Title: Our Strong Tower
[Min Byeong-seok's Proverbs Exposition] 43 Our strong tower
(Text: Proverbs 18:10)
Today's exposition of Proverbs is about to receive grace under the title of 'Our strong tower' with the main text as the subject. Please follow all the words of verse 10 together. Jehovah's name is our strong tower. A strong tower means a strong wall that will never fall into the hands of the enemy. Let's look for the words of Psalm 27:1-5. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, whom shall I fear? Even if I encamp against me, my heart will not be afraid; though wars arise against me, I will rather be at peace. One thing I have asked the Lord for, I will ask for it: I will dwell in the house of the Lord while I live, and wait for the beauty of the Lord. The LORD will keep me secret in his tent in the day of trouble; he will hide me in the secret place of his tent, and he will set me high on a rock.”
David feared no one. Because I believed that the Lord was my light and my salvation. David was not afraid of anyone. Because I believed that Jehovah was the power of my life. So David exclaimed: ‘Even if an army tries to attack me, I will be at peace.’
1. The name of Jehovah
We will first find out why the name of the Lord is a strong tower, and we will try to answer the question of how we can make it our strong tower in the name of the Lord. We must know the correct answer to the question of who God is working for. Psalm 106:8 says, “For the sake of his name the Lord has saved them.” The fact that the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt was not because they had merit to be saved, but because the Lord saved them for his own name.
Not only that, but the reason why God killed the people of Ai and had the people of Jericho killed and all the Gentiles fell by the sword of Israel was not for Israel's sake, but in order not to profane the name of the Lord and not to tarnish the glory of the name of the Lord. It can be known that And it tells us that Israel often betrayed God and rebelled against God in the wilderness, but it was only for the sake of the name of the Lord that they led them to the land of Canaan.
The same is true in our case. We were saved from our sins, and God promised to give eternal life to those who believe in Him by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. The ultimate purpose of all is for the glory of God. That is why Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Therefore, the prophet Jeremiah prayed to God, saying, "O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for your name's sake, for we have sinned against you" (Jeremiah 14:7). Even though we have sinned, God prayed for us to forgive them for the sake of his glorious name.
You must know that God is the One who sanctifies His name. Therefore, we must refrain from saying or doing anything that is contrary to the holiness of God. In the Ten Commandments, God said, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord is not guilty of anyone who takes his name in vain.”
God said through Isaiah, “I am the Lord, and this is my name; I will not give my glory to another, or my praise to an idol” (Isaiah 42:8). These words reveal the fact that God's kindness, His great love, God's forgiveness of sins, and God's mercy come only from the holy name of the Lord.
Before the foundation of the world, God has foreordained everything that will be done on this earth for His glory. Our choices were also made for the glory of God at that time. Therefore, God must accomplish all that He has ordained for His glory. That is why God said, “I will do it for me,” as to the reason why God forgives our sins and delivers us from the furnace of refinement and suffering.
2. Running in the name of Jehovah
He said, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, and the righteous will run to it and be secure.” How, then, can we run and find safety in Jehovah’s name?
(1) Running in the name of the Lord refers to exalting the name of God to the utmost. The saints are to live a life that exalts the name of Jehovah in their lives. In Psalm 34:3, it says, ‘Call the LORD great with me, and exalt his name together. God hears the prayers of those who exalt His name and delivers them from all fear.
To glorify God's name means to glorify God's name. In John 15, Jesus said, “My Father will be glorified that you bear much fruit.” To bear much fruit refers to the fruit of obedience to the Word of God. Christ's way of glorifying God is through a life of obedience. No matter how great you are, if you do not obey the Word, you will not be able to give glory to God.
(2) The following words to run after the name of the Lord refer to those who fear the name of the Lord. To fear God is to fear God from a sincere heart. We love God. This does not mean that we do not have to fear God. True love for God is rooted in the fear of God.
(3) The next honoring of the name of Jehovah means one who always keeps the name of God in his heart. In the mouth of such a person, the name of God is always honored. Honoring God's name comes out of our mouths. Our words are to be used to glorify God's name. The honoring of God's name with our mouths is not only recorded in the book of rewards before the throne of God, but also the rewards that follow. Malachi 3:10 says, “The names of those who honor the name of the Lord are written in the book of remembrance of God.” We must live a life that glorifies in the name of God with our mouths at all times in our daily life, in season or out of season.
(4) Next, in order for the name of Jehovah to become our strong tower, we must lead a life that acknowledges the name of God. Because acknowledging the name of God alone in everything we do is a life led by God, the name of God becomes our strong tower.
When King Solomon built God's temple in Jerusalem and dedicated it, he prayed, 'If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and acknowledge your name and pray and make supplications to you in this temple, you will hear from heaven, and you will hear from your people. Forgive Israel and restore the land that was given to his fathers.'
God said that He would hear the prayers of those who acknowledge His name in this way, forgive their sins, and bless them. In Proverbs 3:6, it is said, “Acknowledge God in all things, and God will guide you.” Recognizing God means acknowledging that everything I do is from God's hand, accepting that fact, humbled before God, repenting, and following His guidance.
When we realize that everything we face is done by God's hand and acknowledge this fact, our hearts cannot but be broken before God.
(5) Next, living a life of thanksgiving before God's name will become for us a strong tower of Jehovah. David said in Psalm 138, “I worship toward your temple, and give thanks to your name for your mercy and your faithfulness.” All of God's people, whether they know it or not, are living on the strength of God's faithfulness and His mercy.
Therefore, whenever his name appears, we should give thanks in front of it. The Bible tells us to give thanks in everything. Gratitude must always flow from our mouth if our life is to be lively, to make our life worthwhile, and to fill our life with new life. Christians should not be stingy in giving thanks, knowing that it is right for everyone with a mouth to give thanks to God's name.
(6) And to say that God's name becomes our strong tower means that when we love God and always dedicate our lives under His holy name, God is on my side, breaking down the schemes of my enemies, and cutting the edge of my enemies' swords. He says that He will break them down and guarantee that I will accomplish God's precious will.
When Jacob was sleeping on a stone in a place called Bethel while he was going to Haran to escape the blade of his brother Esau, God appeared to him in a dream and said, 'I am with you, I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you.”
God became a strong tower throughout Jacob's life and guided his life's path. God is our Creator, who created us for His glory, and He redeemed us with His blood to make us His sons. This God tells us: “Now the LORD who created you speaks, O Jacob, this is what he who created you says this. Do not be afraid, I have redeemed you, and I have called you by name; you are mine; I will do it when you pass through the waters. When you cross, the water will not sink you, and when you walk through the fire, it will not burn you, and the flame will not consume you; for I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.
Conclusion: Ladies and gentlemen, how much have you glorified God's holy name in your life? Have you been living a life that brings glory to God's name? How much have you exalted the name of God in your life in your heart and have lived a life of love and reverence?
When you have difficulties in your life, running in that name is a way to avoid them and become a strong tower. When trials, tribulations, or adversity come upon you, do not take the foolish path of running elsewhere. May you run and find safety in the name of the Lord, who is your strong tower. *