the Sword of God's Glory Fights for You

"Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty."  (Psalm 45:3) 

" Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work." (2 Timothy 3;16-17 Darby Translation)

Have you ever thought of God as a Sword?  Well, He is.

You might look at a sword as a tool for violence, wrath, and vengeance, and that might make you afraid to come to God as your loving, protective Father, who has great plans for you.

Don’t fear!

You will soon see how God does destroy, and He also protects, nourishes, and saves.

The Sword of His Glory

“Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the Shield of your help and the Sword [chereb] of your majesty [gaavah]!”  (Deuteronomy 33:29)

Not long before the Children of God would enter Canaan to conquer even giants, Moses reminded them that the LORD (YHVH) has been their protector (a shield) and their salvation (yasha), and one of the tools He has used to save them is His sword.

The Hebrew root for sword (chereb) is charab, meaning to make desolate, destroy, dry up (as in a drought).

The sword of Deuteronomy 33:29 is a sword of gaavah—glory, triumph, excellency, and majesty—a weapon used to defend and proclaim the name of the LORD (YHVH).

The Seventh Plague : The plague of hail and fire, found in Exodus 9:13-35, is one of the judgments that God brought against Pharaoh to convince him to let His people go..

The people of Israel had already seen God's majestic warfare and salvation on their behalf.  Yet, He had an even greater goal in mind when He delivered them from slavery.

Between the destruction of boils and fiery hail that God brought against Egypt, He said to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you My power and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  (Exodus 9:16)

When nine plagues didn’t humble Pharaoh enough to let the Hebrew People go, God wielded His sword one final time to bring death upon the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt.

Yet, the firstborn of the Hebrew People were saved.  This salvation from the plague of death was not free.  It came upon the sacrifice of an innocent lamb:

Preparing for the Passing Over of the Angel of Death

“The blood [of the lamb on the doorposts] will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.  No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”  (Exodus 12:13)

After all that destruction, God proved His majesty and received all the glory for victoriously delivering His People out of slavery in Egypt and into His own arms. 

And people of the nations noticed.

Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, a priest from the land of Midian, became a believer in the God of Israel, saying:

“Praise be to Jehovah the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, …  Now I know that the LORD Jehovah is greater than all other gods, for He did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”  (Exodus 18:10–11)

We Are Warriors, Too!

God does not keep His weapons all to Himself.  He has given us His sword, and He expects us to use it!

The Apostle Paul tells us to gird ourselves with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Of all the pieces of armor that Paul describes in Ephesians 6:10–17, the Word of God is the only offensive weapon we have.

So powerful a weapon is it that Yeshua (Jesus) wielded this sword against Satan, quoting Scripture to overcome the adversary's offer to worship him:  “It is written:  ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”  (Luke 4:12, quoting Deuteronomy 6:13)

Even the greatest enemy of God could not withstand the truth and power of Holy Scripture:  “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left [Yeshua] until an opportune time.”  (Luke 4:13)

Yeshua (Jesus) Is Tempted, depicts Yeshua's victory over Satan's attempts
to lead Him into sin (see Luke 4:1-12).

God’s Word really is active, living, and sharper than any two-edged sword!

If it made Satan flee in the presence of the Son of God, it will also make Him flee in the presence of a Believer who has been given authority to do mighty deeds in the name of Yeshua (John 14:12)

How does this work?

When the father of lies (Satan) places thoughts in your mind like “You’re a loser, stupid, not worthy, etc.” take out your sword and destroy those lies with the truth of God’s Word, which says:

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), and I have a wedding banquet waiting for me as the Bride of Messiah Himself” (Ephesians 5:25–27).

The sword of the Spirit is not only an offensive weapon against enemies of our mind and spirit, it washes our souls clean.  It pierces the darkness of our sin so that the Light of God can make us radiant in His glory and righteousness, if we let it.

