The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe (Proverbs 18:10).
The name of a person represents his character and personhood. And the name here refers to the Second Person of the Godhead YE SHU AH, the preincarnate Jesus whose name means deliverance and salvation, and concerns His holiness, authority, and power. The Hebrew translated as “tower” literally means place of God,refuge, and sanctuary. And we see that not everyone can run to Him and find safety. It is the “righteous” who find Jesus manifesting as a strong tower in time of need and can run to safety in Him. The righteous are submitted to the lordship of Jesus and are obedient to the commandments of God. “He that has My command- ments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21). The righteous are those who are putting deeds of the flesh to death and are having their lives guided by the Holy Spirit: “For if you live after the flesh, you shall die; but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8: 13,14). Those who reject the requirement of Jesus to lose their life for His sake can not expect to find safety in His name (Matthew 16:25). As explained through the psalmist, it is those who make God their continual place of habitation that are provided refuge: “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him” (Psalm 91:14,15).
This is a promise for the righteous, and only the righteous. So it is that many run to the LORD for help or safety in times of affliction or danger and find that their prayers remain unanswered. Such view God as a heavenly Santo waiting to fulfill anyone’s wish list without conditions. It is often birthed by the cheap grace which is commonly preached in most American churches. The Hebrews were instructed carefully about righteousness by Moses before entering the promised land, and were warned that failure to obey the commands of God when living among nations of heathens would have consequences. But they failed to set themselves apart and treated the Ten Commandments as suggestions rather than as commands. As a result, they were given a “certificate of divorce” by God (Jeremiah 3:8) and sent into captivity as warned would happen by God through His prophets. Likewise today, Jesus is telling us that He is a strong tower of refuge for those who are His and follow His ways: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). But prophets are few today who proclaim Jesus’ warning that those who fail to practice His teachings are building their spiritual lives upon sand such that when the storms of life come, their lives will crumble with a great crash (Matthew 7:24-27). Most professing Christ do not hear His voice and follow Him, being distracted by the cares and pleasures of life. They have priorities which rank higher than those of God in terms of commitment, a condition which God views as idolatry. The Sabbath is seldom set apart as a day holy unto the LORD (Exodus 20:8). God says we are stealing from Him by not bringing tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8,9). Many a child is not being taught to honor and respect his or her parents as God commands (Exodus 20:12) in these latter days. And the list goes on and on! Furthermore, the righteous “runs into” the place where God dwells. It is not a casual stroll, but urgency is implied by the proverb and not as a last resort. So let us give sober thought to our lives if we have any expectation whatsoever of the Lord being a refuge or place of safety in coming trials and tribulation.
