The encircling of Divine defense.
"The Lord is round about his people." Robinson says, "The sacred city lies upon the broad and high mountain range which is shut in by the two valleys Jehoshaphat and Hinnom. All the surrounding hills are higher. On the east, the Mount of Olives; on the south, the so-called Hill of Evil Counsel, which ascends from the Valley of Hinnom; on the west the ground rises gently to the border of the great wady; while on the north the bend of a ridge which adjoins the Mount of Olives limits the view to the distance of about a mile and a half" (comp. Zechariah 2:4, Zechariah 2:5, "wall of fire round about her"). Delitzsch says, "The holy city has a natural circumvallation of mountains, and the holy nation that dwells and worships therein has a still infinitely higher defense in Jahve, who encompasses it round." Thomson says that "none of the surrounding hills, not even Olivet, has any relative elevation above the north-western comer of the city itself. But Jerusalem is situated in the center of a mountainous region, whose valleys have drawn around it in all directions a perfect network of deep ravines, the perpendicular walls of which constitute a very efficient system of defense."
I. DEFENSE "ROUND ABOUT" PUTS LIMITS TO ATTACK. Illustrate by the fear of Elisha's servant of the Syrian attack upon them. When he saw the encircling host of God, he knew that their power to attack was in actual Divine restraint. That defense frustrates plans. Or illustration may be taken from the raising of a siege by an army which covers the retreat of the invaders. All their schemes of attack fail, and it is as much as they can do to attend to their own security. So the good man may always have this confidence. He can never be subjected to an unawares attack. Its enemies must always take count of the defense that is round about him. They must deal with our God, not only with us; and our God will surely say, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further."
II. DEFENSE "ROUND ABOUT" GIVES COMPLETENESS TO OUR SAFETY. What Elisha's servant saw was an absolute unbroken circle. The distinction between human and Divine protections lies in just this completeness. The best circle human love draws round us is incomplete somewhere; so it never can be wholly trustworthy. There is always some undefended place which makes us vulnerable. God's circle is drawn completely round. The foe cannot come in, and we cannot go out. Illustrate by encircling walls of ancient cities.—R.T.