“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Here the apostle repeats the exhortation of verse 11. His own mind is deeply impressed with the frightful array of our foes. He reviews them, and describes their position and character in verse 12. Thereupon he sounds a second alarm in verse 13. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God.” No part must be left unguarded. The enemy knows how to take advantage of the smallest opening.
The next thing to which the apostle calls attention is, the character of the period during winch this conflict lasts. He calls it
“THE EVIL DAY.”
Some take this “day” to comprehend the whole period of the believer’s life, or more especially his seasons of trial and suffering; but in this view we lose sight of Christ. There are others who think it refers to the entire period since Christ was crucified. The absence of Christ from the earth, the presence of Satan as the “prince of this world,” and the manifestations of his power, as permitted by God, constitute “the evil day.” Christ was the light of the world while He was in it, but He was rejected and crucified, and He returned to His Father. Since then this world has been again in darkness and governed by demons. Though of course God is supreme, and overrules all for His own glory and His people’s good. Satan is the god whom this world worships, and the prince whom it follows. How solemn! how awful the thought! What a dreadful place this world must be! Surely we should all care less for it than we do, were this terrible fact believed. See verse 12.
God dwells in the light. How different! how blessed the thought! And His children are privileged to dwell in the light with Him; the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, having cleansed them from all sin, they have been made whiter than snow, and fitted to dwell in the light of heaven. But they have a mission on earth. They are God’s light-bearers to the benighted people of this world. “Among whom,” says the apostle, “ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life.” (Phil. 2:15, 1615That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. (Philippians 2:15‑16).) Hence the struggle—the conflict between light and darkness—between the children of God, and the rebellious principalities and powers who rule over the darkness of this world. And hence, we may add, “the evil day.” The enemy hates the light as the thief the watchman’s lamp. He will do his utmost to harass and annoy the children of light. He will seek to mislead them in their path, to darken the light that is in them, by insinuating wrong views and wrong applications of the truth; and he will seek by every means to make them falsify their position, both in the heavenlies and on the earth.
This is the enemy, and these are the kind of attacks which the Christian has to meet and contend with. He has to withstand them, to resist them at every point; and having done all to stand. Having done all that a soldier can do, and however complete the victory he may have gained, yet still he must stand, the war is not over. We must maintain our ground whether in peace or in war, and be found standing, after the last battle has been fought and the last victory won.
But in what way, may I ask, has the believer strength to oppose the forces of the enemy? There is but one answer to this question. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit, who abides with the Lord’s people during the entire period of the Lord’s absence; and, consequently, during the entire period of “the evil day;” so that He who is for us is greater far than all that be against us. Bless the Lord! What comfort, what encouragement, what strengthening of the hands to war, what certainty of victory, what security against defeat! This was thy care and love for us, Ο most blessed Lord! True to thy word of sweetest consolation to the disciples; “I will not leave you comfortless”—as orphans in the world—“I will come to you. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not [not being incarnate], neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14
Knowest thou, my soul, what a good day that will be for this poor world when the Lord returns? Then it will be the presence of Christ as reigning over the whole earth, and Satan shut up in the bottomless pit. This will make all the difference. The absence of Christ now and the presence of Satan make “ the evil day;” but the absence of Satan from the earth then and the presence of Christ will make “ the good day”—the bright millennial day, when the whole earth will be filled with His glory. Observest thou that He says, “I will come unto you.” This may have had a certain fulfillment in the coming clown of the Holy Ghost, but it can only have its complete fulfillment in the coming of the Lord Himself: as He says plainly in the same chapter, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Nothing can be plainer—nothing sweeter than these words; and sweeter still the thought, He is not speaking here of glory, which will be universal, but of home, which will be special, and of the love which will characterize it forever.
Oh, shorten then, in thy mercy, most gracious Lord, “the evil day.” It is a day of abounding iniquity, of increasing infidelity, of wars and rumors of wars. And a day, thou knowest, of difficulty, sorrow, and suffering to many of thy people. The whole creation awaits thy coming. “For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Oh, then, hasten that day of glory—that long-promised holiday of peace and plenty—of rest and rejoicing throughout the whole earth. Then the nations “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isa. 2:44And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4).
