Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then,, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God...

 

Ephesians 6:10-17

The Bharani Festival, which falls in the Malayalam month of Meenam (March/ April) attracts the largest congregation of 'Velichappadu' (Oracles), including women from different parts of the State.

 

Once in a trance, these Oracles perform a frenzied dance, repeatedly slashing their foreheads with curved swords. As a supreme symbol of their devotion, they make a sacrificial offering of their own blood to the deity.

Ephesians 6:17 (NLT)

[Put on salvation as your helmet,] and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the sixth of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I enjoyed drawing & colouring up this illustration. I wanted to combine the metal sword with the open leather bound Bible in the same picture, since the Bible (the Word of God) is referred to as The Sword of the Spirit in the above text.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Sword of the Spirit: what is it & what’s it for?

All of the Bible versions I have look at use the same phrase in describing the Sword of the Spirit.

 

‘The sword (Latin. gladius, 20-24 inches long) was a weapon used when close battle was joined with the enemy and the heavy pikes that frontline soldiers carried were no longer practical.’

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

‘Finally, the soldier takes the sword of the Spirit—the only offensive weapon mentioned. This refers to the short sword used in close combat. The sharp, short sword was one of Rome’s great military innovations. The Roman army was called the “short swords” because of its use of the short swords in winning battles. The sword’s double edges made it ideal for “cut and thrust” strategy.

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

There is an interesting description of typical arms & armour in a Roman legion in the following:

‘A fully equipped Roman legionary was armed with a shield (Latin. scutum), one or two javelins (Latin. pila), a sword (Latin. gladius), often a dagger (Latin. pugio), and perhaps, in the later Empire period, darts (Latin. plumbatae). Conventionally, the javelins would be thrown to disable the shields of the enemy before engaging in close combat, for which the gladius would be drawn. The soldier generally led with his shield and thrust with his sword. All types of gladius appear to have also been suitable for cutting and chopping motions as well as for thrusting.’

(Source: “De Re Militari” (Latin. "Concerning Military Matters") by the late-Latin writer Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.)

 

Application: why & how to wield the Sword of the Spirit?

‘’ “[The Sword] Of the Spirit” refers to the source or origin of the sword; hence it is “the sword given by the Spirit.” “The sword of the Spirit” is specified as the Word of God. “Word” (rhēma; cf. Eph. 5:26; Rom. 10:8, 17; 1 Peter 1:25) refers to the preached Word or an utterance of God occasioned by the Holy Spirit in the heart. Believers need this “sword” to combat the enemy’s assault, much as Christ did three times when tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1-11).’

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

The Spirit makes the word of God effective as we speak it and receive it. The Spirit gives the word its penetrating power and sharp edge. Jesus’ use of God’s word in his temptation prompts our use of it against Satan (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). With the Holy Spirit within, believers have the constant reminder of God’s word to use against Satan’s temptations. When the enemy, the tempter (Matthew 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), tries to tempt us to do evil, we have the power to send him away with the word of God. The Spirit will bring the words to mind.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

From the above references we see that the Sword of the Spirit is the Christian’s only offensive weapon. Really it is the Sword given to us by the Spirit. All the other items (Shield, Helmet, Breastplate, etc) are for our own defensive protection.

So, what is the Sword of the Spirit? It is the Holy Bible, the Word of God, which has been described as an instruction manual for us, as we live here on Earth. It holds the complete revelation of God to his human creation. The Bible is from God & we are told that it is intended to teach, rebuke, correct and training in righteousness us Christians, in order that we can do every good work (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [1].)

 

The apostle Paul’s advice to Timothy (& to us) is is found in 2 Timothy 2:15 [2], ‘...a workman... who correctly handles the word of truth.’ Or, as it translates in the Amplified Bible: ‘correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.’

 

In a military sense, we get the image of a soldier spending countless hours practising with his weapons, to become adept, swift & deadly in their use. Then he or she can move from being aware of themselves wielding those weapons to becoming automatic in their use: the sword becoming an extension of the soldier; the soldier becoming the sword. In the same way we Christians need to read, re-read & re-re-read the Bible, with the aim of becoming so adept at using it (in defence of ourselves & attacking the spiritual forces of evil in our world) that we become an extension of God’s will & way here on earth. That is the essence of what Paul was telling Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15.

 

The Sword of the Spirit is the Holy Bible, the Word of God. In order to accurately & effectively use this weapon, we need to 1) read & get to know it & 2) to practice using it. Taking the military metaphor again, imagine a soldier going into battle with a sword he or she had never used, perhaps never even lifted out of its scabbard before, facing expert swordsmen, well versed with their own weapons. Who would you expect to win that fight?! Based on that simple metaphor, it should be obvious why we Christians need to read the Bible, become familiar with it & fearlessly wield it. Like a swordsman who spends endless hours swinging his sword in practice strokes, learning to cut, thrust & parry with increasing skill, we also need to practice wielding the Word of God (the Holy Bible) until we become equally proficient with it as our Sword of the Spirit.

 

‘Paul implies that the battle is to be joined especially by engaging those who do not know God’s word (the gospel) with its message, after one is spiritually prepared in the other ways listed here. Paul’s ministry was thus particularly strategic, because it included close-range battle advancing into enemy ranks (Ephes. 6:19-20).’

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

From this commentary we can see that we are to tell people who do not know what the Bible says about this amazingly rich source of life & power. We can only effectively do that once we have put on the full armour of God, in order to protect ourselves from spiritual counter-attack by the forces of evil & darkness.

 

Bible References

[1]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ANIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

[2]

2 Timothy 2:15 (ANIV)

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

David and Goliath

 

Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.” Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” So David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

  

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

  

Ephesians 6:16 (NLT)

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the fourth of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

This was actually the first illustration in this set that I drew. I enjoyed drawing the fiery arrows & designed them to look dark & menacing. If you look closely you’ll see that each arrow head has a different design. perhaps indicating that it is a different thought or idea, hurled at us by the enemy, Satan. I liked adding the cross to the shield, with it’s radiating lines of colour. The red on the shield indicates Jesus’ blood, shed for our redemption on the cross.

Notice that not a single arrow has got past the shield - that’s a comment on the power & steadfastness of the Shield of Faith! Notice also that the flames on the arrows that are sticking in the Shield are dying - showing that the Shield extinguishes those fiery arrows & renders them useless & ineffective against us.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Shield of Faith: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the belt of truth is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

Amplified Bible

Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].

 

New International Version

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

 

New King James Version

above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

 

‘The shield in a Roman soldier’s attire, made of wood, was about 2 1/2’ wide and 4’ long. It was overlaid with linen and leather, to absorb fiery arrows. Thus it also protected the other pieces of the armor; hence Paul used the phrase, “in addition to all this”. ‘

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

The soldier needed to also carry extra protection in the form of a shield. The image was taken from the Roman shield, a large oblong or oval piece, approximately four feet high by two feet wide, made of wood and leather, often with an iron frame. Sometimes the leather would be soaked in water to help extinguish fiery arrows. The ancient “flaming arrow” or “fire dart” was made of cane with a flammable head that was lighted and then shot so as to set fire to wooden shields, cloth tents, etc.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

From these references we can see the Shield of Faith as a powerful defensive device. It provides excellent protection from the attacks (the fiery darts or arrows) of our enemy, the Devil. In addition, the Shield of Faith protects the other parts of the Armour of God, just as a Roman soldier’s wooden shield did so.

 

‘NAMES OF SOLDIERS INSCRIBED ON THEIR SHIELDS

Lest the soldiers in the confusion of battle should be separated from their comrades, every cohort had its shields painted in a manner peculiar to itself. The name of each soldier was also written on his shield, together with the number of the cohort and century to which he belonged.’

(Source: “De Re Militari” (Latin. "Concerning Military Matters"), Book 2. Written by the late-Latin writer Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.)

 

Vegetius wrote (in the above quote) that every soldier in a Roman legion wrote his name on his own shield. Perhaps if we similarly personalise our “Shields of Faith” we will come to love our own faith more, & be all the more ready to wield it.

  

Application: why a Shield of Faith?

“Of faith”, is a genitive of content; the shield consists of faith. The idea, then, is that a Christian’s resolute faith in the Lord can stop and extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one aimed at him. (Cf. “evil one” [Satan] in John 17:15; 1 John 5:19.)

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

‘For Christians, this shield is faith—complete reliance on God. Faith means total dependence on God and willingness to do his will. It is not something we put on for a show for others. It means believing in his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet. When the enemy, the ruler of this world (John 12:31), sends his fiery arrows of temptation, doubt, wrath, lust, despair, vengeance, problems, and trials into our lives, we can hold up our shields and stop them. Faith gives us the strength to stand against Satan with firm courage, even when he uses his most fearsome weapons.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Because the Greek and Roman god of passion (called Eros and Cupid, respectively) was said to strike with flaming arrows, some of Paul’s readers may have thought specifically of the temptation of lust in this verse, although Paul probably intended the image to cover more than that danger (cf. Psalm 11:2; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 58:3-7; Psalm 64:3; perhaps Psalm 120:1-4; Proverbs 25:18).

