The Names of God - Buckler

My Buckler/

Buckler to All Those That Trust In Him/

Buckler to Them That Walk Uprightly

Psalm 18:2 (KJV)

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

2 Samuel 22:31 (KJV)

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Proverbs 2:7 (KJV)

He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

A buckler is a type of shield. It has a different name because of its function. Battle in Biblical times was very different than today. It was mostly hand-to-hand combat. There were spears that were hurled and arrows shot from bows that could travel a fair distance. That is why warriors would have large shields, large enough to hide behind to protect them from flying objects.

However, once they were close enough to engage the enemy the large shields were discarded and swords were then used to attack the enemy. While wielding a sword in one hand, the warriors would have a second, smaller shield that was either held in the opposite hand or strapped to their forearm. This was used to protect from sword strikes from the enemy.

Scripture tells us in many places that the Lord is our shield and buckler. This is not redundant. Both are needed. The buckler, however, had a specific use. Even though it was a defensive piece of armor it was only effective while on the offensive.

All the references to buckler are found in the Old Testament because in those days God would actually lead Israel into battle to physically overtake an enemy or those who occupied the land given to The Chosen People by God. It is still a valid analogy for the Christian, even though, as a Christian, we do not engage is physical hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.

Instead, it is a comfort to know that our God, our Buckler, is always ready to protect us from any attack of the enemy while we pursue the plans and purposes for which we were saved: to take the love of God to those who need to hear and to show others the Christ, our Savior. This is evangelism. This is how we share the Gospel.

If we confuse spiritual warfare with the “great commission” we will see anyone outside of the Church as an enemy to be conquered instead of souls to be reunited with their Creator. The “lost” is not the enemy. They are the very ones Jesus came to redeem. The only enemy is Satan, the devil, and his kingdom of darkness. Paul made it pretty clear that we do not engage this enemy with standard warfare.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (ESV)

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

The heart, the thing the buckler (small shield) is designed to protect, is the very thing that must be vulnerable to the lost. A heart connection is what the Holy Spirit uses to communicate the love of God to a hurting world. If we keep our heart “protected” from other people we will never have the impact needed to restore a lost one to the Father. Allow God to be our Buckler to protect us from the enemy so we can remain open to our world and allow them to see Jesus in us. This is living by faith.

The Names of God - Apostle and High Priest of Our Confession

Apostle and High Priest of Our Confession (Jesus)

Hebrews 3:1-3 (ESV)

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

Apostolos is probably one of the more familiar Greek words from the New Testament. Its meaning is a little less familiar. Most immediately think of “The Twelve” that Jesus chose to help Him in His earthly ministry. However, we learn here in Hebrews that Jesus, Himself, is an Apostle.

The Greek meaning of apostle: a delegate; specially an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (with miraculous powers); he that is sent. It is derived from a couple of other words which mean “set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly on a mission) literal or figurative.”

When referring to Jesus as Apostle it is easy to see this definition working in His life. He was sent from Heaven by the Father to live as the Son of Man in order to redeem us and restore us to full fellowship with our Creator.

The second term used in this phrase is High Priest. The Greek word used here is archiereus and means “the high-priest (literal of the Jews, typical Christ); by extension a chief priest.” I recently described this in detail in my book The School of Worship, where Jesus obtained His priesthood from the order of Melchizedek. This is all described later in the book of Hebrews.

Why does it matter that Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest of our Confession? I guess it depends on what you consider to be “our profession/confession.” The Greek word for this is homologia, which means “acknowledgment.” It means, “to say the same thing.” It is when you agree with God. Salvation comes to us when we identify with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of Father, and then receiving the Holy Spirit Jesus sent to inhabit us so we can then be empowered to reconcile others to the Father.

By “profession/confession,” the writer of Hebrews is telling us that Jesus was sent (Apostle) to represent the Father (His love) to the world, and when we acknowledge (confess/profess) Him (Jesus), He then presents us (High Priest) to the Father as an offering to Him. Because we have been made clean by the blood of Jesus we are accepted by God.

Through our confession of Jesus Christ as our Lord we become heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. The very One (Jesus) that purchased our redemption also acts as the Executor of His will (New Testament). He does this as our Apostle and High Priest: sent from God to redeem us and serves as High Priest to reconcile us back to God.