“[The sword] penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  (Hebrews 4:12–13)

Only when our hearts are cleansed can we present ourselves to our Bridegroom “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”  (Ephesians 5:27)

God has entrusted His sword to us so that we will defend and protect the many forms of His salvation that the enemy is constantly trying to steal away from us—physical, emotional, and spiritual salvation.

And we are to use His sword in offense, waging war against the principalities that keep the world in unbelief of the salvation message of Messiah Yeshua’s death (blood sacrifice) and resurrection power.

White Horse of Revelation...

Fighting for the Final Frontier

The sword that demonstrates God's majesty, that overcomes all temptations and cleanses us from all iniquities appears again at the end of the age to save us once and for all from the tyranny of the nations who wage war against the LORD and all Believers:

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.  With justice He judges and wages war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.  He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God.

“The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”  (Revelation 19:11–16)

And forevermore, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will receive all glory and honor and praise:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. …

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!” (Revelation 19:1-2, 6-7)

(Ephesians 6:10-17) 10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and his powerful strength. 11 Put on God’s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. 12 We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. 13 Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. 14 So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, 15 and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news (Gospel) of peace. 16 Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.

(Common English Bible - CBE)

The Lord Jesus prayed to His Father _ for His disciples preservation:

" They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.  (John 17:16-17)

The Founder of Christianity, the Lord Jesus, instructed his followers to make disciples but did not tell them to use physical force in doing so.  In fact, he specifically warned that “all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Similarly, he did not instruct his followers to physically abuse anyone who was unfavorably disposed to Bible truth.  The Christian principle to be observed was: “A slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, keeping himself restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed.”​—Matthew 26:52; 2 Timothy 2:24, 25.  

The powerful Roman Catholic Church, which had dominated most of Europe from the 5th century to the 15th century C.E. decided in the 11th century to use force and war to destroy its enemies.  For almost 300 years, from The First Crusade (1096-99) up to The Seventh and Eighth Crusades (1248-54 and 1270-72), history documents the atrocities performed by 'false religions' posing as a 'holy war' in God's way of cleansing infidels, and destroying God's enemies. 

By resorting to the literal sword of war, as well as to the symbolic swords of politics and persecution, Christendom has clearly not followed the lead of the Lord Jesus, the One it professed to have as Founder and Lord of all.  Already wracked by disunity, it was threatened with total collapse.  Roman Catholicism was “A Religion Badly in Need of Reform.”  

But would reform come from men who misinterpreted and twisted the Holy Scriptures, God's Word the Bible, the SWORD of TRUTH?  Men who in 'God's Name' perverted the truth and murdered thousands upon thousands to regain their authority and power over the peoples. 

NO.  

The book of Acts records for us 28 years of the First Century Church (from C.E. 33 to 61) and in chapter 20 gives us warning of things that would come:

"And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them." Acts 20:30

"Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:31-32  New American Bible - Revised Edition (NABRE)

True Christendom is only found in the TRUTH of GOD's HOLY WORD the BIBLE as we study it and apply it personally in our daily lives. 

"This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all." (who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.)  1 Timothy 2:3-6

1 Corinthians 8:6

"Yet for us there is [only] one God, Jehovah the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life], and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through and by Whom are all things and through and by Whom we [ourselves exist]."

(Common English Bible - CBE)

Jesus said: "I am the living bread (Word of Truth - Spiritual food of the Bible) that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6

Jesus laid down His own life that we might live forever in paradise earth.

"The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it." Psalm 37:29

"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares Jehovah the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

"The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise Jehovah that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.  All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah, and all the families of the nations shall worship before thee:"

Psalm 22:26-27

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,"  John 1:12

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only-born Son, in order that everyone believing in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life."

John 3:16

"Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God Jehovah, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ."

John 17:13

Note: some of the content used from the Complete Hebrew Bible - (CHB), the Common English Bible - (CBE), and by permission of: thruthandtidings.com

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This page created by Peter Brenner Wednesday June 11, 2025