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

From these references we can see the Shield of Faith is a powerful defensive device, just as a Roman soldier’s wooden shield was. It is a Christian’s faith which protects him or her, especially in the battle for our minds: with doubts, fears, anxieties, etc all being thrown at us from the enemy of our souls.

As the Life Application New Testament Commentary points out (see above), faith means believing in God’s promises (as outlined in the Holy Bible) even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet. I like what it adds next: ‘Faith gives us the strength to stand against Satan with firm courage, even when he uses his most fearsome weapons.’

 

Hebrews 11:1-2 [1] tells us what faith is: trust in the existence of God; this faith is the firm foundation for our lives as Christians, it underpins everything that makes life worth living. It's our belief & confident assurance in that which we can not see with our senses: the spiritual realms; spiritual truths.

Hebrews goes on to give a long list of people from the Old Testament who did amazing, miraculous things, utilising the power of their God-given faith to achieve them. Indeed, faith is a central theme running all the way through the Holy Bible.

 

Back to the military metaphor of our Shield of Faith, it may even provide additional protection for other people (Christians or unbelievers) in the same way that Roman soldiers locked their shields into a whole, multi-shield defensive structure, which provided excellent protection for an entire unit of soldiers. When the church of Christ comes together to work as a unit, with Jesus Himself directing our efforts, we are certainly a mighty force for good, capable of achieving more than any one individual might hope to achieve.

 

Bible References

[1]

Hebrews 11:1-2 (AMP)

1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. 2 For by [faith—trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:14 (NLT)

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth [and the body armour of God’s righteousness.]

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the first of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Notice the imperative “stand your ground” at the beginning of the Bible reference above. When we are told to stand our ground we get the sense of being unmoving, regardless of what opposing forces come against us. The apostle Paul (who wrote the book of Ephesians) was using the metaphor of a soldier, drawing our attention to each of his pieces of armour in turn. Each one is vital & often inter-linked, forming a complete method of protecting the soldier in battle.

 

Taking the metaphor further, we can think of a group of soldiers standing & fighting in a real battle. The apostle Paul might have been drawing our attention to the way soldiers rely on each other to survive. This idea of inter-dependence would certainly have been familiar to anyone (such as Paul) who had seen the Roman military machine: side by side, each soldier stood facing the enemy, being an integral part of the whole formation. Note that Roman soldiers had armour primarily on the front of the body, since they were trained & commanded to face forward, towards the enemy, in battle.

 

Further, the imperative “stand your ground” seems to denote urgency. After that we can note that there are four Greek participles that denote how we are to stand: the cause or means of standing. The participles are rendered as follows in the NIV (New International Version): “buckled,” “in place,” “fitted,” “take up” (see Ephesians 6:14-16).

 

Moving on to each of the specific pieces of armour each Roman soldier would have worn...

 

The Belt of Truth: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the belt of truth is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth...

 

Amplified Bible

Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins...

 

New International Version

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, ...

 

New King James Version

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, ...

 

We can conclude that the belt of truth is sturdy & strong & that it protects the vital organs of the body. It was the first item of clothing/armour to be put on by a Roman soldier, from which the other pieces were connected or attached. The “belt” or “girdle” may also refer a “breechclout,” which was a sort of leather apron, worn beneath leather or metal armour that protected the lower abdomen.

Incidentally, the “belt” or “girdle” may have also braced a soldier’s back, giving support in battle.

 

The Bible Knowledge Commentary has further points of interest:

‘Before a Roman soldier put on his armor, he put a belt around his waist. This held his garments together and served as a place on which to hang his armor. The belt of truth refers not to the facts of the gospel but to subjective truth, a believer’s integrity and faithfulness. As a soldier’s belt or sash gave ease and freedom of movement, so truth gives freedom with self, others, and God.’

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

Application: why a belt of truth?

‘When the belt was fastened, the soldier was “on duty,” ready to fight. A slackened belt meant “off duty.” Christians, however, must face each day with a fastened belt, ready to fight the battle when needed. As the belt formed the foundation of the soldier’s armor, the truth is the foundation of the Christian life. When the enemy, the father of lies (John 8:44), attacks with his lies, half-truths, and distortions, we believers can stand firm in the truth.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Bearing that in mind, we can see why it is SO important for us to KNOW the truth. Christians need to read their Bibles, so that they do indeed know the truth about themselves, about God, about life & the world, about the Devil, sin, etc, etc. After all, how can we correctly interpret the circumstances we face, & take appropriate action, if we don’t know the truth in the first place?

 

We Christians can expect to come under attack from our enemy, the Devil, but the armour of God is given to protect us from these attacks. Every piece of the armour is vital, & together it provides a complete, seamless, encasing protection for us... but we must remember to put it on if we want that protection!

 

Some Bible passages about the truth.

Why is truth important?

If we do not know the truth then it follows that we must be following a deception, a lie, an un-truth. Basing our thoughts, words, actions & lives on a deception will not lead us to peace, joy, confidence, hope or success, especially in view of our eternal future!

 

When we come to know the truth, we can be confident that we are heading in the right direction. In terms of the military metaphor of a soldier, if he/she knows the substance of the truth for which they stand, then they will stand strongly, with resolve, with determination. On the other hand, if they discover that all that they have based their lives on has been a deception, then they are undermined: that which has previously given them their military strength, determination & resolve will disappear (since it is untrue) & they will become very vulnerable to attack.

 

Truth is the FOUNDATION of our personal determination & resolve, particularly, especially & vitally in the spiritual battles we face as believers in Christ Jesus.

 

Where is truth to be found?

For the Christian, God’s word (The Holy Bible) is the source of all truth. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [1] (in the New Testament) reminds us, the Bible is breathed out (exhaled, inspired) by God Himself, & it’s purpose is for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The end result of all of that is provided in the next part of the quote, “... so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

So here we have the SOURCE OR ORIGIN of the truth (which is God Himself) & the PURPOSE for which that truth is given: Christian maturity & service in the world.

 

2 Samuel 7:28 [2] (a reference in the Old Testament) also informs us that “Your words are truth”, referring to God’s word, the Holy Bible. Psalms 51:6 [3] reminds us that it is God’s will & desire that we have truth within us, & that God is the source of that truth in the first place. Psalms 145:18 [4] informs us that GOD IS NEAR to those who call on Him, in truth.

 

1 John 5:6 [5] informs us that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to believe in Jesus the Christ. The Bible here asserts the Holy Spirit’s own is trustworthy, “because the Spirit is the truth.”

 

What happens if we reject the truth?

What happens if we reject the truth (as revealed in the Holy Bible) & believe the deceptions of the world & the Devil? Well, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 [6] informs us that Satan (the Devil) will perform many counterfeit signs & wonders, resulting in deception of those people destined to perish. Verse 10 tells us that, “They perish because they REFUSED to love the truth and so be saved.” We need to recognise that refusal is an ACTIVE CHOICE, not simply a reference to ignorance, which is not knowing, or not having heard the truth in the first place. Therefore, it is not the fault of Satan that he has deceived people, rather, God puts the fault of not believing the truth (as revealed in Creation, & the Bible) squarely in people’s own lap! God asserts that 1) we have all HEARD the truth, & 2) we all KNOW the truth, so if we CHOOSE to ignore the truth & do not follow it’s guidance, then the only person we can rightly blame for that is ourselves.

 

The outcome or results of believing & acting on the truth.

Psalms 15:2,5 [7] reminds us that if we SPEAK the truth from our hearts, then we will NEVER BE SHAKEN.

 

God makes it very plain & obvious what He wants us to do; in reference to Zechariah 8:16-17 [8] He says, "Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts." Furthermore God informs us not to lie (in verse 17) & not to plot evil, telling us that ‘ “I hate all this [lies & deception]," declares the Lord.” ‘

 

In the New Testament, in John 8:31-32 [9], Jesus tells his listeners that if they BELIEVE & ACT on his teaching then that teaching (the truth) will set them free, literally it will provide liberty FOR US, since the truth is revealed TO US in the Bible.

 

When it comes to our (Christian) response to the truth, in answer to the question, "I know the truth now, so what am I to do next?!”, John 4:23-24 [10] is helpful. That verse informs us that, "God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John asserts that the time has now come when true worshippers of God will enjoy close fellowship with God, in spirit & truth, tell us that, "they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks."

 

There are many more references I could make to what the Bible tells us about truth. It shows us that KNOWING the truth, BELIEVING the truth & SPEAKING the truth all have very positive benefits for us.

