January 20, 2002

ARMOR FOR THE EVIL DAY

Ephesians 6:11-17

   "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11). The "whole" of this armor is pictured in six pieces and many have wondered if Paul's arm-aments were taken from his guarding Roman soldiers. Let us see.

   Paul's first piece of armor is a girdle such as a soldier might use to tuck up his flowing garment. He wrote, "Stand...having your loins girt (the girdle) with truth..." (v. 14). Isaiah 11:1-2, 5 read, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse [the Messiah]...and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins."

   Paul's "breastplate of righteousness" (v. 14), is in Isaiah 59:17, "For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head." Paul also borrowed, "the helmet of salvation" (v. 17).

   And having "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (v. 15), surely came from Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful...are the feet of him...that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good."

   Psalm 91:4 "his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid...for the arrow that flieth by day," must have been Paul's inspiration for "the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (v. 16).

   Finally "take...the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God" had to have come from Isaiah 49:2, "he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword." And so the girdle, the breastplate, the shoes, and the helmet, the shield, and the sword were all taken from the Old Testament!

   Satan did not begin his attack in Ephesians 6 nor did God wait until then to supply these very same armaments! Eve laid aside her armor in the garden when she tampered with the truth; she entertained doubts about God's faithfulness and care; she failed to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one, and handled the sword of the Spirit deceitfully. And what shall we say of others who failed to avail them-selves of this sacred armor? But how wonderfully did the Lord handle His armor when tempted by the devil in the wilderness! "It is written.."

Ivan L. Burgener