the Lord helping me this morning the scripture I would direct you to is found in the book of Proverbs chapter 18 and the 10th verse Proverbs chapter 18 verse 10 the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe.

Now much is said these days about safety. What is safety? Well, the dictionary definition is a state in which or a place where you are safe and not in danger or at risk. Or the state of being safe from harm or danger. And there are many organizations concerned with public safety, of course. There's the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. There's the Health and Safety Executive. There's the British Safety Council. Many are concerned about safety. Many are concerned about road safety, and online safety, and child safety, and so on. Safety is obviously very important. Nobody in their right mind wants to be in danger or put at risk.

Now if that is true in the social and the natural realm, how much more important is it in the eternal and spiritual realm? If safety is so important for the bodies of men, How much more important is it for the precious, immortal, and never-dying souls of men? And yet how few there are who make any preparations for the safety of their never-dying souls, their immortal souls. Those who practice skydiving and parachuting must go through many safety tests. Their parachutes, their harnesses and so on must be rigorously tested before they jump out of the plane. But most make no preparation for the time when their souls must leave their bodies and when they must launch out into eternity. Oh, how many will find themselves hurtling down into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Now there are some, of course, who think that they have made all the necessary preparations. They've made a refuge for themselves. They are trusting in their own works. They're trusting in their religious observances, perhaps even their church or chapel attendance. Some are trusting in their atheism, what fools they are. Some imagine that there is no hell, contrary to the Word of God. There is such a thing as a false refuge. Isaiah calls it a refuge of lies. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place, and your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. Oh, how we need to beware of a refuge of lies.

Where then can we find a real, a true place of refuge for our souls? Well, the words of our text this morning reveal to us the only true place of refuge, the only true place of safety for guilty sinners, for guilty transgressors of the law of God, the name of the Lord. is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe now that might sound like a bit of a contradiction it's a refuge i'm saying it's a refuge for the guilty and yet we read here that it is the righteous who run into it how can this be well i trust we shall see as we proceed to consider the text that this is no contradiction we shall consider I trust with the Lord's help and with his blessing this morning firstly the refuge and then secondly the runners and then thirdly the rest that there is in this refuge the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe firstly then let us consider the refuge the refuge is the name of the Lord The name of the Lord is a strong tower, our text tells us. What are we to understand by the name of the Lord? Well, we see here in our authorised version that the word LORD is in capitals. And this tells us that this is the divine name, Jehovah. It is the covenant name of Almighty God.

The name Jehovah comes from the verb to be, in the Hebrew. It expresses the self-existence and the eternity of Almighty God. And so we read in the Revelation of the four beasts, or living creatures, And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

It's interesting to note the description of the beast, the empire which sets itself up in opposition to God and which would take the place of God there in the Revelation. It's described as the beast that was and is not. The Lord our God is and he is eternal. He is and he is eternal. Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come. He is Jehovah.

Remember when the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush? We read of it just now. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, And they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I am that I am. And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you.

And then in the very next verse, very next to us, chapter 3, verse 15, we see the divine name. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD, that's Jehovah, capital letters, The LORD, God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

The Lord, Jehovah, is derived from the Hebrew word translated there in the previous verse as, I am that I am. Incidentally, the translation of the Divine Name as Jehovah has all the support of all the ancient Hebrew scriptures Whereas the modern fashion of translating the Tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew letters, which comprise the divine name, as Yahweh, has absolutely no manuscript support whatsoever. And there's an excellent article on that subject on the Trinitarian Bible Society's website, if you want to look into it. I would recommend it to you.

And of course the name of the Lord is the name of the triune Jehovah. Believers are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name, singular, Jesus said. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This is the name of the Lord. It is the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. It is the name of God, in the trinity of his persons, which is a refuge to his saints. We sang it just now, didn't we, in the Metrical Psalm, in Psalm 46. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. Yes, God is our refuge, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. As Martin Luther put it, a mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing, The name of the Lord is expressive of all his attributes. In this sense, it's the name of the Lord, a refuge for his people. You see, all his attributes are engaged for their defense.

And so the Lord said to Moses, later on in Exodus 33, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And then in the next chapter, we read, and the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed. The Lord. That's the divine name again. capital letters, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation.

This is the hope and confidence of all the elect of God. And there is no God else beside me, a just God and a Saviour. There is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is none else. For He will defend His people. He will punish His and their adversaries. See what a defense there is against all the accusations of Satan, law, and conscience.