 

Lastly, I refer to Matthew 28:18-20 [11], in which Jesus gave what is called “The Great Commission”. In these verses Jesus told his disciples to go out into the world, baptise people & teach them about Jesus, & the commands He gave: his way of life & His words. Although the word “truth” is not used in this scriptural reference, I hope that it is seen to be implied, that we should tell the truth to those we talk to. I’m referring not simply to being honest & factually correct, but rather when we have chance to give an account of our faith; telling other people about the truth we know & believe; evangelizing other people & “snatching them from the fire” [12] through our words, if we are able.

 

And what should we tell others? Everything we can about Jesus! As He himself said in John 14:6 (ANIV) ‘Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me." ‘

 

Bible References

[1]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ANIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

[2]

2 Samuel 7:28 (NLT)

For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.

 

[3]

Psalms 51:6 (ANIV)

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

 

[4]

Psalms 145:18 (ANIV)

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

 

[5]

1 John 5:6 (ANIV)

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

 

[6]

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ANIV)

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

 

[7]

Psalms 15:2,5 (ANIV)

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart...

...who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

 

[8]

Zechariah 8:16-17 (ANIV)

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbour, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.

 

[9]

John 8:31-32 (ANIV)

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

 

[10]

John 4:23-24 (ANIV)

[Jesus said] "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."

 

[11]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ANIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

 

[12]

Jude 1:22-23 (ANIV)

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:14 (NLT)

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth [and the body armour of God’s righteousness.]

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the first of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Notice the imperative “stand your ground” at the beginning of the Bible reference above. When we are told to stand our ground we get the sense of being unmoving, regardless of what opposing forces come against us. The apostle Paul (who wrote the book of Ephesians) was using the metaphor of a soldier, drawing our attention to each of his pieces of armour in turn. Each one is vital & often inter-linked, forming a complete method of protecting the soldier in battle.

 

Taking the metaphor further, we can think of a group of soldiers standing & fighting in a real battle. The apostle Paul might have been drawing our attention to the way soldiers rely on each other to survive. This idea of inter-dependence would certainly have been familiar to anyone (such as Paul) who had seen the Roman military machine: side by side, each soldier stood facing the enemy, being an integral part of the whole formation. Note that Roman soldiers had armour primarily on the front of the body, since they were trained & commanded to face forward, towards the enemy, in battle.

 

Further, the imperative “stand your ground” seems to denote urgency. After that we can note that there are four Greek participles that denote how we are to stand: the cause or means of standing. The participles are rendered as follows in the NIV (New International Version): “buckled,” “in place,” “fitted,” “take up” (see Ephesians 6:14-16).

 

Moving on to each of the specific pieces of armour each Roman soldier would have worn...

 

The Belt of Truth: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the belt of truth is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth...

 

Amplified Bible

Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins...

 

New International Version

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, ...

 

New King James Version

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, ...

 

We can conclude that the belt of truth is sturdy & strong & that it protects the vital organs of the body. It was the first item of clothing/armour to be put on by a Roman soldier, from which the other pieces were connected or attached. The “belt” or “girdle” may also refer a “breechclout,” which was a sort of leather apron, worn beneath leather or metal armour that protected the lower abdomen.

Incidentally, the “belt” or “girdle” may have also braced a soldier’s back, giving support in battle.

 

The Bible Knowledge Commentary has further points of interest:

‘Before a Roman soldier put on his armor, he put a belt around his waist. This held his garments together and served as a place on which to hang his armor. The belt of truth refers not to the facts of the gospel but to subjective truth, a believer’s integrity and faithfulness. As a soldier’s belt or sash gave ease and freedom of movement, so truth gives freedom with self, others, and God.’

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

Application: why a belt of truth?

‘When the belt was fastened, the soldier was “on duty,” ready to fight. A slackened belt meant “off duty.” Christians, however, must face each day with a fastened belt, ready to fight the battle when needed. As the belt formed the foundation of the soldier’s armor, the truth is the foundation of the Christian life. When the enemy, the father of lies (John 8:44), attacks with his lies, half-truths, and distortions, we believers can stand firm in the truth.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Bearing that in mind, we can see why it is SO important for us to KNOW the truth. Christians need to read their Bibles, so that they do indeed know the truth about themselves, about God, about life & the world, about the Devil, sin, etc, etc. After all, how can we correctly interpret the circumstances we face, & take appropriate action, if we don’t know the truth in the first place?

 

We Christians can expect to come under attack from our enemy, the Devil, but the armour of God is given to protect us from these attacks. Every piece of the armour is vital, & together it provides a complete, seamless, encasing protection for us... but we must remember to put it on if we want that protection!

 

Some Bible passages about the truth.

Why is truth important?

If we do not know the truth then it follows that we must be following a deception, a lie, an un-truth. Basing our thoughts, words, actions & lives on a deception will not lead us to peace, joy, confidence, hope or success, especially in view of our eternal future!

 

When we come to know the truth, we can be confident that we are heading in the right direction. In terms of the military metaphor of a soldier, if he/she knows the substance of the truth for which they stand, then they will stand strongly, with resolve, with determination. On the other hand, if they discover that all that they have based their lives on has been a deception, then they are undermined: that which has previously given them their military strength, determination & resolve will disappear (since it is untrue) & they will become very vulnerable to attack.

 

Truth is the FOUNDATION of our personal determination & resolve, particularly, especially & vitally in the spiritual battles we face as believers in Christ Jesus.

 

Where is truth to be found?

For the Christian, God’s word (The Holy Bible) is the source of all truth. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [1] (in the New Testament) reminds us, the Bible is breathed out (exhaled, inspired) by God Himself, & it’s purpose is for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The end result of all of that is provided in the next part of the quote, “... so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

So here we have the SOURCE OR ORIGIN of the truth (which is God Himself) & the PURPOSE for which that truth is given: Christian maturity & service in the world.

 

2 Samuel 7:28 [2] (a reference in the Old Testament) also informs us that “Your words are truth”, referring to God’s word, the Holy Bible. Psalms 51:6 [3] reminds us that it is God’s will & desire that we have truth within us, & that God is the source of that truth in the first place. Psalms 145:18 [4] informs us that GOD IS NEAR to those who call on Him, in truth.

 

1 John 5:6 [5] informs us that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to believe in Jesus the Christ. The Bible here asserts the Holy Spirit’s own is trustworthy, “because the Spirit is the truth.”

 

What happens if we reject the truth?

What happens if we reject the truth (as revealed in the Holy Bible) & believe the deceptions of the world & the Devil? Well, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 [6] informs us that Satan (the Devil) will perform many counterfeit signs & wonders, resulting in deception of those people destined to perish. Verse 10 tells us that, “They perish because they REFUSED to love the truth and so be saved.” We need to recognise that refusal is an ACTIVE CHOICE, not simply a reference to ignorance, which is not knowing, or not having heard the truth in the first place. Therefore, it is not the fault of Satan that he has deceived people, rather, God puts the fault of not believing the truth (as revealed in Creation, & the Bible) squarely in people’s own lap! God asserts that 1) we have all HEARD the truth, & 2) we all KNOW the truth, so if we CHOOSE to ignore the truth & do not follow it’s guidance, then the only person we can rightly blame for that is ourselves.

 

The outcome or results of believing & acting on the truth.

Psalms 15:2,5 [7] reminds us that if we SPEAK the truth from our hearts, then we will NEVER BE SHAKEN.

 

God makes it very plain & obvious what He wants us to do; in reference to Zechariah 8:16-17 [8] He says, "Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts." Furthermore God informs us not to lie (in verse 17) & not to plot evil, telling us that ‘ “I hate all this [lies & deception]," declares the Lord.” ‘

 

In the New Testament, in John 8:31-32 [9], Jesus tells his listeners that if they BELIEVE & ACT on his teaching then that teaching (the truth) will set them free, literally it will provide liberty FOR US, since the truth is revealed TO US in the Bible.

 

When it comes to our (Christian) response to the truth, in answer to the question, "I know the truth now, so what am I to do next?!”, John 4:23-24 [10] is helpful. That verse informs us that, "God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John asserts that the time has now come when true worshippers of God will enjoy close fellowship with God, in spirit & truth, tell us that, "they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks."

 

There are many more references I could make to what the Bible tells us about truth. It shows us that KNOWING the truth, BELIEVING the truth & SPEAKING the truth all have very positive benefits for us.

 

Lastly, I refer to Matthew 28:18-20 [11], in which Jesus gave what is called “The Great Commission”. In these verses Jesus told his disciples to go out into the world, baptise people & teach them about Jesus, & the commands He gave: his way of life & His words. Although the word “truth” is not used in this scriptural reference, I hope that it is seen to be implied, that we should tell the truth to those we talk to. I’m referring not simply to being honest & factually correct, but rather when we have chance to give an account of our faith; telling other people about the truth we know & believe; evangelizing other people & “snatching them from the fire” [12] through our words, if we are able.

 

And what should we tell others? Everything we can about Jesus! As He himself said in John 14:6 (ANIV) ‘Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me." ‘

  

Bible References

[1]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ANIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

[2]

2 Samuel 7:28 (NLT)

For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.

