Sabbath: Waging Peace
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Peter 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8; Isaiah 59:17; Isaiah 52:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Memory Text: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16-17, ESV).
In John Bunyan’s devotional classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress, written while he was in jail, Christian is escorted into a palace armory and shown “all manner of furniture [weaponry], which their Lord had provided for pilgrims, as sword, shield, helmet, breastplate, all-prayer, and shoes that would not wear out. And there was here enough of this to harness [fit] out as many men for the service of the Lord, as there be stars in the heaven for multitude.” Before Christian departs, he is again escorted into the armory where “they harnessed [fitted] him from head to foot with what was of proof [impenetrable], lest, perhaps, he should meet with assaults in the way.”
Bunyan’s writing in 1678 recalls a document written some 1,600 years earlier by the apostle Paul, the Epistle to the Ephesians, also composed in prison. In it the great missionary apostle imagines a great army, the church, visiting God’s armory and suiting up in the divine panoplia, the Greek term for full, head-to-toe armor. God’s armory holds enough of the finest weaponry for every soldier in His army to be “clad with northern steel from top to toe,” as they set forth to wage peace in His name.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 23.
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When I posted my paraphrase of the scripture for last week's lesson, I had not read ahead to find out that this week's lesson uses the same passage of scripture. (Glad I found this out early because I have to teach this week's lesson in a face-to-face class)
My son was about 12 years old when I found the bounder could out-think me in strategy games. He would win the game and then announce it by saying, "Aren't I a bounder!" The fact that a 12-year-old, who shared some genetic code with me, could beat me in a strategy game made me realise that a) I had married a very smart wife, and b) I had to take a less conceited view of how smart I am.
By extension, it led me to understand how vulnerable I am when confronted with the master strategist, Satan. If my son can get around my defenses in a simple game, how much better is Satan at doing that in real life? The battle for our mind, particularly in the 21st century is more than just cute analogies and pithy quotes from favourite sources. It is about an alliance with the winner.
I much appreciate the wording referring to our battle as ‘Waging Peace”. 1 Thess.5:16-18 speaks to that: ”Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Living protected by the complete spiritual armor empowers us to wage the battle of peace in our Lord and Savior's name. To wrap my mind around this Truth is life-changing as it provides insight into how important it is for us to be fully ‘protected’ to stand in Jesus Christ to defend His Truth from those who want to destroy it.
Though this is is not our war to win, we fight as Jesus Christ's hands and feet - His body. It is the spiritual ‘armor’s’ war employed through us by faith which defeats the foe that come against God's Truth daily trying to undermine our faith in the power of the Word of God. May no day find us uncovered and unprepared to wage peace in His Name.
In the final sentence under Sabbath afternoon study session where it says "God’s armory holds enough of the finest weaponry for every soldier in His army to be “clad with northern steel from top to toe,” as they set forth to wage peace in His name." Does northern steel have any significance? If so, what is northern steel and what makes it so special?
The Romans received most of their iron from the Noricum region in what is modern day Slovenia and Austria. Such steel was known as Noric Steel. The use of the term "northern steel" may be just a confusion of Noric with Northern because Noricum was to the north-east of Rome. It is just a description of the finest steel available to the Romans and I don't think it was meant to have any spiritual conotation other than that God provides us with the finest armour available. Incidentally I think steel was only used for swords and spear-heads that needed to have a fine cutting edge. It was too expensive, heavy and difficult to work with for general armour. Brass/bronze and toughened leather were much lighter and easier to work with.
Thank you so much Maurice!
The "soldier prepared for the fight" image is a metaphoric way to point to the spiritual armory I need to be encircled with for a war that is not mine.
As I get close to Grace, I also get close to the conflict between Grace and "disgrace"; the offer of this special armory comes directly from the Fountain of Life, Who says, "You cannot protect yourself against these powers, but I can; I can help you and give you the right equipment, so you can endure to become stronger, but for this, you have to depend completely on Me!"
Is there any safer choice to rely on through this "cosmic conflict?"
God has given us all the armor we need to face the enemy. His armor is his character. We use faith to absorb the darts of the enemy. Without faith, the darts will upset our life. The helmet is the final act of readiness in preparing for combat. If the head is damaged, the rest of the armor is of no use. The battle in this great controversy is a battle for the mind. Romans 12:1–2 instructs us to renew our minds with the truth of God’s word.
Reading Waging Peace, I think of the military personnel who are sent out by their countries for peace keeping mission. Look at how they arm themselves for peace. Though their mission might be successful hanly speaking, before God it's not. Peace is never urged nor forced. And, giving peace without God is no peace at all.
Our Lord said "peace I give you, my peace, not as the world do I give" John 14:27