Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
This passage of scripture teaches us that the angel of the Lord not only encamps around us, but also delivers us in a thousand different ways from enemies who a may be bent on our destruction. The angels of God are sent forth to minister unto them who shall be heirs of salvation, and in harmony with God's promises of Divine protection, they set in motion a train of circumstances which often prevent God's people from becoming the victims of senseless violence.
However, we should here state unequivocally, that it's not in every circumstance that it may be the will of God for certain individuals to be delivered, for after speaking brilliantly about the heroes of faith who were delivered by the power of God, the apostle Paul goes on to say that there were "Others" who were not delivered, yet were just as victorious as those who were. Let's read:
Hebrews 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.
If a Christian were to adopt the policy of toting guns and ammunition, the possibility of using such items irrationally goes up exponentially, if one is confronted with a dangerous situation on the spur of the moment, for it presents the immediate option of deadly force, as was the case when Christ and His disciples were rudely apprehended by the mob who came to arrest Jesus at night. Peter, like most of us, was mentally stable, until he was faced with a sudden danger, and when this occurred, the natural instinct of self-preservation kicked in, and he then resorted to the use of deadly force, albeit against God's will. Let's read:
John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
In this instance it was not the will of God that Christ should be delivered, and this singular instance has often been a sticking point in the conversation over protection, and whether or not Christians should arm themselves, just as those who do not fear God. One of the issues on the table, which has been proposed by many lawmakers, is that mandatory background checks be made on persons wishing to buy guns, in addition to mandatory mental evaluation for men and women who may have had a history of mental illness.
Now, whilst this may sound good on the surface, God would have us understand that Peter had no history of mental illness, but instead, what drove him to react in this un-Christlike manner, was the cultivated and inherent tendency we all have to defend ourselves when faced with a life threatening situation. The potential to use deadly force, regardless of what God's will in a particular situation might be, goes up exponentially, if we have that option readily available, whether we are mentally stable or not.
When Christ attempted to pass through the territory of the Samaritans, they bluntly refused His request, and we have to ask ourselves the question, how dare any human being deprive The Creator of the heavens and the earth, the freedom to walk through His own land. If there is situation where, upon reaching home one day, someone were to try to prevent a person from going into his home, some people will shoot their way in, if they have that option available, but not so with Christ, who decided to take another route.
What is worthy of note in this particular instance, is that two of the disciples of Christ had clamored for the use of deadly force, which prompted a stern rebuke from The Lord Himself, by which He then put the whole issue of self-preservation and self-defense in its proper, and correct perspective. Let's read:
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he"... 52 "Sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him".... 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
Let us therefore freely partake of The Spirit of Christ, who placed Himself entirely in the hands of His Father, who then delivered Him on numerous occasions according to the plan laid out for His life, for it is a well-documented fact that the unruly mob was only able to take Jesus into custody when God permitted, and not before.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which helps us to deal with the ongoing issue of personal protection, and it is the will of God that our faith rest confidently on His promises and His good and perfect will for our lives. Let's read:
Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!