 

[3]

Psalms 51:6 (ANIV)

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

 

[4]

Psalms 145:18 (ANIV)

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

 

[5]

1 John 5:6 (ANIV)

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

 

[6]

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ANIV)

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

 

[7]

Psalms 15:2,5 (ANIV)

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart...

...who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

 

[8]

Zechariah 8:16-17 (ANIV)

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbour, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.

 

[9]

John 8:31-32 (ANIV)

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

 

[10]

John 4:23-24 (ANIV)

[Jesus said] "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."

 

[11]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ANIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

 

[12]

Jude 1:22-23 (ANIV)

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:17 (NLT)

[Put on salvation as your helmet,] and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the sixth of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I enjoyed drawing & colouring up this illustration. I wanted to combine the metal sword with the open leather bound Bible in the same picture, since the Bible (the Word of God) is referred to as The Sword of the Spirit in the above text.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Sword of the Spirit: what is it & what’s it for?

All of the Bible versions I have look at use the same phrase in describing the Sword of the Spirit.

 

‘The sword (Latin. gladius, 20-24 inches long) was a weapon used when close battle was joined with the enemy and the heavy pikes that frontline soldiers carried were no longer practical.’

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

‘Finally, the soldier takes the sword of the Spirit—the only offensive weapon mentioned. This refers to the short sword used in close combat. The sharp, short sword was one of Rome’s great military innovations. The Roman army was called the “short swords” because of its use of the short swords in winning battles. The sword’s double edges made it ideal for “cut and thrust” strategy.

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

There is an interesting description of typical arms & armour in a Roman legion in the following:

‘A fully equipped Roman legionary was armed with a shield (Latin. scutum), one or two javelins (Latin. pila), a sword (Latin. gladius), often a dagger (Latin. pugio), and perhaps, in the later Empire period, darts (Latin. plumbatae). Conventionally, the javelins would be thrown to disable the shields of the enemy before engaging in close combat, for which the gladius would be drawn. The soldier generally led with his shield and thrust with his sword. All types of gladius appear to have also been suitable for cutting and chopping motions as well as for thrusting.’

(Source: “De Re Militari” (Latin. "Concerning Military Matters") by the late-Latin writer Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.)

 

Application: why & how to wield the Sword of the Spirit?

’ “[The Sword] Of the Spirit” refers to the source or origin of the sword; hence it is “the sword given by the Spirit.” “The sword of the Spirit” is specified as the Word of God. “Word” (rhēma; cf. Eph. 5:26; Rom. 10:8, 17; 1 Peter 1:25) refers to the preached Word or an utterance of God occasioned by the Holy Spirit in the heart. Believers need this “sword” to combat the enemy’s assault, much as Christ did three times when tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1-11).’

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

The Spirit makes the word of God effective as we speak it and receive it. The Spirit gives the word its penetrating power and sharp edge. Jesus’ use of God’s word in his temptation prompts our use of it against Satan (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). With the Holy Spirit within, believers have the constant reminder of God’s word to use against Satan’s temptations. When the enemy, the tempter (Matthew 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), tries to tempt us to do evil, we have the power to send him away with the word of God. The Spirit will bring the words to mind.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

From the above references we see that the Sword of the Spirit is the Christian’s only offensive weapon. Really it is the Sword given to us by the Spirit. All the other items (Shield, Helmet, Breastplate, etc) are for our own defensive protection.

So, what is the Sword of the Spirit? It is the Holy Bible, the Word of God, which has been described as an instruction manual for us, as we live here on Earth. It holds the complete revelation of God to his human creation. The Bible is from God & we are told that it is intended to teach, rebuke, correct and training in righteousness us Christians, in order that we can do every good work (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [1].)

 

The apostle Paul’s advice to Timothy (& to us) is is found in 2 Timothy 2:15 [2], ‘...a workman... who correctly handles the word of truth.’ Or, as it translates in the Amplified Bible: ‘correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.’

 

In a military sense, we get the image of a soldier spending countless hours practising with his weapons, to become adept, swift & deadly in their use. Then he or she can move from being aware of themselves wielding those weapons to becoming automatic in their use: the sword becoming an extension of the soldier; the soldier becoming the sword. In the same way we Christians need to read, re-read & re-re-read the Bible, with the aim of becoming so adept at using it (in defence of ourselves & attacking the spiritual forces of evil in our world) that we become an extension of God’s will & way here on earth. That is the essence of what Paul was telling Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15.

 

The Sword of the Spirit is the Holy Bible, the Word of God. In order to accurately & effectively use this weapon, we need to 1) read & get to know it & 2) to practice using it. Taking the military metaphor again, imagine a soldier going into battle with a sword he or she had never used, perhaps never even lifted out of its scabbard before, facing expert swordsmen, well versed with their own weapons. Who would you expect to win that fight?! Based on that simple metaphor, it should be obvious why we Christians need to read the Bible, become familiar with it & fearlessly wield it. Like a swordsman who spends endless hours swinging his sword in practice strokes, learning to cut, thrust & parry with increasing skill, we also need to practice wielding the Word of God (the Holy Bible) until we become equally proficient with it as our Sword of the Spirit.

 

‘Paul implies that the battle is to be joined especially by engaging those who do not know God’s word (the gospel) with its message, after one is spiritually prepared in the other ways listed here. Paul’s ministry was thus particularly strategic, because it included close-range battle advancing into enemy ranks (Ephes. 6:19-20).’

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

From this commentary we can see that we are to tell people who do not know what the Bible says about this amazingly rich source of life & power. We can only effectively do that once we have put on the full armour of God, in order to protect ourselves from spiritual counter-attack by the forces of evil & darkness.

 

Bible References

[1]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ANIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

[2]

2 Timothy 2:15 (ANIV)

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

The Whole Armor of God

 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

Ephesians 6:16 (NLT)

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the fourth of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

This was actually the first illustration in this set that I drew. I enjoyed drawing the fiery arrows & designed them to look dark & menacing. If you look closely you’ll see that each arrow head has a different design. perhaps indicating that it is a different thought or idea, hurled at us by the enemy, Satan. I liked adding the cross to the shield, with it’s radiating lines of colour. The red on the shield indicates Jesus’ blood, shed for our redemption on the cross.

Notice that not a single arrow has got past the shield - that’s a comment on the power & steadfastness of the Shield of Faith! Notice also that the flames on the arrows that are sticking in the Shield are dying - showing that the Shield extinguishes those fiery arrows & renders them useless & ineffective against us.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Shield of Faith: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the belt of truth is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

Amplified Bible

Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].

 

New International Version

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

 

New King James Version

above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

 

‘The shield in a Roman soldier’s attire, made of wood, was about 2 1/2’ wide and 4’ long. It was overlaid with linen and leather, to absorb fiery arrows. Thus it also protected the other pieces of the armor; hence Paul used the phrase, “in addition to all this”. ‘

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

The soldier needed to also carry extra protection in the form of a shield. The image was taken from the Roman shield, a large oblong or oval piece, approximately four feet high by two feet wide, made of wood and leather, often with an iron frame. Sometimes the leather would be soaked in water to help extinguish fiery arrows. The ancient “flaming arrow” or “fire dart” was made of cane with a flammable head that was lighted and then shot so as to set fire to wooden shields, cloth tents, etc.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

From these references we can see the Shield of Faith as a powerful defensive device. It provides excellent protection from the attacks (the fiery darts or arrows) of our enemy, the Devil. In addition, the Shield of Faith protects the other parts of the Armour of God, just as a Roman soldier’s wooden shield did so.

 

‘NAMES OF SOLDIERS INSCRIBED ON THEIR SHIELDS

Lest the soldiers in the confusion of battle should be separated from their comrades, every cohort had its shields painted in a manner peculiar to itself. The name of each soldier was also written on his shield, together with the number of the cohort and century to which he belonged.’

(Source: “De Re Militari” (Latin. "Concerning Military Matters"), Book 2. Written by the late-Latin writer Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.)

 

Vegetius wrote (in the above quote) that every soldier in a Roman legion wrote his name on his own shield. Perhaps if we similarly personalise our “Shields of Faith” we will come to love our own faith more, & be all the more ready to wield it.

  

Application: why a Shield of Faith?

“Of faith”, is a genitive of content; the shield consists of faith. The idea, then, is that a Christian’s resolute faith in the Lord can stop and extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one aimed at him. (Cf. “evil one” [Satan] in John 17:15; 1 John 5:19.)

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

‘For Christians, this shield is faith—complete reliance on God. Faith means total dependence on God and willingness to do his will. It is not something we put on for a show for others. It means believing in his promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet. When the enemy, the ruler of this world (John 12:31), sends his fiery arrows of temptation, doubt, wrath, lust, despair, vengeance, problems, and trials into our lives, we can hold up our shields and stop them. Faith gives us the strength to stand against Satan with firm courage, even when he uses his most fearsome weapons.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Because the Greek and Roman god of passion (called Eros and Cupid, respectively) was said to strike with flaming arrows, some of Paul’s readers may have thought specifically of the temptation of lust in this verse, although Paul probably intended the image to cover more than that danger (cf. Psalm 11:2; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 58:3-7; Psalm 64:3; perhaps Psalm 120:1-4; Proverbs 25:18).

