The Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower

Before there were missile defense systems and fighter jets that could be scrambled to prevent an enemy from attacking a nation, state or city, there were walls.  Walls were built around a city so that the city would not be so vulnerable to attacks from an enemy.  On those walls, there would be places where they would build towers.  The towers were strategically located along the wall, say on a corner or near the gates into the city. 

​The towers provided a look out point so that a soldier could tell when danger was approaching the city.  The tower would also be a place where the soldier on duty could get out of the extreme heat on a summer day Israel, yet still do his job.  In some cases the temperature could reach about 110.  So being in the tower provided protection from the elements.  Thirdly the tower was a line of defense.  From these elevated positions, defenders could shoot arrows or throw stones at enemy forces before they breached the walls or gates of the city. 

Proverbs 18:10 states, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (NKJV).  God is so powerful, that His name, YHWH, represents all the fullness of His being and the essence of His nature.  To know His name is really to come to understand His character.  The name of the Lord isn’t just a tower, but it is a strong tower.  The quality of the materials and the quality of the craftsmanship let you rest easy.  It is built to be able to withstand the attacks of an enemy, providing maximum security for those who are in the strong tower. 

When we stumble and fall, it is often because we have forgotten where our strong tower is located.  It is not in man or money, but in the Master.  There is something special about the name of the Lord.  Righteous run to it and are safe.  Those who seek to do the will of the Lord and have been declared righteous by the blood of Jesus run to the strong tower.  “Safe” means set high out of the way of danger.  They are both elevated and sheltered.  God has you high enough so that the arrows of the enemy can’t harm you. 
God is our strong tower.  God sits high and looks low.  He sits high enough to see the future.  He doesn’t just see what is coming at you in the next few moments.  He sees what is heading your way in the next few months, years, even decades.  God protects and shields from the elements of life that seek to harm us.  He is our defense and our shield.  We can run to Him for safety.