“But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled. In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.”
Isaiah 25:4-6 NLT
What a wonderful picture of a secure and invincible fortress, established by God because He is the “tower of refuge to the needy in distress”. Isaiah builds on the picture with thoughts about storms beating against its walls, or shelter against the “relentless heat of the desert”. And he then compares the storms and heat with the “roar of foreign nations” and “the boastful songs of ruthless people”. But whatever the analogies, anything arraigned against God, the “tower of refuge”, would come to nothing. The “tower of refuge” is compared to Jerusalem, where “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world”.
The “poor” and “needy in distress” describe people who are not just financially deprived, but also those who are very much aware that they cannot save themselves. God identifies with such people, and He has provided the answer to all their needs. He gives them protection from those who would exploit and terrorise them, and he feeds them with the richest of foods in a place of security. Throughout the Bible, there are verses that confirm who God is to His people. In Psalm 46:1, we read, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” The psalmist continues with a reference to Jerusalem, the City of God, with, “A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it”. And then we read, “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress”.
Once again, Isaiah points out the futility of national pride and arrogance. Human pride always appears impressive, that is, until God speaks. We see in our history books the accounts of the rise and fall of empires and cultures, with nations ruled by men who think that they can change events for the future, even change the very stories in the history books yet to be written. Yet God can silence the loudest voices with a single word. In Acts 12, we read of the death of Herod Agrippa. A grovelling delegation of people from Tyre and Sidon came to plead with Herod for favour in the supply of food, and they were treated to a speech from Herod, dressed as he was in his royal clothes. In the account we then read, “The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”” (Acts 12:22). But because of his pride, things didn’t end well for Herod, and we read in the next verse, “Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died”. For us pilgrims, it doesn’t matter what world leaders say or claim. One day, such words will disappear and never be heard again, no matter how terrifying or loud they are. It is only God’s Word that is true and eternal, and we can read God’s perspective in Psalm 2:4-5, “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury”.
In the New Testament, we read what Jesus said to the people around Him. “ … Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And then we have the parable about the Wedding Banquet, in Matthew 22. It started with Jesus saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son”. A common enough event in those days, so the people would have been familiar with the scenario. But Jesus related it to His teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, and the importance of being ready and willing for the ultimate Heavenly celebration. In a country where finding sufficient food to live on was difficult at best, the vision of a feast, “a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat”, would have immediately grabbed people’s attention. One of Scripture’s most beautiful pictures of heaven is a banquet. Throughout Scripture, meals represent fellowship, with the most famous one being the Lord’s Supper, where we see Jesus celebrating the Passover with His disciples over a shared meal. And the meal ends with Jesus saying, “Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). God is not merely preparing a place for us; He is also preparing a celebration.
We pilgrims stand strong because God is our security. Yes, we will experience trials and challenges, but God is always there for us,. Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). He didn’t just say that just because He wanted to give His disciples some encouragment at that moment. He said that as encouragement for all believers throughout history, even pilgrims such as us. So when we face situations in this life that are testing us, we turn to Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus“.
Dear Heavenly Tower of Refuge, our Father God. Thank You for Your Word from Psalm 91 that says, “[You] will cover [us] with [Your] feathers. [You] will shelter [us] with [Your] wings. [Your] faithful promises are [our] armour and protection”. Amen.
