| Why did ancient Israel have an army? Was it | | | | college! We're only to avoid those aspects of this |
| because they didn't have faith? Did they believe in | | | | world's system that are Biblically wrong (1 Jn. |
| themselves instead of trusting God? Did they | | | | 2:16).Joseph served in pharaoh's administration. |
| insist on fighting their own battles, rather than let | | | | Was he spiritually defiled? Daniel was in the belly |
| God wage war for them?Why did God fight for | | | | of the beast - Babylon - yet he served the king |
| Israel in Egypt? Did they exercise faith then? Did | | | | and God. Whenever there arose any conflict of |
| they somehow lose their confidence in the | | | | interest, Daniel put God first, as we must also |
| wilderness, after having seen God's mighty | | | | always do. Nehemiah worked in the Persian |
| miracles? Does that make sense? They'd heard | | | | government, yet he was also blameless before |
| what God was going to do to Egypt from the | | | | God. God even referred to Cyrus and |
| onset, and they saw with their own eyes what | | | | Nebuchadnezzar as His servants.God is our |
| God did through 10 consecutive plagues. After | | | | Heavenly King over all, that's why we can't allow |
| defeating the world's only superpower, had God | | | | others to try and usurp His authority over our |
| spent His energy?God took on the gods of Egypt | | | | lives. He's our Husband and to listen to anyone |
| single-handedly. He didn't want Israel's participation | | | | else who would dare go against His Word is |
| lest their deliverance be misconstrued as a | | | | spiritual adultery and fornication. This is one of |
| successful slave revolt. He took a slave people to | | | | modern Israel's biggest sins: giving in to |
| become His Servant-Nation. Israel had only | | | | international peer pressure rather than obey God! |
| changed masters.When God led Israel out of | | | | Yet God isn't our only ruler. He's ordained that |
| Egypt by Moses, He purposely told Moses to | | | | men aren't to be left in a state of anarchy, but |
| bypass the hot spots where Israel would | | | | ought to obey the Noachide laws binding on all |
| encounter hostile forces, lest they opt for the | | | | mankind: to establish a system of justice, abstain |
| "security" of Egypt (Ex. 13:17). They went out of | | | | from idolatry and immorality, and refrain from |
| their way to avoid war! It doesn't sound like they | | | | eating blood (Acts 15:29).Even Christ will be King |
| were eager to do battle when you read the | | | | of kings and Lord of lords; He won't be ruling |
| accounts of their griping and complaining to Moses | | | | alone. God's our Minister, and Jesus Christ's our |
| (Ex. 14:10-12).Moses, full of faith, encouraged the | | | | High Priest, yet we don't object to having human |
| congregation to believe God. The first time Israel | | | | ministers also. Do we have a double standard |
| engaged in battle was at Moses' command! He | | | | when it comes to politics? We speak of "dirty |
| instructed Joshua (also faithful) to assemble a | | | | politics." And there is too much graft and |
| fighting force and defeat the pesky Amalekites | | | | corruption. But what about religious scandals? |
| (Ex. 17:8-16).God had fought the first few rounds | | | | Perverted preachers and adulterous ministers? |
| against Israel's enemies, showing Israel He would | | | | Does that mean we should reject the whole idea |
| destroy their foes. Now God would fight in and | | | | of God having human servants? "Dirty religion?" |
| through and for Israel! Moses' uplifted hands of | | | | Both Church and State need to let Christ clean up |
| blessing and authority insured Israel's military | | | | their act (Malachi 3:3). |
| success. It was evident to all where their true | | | | God didn't forbid Israel from having a king or a |
| strength came from (Ps. 33:16). Israel was only a | | | | high priest. He simply put restrictions on them and |
| fighting instrument in God's Hands (Isa. 41:15, Micah | | | | offered guidelines. The king was to be Israelite; he |
| 4:13).Many people understand the commandment | | | | wasn't to put his trust in financial securities or |
| against killing should be translated "murder." God | | | | gold, or depend on a huge army or arsenal of |
| commands His ministers of state to execute | | | | weapons for Israel's defense; and he was to |
| judgment and utilize capital punishment for various | | | | study the Scriptures daily (Deut. 18:15-20). He was |
| offenses (Rom. 13:4). We're told to remember | | | | permitted a token military force made up of |
| Moses' law and obey it (Malachi 4:4). God has | | | | volunteers (Judg. 7:2, Deut. 20:5-9). The priest was |
| authorized the State to act within the guidelines | | | | to bless Israel's troops before they went to |
| of His Law Book.Israel wasn't anxious to enter | | | | battle, encourage them that God would fight |
| Canaan - they were afraid! Moses admitted they | | | | through them, and sound the alarm with the |
| were outnumbered and outgunned by the | | | | sacred silver trumpet (Deut. 20:1-4, Nu. 10:9, |
| Canaanites, but reassured Israel that GOD would | | | | 31:6).God was upset with Israel when they |
| be with them and grant them supernatural victory | | | | demanded a king, but not because they wanted a |
| (Deut. 7:1-2, 16-24). When the spies brought their | | | | king - He had made an allowance for that through |
| report to Moses about Canaan's men and might, | | | | Moses - but because they were rejecting God as |
| they wanted to run with their tails tucked | | | | their Supreme Ruler (1 Sam. 8:20).They wanted |
| between their legs (Numbers 13:31). Only Joshua | | | | to walk by sight, not by faith, overconfident in |
| and Caleb put things in perspective and | | | | human leaders (Ps. 118:9).The kings were to lead |
| encouraged the people to trust in God (Numbers | | | | the way (Ps. 1:10-11). They were to follow in the |
| 14:9). Israel didn't have any faith in their own | | | | footsteps of King David who enacted the law of |
| ability or God's!What many have failed to realize is | | | | Moses (1 Kgs. 2:3). Israel was only to follow men |
| ancient Israel wasn't going to enter the Promised | | | | as they followed God. The prophet Samuel |
