Deu 20:1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Israel had never had to fight anyone, they had grown into a nation in bondage in Egypt. War was not their expertise, they were brick makers, servants, shepherds, and other tradesmen but warriors they were not. Notice what God tells them "When thou goest out to battle," not if but when. Warfare was a definite reality for Israel now. The place where God had called them to was riddled with enemies and they weren't going to just hand the promised land over. You can imagine the fear that must have gripped their heart as they laid eyes on the cities and their great walls, their chariots and warriors, and the sea of men set out to kill them. The most natural thing would be to compare your strengths to theirs. Israel would look at their history of fighting, their military might, their rag-tag band of brickmakers and say we are doomed. All their physical strength was not comparable to the strength of the enemies they were called to fight.
"Be not Afraid" is God's word, it almost sounds ludicrous. Be not afraid? Have you seen their walls, their cities, their warriors, their strengths? In the face of all these legitimate reasons for fear, God gives them one reason they should not fear. This one reality is of such strength that all those other reasons become no reason at all to be afraid, "Be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt." The God that fought for you in Egypt, that drowned Pharoh and his chariots in the Red Sea, the God who has power over death, power over the creatures and the elements of this world, The God who is "God in heaven above and in the earth below" He is with thee. Truly, fear becomes unreasonable in the light of this reality, "God is with thee."
Dear Christian, many of us never were warriors or had to fight much of anything, until we were led out of the world, called to be a peculiar people. Suddenly the world we live in is at odds with us. We are not of this world but passing through, not at home in this world, not at home in this society, even our own flesh rises up to fight against the new man. Satan, the World, and, self have all set their sites on the Christians that would live Godly in Christ Jesus, "All they that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." We are in the hottest war that ever raged, a war that isn't fought for land rites but for souls, not between earthly kingdoms but spiritual. Naturally, we like to compare our strengths to the strengths of the ones we fight and we come away afraid. I am no match for Satan, for this world, I've even proven that I am no match for my own evil heart. All these things are true but God's word comes with a reality of such strength that all these reasons for fear become no reason at all, "The LORD thy God is with thee."
Fear is unreasonable in the light of this promise, "I am with thee." This is the strength, the solace, the confidence of all Christian warriors. Has the world launched an attack on you? What match is this world for our God? Did he not live perfectly Holy in this world? Has your flesh and lustful desire of your heart seemed to attack you? What match is your flesh for our Lord? Did he not defeat our sin nature already? What if Satan himself were to attack you? He is no match for our Lord. Our Lord indeed, already defeated him, and made a show of him openly! Carry this promise with you everywhere you go, it is the strength of the Warrior, the solace and confidence that stills our fears, emboldens our hearts, and makes us march right into the heat of battle with faith. "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," "Lo, I am with thee always" and countless other promises should erase all fear of the enemy we fight. So, "Be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee."
Comentarios