Topical Bible: The Armies of Israel without God Easily Overcome

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The history of Israel as recorded in the Bible is replete with accounts of military engagements, where the success or failure of the armies of Israel often hinged on their relationship with God. When the Israelites aligned themselves with God's will, they experienced miraculous victories. Conversely, when they acted in disobedience or without seeking divine guidance, they frequently faced defeat, illustrating the principle that the strength of Israel's armies was not in numbers or might, but in their covenant relationship with God.

Key Biblical Accounts:

1. The Battle of Ai (Joshua 7-8): After the miraculous victory at Jericho, the Israelites faced a humiliating defeat at Ai. This occurred because Achan had taken some of the devoted things from Jericho, violating God's command. Joshua 7:4-5 recounts, "So about three thousand men went up, but they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water." This defeat underscored the necessity of obedience to God for military success.

2. The Philistine Wars (1 Samuel 4): The Israelites suffered a significant defeat at the hands of the Philistines when they attempted to use the Ark of the Covenant as a talisman of power rather than seeking God's guidance. 1 Samuel 4:10-11 states, "So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died." This event highlighted the futility of relying on religious symbols without true faith and obedience.

3. King Saul's Disobedience (1 Samuel 13-15): King Saul's reign provides several examples of military failures due to disobedience. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul offered a burnt offering in Samuel's absence, acting against God's command. As a result, Samuel declared that Saul's kingdom would not endure. Later, in 1 Samuel 15, Saul's incomplete obedience in the battle against the Amalekites led to God's rejection of him as king. These narratives illustrate that partial obedience is tantamount to disobedience in God's eyes.

4. The Defeat at Aphek (1 Samuel 4): The Israelites again faced the Philistines at Aphek, where they suffered a devastating defeat. The loss of the Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines was a profound spiritual and military blow, demonstrating that the presence of God, not the mere presence of the Ark, was essential for victory.

5. The Battle of Gilboa (1 Samuel 31): The final battle of King Saul against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa ended in disaster. Saul, having been rejected by God, faced the Philistines without divine support. 1 Samuel 31:1-2 records, "Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua." This defeat marked the end of Saul's reign and underscored the consequences of a king leading without God's favor.

Theological Implications:

The accounts of Israel's military defeats serve as a theological reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God. The victories and defeats of Israel were not merely military events but were deeply intertwined with their spiritual state. The narratives emphasize that Israel's true strength lay in their covenant relationship with God, and any attempt to rely on human strength or strategy without divine guidance was destined to fail. These accounts continue to serve as a powerful reminder of the necessity of seeking God's will and maintaining faithfulness to His commands in all endeavors.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 26:17
And I will set my face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and you shall flee when none pursues you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 14:42,45
Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that you be not smitten before your enemies.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Shout of Faith
... the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel ... the earth may know that there
is a God in Israel. ... the words of Christ, we can meet them without fear, since ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/smith/the god of all comfort/chapter 14 the shout of.htm

Israel at the Red Sea
... sea, how is it that I hear the armies of my ... in a man; and neither of the two others,
without that, would ... by thee, even as Moses did for the children of Israel. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/israel at the red sea.htm

The Last Agony
... of Jerusalem that sent the German armies to encamp ... was that the place which had seen
Israel's first triumph ... and so he stumbled on, not without misgivings, which ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the last agony.htm

The Best Strengthening Medicine
... world, as Moses led the children of Israel; for faith ... itself, as a force, in all
its armies, is never ... think that, for years, he had spoken without ill language ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the best strengthening medicine.htm

'Fit, Though Few'
... It is for Israel's sake that He is so ... fear is contagious; and, in undisciplined armies
like Gideon's ... curved palms to moisten their lips without stopping in ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/fit though few.htm

The Seventh Book
... in Spain, where they had completely crushed our armies in battle ... saying of the Sacred
Word: "The houses of Israel have all ... Without doubt it has condemned him. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the seventh book.htm

On the Ten Points of Doctrine.
... from each of the twelve tribes of Israel for the ... Baptism; and thus enrolled in the
armies of heaven ... substance of the Father, does nothing without the Father's ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture iv on the ten.htm

The Royal Marriage Feast.
... wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed ... When Israel rejected Christ, God
rejected Israel, and called ... None who live without Christ in the world shall ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xii the royal marriage feast.htm

A Stanza of Deliverance
... out of Egypt, it was Jehovah who brought forth her armies. ... But we have no need thus
to defend Israel. ... these poor people, who had been working without fee or ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/a stanza of deliverance.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... no distress, temptation, or affliction may overcome them and ... will make with the house
of Israel, after those ... the promise, without grace, and without God in the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm