Our Golden Shield Of Faith

When the nation of Israel was divided, the Southern kingdom of Judah was ruled by king Rehoboam. It was initially strong and well organized (2 Chr 11:17). However, Rehoboam's pride increased with his power and he forsook God’s law (v. 1). The Lord judged Judah for their sin (v. 2), by allowing “Shishak king of Egypt” to invade the land (v. 4). They took away much of the gold that Solomon had carefully stored up (2 Chr 9:13). Only when “the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves” (v. 6), saved Judah from destruction!

But the Egyptians already “took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house,” which included the 300 shields made “of beaten gold” (2 Chr 9:16), that Solomon ordered to be made. The tragic loss of these golden shields was a great physical disaster! In a spiritual sense, these golden shields picture our faith in the Lord Jesus (Eph 6:16)! We must constantly wear this provision from God’s armory so we can be equipped and ready to wage the spiritual battle against our enemy (1 Pet 5:8).

This shield of faith is the only armor that is not stationary – we can move it from the bottom to protect our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Eph 6:15), all the way to our “helmet of salvation” (Eph 6:17)! In order for this shield to be effective, we must soak it with God’s word (Col 3:16); that must be highly desired “than gold, yea, than much fine gold” (Ps 19:10). It is a shield that would neither fail us nor expose us to “the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph 6:16). Because faith allows us to stand in the battle and receive the victory (1 Cor 15:57), regardless of the circumstances we may face! God bless you!

- Pastor Melito Barrera