But to return to our text. We will now examine the different pieces of the armor of God, that we may know their uses and how to apply them; and first of all we are to have
THE LOINS GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH.
What are we to understand by the loins, the girding, and the truth, may I ask? These three things would naturally open a wide field for meditation, but as we have dwelt at some length on the nature of the conflict, we must be brief on the several pieces of the armor.
1. The loins represent the chief seat of strength when duly girded. (Job 31:20; 4020If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; (Job 31:20)
20Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. (Job 40:20). 16.) Peter applies this figuratively to the inner man, when he says, “ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind.” Thereby signifying, that the thoughts, desires, and affections, are the springs of action—the motive power of the soul; and therefore, must be kept from exposure to the enemy by indulging our own will. We are only strong when kept from wandering beyond the limits of the girdle. This is of first importance to the christian warrior. The enemy has no hold on a heart thus encircled with the truth of God.
2. Girding is the application of truth to the soul—the intimate dealing of the word with the will—the movements of the heart. This is arming for conflict in the most practical and effectual way; but it must be done in the presence of God before we meet the enemy. The soldier’s girdle fastens his other pieces of armor more closely to him, whereby he is able to march and strong to fight. “Thou hast girded me with strength,” says the psalmist, “unto the battle.” (Psalm 18:3939For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. (Psalm 18:39).) There is also an allusion to the custom of the oriental nations, who gird their long loose garments about their loins that they may not hinder them in their traveling or working. Elijah girded up his loins, and ran after Ahab. (1 Kings 18:4646And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. (1 Kings 18:46).) It is the bracing up of the affections —the whole inner man—for Christ and for the things of Christ. When the heart cleaves to the Lord, as the garments cleave to the loins under the tight belt of the girdle, the enemy cannot reach the gates of the soul.
3. The truth is a comprehensive term; but here the Spirit may refer to a line or character of truth which would be our best safe-guard against the attacks of the enemy—truth suited to the position we are called to occupy. “Having your loins girt about with truth.” The soul is thus to be garrisoned with the truth. There must be no access to, or egress from, the citadel. of the soul, unless searched by the truth. It applies to everything—to both the inner and the outer man. But the chief province of truth, when used of the Spirit, is to act upon the conscience and bring it into the presence of God, where our most intimate thoughts, feelings, desires, motives, and affections, may be fairly and fully judged. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb. 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
Here, pause for a moment, my soul, and wonder; and well thou mayest. Mark and meditate on the depths, fullness, and penetrating power of the word of God. What a volume of truth we have in these seven words, “Having your loins girt about with truth.” All that is needed for the government and defense of our inward thoughts and outward ways, is folded up in these few words. By taking heed thereunto, thou wouldst be fortified in the first movements of thy soul against the wiles of the enemy. There would be nothing to answer to his suggestions. By this piece of armor, spiritually understood, the soul is maintained in communion with God, and the enemy kept at a safe distance. Thus it was with the blessed Lord—thus it may be with thee, my soul. He is the warrior’s example. “It is written,” was thy strong tower, most gracious Lord. It was not in reasoning with the enemy that thou didst vanquish him; but in the perfect application of the word to thyself, and to the circumstances around thee.
As the Second Man, the Lord moved and acted according to the written word. “Preserve me, Ο God; for in thee do I put my trust,” was the ground He took and the ground He maintained as a servant, though He was a Son. He never acted on His own will. He was girt about with truth. He waited on God. If no word came, He waited still. He would do nothing without the word of God. “It is written,” must precede everything. This is safe ground for thee, my soul, and this only is safe ground—“It is written.” Forget it not, I pray thee, it would keep thy heart in communion with God in the midst of all circumstances; but especially in conflict keep it before thee: engrave it on thy shield, inscribe it on thy banner, and let it be thy watchword to discern between friends and foes.
Pole-star on life’s tempestuous deep;
Beacon when doubts surround;
Compass, by which our course we keep;
Our plummet-line to sound.
Our shield and buckler in the fight;
In victory,s hour the palm;
Comfort in grief; in weakness, might;
In sickness, Gilead’s balm.