Living in an evil world, where strife, and conflicts, man-made and natural disasters occur so often, it is important for us to know of, and understand God’s covenant of protection. After any major disaster the question always arises that if God is alive, why does such and such tragedy take place. And if He sits on the throne of the universe, why doesn’t He protect millions from catastrophe.
These are complex questions with complex answers and although the Bible does not give us the reason in every situation, yet great light is shed upon issues which pertain to God’s covenant of protection. The promises of God are claimed by many, far and wide but it’s important to know that with many promises there are preconditions.
Thus, as we review both the old and new covenants, we should do so with a humble and teachable spirit for whatsoever is written in those covenants is what will take place in the lives of those who voluntarily enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. This is not to say that God does not care about the other multitudes of people, for Jesus died to save all.
But just as there are special privileges in a marriage, based upon vows made at the altar, just so, there are special promises made to those who enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. But there are several greater issues to be considered when trying to understand the issue of protection, of which a list of some of these will follow next.
[1] We are living in an evil world, and because of the sin problem, disasters will occur. Sin produces collateral damage, and therefore in many instances of tragedy, the innocent may be involved. Because of the sin of Adam, all his posterity suffer collateral damage, for we are here for just a brief moment, and before you know it, we wither and die as a flower.
Thus, those who had nothing to do directly with Adam’s original decision to sin, do suffer the after-effects of transgression. Millions of people across the world are suffering as a result of the trade war with China, yet on a personal level some may have had nothing to do with the decisions, either directly or indirectly, that were made.
The same is true of the sin problem, some will get hurt in the process. Even Christ suffered collateral damage on the tree, and therefore, we should think it no strange thing if innocent folks suffer at times. The good news is that salvation through Christ also produces collateral benefits to those who may have nothing to do with Jesus. Let’s read:
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression.
[2] There are consequences to actions and decisions taken by persons. There are the laws of sowing and reaping which must run their natural course in most cases, and thus, our expectations should be held in subjection to those natural laws. If we sow good, it is likely that we will reap good, but if we sow evil we should not expect to reap good. Let’s read:
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Deuteronomy 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, forever.
Isaiah 24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws,
changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
[3] God takes no delight in the destruction of beings He has created, yet He does retain the prerogative to permit such things to happen, according to His discretion. There are a few times when, on account of unbridled iniquity, He had to put a check on sin, but for the most part, destruction is the work, or by-product of evil angels.
Therefore, we should seek to understand as best as possible the difference between what God does and what He permits. Because of God’s great love, He has granted to all created beings the freedom of choice, which can be used for choosing good or evil. Thus, calamity and tragic loss often occurs because of our choices, and God should not be expected to reverse every consequence of wrong actions on our part.
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Russia caused considerable damage to the planet, and we are still reeling from the fallout of the Fukushima meltdown in several, different ways. Seafood was and is still being adversely affected by the Deepwater Horizon which caused millions upon millions of gallons of oil to spill into the Gulf.
These disasters with all of their aftereffects on man and the environment were permitted by God, but He is in no way liable for the tragedies or the results of man’s choices. If persons continue to pollute the atmosphere without restraint, and if we continue to burn the Amazon rain forest, terrible catastrophes will certainly follow and God may or may not permit them.
Let mortal man then be very careful about how they blame God for any and everything, because God has made no promise to backstop every wrong or error man makes, especially when, for the most part he is rejected by the masses.
Most of the tragedies and conflicts we read of in the old testament, where God’s people were involved, had to do with God’s response to provocation by the enemies of His people, and thus these instances must be understood in context. Many nations like the Philistines the Amorites and the Moabites were bent on wiping Israel off the face of the earth.
Therefore, in many instances, God responded to the provocations by doing what any good parent would do. Case in point was the unprovoked attack by the Amalekites, as the Hebrews journeyed from Egypt. In that instance they were not prepared for war and the Amalekites took advantage of them.
Thus, in response, God directed Moses, and Joshua to fight, as He would work through their efforts, but even then, God did not destroy the Amalekites until a few decades later. Thus, throughout history, God’s judgments against nations, and individuals have always been tempered with mercy. Let’s read:
Exodus 17:8 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
1st Samuel 4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
1st Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction.
On the other hand, most of the destruction and disasters that have taken place upon the earth can be traced back to the work of satan, his angels and his human agents. With him, no difference is made as to who is on his side or not, for he is a murderer from the beginning.
After Saul had faithfully done his bidding, and went to the witch of Endor for guidance, satan rebuked him for disobeying God, and instead of helping him, sought to finish him off the next day. Thus, he is the destroyer who wreaks havoc upon individuals and nations in the overwhelming majority of cases. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.
Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
[G.C pp 589>590] While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power.
He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.
Thus, seeing that we are in pretty bad shape down here on this planet, it would be well and wise for us to study carefully, God’s covenants of protection in the Bible. The first covenant made between God, and Abraham, included protection, and would only be granted in response to faithful obedience to His laws. Let’s read:
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
But when Abraham violated God’s law by marrying Hagar, God did not prevent that family feud which ensued. The alienation that occurred was the law of sowing and reaping running its natural course. Thus, God’s covenant of protection is predicated on our obedience to His voice.
The covenant that God made with the Hebrews also included promises of protection, which were to be granted in response to faithful obedience. These promises and their prerequisites were plainly stated so that none would have cause to misunderstand. If the Hebrews would walk circumspectly in the ways of God, then His protection would cover them.
But if not, they would be exposed to many disasters and calamities. These adverse circumstances would not happen all at once in most cases, but if there was deliberate sin, or repeated rebellion over an extended period of time, then the negative results would kick in. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
Now, it is worthy of note, that as it stands currently, God has entered into no such agreement with any nation on the earth. The new covenant written in Hebrews includes promises of God’s protection to persons individually, to those who have voluntarily entered into a covenant relationship with Christ, to obey His laws and commandments, but as a nation, no such guarantees are made. Let’s read:
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Those who would be covered under God’s covenant of protection must, like Abraham and all the faithful down through the ages, walk in obedience to God’s laws and statutes. They must endeavor through the power of the indwelling Christ, to live in accordance with the principles, and laws of God’s kingdom, for anything short of this would be a fairy-tale version of God’s protection.
This does not mean that no adverse situation would affect the righteous, neither does it mean that we would be free from adversity, or from the effects of storm and rain. Those who embrace God’s covenant would find a sure refuge in Jesus, and they would be covered by God according to His will, when things go south, because they have voluntarily placed themselves under His direct jurisdiction.
Being covered by your insurance company does not guaranty that you won’t have any accidents, just as being covered by God does not provide immunity from disaster or adversity. Coverage offers a backup plan, and that is why the following passages were written for our understanding. Let’s read:
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
Thus, as a multitude of disasters, hurricanes, wars, tumults, tornadoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis are on the uptick, increasing in frequency and intensity, as a woman in labor pains, Christ invites everyone not to seek for mere human solutions, but to find a refuge in Him while the window of opportunity is still open.
Now, whilst our Great High Priest is wrapping up His work in the heavenly sanctuary, and now, as God’s Holy Spirit is gradually being withdrawn from the earth, let us seek shelter in Christ by appropriating His new covenant, for when probation closes, God’s protecting care will only be upon those who are in Christ, while all others will have no shelter. Thus, we close with a scripture that certifies this promise. Let’s read:
Isaiah 4:5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.
6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
God Bless!