As I look through Christy Nockels’ song, “A Mighty Fortress,” I am fairly certain that we could go through the song line by line and find the corresponding Bible verses. So, in the interests of time, let’s grab some of the major themes.
Let’s start with a concept that isn’t mentioned in the song directly. This is the image of the separation of the wheat from the chaff that we see throughout the Bible. I would encourage you to look up chaff and see the illustrations. The chaff is the seed husks and stalk that get separated out from the wheat. It is worthless for anything but being burned. We see throughout the Bible that God separates the chaff from the wheat in our hearts and burns it up. He separates that which is useless to our purpose of glorifying Him and burns it up. What a promise!
This is the image that the Nockels paint for us first. The image of God as a consuming fire. They get this term from Deuteronomy 4:24, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” and Hebrews 12:28-29, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
Some people get the wrong idea from the term jealous God. When God is jealous, he wants the best for us. He knows that if we would only turn and keep our eyes on Him, we would be satisfied. Our deepest need is to worship. As a people, we all respond to that need by worshiping something. That may be money, or power, or ourselves, or other unsatisfying things. The Father knows that if we would turn and worship Him, we would be satisfied from the well that never ends.
Next to the idea of God as a Judge. Do we not want justice? When we are wronged, do we not want the offender judged fairly? God is the only righteous Judge. He alone sees to the core of our being and judges us. That is why Christ was necessary, because when God looks at us to judge us, He must be fair, and getting judged fairly on our own is bad news for everyone. When we identify with Christ though, when He looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin and brokenness, He sees Christ’s perfect atoning work on the cross! What a wondrous love! What about the murderer who accepts Christ though? How can God not judge that man or woman for his/her crime? I would say, have you not committed sins as great either in your heart or in deed. Have you coveted? Have you committed adultery by looking where you shouldn’t look? Have you murdered someone with your words and actions or inactions? I think if we start looking at ourselves, we start realizing just how great Christ’s sacrifice really was. It all boils down to the greatest command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.” We all fall short, and the only One that ever has completed this command was the One who has existed in perfect harmony with the Father as a part of the Godhead for all eternity.
The other part of the song that Christy talks about is the other half of Hebrews 12:28-29. Here it talks about the Kingdom being unshakable. We’ve seen that imagery before of course. When I read the title of this song, my mind goes to Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress” which is based on Psalm 46. It is the same thought. We would rather build our Faith on a solid foundation. The solid Rock that is our Savior Jesus Christ. In His name we cannot be shaken. Though storms may buffet, we can never be shaken in Him. This is a truth to cling to. This is a promise that He is faithful to keep. So much more faithful than we ever have been or will be.
So, let’s make this our prayer, to set our eyes on Him and our hearts on Him. Let us take refuge in the fortress that can never be defeated. Let us not fear even when the earth gives way and the mountains are moved into the heart of the sea. Even though its waters roar and foam, though its mountains tremble at its swelling. Let us be still and know that He is God. He will be exalted among the nations; He will be exalted in all of the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.
Amen
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