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

From these references we can see the Shield of Faith is a powerful defensive device, just as a Roman soldier’s wooden shield was. It is a Christian’s faith which protects him or her, especially in the battle for our minds: with doubts, fears, anxieties, etc all being thrown at us from the enemy of our souls.

As the Life Application New Testament Commentary points out (see above), faith means believing in God’s promises (as outlined in the Holy Bible) even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet. I like what it adds next: ‘Faith gives us the strength to stand against Satan with firm courage, even when he uses his most fearsome weapons.’

 

Hebrews 11:1-2 [1] tells us what faith is: trust in the existence of God; this faith is the firm foundation for our lives as Christians, it underpins everything that makes life worth living. It's our belief & confident assurance in that which we can not see with our senses: the spiritual realms; spiritual truths.

Hebrews goes on to give a long list of people from the Old Testament who did amazing, miraculous things, utilising the power of their God-given faith to achieve them. Indeed, faith is a central theme running all the way through the Holy Bible.

 

Back to the military metaphor of our Shield of Faith, it may even provide additional protection for other people (Christians or unbelievers) in the same way that Roman soldiers locked their shields into a whole, multi-shield defensive structure, which provided excellent protection for an entire unit of soldiers. When the church of Christ comes together to work as a unit, with Jesus Himself directing our efforts, we are certainly a mighty force for good, capable of achieving more than any one individual might hope to achieve.

 

Bible References

[1]

Hebrews 11:1-2 (AMP)

1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. 2 For by [faith—trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:15 (NLT)

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the third of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I enjoyed drawing these sandals, but I needed a photograph for reference. These shoes appear to be made from only a few pieces of leather, yet they are very complicated & took a long time to draw & colour up!

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Notice the small white crosses in the heals of the sandals.

 

Shoes fitted with the Gospel of Peace: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

 

Amplified Bible

And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.

 

New International Version

and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

 

New King James Version

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 

From the above we get the sense that the Gospel of Peace helps to prepare us to stand; that it brings us sure-footedness & confidence in the spiritual battles & struggles to be able to stand; that it is our responsibility to learn the Gospel of Jesus, so that we are prepared, willing & able to stand our ground.

 

‘Soldiers needed to wear sandals or boots (technically the Roman caliga, a half boot) so they could advance toward the enemy undistracted about what they might step on; this gear was essential to their “preparation” for battle. Paul takes the image especially from the herald of Isaiah 52:7 [1] who announces good news: sharing the message of Christ advances God’s army against the enemy’s position.’

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

Application: why Shoes fitted with the Gospel of Peace?

Thinking about our military metaphor once more, it would be no good at all if a soldier had the very best arms & armour in the world, but when it came to walk or run into battle, he or she fell over! Or worse still, was in the middle of a conflict, but couldn’t rely on their footwear to keep them upright & secure on the battlefield. In the same way, we must have our spiritual feet fitted with shoes that we are totally confident will keep us from slipping in any & all of our personal conflicts against the Devil. If our minds are thoroughly versed in the Bible (the Gospel of Peace) then we will be well equipped to stand our ground in the time of testing.

 

As the quote from the Bible Background Commentary above points out, a soldier needs to concentrate their attention on the battlefield, the enemy he/she faces, the tactics employed, the weapons used, whilst keeping a strategic overview of the battlefield... it would be very difficult to do all that if the soldier where not sure of their own footwear, or were distracted by it! Conversely, a soldier who is unsure of their own footwear, or who concentrates overmuch on it, has their spiritual “eyes” on their feet, & can not have their “eyes” on their enemy, or the battle - which could be disastrous for them! That’s why it is SO important to make good, sound preparation BEFORE goi9ng into battle.

 

There might be two difference situations we could consider in order to understand the importance of our spiritual footwear: 1) Standing our ground & 2) Advancing into battle.

1) Standing our ground refers to a Christian’s stability or surefootedness, which comes from knowing the Gospel. It is this Gospel knowledge & application to oneself which gives us peace & confidence in our hearts, so that we are able to stand in times of spiritual conflict & struggle. Reading the Bible; knowing the Gospel, is our preparation BEFORE we go into battle. Our preparation helps us to confidently stand our ground, & not to be distracted by anything else.

 

Jesus used the Bible as his defence when he was tempted by Satan (see Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 & Luke 4:1-13) & was able to do so because he read & thoroughly knew the scriptures, being able to quote them in his own defence as the Devil tempted him. Since Jesus is our example in all things it should be obvious that we Christians need to become as familiar with the Gospel of Peace (the Holy Bible) for exactly the same reason: we too will be tempted by the Devil, & we too need to mount an effective defence when that temptation comes to us. Just as in Jesus’ own case, the Gospel of Peace is given for our protection as another vital piece of our spiritual armour.

 

2) Advancing into battle. As Christians we are to share our faith with those we come into contact with, which involves telling people the Gospel. By doing so we are helping to advance the Kingdom of God, by driving back the kingdom of darkness (or evil, the Devil’s kingdom.) It should be quite clear to every Christian that we are always in a spiritual battle, every day of our lives. We Christians can expect to come under attack from our enemy, the Devil, but the armour of God is given to protect us from these attacks. Every piece of the armour is vital, & together it provides a complete, seamless, encasing protection for us... but we must remember to put it on if we want that protection! Feet shod with the Gospel of Peace are vitally important, both as a preparation for the spiritual struggles we face every day, & in those special cases where we are actively advancing the Kingdom of God.

 

When the enemy, (Satan, the deceiver (see Revelation 12:9)), offers us erroneous or false ways to peace, or else tries to get our mind’s attention to focus on our concerns &/or fears, Christian’s can stand up to him, by quoting from the Bible, which is a way of reminding ourselves, & our spiritual adversaries what the truth really is: we are free to pursue our special relationship with our loving heavenly Father, through Jesus our Lord, by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:37-39 [2] that nothing in all creation (especially including the Devil) can stand in the way.

 

Bible References

[1]

Isaiah 52:7 (ANIV)

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

  

[2]

Romans 8:37-39 (AMP)

37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, 39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:15 (NLT)

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the third of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I enjoyed drawing these sandals, but I needed a photograph for reference. These shoes appear to be made from only a few pieces of leather, yet they are very complicated & took a long time to draw & colour up!

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Notice the small white crosses in the heals of the sandals.

 

Shoes fitted with the Gospel of Peace: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what feet fitted with the Gospel of Peace is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

 

Amplified Bible

And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.

 

New International Version

and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

 

New King James Version

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 

From the above we get the sense that the Gospel of Peace helps to prepare us to stand; that it brings us sure-footedness & confidence in the spiritual battles & struggles to be able to stand; that it is our responsibility to learn the Gospel of Jesus, so that we are prepared, willing & able to stand our ground.

 

‘Soldiers needed to wear sandals or boots (technically the Roman caliga, a half boot) so they could advance toward the enemy undistracted about what they might step on; this gear was essential to their “preparation” for battle. Paul takes the image especially from the herald of Isaiah 52:7 [1] who announces good news: sharing the message of Christ advances God’s army against the enemy’s position.’

(Source: Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.)

 

Application: why Shoes fitted with the Gospel of Peace?

Thinking about our military metaphor once more, it would be no good at all if a soldier had the very best arms & armour in the world, but when it came to walk or run into battle, he or she fell over! Or worse still, was in the middle of a conflict, but couldn’t rely on their footwear to keep them upright & secure on the battlefield. In the same way, we must have our spiritual feet fitted with shoes that we are totally confident will keep us from slipping in any & all of our personal conflicts against the Devil. If our minds are thoroughly versed in the Bible (the Gospel of Peace) then we will be well equipped to stand our ground in the time of testing.

 

As the quote from the Bible Background Commentary above points out, a soldier needs to concentrate their attention on the battlefield, the enemy he/she faces, the tactics employed, the weapons used, whilst keeping a strategic overview of the battlefield... it would be very difficult to do all that if the soldier where not sure of their own footwear, or were distracted by it! Conversely, a soldier who is unsure of their own footwear, or who concentrates overmuch on it, has their spiritual “eyes” on their feet, & can not have their “eyes” on their enemy, or the battle - which could be disastrous for them! That’s why it is SO important to make good, sound preparation BEFORE goi9ng into battle.

 

There might be two difference situations we could consider in order to understand the importance of our spiritual footwear: 1) Standing our ground & 2) Advancing into battle.

1) Standing our ground refers to a Christian’s stability or surefootedness, which comes from knowing the Gospel. It is this Gospel knowledge & application to oneself which gives us peace & confidence in our hearts, so that we are able to stand in times of spiritual conflict & struggle. Reading the Bible; knowing the Gospel, is our preparation BEFORE we go into battle. Our preparation helps us to confidently stand our ground, & not to be distracted by anything else.

