iBelieve Truth Devotional for Women 14th June 2021 Monday Message By Kristine Brown
Topic: Forming a Shield Wall
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” – Ephesians 6:16
I’m a big fan of movies set in medieval times. There’s just something about the look of sheer determination on the warriors’ faces as they prepare for battle. I’m fascinated by the strength of it all. The huge metal armor worn, the intricate weapons forged by hand, and the battle formations. But the one thing that has always intrigued me the most is how they use their shields to protect the group.
I can’t imagine holding a heavy piece of metal equipment almost as tall as myself with one arm while marching forward to meet the enemy! Yet the size of the shield was necessary when deadly attacks with things like fiery arrows came your way. The size also served another purpose. When linked together, those door-like shields would form a wall. A wall that could prevent even the strongest foe from getting through.
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” – Ephesians 6:16
In Expositions of Holy Scripture, Alexander Maclaren writes this about Paul’s description of the shield of faith, “That word is connected with the Greek word meaning ‘door,’ and gives a rough notion of the look of the instrument of defense — a great rectangular oblong, behind which a man could stand untouched and untouchable. And that is the kind of shield, says Paul, which we are to have — no little defense which may protect some part of the nature, but a great wall, behind which he who crouches is safe.”