Paladin

Have Kingdom – Will Travel

It was a late night prayer meeting at Tents of Mercy and we were in a time of worship. I was sitting off to one side of the sanctuary with my eyes closed trying to focus on the Lord. Suddenly in my mind I saw a man’s face. It was not a handsome face – it was craggy with deep furrows on the forehead, a very pronounced cleft in the chin and a moustache. It was … Richard Boone! “What nonsense is this?” I thought. “Where did this come from?”

For those not old enough to remember, Richard Boone starred in a very popular television series in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s called “Have Gun – Will Travel.” He played the part of a professional hired gunman in the time of the old West who was a champion of justice. Highly principled and ethical, he was always concerned with “what was right.” His name was “Paladin”.

Well, that may be very interesting, but I hadn’t thought about it for 40 years and I felt it was a rather bizarre image to float into my mind. I pushed it aside and attempted to get back to being “spiritual.” However, it would not go away. The name Paladin lodged itself in my consciousness and would not budge. I became so annoyed by this predicament that I left the room and phoned my wife Katya and asked her to look up the name Paladin in the dictionary. Here is the definition – a paragon of chivalry, the model of excellence, the strong supporter of a cause, a peerless example and a champion.

I returned to the prayer meeting meditating on this definition. As the evening proceeded it was clear that the Spirit was saying something to us about the nature of Yeshua – our champion. As we prayed about the deep needs of our congregation and of our nation we saw that He was our Paladin. He was the only one in whom we could put our trust. It was an affirmation and an encouragement to us.

But Yeshua’s motto is not “Have Gun – Will Travel,” but “Have Kingdom – Will Travel.” Yeshua needs no earthly force to establish justice and righteousness. He has a kingdom to manifest from place to place and we are the instruments He wants to use.

The symbol on Paladin’s gun holster and business card was a chess piece – the knight. The knight is the most versatile piece on the board. It moves in 8 different directions, can pass over obstacles and is always unexpected. This resonates with Yeshua’s words in John 3:8. “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

All people are looking for a Paladin. There is something in every one of us that longs for things to be right. Politicians appeal to that desire, but rarely, if ever, deliver. Disappointment and discouragement follow soon after. Israel’s national elections are just around the corner. Whoever wins will still not satisfy the hearts and needs of the nation because ultimately there is no earthly Paladin. But we know there is a heavenly One, the Lord Yeshua.

Isaiah emphasizes this over and over; Messiah would be born to this destiny: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace. On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:6, 7),

And in the fullness of time He would step into this destiny.

Now the Lord saw, and it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede; then His own arm brought salvation to Him. And His righteousness upheld Him. And He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle (Isaiah 59:15-17).

How we need Him, our only true champion. Only He can save our people and bring in His everlasting kingdom. Our job is to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) in the sphere of influence wherein He has placed us. As darkness covers the earth and deep darkness the peoples (Isaiah 60:2, 3) let us shine with the light of our Paladin and see Him draw all men to the brightness of His light.