 

Jesus used the Bible as his defence when he was tempted by Satan (see Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 & Luke 4:1-13) & was able to do so because he read & thoroughly knew the scriptures, being able to quote them in his own defence as the Devil tempted him. Since Jesus is our example in all things it should be obvious that we Christians need to become as familiar with the Gospel of Peace (the Holy Bible) for exactly the same reason: we too will be tempted by the Devil, & we too need to mount an effective defence when that temptation comes to us. Just as in Jesus’ own case, the Gospel of Peace is given for our protection as another vital piece of our spiritual armour.

 

2) Advancing into battle. As Christians we are to share our faith with those we come into contact with, which involves telling people the Gospel. By doing so we are helping to advance the Kingdom of God, by driving back the kingdom of darkness (or evil, the Devil’s kingdom.) It should be quite clear to every Christian that we are always in a spiritual battle, every day of our lives. We Christians can expect to come under attack from our enemy, the Devil, but the armour of God is given to protect us from these attacks. Every piece of the armour is vital, & together it provides a complete, seamless, encasing protection for us... but we must remember to put it on if we want that protection! Feet shod with the Gospel of Peace are vitally important, both as a preparation for the spiritual struggles we face every day, & in those special cases where we are actively advancing the Kingdom of God.

 

When the enemy, (Satan, the deceiver (see Revelation 12:9)), offers us erroneous or false ways to peace, or else tries to get our mind’s attention to focus on our concerns &/or fears, Christian’s can stand up to him, by quoting from the Bible, which is a way of reminding ourselves, & our spiritual adversaries what the truth really is: we are free to pursue our special relationship with our loving heavenly Father, through Jesus our Lord, by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:37-39 [2] that nothing in all creation (especially including the Devil) can stand in the way.

 

Bible References

[1]

Isaiah 52:7 (ANIV)

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

  

[2]

Romans 8:37-39 (AMP)

37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, 39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the seventh & last of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I used a photograph of myself in a Djallaba for this illustration, in order to get the clothing folds & creases right. A Djallaba is a traditional long, loose-fitting outer robe worn by the Berber people of North Africa. I bought it when I was in Morocco some years ago.

The wall & gate was from a photo I liked on the internet.

Note: the idea behind the radiating heavenly glow coming through the archway is to illustrate the presence of God, & the two-way interaction between God & the man, through the vehicle of prayer.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Pray in the Spirit: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the phrase “pray in the Spirit” means, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 

Amplified Bible

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).

 

New International Version

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

 

New King James Version

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

 

in terms of arms & armour, it would seem that the previous 6 illustrations represent the whole armour of God, but it seems to me that prayer is a vital part of the armour as well, which is why I have included it in the series. In the New International Version of the Bible verse 18 begins with “And Pray in the Spirit...” giving the sense that Paul included prayer himself as part of the armour.

 

Application: why Pray in the Spirit?

6:18. The manner in which a soldier takes up these last two pieces of armor is suggested by two Greek participles: “praying” and “being alert.” When the enemy attacks—and on all occasions—Christians are to pray continually in the Spirit (i.e., in the power and sphere of the Spirit; cf. Jude 20). “With all kinds of prayers and requests”, suggests the thoroughness and intensity of their praying. And like reliable soldiers, they are to be keeping alert, literally, “in all persistence” (en pasē proskarterēsei; the noun is used only here in the NT). Their requests are to be for all the saints because of Satan’s spiritual warfare against Christ and the church. In the Greek “all” occurs four times in this verse; three are translated in the niv and the fourth is rendered as always (lit., “in all times” or “every time”).

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

  

‘Ephesians 6:18, although not naming another “weapon” in the believer’s armor, does continue the thought of 6:17. As we take the sword of the Spirit, God’s word, we must also pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Spirit means that the Spirit helps us when we pray (Romans 8:26); the Spirit prays on our behalf (Romans 8:27); the Spirit makes God accessible (Ephesians 2:18); the Spirit gives us confidence when we pray (Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 4:6). He inspires and guides us when we pray. He helps us communicate with God and also brings God’s response to us.

Paul was not calling prayer a weapon; instead, he was giving the how-to’s for taking up the armor described in the previous verses. We must not underestimate Satan’s forces. He will strike in different ways at different people; thus, we need to pray “all kinds” of prayers, allowing for all kinds of requests. Satan will attack at various times, but he will always be attacking someone. Satan will attack when we least expect it, so we need to stay alert to prayer needs when they arise. Satan will rarely let up if he thinks he can win the battle, so believers must be persistent in praying, no matter how long it takes. No believer is exempt from being Satan’s target—Satan demands battle against his enemies (believers). Thus all Christians everywhere need our prayer support.

 

How can anyone pray at all times? Make quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Paul’s entreats his readers to, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion”. It is always appropriate to pray then! Paul gives us a cautionary statement, “Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers”, or “keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance”. I suspect that is because, carrying the military metaphor on again, our enemy (the Devil) doesn’t want us to succeed! He will object to any & all attempts by Christians to enforce the will of God & the eternal victory Jesus has achieved against him.

 

The Devil would like to see Christians fall away; to see congregations crumble into apathy & dissolve into dissension & dis-unity. He is always on the prowl, seeking to destroy. I think this is why we are to remain alert & keep on praying for all the saints (ie all Christians.)

 

Similarly, the Devil will not be happy if we take the Great Commission [2] mandate seriously & seek to extend the Kingdom of God by telling the lost (unbelievers) about the wonderful Gospel of Jesus the Christ. We can expect fierce spiritual opposition to that advancement of the kingdom. The battle is for the minds of those people who are not yet Christians. Although we will be opposed, we must always remember that not only is God INFINITELY more powerful than Satan, but that He has provided us with the full & complete Armour of God. When we cloth ourselves in that armour & we fearlessly proclaim the Gospel of Peace to the people we meet, Satan will be powerless to stop us.

  

Bible References

[1]

1 Peter 5:8-9 (AMP)

8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 9 Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.

 

[2]

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:14 (NLT)

[Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth] and the body armour of God’s righteousness.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the second of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I enjoyed drawing & colouring up this illustration, although it was quite a challenge to get the shadows & highlights in the right place, to give the sense of the metal armour having been beaten into the muscle shape of a man in the breastplate. I think I’ve managed to achieve that effect though!

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

The Breastplate of Righteousness: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the Breastplate of Righteousness is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

... and the body armour of God’s righteousness.

 

Amplified Bible

... and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,

 

New International Version

... with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

 

From these additional references we can conclude that the Breastplate of Righteousness is heaven sent body armour, strong & resilient, intended to protects our bodies. It was often the second item of clothing/armour to be put on by a Roman soldier, after the belt.

 

What is righteousness?

Definition: ‘Morally upright; without guilt or sin. In accordance with virtue or morality, virtuous, good, just, fair, moral, pure, ethical, upright, honourable, honest, equitable, law-abiding, squeaky-clean, blameless. The quality of being exempt from sin or incapable of sinning.’

 

Christians understand that we are not able to become righteous by our own efforts. Wrong-doing (sin) is all too easy & tends to mar our efforts to live a sinless life. God knows that we are incapable of living a sin-free life, that is why God the Father sent his Son Jesus the Christ (or Messiah) to earth. The life, death & resurrection of Jesus creates & eternally maintains a divine exchange which is available for anyone who chooses to accept it: Jesus dies in our place, the sinless man, for the sinful ones. In that exchange our sins are taken on by Jesus (on the cross) & his sinlessness is given (or imputed) to us. That’s an amazing thought & an astonishing gift!

From this theology it should be clear that the righteousness we are talking about is not our own, it is Christ’s righteousness imputed (or credited) to us, which means we are now sinless. This happens as soon as we become Christians. Although we still do wrong (sin) after we become Christians, all is not lost! All we need to do to become sinless once more (in God’s sight) is to confess that wrong-doing & Jesus’ sinless account is again debited into our account: we can again become sinless.

 

The righteousness referred to in the Bible (& specifically in Ephesians 6 above) is both 1) the righteousness that comes to us at conversion (see Romans 3:24 [1] & Romans 4:5 [2]) AND 2) the sanctifying righteousness of Christ continually practiced in a believer’s life (see 1 Corinthians 1:30 [3]). The righteousness we receive from Christ comes to us at conversion, & continues in us all through our Christian life, continually available, & continually recovering us.

 

The righteousness that comes to us at conversion is also called justification... which can be defined as “just as if I’d never done it!” At the point we become Christians, all our record of past sin is removed, instantly, & we become righteous (sinless) at that point. We remain sinless (justified; righteous) as we confess our sins (wrong-doing) & accept the gift of God, the complete pardon from those sins.

