Armor #4: Shield of Faith – Verse 16

The Roman soldiers shield was about two and a half feet wide and four and a half feet high.  It was designed to protect the entire body of the soldier.  The shield was made of a solid piece of wood and was covered with metal or heavy oiled leather.  Soldiers who carried these shields were in the front lines of battle.  Normally they stood side by side with their shields together to form a long 8-16 row deep line.  Anyone who stood or crouched behind the shields was protected from the enemy arrows and spears. 

 It says in Hebrews 11:1-2 that our faith is the substance (confidence) of things hoped for, the evidence (by divine assurance) of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a testimony.  What does this all mean? True faith is not based on empirical evidence but on divine assurance, and is a gift of God (Eph 2:8).  Elder here (vs 2 Heb 11) refers to all saints both men and women.  God will bear witness on behalf of these men and women that they lived by faith and divine approval is granted to them.  It is faith that gives us the victory over the world.  It is faith that allows us to be overcomers (conquerors) of this present darkness (1 John 5:4-5)

This confidence we have of hope speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized.  The believers ultimate destiny is to share in the glory of God (Rom 8:29, 30, John 17:22, 2 Cor 3:18, Phil 3:20, 21) and this hope will be realized because Christ secures it.  Christians have hope for the future because Christ purchased salvation for them on the cross in the past (Rom 5:1, 2), Sanctifies them through his spirit in the present (Gal 5:16-25), and will lead them to glory in the future (Col 1:27, 1 John 3:2, 3).

This faith and hope above all else, protects us from all kinds of Satan’s temptations to sin.  Satan’s temptations are his lies and promises of pleasure, happiness and self-gratification for the moment.  These temptations are the flaming arrows of Satan and just like the Roman soldiers oil treated shield quenched the flaming arrows of the enemy, our faith will quench Satan’s flaming arrows.  Just like Roman soldiers, we must stand together, shoulder to shoulder, 8 to 16 rows deep in our faith, and it is together that we will resist Satan’s temptations.