Editorial May 24, 1930 Issue

"Underneath are the everlasting arms"

Duncan Sinclair

In the thirty-third chapter of Deuteronomy these words occur: "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." They are the words of Moses to the children of Israel—Jeshurun, his dearly loved—spoken just before he took his departure from them in the land of Moab. What faith was that of Moses in God! And how justified, since the great Hebrew leader had witnessed the power of the Almighty in delivering the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, and in protecting them throughout their long wilderness wanderings! It is difficult to imagine a more comforting message than that which Moses' words conveyed as he handed over the leadership of his people to Joshua.

Moses expressed what the prophets and seers of his nation who followed after him felt deeply, namely, that it is possible to be certain of the protecting power of God as symbolized by "the everlasting arms." The book of Psalms contains many sayings to this effect, as, for example, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." It was characteristic of the Hebrews that when they held themselves aloof from the degradations of the heathen nations with whom they came in contact, and retained their spiritual-mindedness, they possessed great faith in God; and as their historical records show, when they were inspired by this faith and obedient to God's righteous laws, they were protected and guided.

No one had greater faith in God than Christ Jesus, and no one was ever more assured than he of the power of "the everlasting arms" to protect and to guide. Jesus' faith in his heavely Father was truly marvelous. Does not the Lord's Prayer show this? Its every sentence is inspired by trust in God. And what a power his faith became when coupled with understanding, understanding of the divine nature and spiritual law! It enabled him to do all the wonderful healings of disease recorded of him in the Gospels; and by it he overcame sin in others, rescuing them from degraded lives. With it, also, he was able to nullify the so-called laws of nature, as, for example, in the stilling of the storm at sea. And through this same power of faith and understanding he vanquished death, finally ascending entirely above belief in the reality of matter.

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