 

The breastplate (or body armour) in ancient warfare was a large piece of thick leather, which protected the front of a soldier’s body. Later in history, bronze was used to increase the protective nature of the armour. Then iron & steel was employed to provide better protection. The breastplate could be a single piece, or even be a leather jerkin, with overlaid rings of metal (chain-mail) or many small shields attached to the jerkin (scale mail.) If it was available to him, no soldier would go into battle without his body armour.

It has been noted by some history commentators that Roman soldiers had no armour on their backs, meaning that they must always face their enemy head-on, to maximise their armours protective capabilities.

In later years, as greater protection was required, a back piece was fashioned & attached to the front breastplate, protecting the body from assaults from behind the soldier.

Note: my depiction of the Breastplate of Righteousness has both front & back pieces.

 

Application: why a Breastplate of Righteousness?

‘As a soldier’s breastplate protected his chest from an enemy’s attacks, so sanctifying, righteous living (Rom. 6:13; 14:17) guards a believer’s heart against the assaults of the devil (cf. Isa. 59:17; James 4:7).’

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

‘Righteousness provides a significant defence; it gives the evidence that we have been made right with God and that this righteousness has been given us by the Holy Spirit. Satan seeks to thwart righteous living. When the enemy, the accuser (Revelation 12:10), tries to convince us that we are not really saved, that we just keep on disappointing God, and that we’re “poor excuses” for Christians, we can stand up to him because of the righteousness we have been promised through our faith in Jesus Christ.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

We Christians can expect to come under attack from our enemy, the Devil, but the armour of God is given to protect us from these attacks. Every piece of the armour is vital, & together it provides a complete, seamless, encasing protection for us... but we must remember to put it on if we want that protection!

  

Bible References

[1]

Romans 3:21-26 (ANIV)

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 —he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

 

[2]

Romans 4:4-5 (ANIV)

4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

 

[3]

1 Corinthians 1:30 (ANIV)

‘It is because of him [God] that you [Christians] are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

 

The Message Bible version says, ‘Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.’

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the seventh & last of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I used a photograph of myself in a Djallaba for this illustration, in order to get the clothing folds & creases right. A Djallaba is a traditional long, loose-fitting outer robe worn by the Berber people of North Africa. I bought it when I was in Morocco some years ago.

The wall & gate was from a photo I liked on the internet.

Note: the idea behind the radiating heavenly glow coming through the archway is to illustrate the presence of God, & the two-way interaction between God & the man, through the vehicle of prayer.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Pray in the Spirit: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the phrase “pray in the Spirit” means, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

 

Amplified Bible

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).

 

New International Version

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

 

New King James Version

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

 

in terms of arms & armour, it would seem that the previous 6 illustrations represent the whole armour of God, but it seems to me that prayer is a vital part of the armour as well, which is why I have included it in the series. In the New International Version of the Bible verse 18 begins with “And Pray in the Spirit...” giving the sense that Paul included prayer himself as part of the armour.

 

Application: why Pray in the Spirit?

6:18. The manner in which a soldier takes up these last two pieces of armor is suggested by two Greek participles: “praying” and “being alert.” When the enemy attacks—and on all occasions—Christians are to pray continually in the Spirit (i.e., in the power and sphere of the Spirit; cf. Jude 20). “With all kinds of prayers and requests”, suggests the thoroughness and intensity of their praying. And like reliable soldiers, they are to be keeping alert, literally, “in all persistence” (en pasē proskarterēsei; the noun is used only here in the NT). Their requests are to be for all the saints because of Satan’s spiritual warfare against Christ and the church. In the Greek “all” occurs four times in this verse; three are translated in the niv and the fourth is rendered as always (lit., “in all times” or “every time”).

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

  

‘Ephesians 6:18, although not naming another “weapon” in the believer’s armor, does continue the thought of 6:17. As we take the sword of the Spirit, God’s word, we must also pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Spirit means that the Spirit helps us when we pray (Romans 8:26); the Spirit prays on our behalf (Romans 8:27); the Spirit makes God accessible (Ephesians 2:18); the Spirit gives us confidence when we pray (Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 4:6). He inspires and guides us when we pray. He helps us communicate with God and also brings God’s response to us.

Paul was not calling prayer a weapon; instead, he was giving the how-to’s for taking up the armor described in the previous verses. We must not underestimate Satan’s forces. He will strike in different ways at different people; thus, we need to pray “all kinds” of prayers, allowing for all kinds of requests. Satan will attack at various times, but he will always be attacking someone. Satan will attack when we least expect it, so we need to stay alert to prayer needs when they arise. Satan will rarely let up if he thinks he can win the battle, so believers must be persistent in praying, no matter how long it takes. No believer is exempt from being Satan’s target—Satan demands battle against his enemies (believers). Thus all Christians everywhere need our prayer support.

 

How can anyone pray at all times? Make quick, brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Paul’s entreats his readers to, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion”. It is always appropriate to pray then! Paul gives us a cautionary statement, “Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers”, or “keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance”. I suspect that is because, carrying the military metaphor on again, our enemy (the Devil) doesn’t want us to succeed! He will object to any & all attempts by Christians to enforce the will of God & the eternal victory Jesus has achieved against him.

 

The Devil would like to see Christians fall away; to see congregations crumble into apathy & dissolve into dissension & dis-unity. He is always on the prowl, seeking to destroy. I think this is why we are to remain alert & keep on praying for all the saints (ie all Christians.)

 

Similarly, the Devil will not be happy if we take the Great Commission [2] mandate seriously & seek to extend the Kingdom of God by telling the lost (unbelievers) about the wonderful Gospel of Jesus the Christ. We can expect fierce spiritual opposition to that advancement of the kingdom. The battle is for the minds of those people who are not yet Christians. Although we will be opposed, we must always remember that not only is God INFINITELY more powerful than Satan, but that He has provided us with the full & complete Armour of God. When we cloth ourselves in that armour & we fearlessly proclaim the Gospel of Peace to the people we meet, Satan will be powerless to stop us.

  

Bible References

[1]

1 Peter 5:8-9 (AMP)

8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 9 Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.

 

[2]

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

3/32" leather lace Spanish/woven ring knots around a Shields of Strength pendant and Witnesstools.org coin.

 

stormdrane.blogspot.com/2014/12/leather-spanish-ring-knot...

Ephesians 6:14 (NLT)

[Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth] and the body armour of God’s righteousness.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the second of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I enjoyed drawing & colouring up this illustration, although it was quite a challenge to get the shadows & highlights in the right place, to give the sense of the metal armour having been beaten into the muscle shape of a man in the breastplate. I think I’ve managed to achieve that effect though!

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

The Breastplate of Righteousness: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the Breastplate of Righteousness is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

... and the body armour of God’s righteousness.

 

Amplified Bible

... and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,

 

New International Version

... with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

 

From these additional references we can conclude that the Breastplate of Righteousness is heaven sent body armour, strong & resilient, intended to protects our bodies. It was often the second item of clothing/armour to be put on by a Roman soldier, after the belt.

 

What is righteousness?

Definition: ‘Morally upright; without guilt or sin. In accordance with virtue or morality, virtuous, good, just, fair, moral, pure, ethical, upright, honourable, honest, equitable, law-abiding, squeaky-clean, blameless. The quality of being exempt from sin or incapable of sinning.’

 

Christians understand that we are not able to become righteous by our own efforts. Wrong-doing (sin) is all too easy & tends to mar our efforts to live a sinless life. God knows that we are incapable of living a sin-free life, that is why God the Father sent his Son Jesus the Christ (or Messiah) to earth. The life, death & resurrection of Jesus creates & eternally maintains a divine exchange which is available for anyone who chooses to accept it: Jesus dies in our place, the sinless man, for the sinful ones. In that exchange our sins are taken on by Jesus (on the cross) & his sinlessness is given (or imputed) to us. That’s an amazing thought & an astonishing gift!

From this theology it should be clear that the righteousness we are talking about is not our own, it is Christ’s righteousness imputed (or credited) to us, which means we are now sinless. This happens as soon as we become Christians. Although we still do wrong (sin) after we become Christians, all is not lost! All we need to do to become sinless once more (in God’s sight) is to confess that wrong-doing & Jesus’ sinless account is again debited into our account: we can again become sinless.

 

The righteousness referred to in the Bible (& specifically in Ephesians 6 above) is both 1) the righteousness that comes to us at conversion (see Romans 3:24 [1] & Romans 4:5 [2]) AND 2) the sanctifying righteousness of Christ continually practiced in a believer’s life (see 1 Corinthians 1:30 [3]). The righteousness we receive from Christ comes to us at conversion, & continues in us all through our Christian life, continually available, & continually recovering us.

 

The righteousness that comes to us at conversion is also called justification... which can be defined as “just as if I’d never done it!” At the point we become Christians, all our record of past sin is removed, instantly, & we become righteous (sinless) at that point. We remain sinless (justified; righteous) as we confess our sins (wrong-doing) & accept the gift of God, the complete pardon from those sins.

