The People Whose God is the LORD

On United States money it is written, "In God we trust."  There is a truth to be gleaned here:  whatever you trust is your god.  There is One God (capital G), but there are many lesser gods in this world.  There are many idols people look to in place of God but are powerless to hear, speak, or save.  It is ironic that atheists reject a belief in the existence of God to the end they might be god themselves.  People want to claim absolute "control" of their lives and deem themselves masters of their own destiny.  But how much control do we really have?  We cannot keep the sun from rising, and a day will come when we cannot keep our hearts beating or our lungs breathing.  Will laws stop lawbreakers?  Will political discussions ensure peace?  Will signing a treaty remove hatred from a man's heart?  We are not masters but servants, and every day we must decide who or what we will serve..

Psalm 33:12 reads, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."  It is a happy and blessed nation who places their trust in God.  More important still, after trusting God we must make Him our LORD.  God chose the Jewish people not because they were strong, but because they were few and weak.  Through their weakness God's strength, power, and grace would be made evident to the entire world.  God has also chosen the foolish things to confound the wise, and He has called the Gentiles (non-Jews) through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be born again and adopted into His family as His own inheritance.  By grace through faith all can be grafted into the Vine, Jesus Christ, and be recipients of God's love, forgiveness, and salvation.

I visited Israel this year and am concerned with the reports I hear of the terror and bloodshed.  I am saddened to hear of the rocket attacks back and forth between the Israelis and Palestinians and the loss of life.  Where are the days of Jehoshaphat when the people were overwhelmed by their enemies and sought the LORD their God?  These days Israel has grown strong with their nuclear arsenal, Iron dome, highly trained and specialised soldiers, vast resources, technologically advanced weapons, intelligence, and loyal allies.  If they are attacked it seems they must strike back or appear weak.  Is God not able to fight for them any longer?  How long has it been since Israel was overwhelmed by their enemies and rejoiced to put their singers in front as they marched towards their enemies because God had promised to fight for them?  Israel won a miraculous victory in the "6 Day War," and it was truly miraculous - God helped His people triumph despite impossible odds.  I am convinced, however, that unless God's people turn to Him, trusting only in Him for salvation, all their gains can be lost in a moment, all their military might will crumble, and all their resources will pass into the hands of their enemies - that is, until they turn to God as their LORD who will fight for them and grant them the victory in His time and way.

I wonder:  is Israel willing to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD who fights for them?  2 Chronicles 20:20-22 reads, "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." ²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever." ²² Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."  This is not only a historical narrative, but instructive concerning the future faced by all God's people.  We need to believe in God and obey Him as LORD.  Only then will we be truly blessed.  It is not the aggressive nor those who retaliate violently who are blessed, but the people whose God is the LORD.  It is not good policy in a fallen world to make God your defense, yet the people and nations who do will be blessed and prosper.  We do not need to fight when God fights for us!