLordany longer?
The Lord will communicate wisdom and protection through our ability to discern situations and circumstances – a prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished (Proverbs 22: 3)
Just as we can be asked to stand the ground and be led to fight for the Lord’s cause, exercising and demonstrating spiritual authority and power of the Lord to smite our enemies with blindness (2 kings 6:13-18) even so the Lord can ask us to flee, hid and take cover as means to protect us for wisdom is profitable to direct (Ecclesiastes 10:10) as David has to use his brain to discern the danger of waiting and ministering before king Saul as he flee for his life by the help of the Spirit of God ( 1 Samuel 18: 7-12: 19: 8-18.)
(2) God instructed Elijah to go away and hide him from the wicked king Ahab’s plot to kill him as the king searched for him for good three and half years just to have him killed….And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said what have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As theLordthy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they found thee not. And now thou sayest, go, tell thy lord, behold, Elijah is here. And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of theLordshall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear theLordfrom my youth. 1 kings 17: 7-12.
(3) Joseph ran away with baby Jesus and Mary to avoid the envious and destructive sword of king Herod as instructed by the angel of the Lord in his dream Matthew 2: 13-15.
(4) The used various means of hiding, running away and lowering down through the basket to protect and delivers apostle Paul from many dangers of untimely death. Acts 9: 20-30. 14: 3-6. 17: 5-15. 2 Corinthians 11: 30-33.
(5) Our Lord Jesus withdrew from the public eyes and Herod’s jurisdiction (by human prudence Matthew 14: 13) when he had knowledge, not of John’s death; but of Herod’s thoughts concerning him that he was John the Baptist beheaded and rose from the dead – in the time of peril, if God opens the door of escape, we should gladly and humbly use it for our preservation in the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. John 7:1: 12: 35-36. Luke 13: 31-35.