Untitled Document

Fortress

mes?u?d?a?h

Next to Jerusalem, the fortress stronghold Masada (mes?u?d?a?h, 4686) is the most popular destination of Jewish tourists visiting the Holy Land. The capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple by the Roman general Titus in AD 70 practically ended the “Great Revolt” led by the Zealots. The remaining few fled to Masada, a fortress on top of an enormous rock plateau near the Dead Sea. Only three narrow, difficult paths lead to the top, and anyone climbing them was an easy target. The Roman Tenth Legion had to settle for a siege that lasted several months. Then, rather than be captured, all 960 defenders committed suicide (except for two women and five children who had hidden themselves). So important is Masada as a focal point of Jewish survival, Israeli soldiers take an oath there: “Masada shall not fall again.”267

Unlike that fortress, however, we have one that will never be breached. While mes?u?d?a?h is used to refer to literal fortresses, such as David’s capture of Zion (Jerusalem) from the Jebusites (2 Sam. 5:6, 7, “strong hold”), many of its occur- rences are figurative references to God and His acts of salvation. Psalm 91:2 stands out: “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Spurgeon observes here: “Let us, when we are secure in the Lord, rejoice that our position is unassailable, for he is our fortress as well as our refuge. No moat, portcullis, drawbridge, wall, battlement and donjon, could make us so secure as we are when the attributes of the Lord of Hosts environ us around.”268

Coupling rock and fortress, David again writes: “Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me” (31:3). If we may also repeat from yesterday, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my for- tress” (71:3). It is this perfect pair of words that bring to our minds the third stanza and refrain of that great hymn:

How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe, I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe; How often, when trials like sea billows roll, Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.

Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee, Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

Scriptures for Study: Read Psalm 91, noting the source of security (God’s character, vv. 1, 2, and care, vv. 3–8), and the support of security (God’s continual protection, vv. 9–13, and comforting compassion, vv. 14–16).