God Of War

It may not be easy to read genealogies in the Bible, but the impact of them cannot be ignored.  Included in the Bible are reckonings of generations from Jesus all the way back to Adam the first man created.  Every name is a link in the chain which validates the creation of the world, man, and every living thing by God.  Though the names are hard to pronounce and may seem to have little significance to us personally, the fact genealogies exist and can be confirmed by secular sources is awesome.  For those who read them there are wondrous truths nestled in them, like coming across a tree loaded with ripe fruit when hungry.

Today I read of valiant men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh who went to war.  1 Chronicles 5:20-22 says, "And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him. ²¹ Then they took away their livestock--fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred and fifty thousand of their sheep, and two thousand of their donkeys--also one hundred thousand of their men; ²² for many fell dead, because the war was God's. And they dwelt in their place until the captivity."  In the battle the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, and He helped them because they trusted Him.  These capable warriors did not trust their weapons, training, or strength to defeat their enemies but cried out to God in the battle.  This is a good lesson of what true valiance looks like.

The men of Israel prevailed "because the war was God's."  The KJV phrases this in a slightly different way, saying:  "For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God."  I suspect Christians are more familiar with the concept that the "battle is the LORD's" (1 Sam. 17:47) rather than any war could be "of God."  The spectre of war is truly gruesome and horrible, yet this passage shows us God not only heeds the cries of people who trust Him in battle but also shows some conflicts are ordained by God which accomplish His purposes.  War at times must precede peace, and war is also required to keep peace.  In Ecclesiastes 3:8 wise Solomon said there is a time for war and a time for peace, and the order is significant.  Exodus 15:3 says, "The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name."  There is no one mighty like God and at the same time He is no warmonger, for He can easily resolve conflicts without a shot being fired.  Victory is His sovereign domain.

God is with His people not only in global wars or in violent skirmishes but in every personal battle we face.  Jesus came not to wage war on sin by raising an army but defeated and overcame it by putting Himself in the line of fire.  He spoke words of life and peace, but those who opposed Him were for war and death.  Jesus has provided an example for us that the war we wage today as overcomers through Him is not a war fought primarily with sword or spear but through unwavering faith and obedience to Him.  It is written in 1 John 5:4, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith."  Our battle is not against flesh and blood but is of a spiritual nature (Eph. 6).   Should our spiritual defences fail we will not be able to stand in any conflict.  But thanks be to God:  when we find ourselves in a battle, it is glorious to have God on our side.

It is not by might, nor by power, but by God's Spirit a mountain can become a plain.  Only God can bring the victory to the valiant.  We can rejoice in God regardless if our victory involved plundering enemies or crucifixion because God has overcome and we are in Him.  Take to heart the victory Christ has already accomplished as 1 John 4:4 says, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

The Whole Bible

When it comes to things of God, the natural man is unable to comprehend (1 Cor. 2:14).  Misconceptions and errors abound in the haphazard approach unbelievers and even Christians can take to the Bible.  Because it is compiled of sixty-six individual books written by different people inspired by the Holy Spirit there is perfect unity.  Perhaps due to being organised in Old and New Testaments people can view the Old as outdated and the New as more relevant.  No scripture can be wrenched from the context of a chapter without reconciling it with the book and the overarching truth and themes of scripture.

Context is key to understanding or interpreting anything, and it is amazing how easily this practice is ignored in the quoting of scripture.  People quote scriptures to support their position or oppose others without even knowing when, why, or to whom it was spoken in the first place.  Sceptics produce countless of these tired chestnuts to accuse, and sadly many believers who respect the Word of God use it as a cloak to shield themselves from the very truth they profess to believe.  God has given us the whole Bible so we might know, worship, and serve God in truth.  The Bible is not a treasury of anecdotes or stories for our amusement but the Word of God for our salvation.

Alan Redpath wrote these simple and profound words concerning the Bible in the preface to his book, Victorious Christian Living:  "Once we regard the Bible as a whole it begins to take on a new meaning.  The Old Testament is preparatory to the New.  The New cannot be understood apart from the Old, nor can the Old be appreciated apart from the New...It has been my profound conviction for some years now that the greatest need of the Christian Church is a revival of the New Testament standard of Christian living.  There seems to be a very wide gulf between what we believe and how we live, a marked contrast between our position in Christ and our actual experience.  Too often do we claim to believe our Bibles from cover to cover, but fail to live out its truths in daily conduct.  Before we can ever see a real movement of the Spirit of God in blessing to the world in our day, surely the church must face afresh the New Testament pattern, the whole revelation of the Word of God, in its claims on holiness of life and ethical conduct." (Redpath, Alan. “Victorious Christian Living: Studies in the Book of Joshua.” Redpath Family, 2013, pp. 13–14.)

