Topical Bible: War: Have God As Their God

◄ War: Have God As Their God ►

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In the biblical narrative, the concept of war is often intertwined with the relationship between God and His chosen people. Throughout the Scriptures, the Israelites are depicted as engaging in battles with the assurance that God is on their side, provided they remain faithful to Him. This divine support is contingent upon their obedience and adherence to God's commandments.

Divine Command and Guidance

The Israelites' military endeavors were frequently initiated by direct command from God. In the conquest of Canaan, God instructed Joshua, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them" (Joshua 1:6). This divine mandate underscores the belief that God not only sanctioned but also orchestrated their military campaigns.

God as the Divine Warrior

The portrayal of God as a warrior is a recurring theme in the Old Testament. In Exodus 15:3, following the miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sing, "The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is His name" . This depiction emphasizes God's active role in fighting on behalf of His people, ensuring their victory against formidable foes.

Conditional Divine Favor

The Israelites' success in war was conditional upon their faithfulness to God. In Deuteronomy 28, blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience are outlined. Verses 7 and 25 illustrate this principle: "The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you" (Deuteronomy 28:7) contrasts with "The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies" (Deuteronomy 28:25). This conditionality highlights the importance of covenant fidelity in securing divine favor in warfare.

Examples of Divine Intervention

Several biblical accounts demonstrate God's intervention in battles. In the battle of Jericho, the Israelites followed God's unconventional strategy, resulting in the city's miraculous fall (Joshua 6). Similarly, in 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat's reliance on God led to a divinely orchestrated victory without the need for combat, as the LORD set ambushes against the enemy (2 Chronicles 20:22).

The Role of Faith and Prayer

Faith and prayer are depicted as crucial elements in securing God's assistance in war. In 1 Samuel 17, David's faith in God enabled him to defeat Goliath, declaring, "The battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:47). This reliance on divine power rather than human strength is a key aspect of biblical warfare.

New Testament Perspective

While the New Testament shifts focus from physical warfare to spiritual battles, the principle of having God as one's ally remains. Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the armor of God, emphasizing spiritual readiness and reliance on divine strength. The apostle Paul writes, "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10), reinforcing the idea that victory in spiritual warfare is achieved through God's power.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of war, when God is acknowledged as the divine ally, underscores the importance of faithfulness, obedience, and reliance on divine strength. This theme resonates throughout the Scriptures, illustrating the belief that true victory is found in aligning with God's will and purpose.

Nave's Topical Index

Revelation 21:7
He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Nor Should I Think it Needful to Discuss Whether God Pursues a ...
... And after this God sets judges (critas), the same as ... I established with their fathers,
and have not hearkened ... He meted wrath out to Israel by war and captivity ...
/.../scorpiace antidote for the scorpions sting/chapter iii nor should i.htm

How Agreeable all virtues are to God.
... the midwives and the justice of the war of the ... doubt that they do well, and that
God makes account ... they saw that it was becoming to have their children brought ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter i how agreeable all.htm

"Now the God of Hope Fill You with all Joy and Peace in Believing ...
... Some parleys and cessations men have, some treaties of this kind for peace with
God; but alas ... therefore many do nothing else than what men do in war, to seek ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon ix now the god.htm

City of God
... Apollo at Cum??, Whose Tears are Supposed to Have Portended Disaster to the Greeks,
Whom the God Was Unable ... 14.--Of the Wickedness of the War Waged by ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/

In the Meantime, Augustine, with the Help of King Ethelbert...
... Then the man of God, Augustine, is said to have threatened them, that if they would
not accept peace with their brethren, they should have war from their ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap ii in the meantime.htm

That Divine Love Makes the virtues Immeasurably More Agreeable to ...
... Oh the sovereign goodness of this great God, which so ... least little actions, so long
as they have the slightest ... he had waged a lawful and just war against the ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter ii that divine love.htm

Hillis -- God the Unwearied Guide
... of the Lord will revive the grass, trampled down by the hoofs of war horses. ... Have
the sons of the fathers never heard of the everlasting God, the Lord ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume 10/hillis god the unwearied.htm

That it is not Lawful for the Well Affected Subjects to Concur in ...
... lawful for the parliament to associate in war with the ... a transgression in all the
people to have joined with ... the people from their obligation to God's command? ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section iv that it is.htm

Be not Deceived; God is not Mocked.
... It has been asserted that during the late Franco-German war, German drummers and
trumpeters used to ... They have got it into their heads that God can be ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter ii be not deceived.htm

Explanation of the Preceding Chapter.
... whether the honour which a prince achieves in war by feats of ... about her child that
she might seem to have no other ... So when a heart loves God in respect of his ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter vii explanation of the.htm