This gives us confidence in approaching the Father in prayer, knowing that our Advocate, our High Priest, Jesus, is speaking to the Father on our behalf. The very one the Father sent to redeem us is giving testimony to the Father of our salvation through our confession/profession of faith in Him.

The Names of God - Author of Eternal Salvation

Author of Eternal Salvation (Jesus)

Hebrews 5:9-10 (ESV)

And being made perfect, he became the source (KJV – author) of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

There are not many messages preached or books written on the subject of the Priesthood of Jesus. He is often referred to as a priest, but where did He get His credentials? You may say, “He was the Son of God!” True, but He operated on earth as the Son of Man. If He was not a man then all are still lost. It took the innocent blood of a human to atone for the sins of mankind.

When God gave Moses The Law He also divided Israel into thirteen separate groups, or tribes. Jacob had twelve sons. God chose Levi as His own and made them priests of the new law. In order to keep the number at twelve, God divided the descendants of Joseph into groups represented by Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Those born in the tribe of Levi were priests. Jesus descended from Judah, and therefore not a priest according to the Law. So, where did he obtain His priesthood? He is a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek is first mentioned when he encountered Abraham.

Genesis 14:17-20 (ESV)

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)

And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

Melchizedek was not from the nation of Israel. He could not have been from Levi (this happened before Jacob was even born!). His priesthood is described as eternal – it has no beginning and no ending. This is where Jesus obtained His priesthood – from the Order of Melchizedek.

Therefore, He can save us eternally. The passage in Hebrews refers to Jesus as “the Author of Eternal Salvation.” Jesus wrote a New Covenant between God and man. He authored a plan of salvation that, for the first time in history, could save eternally. Until this time the blood of animals would cover sin for a year. Now, after Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead, ascended to Heaven, and was seated at the right hand of the Father, He offers eternal salvation. He sent the Holy Spirit for the purpose of drawing all people to the Father, and provided the means by which all people can be saved – He shed is own blood.

Once you allow the Author to write your story it becomes a tale of the love of the Father seeking out His son or daughter and redeeming them back for the Kingdom of Heaven, making them royal heirs of God.

The Names of God - Jesus, Our Advocate

The justice system in the United States is one of the most fair systems in the world for deciding who/what is right or wrong relative to the law. In the case of a criminal trial the defendant is presumed innocent until all of the evidence/testimony, both for and against, is heard by either the judge or jury.

Normally there is a prosecutor representing the people (i.e. the “state” or rule of law) in order to make certain all the laws in place are followed to the letter. On the other side of the courtroom there is a defense attorney, an advocate for the one being tried, to make sure that the defendant is given a fair opportunity to be heard.

In 1 John 2:1 Jesus is described as our “advocate with the Father.”

1 John 2:1 (ESV)

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Why would we need an advocate before the Father if we are Christians? Revelation 12:10 gives us one reason.

Revelation 12:10 (ESV)

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

This one described as “the accuser of our brothers” is none other than the devil. Every time we fall short of the mark (sin) the accuser (prosecutor) brings this up to God, the Righteous Judge. The evidence is presented and a pronouncement of “guilty” is requested by the accuser.

Then the Advocate rises in our defense to intercede on our behalf. Look at a few definitions that will help us more fully understand what is happening. John uses the Greek word parakletos to describe the role of “advocate.” It means, “an intercessor or consoler.” We understand what it means to console, but what is this thing called intercessor?

Normally the word intercessor is used to describe someone who prays for another. That is certainly one aspect of the meaning, but it does not fully describe an intercessor. The Greek word for intercessor is: entynchano, which is made up of two other words: en – “a preposition denoting a fixed position in place, time or state” and topos – “to occupy a space.” When you put these words together it literally means “to take your place,” “or to stand in your place.”

So in response to the “accuser of the brothers” Jesus rises to “intercede” or take our place and say, “Father, they are guilty but I took the blame for this on the cross. Their debt is paid and they are free to go.” The Father (judge) responds with, “Your sins are forgiven!” In Christ, this is always the verdict! It’s called grace. We have been marked “forgiven” for eternity. This brings such freedom when you fully understand that we are no longer guilty because of the sacrifice of Jesus. It truly is finished!