Topical Bible: The Armies of Israel: Often Disposed to Battle With Judgment

Bible > Topical > The Armies of Israel

◄ The Armies of Israel: Often Disposed to Battle With Judgment ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The armies of Israel, as depicted in the Old Testament, are frequently portrayed as instruments of divine judgment and deliverance. These forces were not merely military entities but were often seen as executing the will of God, reflecting His justice and righteousness. The narratives surrounding the armies of Israel reveal a complex interplay between divine command, human agency, and moral accountability.

Divine Mandate and Leadership

The formation and mobilization of Israel's armies were often initiated by divine command. In the Book of Joshua, the conquest of Canaan is a prime example where the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, are instructed by God to take possession of the land promised to their forefathers. Joshua 1:6-7 states, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them. Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you."

The leadership of the armies was typically vested in individuals chosen by God, such as Joshua, Gideon, and David. These leaders were often endowed with divine wisdom and strength, enabling them to lead the people in accordance with God's purposes. Judges 6:14 records God's call to Gideon: "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?"

Moral and Spiritual Dimensions

The battles fought by the armies of Israel were not merely physical confrontations but were imbued with moral and spiritual significance. The Israelites were called to be a holy people, and their military engagements were often contingent upon their faithfulness to God's covenant. In Deuteronomy 20:1-4 , the Israelites are reminded of God's presence and support: "When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you."

However, the success of the armies was closely tied to the nation's obedience to God. Instances of disobedience, such as Achan's sin in Joshua 7, led to military defeat and served as a stark reminder of the need for holiness and adherence to divine commands. Joshua 7:11-12 reveals the consequence of Achan's transgression: "Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant that I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, lied, and put them with their own possessions. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies."

Instruments of Judgment and Deliverance

The armies of Israel were often used by God as instruments of judgment against nations that opposed His purposes or oppressed His people. The destruction of the Amalekites, as commanded in 1 Samuel 15, illustrates this role. God instructs Saul through the prophet Samuel to "attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them" (1 Samuel 15:3).

Conversely, the armies also served as agents of deliverance for Israel. The account of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 exemplifies how God used the Israelite army to deliver His people from the Philistines. David's faith and reliance on God, rather than military might, underscore the spiritual dimension of Israel's battles: "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:47).

Prophetic and Eschatological Perspectives

The prophetic literature often envisions the armies of Israel in eschatological terms, symbolizing the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. The Book of Isaiah, for instance, speaks of a future where nations will "beat their swords into plowshares" (Isaiah 2:4), indicating a time when divine judgment will culminate in universal peace.

In summary, the armies of Israel, as depicted in the biblical narrative, are multifaceted entities that serve as instruments of divine judgment, deliverance, and moral instruction. Their accounts reflect the broader themes of covenant faithfulness, divine sovereignty, and the ultimate realization of God's redemptive purposes for His people and the world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 10:9
When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

A Mystery! Saints Sorrowing and Jesus Glad!
... I have often noticed in conversion, that, though sometimes a ... of the Lord of Hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel ... earth may know that there is a God in Israel. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/a mystery saints sorrowing and.htm

Chapter xiv
... is meant, the famous stopping place of Israel during the ... narrative is a bit diffuse,
as is often the case ... the attacking kings (or of their armies, perhaps, if ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiv.htm

Manasseh
... in the most daring manner insulted the Lord God of Israel. ... their great Goliath,
challenging all the armies of the ... and then, like Dr. Johnson, who often took up ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/manasseh.htm

The Mystery
... kind when they were about to conduct Israel out of ... former; it is not customary for
such armies to be ... whether that signification of street is often found among ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery.htm

1 Cor. xiii. 4
... You may talk of armies, money, horses, walls, arms, or any ... up:" the kind and
long-suffering is often ostentatious; but ... he said, "For the hope of Israel I am ...
/.../homily xxxiii 1 cor xiii.htm

God's Providence
... at the wrong side." So it is very often with us ... the wheel goes on; and though a thousand
armies stand to ... ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 54 1908/gods providence.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... Susa, and that their revolts must often have jeopardised ... the provinces of Philistia
and Israel, and received ... league, and had the Elamite armies, in conjunction ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

The Second Oration on Easter.
... And we observe that a thing which we often find to ... go before thee to make a way for
Israel, and to ... that which is now trodden under foot by armies, [4660] but ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xlv the second oration.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... of Shabitoku found him as much disposed as Hezekiah ... from whom ye have deeply revolted,
O children of Israel."**. ... and vessels of deep draught often ran aground ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... political movements of the time, and had often directed their ... raised up by Jahveh
to oppress Israel "from the ... in 765 and 755, which brought his armies right up ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm