A little baby rests securely in the arms of his mother. He doesn’t worry that he will fall, but completely trusts that his mother will protect him. Often in summer we see a young child jump into a swimming pool, into the arms of their father, knowing and trusting that he will safely catch them. Actors trust their fellow actors to catch them if the scene requires them to fall towards them. And what about the frantic mother two or three stories up, leaning out of the window with a fire raging behind her, as she throws her young child down into the arms of a fireman to catch? She has to trust him to catch her baby! Have you ever thought that there are strong arms underneath you, ready to catch and protect you? Our Scripture today from the Book of Deuteronomy reminds us of the assurance that God’s arms are always underneath believers who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus.
Our passage comes from the final message Moses gave to the people shortly before they were to enter the Promised Land, and right before he would die. All of the blessings contained in the Scriptures would be theirs if they would faithfully follow the Lord God, and obey all of His Words. They would have His protection against their enemies and against all evil, and the assurance of His promises if only they followed Yahweh.
One of the first promises in our Scripture passage was that the Lord would renew the people’s strength (vs. 25). They would need a lot of strength, both physical, mental, and spiritual in order to claim the land that God had promised to their fathers, and as long as they were obedient to Him, they would have that strength each day. Believers today are promised God’s strength for all He has for us to do (Philippians 4:13; I Peter 5:10).
In verse 26 we see the Lord God referred to as the God of Jeshurun. This may be an unfamiliar term for many people. The word Jeshurun means “righteous” or “the upright one”. Yahweh is the God of the righteous and upright ones. Israel did not live up to that name after entering the Holy Land, as they quickly forsook Him and His laws. How about us? Are we living uprightly and walking righteously?
Moses continues with a very comforting verse and promise from the Lord in verse 27. Here we read that the eternal God is our refuge, and underneath us are the everlasting arms. God is the refuge and dwelling place of His people. Over us is His sheltering protection. Underneath us is the support of His everlasting arms. Our only true refuge is the eternal God who always holds out His arms to catch us when the shaky supports that we trust in collapse and we fall. No storm can destroy us when we take refuge in Him. Those without God must be careful and forever cautious. One mistake and they are wiped out.
God is our abode, our home in whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). We usually feel safe at home. We can shut the world out and dwell in security. When we are with God we do not need to fear any evil. He is our shelter and our retreat. Just as we rest at home, we can find rest with God when we are weary with life’s conflicts.
When we are deep in a trial, distress, or affliction, Jesus’ arms are still underneath us and encircling us. No matter how deep in trouble we are in, all of Satan’s efforts to harm us come to nothing. Jesus gives us strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. Even when death comes, God’s promise here still holds good.
When we are at our lowest, at our worst, even then underneath us are the everlasting arms. Sin may drag us low, but Christ’s atonement is still under us. We may have descended into the depths, we can fall down to the uttermost, however as Hebrews 7:25 states, Jesus saves “to the uttermost”!
We have a Friend who is infinitely strong and mighty, yet at the same time loving and gentle. Our God tenderly loves us and protects us, yet has defeated all of our spiritual enemies, including the devil. If you have Jesus as your Savior, you can trust that His everlasting arms are right there beneath you!
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