In the words of Jeremiah, in his days, that is, in the days of the Messiah, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. And this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousness. Jehovah said, can you? the Lord our righteousness the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe it is in the incarnation of the Son of God that God condescends to become a refuge to his people so Isaiah prophesied and there shall be a tabernacle remember how Jesus tabernacled amongst us

And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covet from storm and from rain. Again Isaiah says, Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment, and a man Ah, who is this man? And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covet from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Oh, that man is Christ Jesus.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. A tower is a place of defense. And many times in the scriptures is the Lord God described as a defense or a place of defense, a fortress for his people. In the Psalms, for example, in Psalm 18, the Lord is my rock and my fortress. and my Deliverer, my God, my Strength, in whom I will trust, my Buckler, and the Horn of my Salvation, and my High Tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 73. Sorry, Psalm 71, verse 3. be thou my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort thou hast given commandment to save me for thou art my rock and my fortress Psalm 92 Psalm 91 verse 2 I will say of the Lord he is my refuge and my fortress my God in him will i trust and psalm 94 verse 22 but the lord is my defense and my god is the rock of my refuge

Again, lastly, in the Psalms, David speaks of God there in Psalm 144 as my goodness, and my fortress, my high tower, and my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I trust. And so we could go on. Jeremiah addresses God and says, O Lord, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction.

Or is he your refuge in this day of affliction? This fortress, this high tower, why it's impregnable. It's impregnable. It is a strong habitation. Giants cannot overcome this place of defense. as the stripling David proved. You remember how he said to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. And we all know the outcome, what happens to the giant Goliath.

Well, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe. David was safe, wasn't he? And think of the provisions that are supplied in this strong tower. This strong tower is an armory. All the necessary weaponry is provided to engage the enemy and to fight the good fight of faith. We read of that weaponry in Ephesians Ephesians chapter 6 verse 13, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Is this not an evil day in which we find ourselves? Here is the weaponry that we need, and it's in the strong tower. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shot with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, and a sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Yes, all the necessary weapons are provided in this strong tower to fight against the enemy of our souls. Against all the enemies of our souls. And all sustenance is provided. And so Isaiah says, concerning the righteous man, he shall dwell on high. His place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks, bread shall be given him. His waters shall be sure.

The bread of life, living bread is supplied. There is no starvation in this strong tower. Those who dwell in this tower can never be starved out. He that eateth of this bread shall live forever, Jesus said. What is this bread? Why it is the flesh of Christ as Jesus tells us in John chapter 6 I am that bread of life your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead this is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die I am the living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

And as well as bread, there is wine. Oh, the very best wine. Wine that maketh glad the heart of man. What is that wine that maketh glad the heart of man? Is it not the wine of the gospel? the blood of Christ. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

There is bread, there's wine, there's water. Yes, living water. Hear the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. And so, He who runs into this strong tower is very well supplied, he has a sure supply. He shall dwell on high, his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure. Every provision is made.

John Newton sings of the name of Jesus, doesn't he? Dear name, the rock on which I build, my shield and hiding place, my never failing treasury. filled with boundless stores of grace again he says in another hymn no strength of our own or goodness we claim yet since we have known the Saviour's great name in this our strong tower for safety we hide the Lord is our power the Lord will provide and there is healing to be had in this strong tower for I am the Lord that healeth thee this is the name of the Lord Jehovah Raphae I am the Lord that healeth thee the sweet Psalmist of Israel rejoices in God bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases. Who healeth all thy diseases.

You know, sin is a disease of the soul. Sin is a disease of the soul. Solomon describes it as a plague. Thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart. And there of course we see who are the true Israel of God. Thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart. That's the true Israel of God. Sin is that plague of the heart.

But there is healing for the sin-sick soul. There is good medicine in this strong tower. There is healing for the soul from every spiritual disease, even the most ingrained sin. There is healing in this strong tower. When my faith is faint and sickly, or when Satan wounds my mind, cordials to revive me quickly, healing medicines here I find.

It is the Israel of God, thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, who shall surely run into this strong tower. Here in this strong tower we may cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Let us go on to consider then in the second place the runners. The righteous runneth into it, our text says. But the scriptures also tell us that there is none righteous. No, not one. So who are these righteous ones then? Who are these righteous runners?

Well, they are those whom God declares to be righteous. They are justified sinners. Justification is the declaration of righteousness. And in the gospel of the grace of God, sinners are declared to be righteous in and through the person and the work of his only begotten Son. This is the good news of the gospel.

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short, of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, it is through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that sinners are counted or declared to be righteous in God's sight. His perfect law-keeping in our nature as the head of the body, the Church, is imputed to all the members of his body, the Church. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.

It is through the obedience of Christ that many are made righteous. As Paul says again in Romans, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." The righteousness of Christ, His perfect obedience to all the perfect law of God, is imputed to the believer in Jesus. And all the sins, all the transgressions of the law of God, all the disobedience of the people of God, is imputed to the Lord Jesus Christ, which is why He must die as His people's surety. the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

This is the great transaction. Christ's righteousness imputed to us, and our sin, our disobedience, imputed to Christ. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. These are the righteous runners then, those who are made righteous in Christ through His perfect law-keeping and through His perfect finished work. Feeling their own unrighteousness and their condemnation under the law of God, they flee to the Lord Jesus Christ to save them. But there is none other that can save them.

surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come and so Paul under the inspiration of the Spirit of God writes of Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. There is no coming to heaven but through his righteousness imputed. And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted, the psalmist says. And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

But, you know, there is not only a righteousness imputed, there is also a righteousness imparted. And this is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the sinner. It begins with the new birth. In the soul of one who is truly born of God, or born from above, there is a hunger and a thirst for righteousness and for true holiness. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled, Jesus said. And the Spirit of Christ who indwells all the elect sheep of Christ never leads them to transgress the least commandment.