Here Redpath touches on a key point:  it is one thing to explain historical context or expound upon the scripture, but it is all meant to be practised.  If we believe the Bible is the Word of God, it will impact our conduct, choices, relationships, words, and deeds.  If we will not practise it, what is the point of reading or even quoting it?  If it has merit - and nothing ever written is more true or profitable for men - then it ought to be responded to with praise and obedience.  The Jews wrongly used the Law to approve themselves of righteousness before God when it only condemned them, and Christians can do the same with knowledge.  Knowledge is not righteousness, but the more a man knows makes him more accountable to God for what he knows and does not do.  Choosing ignorance is not safe either, for what man who heartily approves of God's truth hides from it?  Only a man who knows better.

Is it time to start reading the Bible from the beginning and continue all the way cover to cover?  You would never read only the last third of a novel over and over without starting at the beginning.  Instead of reading favourite or known portions over and over, how about reading all God has written?  There is great blessing to graze over familiar and comforting passages, but God knows we need more than that.  I encourage you also to pray over and put into practice the truth of God's Word as led by the Holy Spirit.  God will never lead you astray!  We need the whole Bible to understand and become all God would have us be.

The Days of Peleg

"To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan."

1 Chronicles 1:19

This is an intriguing verse because in a few words it says something which both agrees and contradicts modern scientific thought.  It is commonly taught the continents today were once connected to one another but over time they split and drifted apart.  This is believed to have taken an incredibly long time according to the current rate of movement.  Scripture affirms the division of continents and islands happened, but it took very little time at all.

Eber had two sons and one he named "Peleg" which means "earthquake."  He was named this because "in his days the earth was divided."  At the time of Peleg's birth the seismic activity was so pronounced Eber named his son Peleg.  It was in the days of Peleg - during his lifetime - the earth was divided.  Perhaps the movement of the continents had not fully shifted to their current position, but there was a distinct beginning and end to this remarkable process which occurred in Peleg's days.

Can you imagine living in the days when the earth was divided?  It would be an unimaginable thing to see land fleeing from your view to be replaced with an ocean!  After an earth-shaking event such as this I imagine people were terrified of even small tremors.  Neighbours and perhaps family were separated by a seemingly infinite sea of water.  To access regions which were previously landlocked would require large ships engineered to handle the high seas.  I imagine after the dust settled this dividing of the earth led to far greater development of seafaring for travel, exploration, and trade.

I can't imagine the feeling of despair people felt in those days where the earth was divided, cities were split in the middle, and families happened to be on other sides of the crack which expanded to be the Pacific Ocean.  All communication would be cut off; there would be no way to know where to go or what to do.  This reminds me in a spiritual sense of how sin separates us from God.  Because of man's sin we are cut off from communion with God:  there is no relationship possible because we cannot communicate.  By the grace of God Jesus came to save us from sin and make first contact with us, demonstrating His love through His sacrifice on Calvary.  We who were far off have been brought near through the Gospel.

We have all kinds of ways to communicate using technology people in Peleg's days did not have.  Vast oceans can be crossed in a matter of hours with aeroplanes, and using satellites and GPS we are able to track the location of a mobile phone within a few feet.  Despite all our advances in technology, aviation, and travel, we remain as sinful and helpless spiritually as man ever was.  Thank the LORD for His goodness to us, for we who were separated from God have been made one by Jesus Christ.  This is earth-shaking truth for all time!

Through the Fire

"Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses: ²² only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water."

Numbers 31:21-23

When the children of Israel took spoils of war from their defeated enemies, purification was required under the Law.  The principle was anything which could survive the fire which was taken needed to be put through fire so it could be purified.  The water of purification would also be sprinkled upon it, the water which had the ashes of the red heifer in it (explained in detail in Numbers 19).  This water was required to be cleansed after touching a dead body.  If a person was not cleansed according to the Law he would be cut off from the congregation as a consequence.

This passage lends insight for what is written to Christians cleansed with the blood of Jesus in 1 Peter 4:12-13:  "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."  Every person saved through the Gospel has been plundered from Satan's grasp and control.  To God who loves us we are of infinitely greater value than gold, silver, or bronze.  Because we can endure the fiery trials God allows us to face them.  Peter urged his readers not to think it strange they would be tried or tested by difficult trials.  Our souls are purified by faith in Jesus, but God uses fiery trials to refine our character and strengthen our faith.

In fiery trials for Christ's sake we are able to rejoice as partakers of His sufferings.  There is a depth of fellowship experienced with Jesus only realised through suffering.  No one wants to suffer, but the Bible makes it clear every Christian will certainly experience suffering in this life.  Praise God for all suffering He allows He also provides abundant consolation.  As it is written in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 by a Christian intimately acquainted with suffering for Christ's sake, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ."  In this world we will experience tribulation, but in all tribulation God has provided comfort received when we wait on the LORD in faith.

Are you experiencing a fiery trial today?  Take heart believer:  if you are being put through the fire God will without fail bring you safely through it.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego experienced the presence of God in the midst of the fiery furnace which killed their oppressors and were divinely enabled to emerge safely without a hair being singed.  Even if the flames are permitted to consume our flesh, God will keep our souls safe and present us before His presence with exceeding joy for eternity!