Christ is with us

The [a]angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them. Psalm 34:7. NKJV.

It’s interesting how a Brief Word comes about.  I had planned to cover a different topic, but it wasn’t the right time.  So then I had another wonderful idea, but it too just wasn’t right.  But my reading this morning of God’s Word form the idea I believe is right to cover.

This verse, Psalm 34:7, is often the basis of prayer for myself and others.

The angel of the Lord. 

In the NKJV version it has angel with a small ‘a’.  But many believe this particular occurrence of angel could be written with a capitol ‘A’.

So we have angel, or it could be Angel – (Strongs 4397) mal’ak.  Meaning to dispatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher): ambassador, king, messenger.

As the Angel of the Lord, it is a clear reference to Christ.  Many believe this occasion is referring to Christ Himself.

There are other appearances of the pre-incarnate Christ in the Old Testament;

• Genesis 18:1-3. 
• Genesis 32:24-30.
• Manoah’s wife. Judges 13:3-6.

Christians generally agree that the above passages and others that mention “the Angel of the Lord” are appearances of the pre-incarnate Christ (Christ before He came in the flesh).  Many theologians refer to the appearances of God in these passages, and others like them, as “theophanies” (Greek: theos = “God” + phaino = “appear”) or “Christophanies.”  So these words mean “appearances of God” and “appearances of Christ,” respectively.

So (I believe) it is Christ who encamps all around us.  It is God Himself, our Saviour, the One who loves us and gave His life for us, who is with us.  That is an incredible thought.

… encamps all around …

Wow!  Think of it like this; Christ is camped, all around us!  He is with us right where we’re at.  He is camped around us.  He’s not going anywhere soon, but He is with us and all around us.  He is dwelling there with us.  He is staying there with us.  He has settled in right there with us and all around us.

… those who fear Him …

This is not being scared of Him, but reverencing Him, honouring Him, surrendering to Him, it’s about worship, deferring to Him and resting in Him.  This heart response to all the Lord is to us, brings a response from God; He is present right with us and surrounds us.

… and delivers them …

God is well able to be with us as we go through the storm, or deliver us from the storm.  Either way His deliverance is real and personal.  Christ is with us.

One of God’s covenant names is Jehovah Shammah.  Which means He is with us as He promised; He gives security, protection and communion with His presence.

This morning I also read about the four lepers in Israel, during a famine.  They went down into the camp of the Syrian army, only to find them all gone!  They figured they would die anyway because of the famine, so decided to go to the Syrians.  If they lived they lived, if they died, they died.  But when they got to the Syrian camp, they found the entire army gone.  They’d run for their lives.

6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” 7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives. 2 Kings 7:6-7. NKJV.

Don’t you just love God’s Word?  It says, For the Lord had caused … God just did something there.  The Syrian army heard the sound of a great army, of chariots and horses.  What they heard was certain defeat.  So these starving lepers (a picture of what we are in our sin) came to the camp of the Syrians, and enjoyed the spoil (a picture of Salvation and prayers answered).

God is well able to do stuff like that for us today!  Remember Christ, the Angel of the Lord, is with us.  God can do anything.  He can move sovereignly, do stuff, change circumstances, heal sickness, provide finances, release houses, change life events, bring something out of nothing, bring hope to hopelessness, turn mourning to joy, He can do it!  Nothing is too hard for the Lord!

I just love God’s Word!  For the Lord had caused!  I wonder what act of God, what miracle of His power, what supernatural change He wants to bring to your life and mine?  He is the miracle working God, who is with us, and in us, and for us!

A woman I know of attended a church for months and months.  She never responded to any alter call or received prayer from the leaders.  Yet she testified that over the course of those months, through the preaching and teaching of God’s life-giving Word, the worship and the presence of Jesus in the meetings, she was totally healed of grief, shame and pain from having an abortion.  For the Lord had caused!

Another lady in our church had suffered badly with migraine headaches.  One day we simply anointed her with oil, and prayed for her.  She was healed!  No more migraines!  For the Lord had caused! 

Five years ago I had a major heart attack — one main artery was 100% blocked, another 95%.  Earlier this year, my wife and I were meeting my cardiologist for a regular checkup.  He said to me, “we didn’t expect you to be here”.  We looked at each other and wondered if we had the wrong day for the appointment.  “No”, he said, “it’s the right day.  No one in this hospital thought you’d survive your heart attack” (five years ago).  I knew it was serious, but that serious?  God got me through.  I survived when the medical experts didn’t think I would.  For the Lord had caused! 

My friend, be encouraged.  The great I AM is with you, the Angel of the Lord.  He, Christ Himself is camped all around you to deliver you.

For the Lord had caused!  He can cause impossible things to change, broken things to be mended, the lost to be found, the sick to be healed, and the estranged restored.

Read His Word.  Commune with He who is with you.  Get closer to Him!

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1-3. NKJV.