The term "conquests" in the biblical context primarily refers to the military campaigns and victories led by the Israelites under divine guidance, as recorded in the Old Testament. These conquests were often seen as the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs, particularly Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, regarding the land of Canaan.

Conquest of Canaan

The most significant series of conquests in the Bible is the Israelites' conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. After the death of Moses, Joshua was appointed by God to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The Book of Joshua details these events, beginning with the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River and the fall of Jericho. Joshua 6:20 states, "So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted, and when they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it."

The conquest of Canaan was not merely a military endeavor but a divine mandate. God instructed the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land due to their idolatry and wickedness, as seen in Deuteronomy 9:4-5 : "When the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, 'The LORD has brought me in to possess this land because of my righteousness.' No, it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land, but on account of the wickedness of these nations."

Divine Assistance and Miracles

Throughout the conquests, the Israelites experienced divine assistance and miraculous events that underscored God's sovereignty and faithfulness. The sun standing still at Gibeon (Joshua 10:12-14) and the hailstones that defeated the Amorites (Joshua 10:11) are examples of supernatural interventions that aided the Israelites in their campaigns.

Moral and Theological Implications

The conquests raise significant moral and theological questions, particularly regarding the destruction of entire cities and peoples. From a conservative Christian perspective, these actions are understood within the context of divine judgment against sin and the establishment of a holy nation set apart for God's purposes. The conquests are seen as a necessary step in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, ultimately leading to the coming of the Messiah.

Later Conquests and Conflicts

Beyond the initial conquest of Canaan, the Bible records other conquests and conflicts involving the Israelites. The period of the Judges was marked by cycles of oppression and deliverance, where God raised up judges to lead the people to victory over their enemies. The reigns of King Saul, David, and Solomon also included military campaigns that expanded and secured the borders of Israel. David's conquest of Jerusalem and his victories over the Philistines, Moabites, and other neighboring nations are notable examples.

Spiritual Conquest

In the New Testament, the concept of conquest takes on a spiritual dimension. Believers are called to conquer sin and spiritual darkness through the power of Christ. Romans 8:37 declares, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." This spiritual conquest is achieved not through physical might but through faith, obedience, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

The theme of conquest in the Bible, therefore, encompasses both historical events and spiritual truths, reflecting God's justice, faithfulness, and ultimate victory over evil.

The Suffering Servant --vi
... prophecy. It does not seem a worthy close simply to say that the Servant
is to be like a Cyrus or a Nebuchadnezzar in His conquests. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the suffering servantvi.htm

The Inroads of Mahometanism
... [Sidenote: and conquests of Mahomet.] He made himself master of the whole of Arabia ...
Section 3. The Spread of Mahometanism. [Sidenote: Mahometan conquests]. ...
/.../blunt/a key to the knowledge of church history/chapter viii the inroads of.htm

David's Hymn of victory
... reads 'trembling.'. Now this vision of extended conquests, based as it is
on past smaller victories, carries valuable lessons. David ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/davids hymn of victory.htm

Spanish Conquest-The Propagation, Decay, and Downfall of Spanish ...
... to the Spaniards, and friars of the regular orders for mission work among the
Indians"at cost of the royal treasury or as a charge upon the new conquests. ...
/.../chapter ii spanish conquest-the propagation.htm

The Invasion of Greece and the Battle of Marathon.
... The Athenian fugitive."He is murdered by the women."The Persian army."Its commander,
Datis."Sailing of the fleet."Various conquests."Landing of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/darius the great/chapter xi the invasion of.htm

The Death of Cyrus.
... BC530 Progress of Cyrus's conquests."The northern countries."The Scythians."Their
warlike character."Cyrus's sons."His queen."Selfish views of Cyrus ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter xii the death of.htm

England's Strength
... and boastfully he taunted the Jews with their weakness; how, like the Russian emperor
now, he called in religion as the excuse for his conquests and robberies ...
/.../kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon xiv englands strength.htm

The Greek Kings of Egypt.
... heads"the great horn of the rough goat gave place to four horns; so when Alexander
was taken away so suddenly from the midst of his conquests, leaving no one ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xvi the greek kings.htm

Cyrus, the Servant Of-The Lord {4}
... And to the conquests of Cyrus"so strangely are all great times and great movements
of the human family linked to each other"to his conquests, humanly ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/cyrus the servant of-the lord.htm

The Servant of the Lord.
... And to the conquests of Cyrus"so strangely are all great times and great movements
of the human family linked to each other"to his conquests, humanly ...
/.../kingsley/lectures delivered in america in 1874/lecture iv the servant of.htm

Conquests (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Conquests (1 Occurrence). Colossians 2:15 And the
hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and ...
/c/conquests.htm - 6k

Shishak (6 Occurrences)
... His reign was one of great national success, and a record of his wars and conquests
adorns the portico of what are called the "Bubastite kings" at Karnak, the ...
/s/shishak.htm - 13k

Seleucus
... He took part in Alexander's Asiatic conquests, and on the division of these
on Alexander's death he obtained the satrapy of Babylonia. ...
/s/seleucus.htm - 8k

Anem (1 Occurrence)
... of Jabin, king of Hazor, and allied kings at the waters of Merom (11:1-9); destruction
of Hazor (11:10-15); reiterated summary of Joshua's conquests (11:16-23 ...
/a/anem.htm - 101k

Armenia (2 Occurrences)
... (According to Jewish tradition this was one of the Kurdish mountains.) It is next
spoken of by Sargon I of Agade, circa 3800 BC, as among his conquests. ...
/a/armenia.htm - 21k

Hittites (39 Occurrences)
... The conquests of Aahmes were maintained by his successors Amenophis I and Thothmes
I and II; but when Thothmes III attained his majority (about 1580 BC), a ...
/h/hittites.htm - 55k

Great (10383 Occurrences)
... 8. Close of His Life: Thus compelled to give up hopes of conquests in the farther
East, he returned to Babylon, which he purposed to make the supreme capital ...
/g/great.htm - 35k

Gaza (22 Occurrences)
... times (Genesis 10:19). Joshua reached it in his conquests but did not take
it (Joshua 10:41; Joshua 11:22). Judah captured it (Judges ...
/g/gaza.htm - 19k

Furniture (24 Occurrences)
... and is rendered "furniture." The prophet refers to the abundant, costly, luxurious
furniture and raiment, largely the results of their conquests and plunder in ...
/f/furniture.htm - 16k

Triumphed (8 Occurrences)
... Colossians 2:15 And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and
boldly displayed them as His conquests, when by the Cross He triumphed over ...
/t/triumphed.htm - 9k

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