Topical Bible: Natural Life of Saints, Specially Protected by God

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of the natural life of saints being specially protected by God is a theme that runs throughout the Bible, illustrating the divine care and providence extended to those who are devoted to Him. This protection is not merely a spiritual safeguard but often manifests in the physical realm, where the lives of the saints are preserved and sustained by God's intervention.

Biblical Examples of Divine Protection

1. Noah: In Genesis, Noah is a prime example of divine protection. God chose Noah, a righteous man in a corrupt world, to survive the great flood. "But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you" (Genesis 6:18). Noah's life, along with his family's, was preserved through the ark, a symbol of God's protective care.

2. Daniel: Daniel's life was marked by divine protection, most notably in the lion's den. Despite the decree that led to his punishment, God safeguarded him. "My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight" (Daniel 6:22). Daniel's unwavering faith and God's intervention highlight the special protection afforded to him.

3. Elijah: The prophet Elijah experienced God's protection during a time of drought and famine. God instructed him to hide by the Brook Cherith, where he was miraculously fed by ravens. "You are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there" (1 Kings 17:4). This provision underscores God's care for His faithful servant.

4. Paul: The Apostle Paul, throughout his missionary journeys, encountered numerous threats to his life. Yet, he was repeatedly delivered from danger. In Acts 23:11, the Lord assures Paul, "Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome" . This divine promise of protection enabled Paul to fulfill his mission.

Theological Insights

The protection of the saints is rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people. This relationship is characterized by God's faithfulness and the believer's trust. The Psalms frequently echo this theme, as seen in Psalm 91:11, "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" . Such verses affirm the belief that God actively watches over His own.

Purpose of Protection

The special protection of saints serves several purposes. It demonstrates God's sovereignty and power, affirming His ability to intervene in the natural order. It also serves as a testament to the world of God's favor upon those who are righteous and obedient. Furthermore, it enables the saints to continue their divine missions, spreading the message of God's kingdom without hindrance.

Contemporary Application

Believers today can draw comfort and assurance from the biblical accounts of divine protection. While the nature of God's protection may vary, the underlying promise remains: God is a refuge and fortress for those who trust in Him. This assurance encourages believers to live boldly and faithfully, knowing that their lives are in the hands of a loving and powerful God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 2:6
And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 18:10
For I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you: for I have much people in this city.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Peter 3:13
And who is he that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

City of God
... Whatever is of Earth is by Its Natural Weight Attracted to ... Chapter 22.--That the
Bodies of the Saints Shall After ... Appear as Right Affections in the Life of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/

Prolegomena. Section i. --The Life.
... to raise man to a forgetfulness of natural wants, and ... After the manner of the Saints,
he was very rigorous ... a lofty zeal for divine things led him all his life. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/prolegomena section i the life.htm

Book I.
... Who would grieve that a pledge specially entrusted to him ... same time, although the
use of natural life does not ... have been denied to many, even saints, when thou ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/book i.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... him in thy closet nor in the congregation of saints. ... and so live the rest of his
vain life in the ... them aside from following of him, was the natural tendency of ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

A Call to Prayer and Testimony
... Sick saints are especially set to take the night-watches. ... It is essential to life. ...
All progress made heavenward by the natural drift of the current is seeming ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a call to prayer and.htm

The Resemblance Between the Old Testament and the New.
... this would, indeed, have been much worse than natural death. ... he did not see in death
the beginning of a new life? And why talk of saints and the children of God ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 10 the resemblance between.htm

The Genuine Acts of Peter.
... Astonishing is the virtue of the saints! ... or rather destroyers, of man's life quickly
returned ... Church, in all probability, hence this conjecture was natural.]. ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/the genuine acts of peter.htm

A Stanza of Deliverance
... Eminent saints have usually been produced where the environment ... Coming up from death
to eternal life, this will be ... which was never know in the natural order of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/a stanza of deliverance.htm

A Pilgrimage to Rome
... me to Jerusalem, but in spite of the natural wish I ... give myself up to a more serious
and mortified life. ... that I imitated the penances of the Saints; far from ...
/.../martin/the story of a soul/chapter vi a pilgrimage to.htm

a Pilgrimage to Rome
... me to Jerusalem, but in spite of the natural wish I ... give myself up to a more serious
and mortified life. ... that I imitated the penances of the Saints; far from ...
//christianbookshelf.org/therese/story of a soul/chapter vi - a pilgrimage.htm