| Why did ancient Israel have an army? Was it | | | | system? Only if and when it contradicts the |
| because they didn't have faith? Did they believe in | | | | commandments of God. We should never disobey |
| themselves instead of trusting God? Did they | | | | God to follow men (Acts 5:29). We're in this world |
| insist on fighting their own battles, rather than let | | | | and do take an active part in its system of |
| God wage war for them? | | | | government and education everytime we go to |
| Why did God fight for Israel in Egypt? Did they | | | | work and pay taxes or send our kids to school or |
| exercise faith then? Did they somehow lose their | | | | college! We're only to avoid those aspects of this |
| confidence in the wilderness, after having seen | | | | world's system that are Biblically wrong (1 Jn. |
| God's mighty miracles? Does that make sense? | | | | 2:16). |
| They'd heard what God was going to do to Egypt | | | | Joseph served in pharaoh's administration. Was he |
| from the onset, and they saw with their own | | | | spiritually defiled? Daniel was in the belly of the |
| eyes what God did through 10 consecutive | | | | beast - Babylon - yet he served the king and |
| plagues. After defeating the world's only | | | | God. Whenever there arose any conflict of |
| superpower, had God spent His energy? | | | | interest, Daniel put God first, as we must also |
| God took on the gods of Egypt single-handedly. | | | | always do. Nehemiah worked in the Persian |
| He didn't want Israel's participation lest their | | | | government, yet he was also blameless before |
| deliverance be misconstrued as a successful slave | | | | God. God even referred to Cyrus and |
| revolt. He took a slave people to become His | | | | Nebuchadnezzar as His servants. |
| Servant-Nation. Israel had only changed masters. | | | | God is our Heavenly King over all, that's why we |
| When God led Israel out of Egypt by Moses, He | | | | can't allow others to try and usurp His authority |
| purposely told Moses to bypass the hot spots | | | | over our lives. He's our Husband and to listen to |
| where Israel would encounter hostile forces, lest | | | | anyone else who would dare go against His Word |
| they opt for the "security" of Egypt (Ex. 13:17). | | | | is spiritual adultery and fornication. This is one of |
| They went out of their way to avoid war! It | | | | modern Israel's biggest sins: giving in to |
| doesn't sound like they were eager to do battle | | | | international peer pressure rather than obey God! |
| when you read the accounts of their griping and | | | | Yet God isn't our only ruler. He's ordained that |
| complaining to Moses (Ex. 14:10-12). | | | | men aren't to be left in a state of anarchy, but |
| Moses, full of faith, encouraged the congregation | | | | ought to obey the Noachide laws binding on all |
| to believe God. The first time Israel engaged in | | | | mankind: to establish a system of justice, abstain |
| battle was at Moses' command! He instructed | | | | from idolatry and immorality, and refrain from |
| Joshua (also faithful) to assemble a fighting force | | | | eating blood (Acts 15:29). |
| and defeat the pesky Amalekites (Ex. 17:8-16). | | | | Even Christ will be King of kings and Lord of lords; |
| God had fought the first few rounds against | | | | He won't be ruling alone. God's our Minister, and |
| Israel's enemies, showing Israel He would destroy | | | | Jesus Christ's our High Priest, yet we don't object |
| their foes. Now God would fight in and through | | | | to having human ministers also. Do we have a |
| and for Israel! Moses' uplifted hands of blessing | | | | double standard when it comes to politics? We |
| and authority insured Israel's military success. It | | | | speak of "dirty politics." And there is too much |
| was evident to all where their true strength came | | | | graft and corruption. But what about religious |
| from (Ps. 33:16). Israel was only a fighting | | | | scandals? Perverted preachers and adulterous |
| instrument in God's Hands (Isa. 41:15, Micah 4:13). | | | | ministers? Does that mean we should reject the |
| Many people understand the commandment | | | | whole idea of God having human servants? "Dirty |
| against killing should be translated "murder." God | | | | religion?" Both Church and State need to let Christ |
| commands His ministers of state to execute | | | | clean up their act (Malachi 3:3). |
| judgment and utilize capital punishment for various | | | | God didn't forbid Israel from having a king or a |
| offenses (Rom. 13:4). We're told to remember | | | | high priest. He simply put restrictions on them and |
| Moses' law and obey it (Malachi 4:4). God has | | | | offered guidelines. The king was to be Israelite; he |
| authorized the State to act within the guidelines | | | | wasn't to put his trust in financial securities or |
| of His Law Book. | | | | gold, or depend on a huge army or arsenal of |
| Israel wasn't anxious to enter Canaan - they | | | | weapons for Israel's defense; and he was to |
| were afraid! Moses admitted they were | | | | study the Scriptures daily (Deut. 18:15-20). He was |
| outnumbered and outgunned by the Canaanites, | | | | permitted a token military force made up of |
| but reassured Israel that GOD would be with | | | | volunteers ( Judg. 7:2, Deut. 20:5-9). The priest |
| them and grant them supernatural victory (Deut. | | | | was to bless Israel's troops before they went to |
| 7:1-2, 16-24). When the spies brought their report | | | | battle, encourage them that God would fight |
| to Moses about Canaan's men and might, they | | | | through them, and sound the alarm with the |
| wanted to run with their tails tucked between | | | | sacred silver trumpet (Deut. 20:1-4, Nu. 10:9, 31:6). |
| their legs (Numbers 13:31). Only Joshua and Caleb | | | | God was upset with Israel when they demanded |
| put things in perspective and encouraged the | | | | a king, but not because they wanted a king - He |
