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.