| Land by faith alone; it was going to require faith | | | | warned them of greedy rulers, excessive taxes, |
| and works! God wasn't going to do all the work | | | | and corrupt administrations, but they still decided |
| for them. Israel had to actively claim their | | | | to go ahead with their political elections. Not that |
| inheritance. Don't we also?Israel lacked faith that | | | | the religious world was free from fault (1 Sam. |
| GOD could work miracles through them! They | | | | 8:3). And God reveals that the best man shouldn't |
| knew God could take on their enemies, but they | | | | always win (Dan. 4:17). But if we pray for God to |
| doubted He could work through them. They | | | | lead us in deciding who to vote for or against, it's |
| concentrated on their weakness rather than on | | | | His responsibility to let us know what to do. Of |
| God's strength. God expected Israel to fight His | | | | course we should study the party platforms and |
| battles and He would guarantee their success. | | | | see which one is more closely aligned to biblical |
| Israel took one city at a time, slowly but surely | | | | principles. It's vain to think that our vote could |
| making progress, subduing the land and defeating | | | | thwart God's Will! He'll promote and demote whom |
| their foes, and yet giving God all the credit - like | | | | He will (Ps. 75:7).Ancient Israel was both Church |
| our process of conversion (Ps. 44:1-8).Even David, | | | | and State: a theocracy. God recognizes these two |
| a man after God's own heart, fought numerous | | | | branches of government and encourages us to |
| battles for God and His people, but considered | | | | do the same (Malachi 4:4-5). The two anointed |
| God the Victor. David would ask God whether he | | | | positions in Israel were that of priest and king |
| should attack at this time or place, and what to | | | | (Zech. 4:14). The oil was representative of God's |
| do, when and how, and God answered him (1 | | | | Holy Spirit that Israel prayed would guide and |
| Chron. 14:10).Did Abraham, the father of the | | | | direct their leaders.We've seen how God has |
| faithful, sin by waging war against those who had | | | | authorized human leaders to take life (Lev. 20). |
| kidnapped his relatives (Gen. 14)? Melchizedek | | | | They're free to deputize a police force (to |
| blessed him, He didn't rebuke him! Levi and sons, | | | | protect and defend communities), as well as use |
| following Moses' call to arms (at God's command), | | | | the armed forces to defend their country and |
| went through Israel's camp and slaughtered those | | | | kin.God holds His leaders responsible not to get |
| who'd sinned with the golden calf (Ex. 32:28). Did | | | | greedy or become bloodthirsty. We're not to |
| they lack faith? No! They were acting faithfully! | | | | relish war, but use it as a last resort (Deut. |
| They put God before family and friends. Couldn't | | | | 20:10-12).We're only to fight wars of self-defense |
| God have just sent a plague? Yes. But He | | | | and not throw our weight around (Lk. 3:14). We're |
| worked through men. Since God works through | | | | to hate the sins of our enemies and learn to love |
| men, why didn't Jesus let Peter defend Him? 1) | | | | them, knowing they're also made in God's image |
| Because prophecy had to be fulfilled and 2) | | | | and hopefully will come to their senses someday; |
| because God's Kingdom wasn't established yet - | | | | we're not to be trigger-happy or gloat over our |
| otherwise Jesus said His servants should fight! | | | | enemies' downfall (Prov. 24:17).God's going to |
| This example teaches us that loyal citizens ought | | | | utilize Israel to punish various nations during their |
| to be willing to fight and defend their king and | | | | trek back to the Middle East (Isa. 11:14). And God |
| country!Presently we have a "dual citizenship." Paul | | | | will be fighting through the Jews at Jerusalem |
| didn't deny that he was a Roman citizen or | | | | (Zech. 14:14). Christ's coming back to earth to |
| hesitate to exercise his civil rights (Acts 16:37, | | | | wage war before He ushers in peace!God hasn't |
| 22:25, 25:11). He didn't just turn the other cheek | | | | only intervened for Israel. He's determined the |
| when he was about to be scourged! There's a | | | | outcome of various wars and battles to let one |
| time and a place to wage war or declare peace | | | | group of Gentiles beat another (Deut. 2:19-23). |
| (Ecc. 3:8); to suffer persecution and death, or to | | | | Moses also said it would've been a sin if the |
| run for your life (Mat. 24:16, John 8:59)!Spiritually | | | | different tribes of Israel didn't rally to each others |
| speaking, we should all understand we're only | | | | defense (Nu. 32:20-23). And it's a disastrous sin to |
| mortal, taking up temporary residence on earth, | | | | go to war if God's servants instruct otherwise |
| and therefore be mindful of eternity and live | | | | (Deut. 1:42-45).It's all a matter of faith and |
| accordingly, waiting for our eternal inheritance in | | | | obedience. We're to realize God is our true |
| God's Kingdom (2 Cor. 5:1, Ps. 39:12, 2 Pet. | | | | Commander in Chief and the Captain of our |
| 3:11).But what about "spiritual fornication?" If we | | | | Salvation, and follow the lead of His Holy Spirit |
| exercise our right to vote and get involved in | | | | (Jos. 5:13-15, Heb. 2:10). But let's not forget that |
| politics, isn't that defiling ourselves with this world's | | | | God can and does work through inspired men |
| system? Only if and when it contradicts the | | | | (Neh. 9:27).David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist |
| commandments of God. We should never disobey | | | | writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's |
| God to follow men (Acts 5:29). We're in this world | | | | Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and |
| and do take an active part in its system of | | | | Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others |
| government and education everytime we go to | | | | improve their understanding of that troubled |
| work and pay taxes or send our kids to school or | | | | region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog. |