 

The breastplate (or body armour) in ancient warfare was a large piece of thick leather, which protected the front of a soldier’s body. Later in history, bronze was used to increase the protective nature of the armour. Then iron & steel was employed to provide better protection. The breastplate could be a single piece, or even be a leather jerkin, with overlaid rings of metal (chain-mail) or many small shields attached to the jerkin (scale mail.) If it was available to him, no soldier would go into battle without his body armour.

It has been noted by some history commentators that Roman soldiers had no armour on their backs, meaning that they must always face their enemy head-on, to maximise their armours protective capabilities.

In later years, as greater protection was required, a back piece was fashioned & attached to the front breastplate, protecting the body from assaults from behind the soldier.

Note: my depiction of the Breastplate of Righteousness has both front & back pieces.

 

Application: why a Breastplate of Righteousness?‘As a soldier’s breastplate protected his chest from an enemy’s attacks, so sanctifying, righteous living (Rom. 6:13; 14:17) guards a believer’s heart against the assaults of the devil (cf. Isa. 59:17; James 4:7).’

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

‘Righteousness provides a significant defence; it gives the evidence that we have been made right with God and that this righteousness has been given us by the Holy Spirit. Satan seeks to thwart righteous living. When the enemy, the accuser (Revelation 12:10), tries to convince us that we are not really saved, that we just keep on disappointing God, and that we’re “poor excuses” for Christians, we can stand up to him because of the righteousness we have been promised through our faith in Jesus Christ.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

We Christians can expect to come under attack from our enemy, the Devil, but the armour of God is given to protect us from these attacks. Every piece of the armour is vital, & together it provides a complete, seamless, encasing protection for us... but we must remember to put it on if we want that protection!

  

Bible References

[1]

Romans 3:21-26 (ANIV)

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 —he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

 

[2]

Romans 4:4-5 (ANIV)

4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

 

[3]

1 Corinthians 1:30 (ANIV)

‘It is because of him [God] that you [Christians] are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

 

The Message Bible version says, ‘Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.’

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

Ephesians 6:17 (NLT)

Put on salvation as your helmet, [and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.]

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate.

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

A single source of light comes from above & to the right.

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

None.

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the fifth of 7 “scenes” depicting each of the pieces of the armour mentioned by the apostle Paul. Putting on the whole armour of God protects us in the battles of life & faith.

 

I used some reference photographs from the internet to help me draw this Roman helmet. I imagine the apostle Paul looking at his Roman soldier captors whilst he was in prison, & getting the ideas for the various pieces of the Armour of God from observing the Roman arms & armour before him. Thus it seemed right to illustrate a Roman helmet for this piece of equipment.

I enjoyed colouring up this illustration & applying brush textures to it to represent the smooth, hammered, curved, polished reflective metal of the helmet. I like the grey iron/steel with the yellow accent metal edges.

 

I decided early on in the design process to include a white cross on each piece of the armour, which is my way of signifying that this is not merely metal armour, but is spiritual, God-given armour, empowered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

 

Helmet of Salvation: what is it & what’s it for?

To get a broader sense of what the belt of truth is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:

 

New Living Translation

Put on salvation as your helmet, ...

 

Amplified Bible

And take the helmet of salvation ...

 

New International Version

Take the helmet of salvation ...

 

New King James Version

And take the helmet of salvation ...

 

‘The outline is divided here because the Greek word take is an imperative, rather than another participle. This parallels the imperative “stand” in verse 14. The helmet and sword are the last two pieces a soldier takes up. A helmet, being hot and uncomfortable, would be put on by a soldier only when he faced impending danger. ‘

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

‘The helmet protected the soldier’s head. Helmets were made of leather and brass, or sometimes bronze and iron—no sword could pierce a good helmet. Isaiah 59:17 [1] describes God wearing a helmet of salvation.

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

The leather (& in later history) metal helmet is fashioned, designed & manufactured to protect a soldiers head & neck. Without it, a soldier would be vulnerable to assault to his head from enemy weapons. Indeed, without a helmet an enemy soldier might aim his blows at the unprotected head.

 

Application: why a Helmet of Salvation?

Having one’s head guarded by a helmet gives a sense of safety, so the helmet of salvation refers either to present safety from the devil’s attacks or to a future deliverance, “the hope of salvation as a helmet” (1 Thes. 5:8).

(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)

 

Believers’ salvation, already accomplished, will be consummated when Christ comes to claim his own. With the assurance of salvation protecting their minds, Christians can stand against Satan’s attacks. As a blow to the head often means death, so a person without hope of salvation will be easily defeated by the enemy. When the enemy, the Devil (1 Peter 5:8), seeks to devour and destroy God’s people with empty or evil thoughts, trying to get us to doubt our salvation, we can trust in the protection of the helmet. Our salvation will be accomplished, for God has promised it.’

(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)

 

Salvation has brought us a new life and identity. By keeping our identity as Christ's living church constantly before us, our perception of life is transformed. Satan's dreams of distorted relationships cannot cloud the mind of a person who grasps the full meaning of the salvation we enjoy in Christ.

(Source: The Teacher's Commentary.)

 

Notes on the above reference:

1) The Helmet of (our) Salvation provides assurance & a sense of safety. The Lord God intends us to remain confident, & well protected, in all our skirmishes with spiritual powers & dark forces of this world.

 

2) Our protection is present & future: we can be assured that our Salvation is ever-lasting, coming in to effect the moment we become a Christian, & lasting for all eternity.

 

3) The Helmet of (our) Salvation reminds us that the battle is a spiritual one: the focus of which is often our minds. The enemy (Satan) knows that if he can influence our minds he can alter the course of our lives, hoping to lead us down false trails & into sin.

The fact that our battleground is predominantly a mental one is why we are told (in Romans 12:2 [2]) to renew our minds, which we do by reading scripture, prayer & meditation on the Bible. The Lord God knows that our behaviour comes from our thinking & so changing our thinking will change our behaviour, for our good & His glory.

 

Bible References

[1]

Isaiah 59:15b-17 (NLT)

15b The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. 16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.

 

[2]

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

  

See many more of my cartoons on my website: www.biblecartoons.co.uk

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

Ephesians 6:11-18 (NLT)

Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.

Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.

Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness.

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.

In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.

  

DRAWING NOTES:

  

TIME OF DAY:

Indeterminate

 

LIGHTING NOTES:

None obvious - from above & left

 

CHARACTERS PRESENT:

Roman Soldier

 

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

 

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

To all Dads out there....

 

Ephesians 6:10-18 The Message (MSG)

 

A Fight to the Finish

10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

 

13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

 

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together;

And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

After living a “decent” life, my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting

room of what I thought to be a court house. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around I saw the “prosecutor.” He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my lawyer, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed familiar to me. The corner door flew open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as he moved across the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him. As he took his seat behind the bench, he said, “let us begin.” The prosecutor rose and said, “My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in Hell.” He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when

I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down

in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone not even my own lawyer as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my representative who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life – couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’ve done? Satan finished with a fury and said, “this man belongs in Hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise. When it was his turn, my lawyer first asked if he might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in his full splendor and majesty. I realized why he seemed so familiar. This was Jesus representing me, my Lord and Savior. He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, “Hi Dad,” and then he turned to address the court. “Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won’t deny any of these allegations, and yes the wage of sin is death. This man deserves to be punished.” Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, “however, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine.” My Lord continued with, “His name is written in the Book of Life and no one can snatch him from me. Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.” As Jesus sat down, he quietly paused, looked at His Father and replied, “there is nothing else that needs to be done. I’ve done it all.” The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from his lips…”This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed.” As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, “I won’t give up, I’ll win the next one.” I asked Jesus as he gave me my instructions where to go next, “have you ever lost a case?” Christ lovingly smiled and said, “everyone that has come to Me and asked me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, PAID IN FULL.”

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

  

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Submission to Husbands

 

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  

View On Black

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

 

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

  

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

The Beatitudes

 

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

The Armor of God charm bracelet carries all six pieces of the armor: the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth and the boot of peace.

  

Each charm is made of sterling silver-clad pewter that hang on a sterling silver cable chain. Also available in gold-clad pewter on a gold-filled bracelet.

  

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls. And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.”’”Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

 

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

  

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  

Luke 21:25-26

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

The Coming of the Son of Man

 

25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

  

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

by brooklynshao ift.tt/1KTDQdv

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

Matthew 19:4-6

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Christ Born of Mary

 

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

 

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

Glory in the Highest

 

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

 

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

 

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

  

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,

Before the difficult days come,

And the years draw near when you say,

“I have no pleasure in them”:

 

While the sun and the light,

The moon and the stars,

Are not darkened,

And the clouds do not return after the rain;

 

In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,

And the strong men bow down;

When the grinders cease because they are few,

And those that look through the windows grow dim;

 

When the doors are shut in the streets,

And the sound of grinding is low;

When one rises up at the sound of a bird,

And all the daughters of music are brought low.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

   

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

A Word to Husbands

 

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

 

Romans 8:28

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.