Hug a Weapon

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of its site, and will pursue His enemies into darkness. Nahum 1:7-8 NASB

It’s been a while since I started off a post with a passage of scripture, but this one hit me differently this time through. I was listening to a message the other day and this passage was center stage. Something I already knew was confirmed and I felt flooded with warmth from my heavenly Father all over again. Like a warm hug.

Since I’ve been marinating on this passage, you can probably guess that I’ve dug into scripture and looked at all the words. So, let’s dig in a bit. Some of you know my story, but for those who don’t, I’m just going to share one of the not so glamorous parts (there are quite a few). You’ll have to read all the other posts on this site to get a more complete picture.

I got my first brutal taste of alcohol when I was 17 years old. I had a few wine coolers before I started driving, but it wasn’t something I had regularly – and I’d never been drunk. Due to some military training, my dad was away, but my older brother (also military) and soon-to-be stepmom were around. My dad’s fiancé didn’t know how to relate to teenagers, so even though she stayed at the house with me, I rarely saw her after dinner.

My brother, who had recently gotten back from basic training, decided to bring two of his battle buddies over along with a bottle of whiskey. Apparently, they didn’t want to hang out in the barracks where they lived. This was my first introduction to Jack (the whiskey, not a person). And I soon discovered that I was a lightweight. I remember my brother and one of his friends leaving to go find a club to party at, but one of his friends decided to stay. You can probably finish this story on your own.

School the next day was a blur. I was hung over, I was sore, and I was trying to piece together what I was afraid had happened. I had been saving myself – as I was growing up, I understood that in order to be of value to my future husband, I needed to save myself for him. Nobody wants to buy the ice cream truck if you’re handing out the ice cream for free. I had no intention of throwing away the only thing that I believed made me worthy. And I couldn’t even remember how it happened.

After school, my brother’s friend came by to check on me because I had been blacking in and out (his words, not mine). While I was never able to drink Jack again without throwing up, I did find that I loved escaping into the blacking in and out zone. For the next 20 years, a part of me was broken. I had a lot of forgiving to do, a lot of traumas to heal, and I had to learn how to trust that my heavenly Father saw value in me.

After everything came out about what had happened that night, I felt as though I stood alone. I fell into drugs, I fell into drinking, and I skipped school because good grades would never make me worthy anyway. While trying to run from my past – trying to drown it in alcohol, I can see now that I was searching for a safe place. I was searching for a safe person, too.

In Nahum 1:7, the word stronghold comes from the Hebrew word mâʻôwz (Strong’s H4581) and has the very typical definition of a place or means of safety, protection, or refuge. I was certainly searching for that! In the ancient Hebrew alphabet, every letter was a picture. The letters (pictures) that we get stronghold from are that of an eye and a tool used for cutting. Those two put together means to know a weapon. (Study Light resource)

All it takes is a little bit of reading in the book of Psalms to know that God is a refuge, a stronghold in times of trouble, and the One who will protect us. But viewing Him as a weapon is something entirely different. Do you view God as a weapon? Do you know Him as a weapon?

Continuing on through Nahum 1:8, I found myself thinking about Abraham. I know, an odd direction, but bear with me for a minute. In Genesis 14, Abraham (he was actually Abram at that time) received word that his nephew – Lot – had been taken captive by some of the warring armies.

There were five kings with their armies against four kings with their own armies. Well, the five kings were apparently no match for the four and were driven back and scattered. They quite literally ran for the hills (Genesis 14:10). The four victorious kings took all the possessions and food – and they also took Lot and all he had.

When we learn about these stories in Sunday School, we tend to have a skewed picture of what it was like. We picture Abraham as old, white hair, wrinkled and leathery skin, and probably hunched over a bit. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born – have you seen a 100-year-old lately? When Lot needed rescuing, Abram was in his 80’s. I’m in my mid-forties and require a few stretches before I can successfully get out of bed in the morning!

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, numbering 318, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. Then he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. Genesis 14:14-15 NASB

Eighty-year-old Abram didn’t send his trained men, he didn’t merely go with them, but he led them. When I read Nahum 1:8 the other day, I immediately thought of Abram on a mission to rescue Lot. I felt as though God was nudging me, telling me that all the hurts that stole me away, He wasn’t just going to save me, but He was going to pursue those hurts till they were completely gone. But wait… there’s still more.

He brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the other people. Genesis 14:16 NASB

Abram didn’t just bring back his nephew. He brought back all of the possessions that had been taken, Lot and his possessions, the women, and the other people who had been taken. He wasn’t just about taking back what was his own and he wasn’t just going to attack to accomplish this, he was going to bring back all that had been taken and he was going to continue pursuing the enemy till they were gone. In Genesis 15:1, God reassured Abram that he didn’t need to be afraid because God was his shield – this tells me that those enemy armies weren’t coming back.

The 20 years that I struggled with alcohol after that horribly significant night when I was 17, God went in pursuit of the enemy I once knew as alcoholism. He drove that enemy into darkness (also translated as death, destruction, or judgment). I don’t struggle with alcohol in any way because God pursued it till it was destroyed.

I’m learning more and more that God is not just the warm hugs – there’s a time and place for them because we certainly need them – but He’s also a warrior who will pursue the enemy for as long as it takes. In Jeremiah 20:11, God is referred to as a dread champion, a fearsome warrior, or simply someone who terrifies His enemy.

Something I will share from the message that brought all this about: that part in Nahum 1:7 that says He knows those who take refuge in Him… that word knows is referring to an intimate knowledge of those who take refuge in Him. He doesn’t just know your name or recognize your face – He knows everything about you. He knows all your hurts, all your joy-filled moments, and all your highs and lows. Check out Psalm 139:1-18 to read just how well God knows you.

He knows the chains that need to be broken, He knows the hurts that need to be healed, and He knows the length He has to go for the enemy to be destroyed. I’m learning that I know a weapon… and He fights for me. But He also gives the best hugs.

I pray that this blesses you, but if you’re needing a little extra, take a look at the number of trained men that Abram took with him to rescue Lot and pursue the enemy. It’s the number 318. Abram divides his forces at night and comes out victorious. That number, one group going one way and one group going around the other way, is 159. All numbers in the Bible hold significance.

The number 159 represents unity and new beginnings, grace, and completeness with God’s perfect order. God might be leading you into a new season or a new beginning, but trust that He loves you unconditionally and offers you grace in everything… and He is in the business of working everything out together for your good. If it’s not good, then He’s not done.