Thursday, 19 February 2026
The Fortress of Joy
3 min read
The Primary Text
“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”— (KJV)Read Nehemiah 8 in full →
The Lexicon
מָעוֹז (maoz) — Noun
From the Hebrew מָעוֹז (maoz), from a root meaning to be strong: a place of safety, a fortified refuge, a stronghold. Semantic force: The word denotes a location rather than a quality — somewhere one goes, not something one summons. In the Hebrew Bible it is regularly paired with verbs of fleeing and taking shelter. Theological depth: Scripture consistently locates the believer's security outside himself. A stronghold is useless to the man who admires it from the field; its whole benefit is conferred by entering.