TheWritePath

  Now let’s take another look at the turtle's shell, mainly the bottom shell, the boney layer under the outer shell is what provides the shape, support, and protection for the turtle. Again use your imagination as we relate the turtle shell to the armor of God. The next piece of armor we want to look at is the breastplate of righteous, verse 14 also says, “Having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (NKJV). The breastplate’s function was to protect the vital organs of the soldier while in battle and was made of overlapping pieces of metal with connecting front and back sections. The breastplate rested on the soldier’s hips and supported by the loin belt.   While in battle the breastplate provided extra assurance against the unexpected blows that often occurred in the heat of battle. Just like the turtle’s lower shell protects its internal anatomy the breastplate protects the vital organs of the soldier. One of the best definitions I’ve found is in Adam Clarke’s Commentar...

            Many throughout the Bible have suffered hardships but the life of Paul for me stands out; in his own words, he says: “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods [this was a practice among the Romans]; once I was stoned [by Jews and Gentiles]; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weakness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness.”   (2Corinthians 11:24-27 NKJV)   It would be safe to say Paul suffering was at the hand of Jews, Romans, Gentiles [any person that is not a Jew] and Messianic Jews [Jews that have accepted Jesus and the Messiah]. Yet he endured it all for the sake of Christ; h...