men of war – Praying Pint

49.h. Wilderness – 13.n. “All the men of war had perished”

Deu 2:16-23 “So as soon as all the men of war had perished and were dead from among the people, the LORD said to me, ‘Today you are to cross the border of Moab at Ar. And when you approach the territory of the people of Ammon, do not harass them or contend with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.’ (It is also counted as a land of Rephaim. Rephaim formerly lived there—but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim— a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim; but the LORD destroyed them before the Ammonites, and they dispossessed them and settled in their place, as he did for the people of Esau, who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them and they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day. As for the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place.)

When all the men of war were consumed — Israel is not called to march against and attack the Canaanites till the men most fit for war, and who probably had learned the art of it in Egypt, and had been used to hardship, were all wasted and dead from among the people, and only a host of new raised men, trained up in a wilderness, were left, in whom, as being possessed of little knowledge, experience, or natural fortitude, no great dependance could be placed. Thus it became more fully manifest that the excellency of the power which subdued the warlike Canaanites, was of God and not of man. On the same principle, and with the same design, long after this, were the following words spoken by the Lord to Gideon: The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. And thus, to subdue the enemies of God’s church, and bring sinners to the obedience of the faith, he hath chosen the weak things of the world, and things that are despised, and things that are not, to bring to naught the things that are, that no flesh may glory in his presence. (Benson)

13.o.

Zachariah 8:18 The word of the Lord Almighty came to me. This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.”

2 Kings 25:3-4    On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.  Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night

Jeremiah 52:12-15    In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.  And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.  And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 41:1-3   In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah,  Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land.

Jeremiah 52:4    And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it.

The fasts recorded in vs. 19 were instituted by man in the remembrance of their sin and the curse of God that fell upon them. They wanted to remember how they did not honor, glorify, or obey God, and because of this they angered God and were punished. They did not want to repeat this again. Here we read of God promising blessing.

Campbell Morgan said of these man-appointed fasts: “None of these things had been in the purpose of God for His people; they had resulted from their sins. The fasts, therefore, were the result of their sins. In jealousy and fury, the outcome of love, Jehovah would put away their sins, and so restore them to true prosperity. On that day, let them still remember and observe, only let the observance be a feast in celebration of God’s grace, instead of a fast in memory of their sin.” We can get hung up on our past sins and forget the blessings of forgiveness. Peter put it this way; 2Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

76. “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.”

Joshua 10:24 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”

Deuteronomy 31:6    Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8     It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

1 Samuel 17:37     And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the bear

Psalms 77:11     I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

2 Timothy 4:17-18    The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 6:10     Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Romans 8:37     No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Be strong. Be courageous. Do not fear. Do not be in dread. Do not fear. Do not be dismayed. WHY????? Because the Lord goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. He will deliver you. He loves you.

We may not have kingdoms to fight or people seeking to destroy and kill us but we do have battles each of us our fighting that requires strength above self. Hope beyond self. A power greater than self. We face things that only God can intervene and overcome. He is able and willing but are you seeking His intervention or trying to do it on your own or have you completely given up and not even turned to God for help. Certainly, you have experienced some of God’s mighty works in your life if you would just give it a thought. When you look back and remember that time when the hand of God protected you, relieved your spirit, overcame certain impossible roadblocks, healed your heart, etc….. God has not changed.

What changes is in us. We become neglectful and complacent with His word and living for Him. God doesn’t change but we do. We can be continually growing in trust, reliance, hope, faith, and love and in our service and obedience to Him. Likewise, if we are neglectful and complacent we lose trust, reliance, hope, faith, love and service and obedience to Him. We lose connection and site of Him in our lives. We find ourselves on paths that give us no purpose and meaning but they seem to occupy all of our heart, soul, and mind.

Do you want to see the awesome power, might, strength, and love of God? Walk with Him each day. Be intentional in your time in His word and humbly serve honor, trust, rely upon, follow and obey Him. You will see His power, might, strength, and love more and more each day. Come forward and place your feet on the necks of the trials that battle against you. Do not fear them but go in the strength and might of Jesus.