A Life in Exile

Solomon the Wise continues to speak to his son, urging him to seek wisdom and live by it. Where will we find this wisdom? From YHWH, the Lord. He is the source of all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. As we seek Him, He serves as our shield in life.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. (Proverbs 2:6-8 ESV, emphasis added)

The shield of righteousness

This verse immediately drew my thoughts to the New Testament, where we read of another shield.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:13-16, emphasis added)

Though we often look at faith as the sole shield in the armor of God, there is also another source of protection that covers our heart and vital organs—the breastplate of righteousness. As we believe in Christ, we are covered by His righteousness, enabling us to walk in His light.

Because God is our shield, Solomon tells us that He guards us in the way of justice and watches over us. As we walk in integrity, the shield of God provides what we need to live according to His wisdom.

The benefits of God’s shield

Look at the connections with the armor of God and our passage from Proverbs.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil. (Proverbs 2:9-12a)

The understanding and wisdom we receive from God filters into every other aspect of our lives and ultimately enables us to stand firm against evil, delivering us from its snares. We are delivered from the way of evil and from those who lead us to sin, as the following verses reveal. God’s shield protects us:

from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. (Proverbs 12b-15)

And ultimately, as verses that follow reveal, he shields us from women who lead us to sexual sin.

God is our shield and protection from the attacks of the evil one. May we walk confidently by faith in the One who watches over our way.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Friday Focus post, click HERE, or start this Walking in Wisdom series from the beginning.