Jesus our Shelter

1 March 2021

Isaiah 53:1-12

The very first people to take shelter were our first parents, Adam and his dear wife Eve. Finding themselves filled with guilt, fear and shame, after their rebellion against the authority of God, they took shelter behind a tree to escape the imminent Judgment of God. They were confident that they were safe and secure behind that tree.

So the story continues down through the annals of human history, as mankind tries to innovate and create new ways to hide themselves from the disturbing presence of God. The man who does not want to believe in a Creator, and so be accountable to the Creator, creates a universe which is the result of time, chance and matter. He then takes shelter in the thought that he is also the result of complex chemical reactions and one day he will just disintegrate into the basic elements and therefore will not stand before the judgement seat of God. The man who wants to believe that there is a Creator but does not want to be accountable to the Creator, finds shelter in his own creation of gods and goddesses of his liking. For him his gods exist to bestow on him all the goodness of this earth but will never judge him for his actions. And finally the man who does believe in a Creator and knows he is accountable to his Creator, takes shelter in his own righteous deeds and his own spiritual acts, which he is confident, will outweigh his misdeeds on the day of Judgement.

Behind whichever tree man may take shelter, he is as unsheltered as Adam and Eve in the presence of an all knowing God.

Oh ! but praise God there is a tree behind which we can take shelter from the fierce wrath of God’s judgment . A tree on which Jesus the Son of God was crucified. The tree on which He who knew no sin became sin for us. The tree on which God poured His fierce wrath on Jesus for our sins. Oh! What an amazing shelter the Cross offers for all of sinful mankind. Not a drop of God’s wrath will fall on all who come under its shelter. May our shelter always be the Cross of Jesus.

How sweet is the story of Christ’s boundless love,
That brought Him to suffer from glory above!
He died in our stead upon Calvary’s tree,
Obtaining redemption that we might be free.

How wondrous the story! the law’s holy claims
Were met by the blood which redemption proclaims.
The judgment of sin has been borne by the Son,
Who glorified God in the work He has done.

How brilliant the glory where Christ is enthroned
How rightly His name above others is owned!
Yes, Jesus, the Savior, the glory-crowned Lord,
Is worthy by all to be ever adored.

R.D.Edwards