On the contrary, the Lord is my shepherd He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. John says, little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. These then are the righteous runners, those who are redeemed by Christ, clothed in His righteousness, who are born again of the Spirit of God, and who are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, and who are led in the paths of righteousness for His namesake.

We must notice, of course, that our running The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth, we read here. They're not slothful, they're not indolent, they're not those that are settled on their knees, they're not those who are at ease in Zion. There is not that fatalistic spirit which says, our salvation is all of grace, there's nothing I can do, I mustn't put my hand to it, that would be presumption, I should just wait. Maybe the Lord will give me a word or some special token.

What? If you woke up in bed and your house was on fire, would you just lie there and not do anything in the hope that the fire brigade might come to your rescue? Of course not! That is a lie of the devil, which would take the truth of the doctrine of the sovereignty of God in salvation, and use it as an excuse not to flee to Christ, not to call upon his name, not to lay hold on eternal life. That kind of passivity is every bit as wrong as presumption.

Paul in Hebrews writes of those who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope which is set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vial. And we note too that there is a running into this strong tower. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it.

How is it that the righteous run into this tower? Well, surely it is by faith. for we which have believed do enter into rest. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ gives access into this place of refuge and rest by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. Faith is continually running to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's continually looking to Him.

Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Paul writes to the Hebrews, repentance turns from sin, runs from sin. and faith runs to Christ and into Christ. The righteous flee from sin as Lot fled from Sodom. They flee to Christ as the manslayer would flee to the city of refuge. They flee from idolatry. They flee also youthful lusts. They seek deliverance from all their enemies, internal as well as external.

Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies. I flee unto Thee to hide me. Is this the language of your soul? Is there not an urgency in this running? Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. so run that ye may obtain this is the apostolic injunction and it is with a felt dependence on the grace of God that the righteous run knowing that they can do nothing of themselves

I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart when thou shalt enlarge my heart we are dependent on the grace of God and we feel it, we feel it continually well these then are the runners for we which have believed do enter into rest let us consider thirdly then and finally this morning the the rest that there is in this refuge the name of the lord is a strong tower The righteous runneth into it and is safe. All because there is safety and security in this strong tower there is rest. Safety and rest go together.

As Zophar the Nehemiathite says in the book of Job. And thou shalt be secure because there is hope. Yea, thou shalt dig about thee and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. also thou shalt lie down and none shall make thee afraid and as david says in psalm 4 i will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou lord only makest me dwell in safety

safety and rest go together all the rest that there is in this refuge those that take refuge in this strong tower are safe for time and for eternity there are troubles there are troubles yes in the world you shall have tribulation and probably none more trouble than the lord's people

In spite of all the troubles which the believer has to endure in this world, there is safety. Remember, Jesus said, these things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Safe! Yes, even in the midst of troubles, safe for time and for eternity. They are safe from the condemnation of the law. They are safe from the eternal wrath of God which is to be poured out upon the ungodly. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. They are safe from that eternal destruction which shall be poured out on all those who have not run into this strong tower and who remain outside of this strong tower.

Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. And to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

Safe, safe for time and for eternity. The Lord bids his people to enter into this rest. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee. Hide thyself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be overpassed.

come my people, he says. Who are his people? Well, they are the poor and needy in a spiritual sense. They're sensible sinners, as the old particular Baptist used to speak. Sinners who are made sensible of their great need as sinners.

The Lord Jesus Christ himself issues the invitation. Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. take my yoke upon you and learn of me for i am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls

when does the lord jesus issue the invitation now Now, he is issuing the invitation now, and every time the Gospel is preached, behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation. The Father draws, the Spirit quickens, and the Son receives every elect vessel of mercy who runs into this tower for refuge. And none of those who enter into this strong tower will ever be cast out.

Psalm 91, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The Lord Jesus said, All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

safe for time and for eternity. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the great high priest of our profession, intercedes for every one of his elect people. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me.

Oh, what a precious doctrine this is, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, or the doctrine of the preservation of the saints. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe.

By way of conclusion, I would just notice with you this morning that the margin tells us that the word here translated safe in the Hebrew is literally set aloft the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is set aloft now we are not yet in heaven but we shall be by God's grace but you know even now we who have fled for refuge in this strong tower are set aloft for God hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus

yes we are set aloft our salvation is absolutely secure for it is in Him who is the head of the church and who is the Savior of the body, the Lord Jesus Christ and we are in Him that is true even in His Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life

He is our strong tower in his name is salvation and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins and so the apostles preached neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved

or may we be those then who are made to hear his voice and enter while there's room. May the Lord bless his word to us each.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runneth into it and is safe. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runneth into it and is set aloft. Amen.