| people to trust in God (Numbers 14:9). Israel didn't | | | | had made an allowance for that through Moses - |
| have any faith in their own ability or God's! | | | | but because they were rejecting God as their |
| What many have failed to realize is ancient Israel | | | | Supreme Ruler (1 Sam. 8:20).They wanted to |
| wasn't going to enter the Promised Land by faith | | | | walk by sight, not by faith, overconfident in |
| alone; it was going to require faith and works! God | | | | human leaders (Ps. 118:9). |
| wasn't going to do all the work for them. Israel | | | | The kings were to lead the way (Ps. 1:10-11). |
| had to actively claim their inheritance. Don't we | | | | They were to follow in the footsteps of King |
| also? | | | | David who enacted the law of Moses (1 Kgs. 2:3). |
| Israel lacked faith that GOD could work miracles | | | | Israel was only to follow men as they followed |
| through them! They knew God could take on their | | | | God. The prophet Samuel warned them of |
| enemies, but they doubted He could work through | | | | greedy rulers, excessive taxes, and corrupt |
| them. They concentrated on their weakness | | | | administrations, but they still decided to go ahead |
| rather than on God's strength. God expected | | | | with their political elections. Not that the religious |
| Israel to fight His battles and He would guarantee | | | | world was free from fault (1 Sam. 8:3). And God |
| their success. Israel took one city at a time, | | | | reveals that the best man shouldn't always win |
| slowly but surely making progress, subduing the | | | | (Dan. 4:17). But if we pray for God to lead us in |
| land and defeating their foes, and yet giving God | | | | deciding who to vote for or against, it's His |
| all the credit - like our process of conversion (Ps. | | | | responsibility to let us know what to do. Of |
| 44:1-8). | | | | course we should study the party platforms and |
| Even David, a man after God's own heart, fought | | | | see which one is more closely aligned to Biblical |
| numerous battles for God and His people, but | | | | principles. It's vain to think that our vote could |
| considered God the Victor. David would ask God | | | | thwart God's Will! He'll promote and demote whom |
| whether he should attack at this time or place, | | | | He will (Ps. 75:7). |
| and what to do, when and how, and God | | | | Ancient Israel was both Church and State: a |
| answered him (1 Chron. 14:10). | | | | theocracy. God recognizes these two branches of |
| Did Abraham, the father of the faithful, sin by | | | | government and encourages us to do the same |
| waging war against those who had kidnapped his | | | | (Malachi 4:4-5). The two anointed positions in Israel |
| relatives (Gen. 14)? Melchizedek blessed him, He | | | | were that of priest and king (Zech. 4:14). The oil |
| didn't rebuke him! Levi and sons, following Moses' | | | | was representative of God's Holy Spirit that Israel |
| call to arms (at God's command), went through | | | | prayed would guide and direct their leaders. |
| Israel's camp and slaughtered those who'd sinned | | | | We've seen how God has authorized human |
| with the golden calf (Ex. 32:28). Did they lack | | | | leaders to take life (Lev. 20). They're free to |
| faith? No! They were acting faithfully! They put | | | | deputize a police force (to protect and defend |
| God before family and friends. Couldn't God have | | | | communities), as well as use the armed forces to |
| just sent a plague? Yes. But He worked through | | | | defend their country and kin. |
| men. | | | | God holds His leaders responsible not to get |
| Since God works through men, why didn't Jesus | | | | greedy or become bloodthirsty. We're not to |
| let Peter defend Him? 1) Because prophecy had | | | | relish war, but use it as a last resort (Deut. |
| to be fulfilled and 2) because God's Kingdom | | | | 20:10-12).We're only to fight wars of self-defense |
| wasn't established yet - otherwise Jesus said His | | | | and not throw our weight around (Lk. 3:14). We're |
| servants should fight! This example teaches us | | | | to hate the sins of our enemies and learn to love |
| that loyal citizens ought to be willing to fight and | | | | them, knowing they're also made in God's image |
| defend their king and country! | | | | and hopefully will come to their senses someday; |
| Presently we have a "dual citizenship." Paul didn't | | | | we're not to be trigger-happy or gloat over our |
| deny that he was a Roman citizen or hesitate to | | | | enemies' downfall (Prov. 24:17). |
| exercise his civil rights (Acts 22:25). He didn't just | | | | God's going to utilize Israel to punish various |
| turn the other cheek when he was about to be | | | | nations during their trek back to the Middle East |
| scourged! There's a time and a place to wage war | | | | (Isa. 11:14). And God will be fighting through the |
| or declare peace (Ecc. 3:8); to suffer persecution | | | | Jews at Jerusalem (Zech. 14:14). Christ's coming |
| and death, or to run for your life ( Mat. 24:16, Jn. | | | | back to earth to wage war before He ushers in |
| 8:59)! | | | | peace! |
| Spiritually speaking, we should all understand we're | | | | God hasn't only intervened for Israel. He's |
| only mortal, taking up temporary residence on | | | | determined the outcome of various wars and |
| earth, and therefore be mindful of eternity and | | | | battles to let one group of Gentiles beat another |
| live accordingly, waiting for our eternal inheritance | | | | (Deut. 2:19-23). Moses also said it would've been a |
| in God's Kingdom (2 Cor. 5:1, Ps. 39:12, 2 Pet. 3:11). | | | | sin if the different tribes of Israel didn't rally to |
| But what about "spiritual fornication?" If we | | | | each others defense (Nu. 32:20-23). And it's a |
| exercise our right to vote and get involved in | | | | disastrous sin to go to war if God's servants |
| politics, isn't that defiling ourselves with this world's | | | | instruct otherwise (Deut. 1:42-45). |