Christian Living

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God's Got That

I Chronicles 8:18-22 the sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Mannasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to war. And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in Him. And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand. For there fell down many slain because the war was of God; and they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.

Sometimes God will tell us to do things that we think He would never tell us to do. That’s why we should not question the things a person say God told them. Who are we, God? Here the war was of God. Who would think that God would allow a war to be when He is a God of peace? These involved were the chief men of God. Chronicles narrates the whole history of the Chosen People of God. Chronicles is history, but history written to serve a purpose. As a mere record of historical events it cannot be said to rank with Kings. The Chronicler wrote for the returned exiles; his purpose being to weld them once more into a nation, to reawaken in them an interest in their past, and to kindle zeal for the Lord service, especially as embodied in the temple worship. Special prominence is given to the reigns of David and Solomon because they were particularly active and interested in the worship of the temple.

War the opposite of peace was not a time of calm, tranquility, harmony, silence, stillness, contentment, pacification, conciliation or agreement. There was nothing serene or quiet about war. Things were unruffled and not composed at any time during the war. Early wars were considered as wars in the name of the god of the people, going forth to do battle. The wars were regarded as missionary enterprises in the name of their god or gods. Most wars back then were fought in the desert. Much of the fighting in Old Testament times was similar to that found on the desert, where there was much excitement, riding here and there, threatening, waving of weapons, advancing and retreating, with few hurt or killed. The people were fearful and suspicious, and the chief element of victory was to surprise the enemy, to lay an ambush, or to make a great noise, giving evidence that large numbers were coming when there was but a handful of men. We are talking about a war; so why so few men on the battlefield? It was because they trusted God to fight their battle. They never expected to lose.

Spies in the camp were sent out to ascertain the moves of the enemy. There were calculated moves made to get the advantage of the enemy. The warriors here in I Chronicles 8:18-22 fought in the countryside of Palestine and Palestine was uneven, and often forces which were adapted for fighting on the plain were drawn into the rocky places and easily defeated. Weather conditions were of the utmost importance; for if rain came, making progress difficult or impossible, then bands from the hillsides could fall upon their foes in the plain. When opposing forces did meet each other on the field of battle, they were usually drawn up facing each other, and at a battle cry raised by all the army they rushed into a hand to hand conflict. There was fighting going on so it was important to know what the enemy was planning or doing at all times.

In this Christian way we must learn fast that God’s got that. When we are warring with the enemy it’s not about us it’s all about God. God says the battle; the armed conflict is his to fight. We to war the good fight of faith and know that we already have the victory if God sends us. When we go to battle we must go with what God says to go with and tell the truth. I Samuel 17:45-49 David said to the Philistines thou come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom thou has defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, an take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David; that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead and he fell upon his face to the earth. A sling shot and a stone is all David had along with the Holy Ghost. We have to go with what God has given us to go with. If we use anything else other than what God has said we will ultimately fail and lose the battle; David told Saul that the armor he wanted him to put on had not been proved and David put them off him. Many times people will influence us to see and do things their way but if it’s not God we have to deny their input. When we do what others say rather than God, we actually put them before God and cause God to be our enemy. God said in His Commandments that we are to have no other gods before Him.

We have to learn to cry out to God in our battles; God can do more with it than we can. God’s got that whatever it is we need. He is our strength, the mighty warrior that gives us peace in midst of the battle. He gives us courage to go through to the end. God will help us if we ask for help. God is our all and all. In this life we know that things happen to the godly and the ungodly. If we will consider in our hearts and declare that the righteous and the wise and our works are in the hands of God we can finish the race that is set before us. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, not yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happens to us all. We know not our time that we will depart this life but of a surety if we trust God and realize that He got us; He will bring us through.

Every battle is a test of our love, faith, and obedience to God. In patience possess we our souls. Our confidence must be truthful and full of hope. There is a test of patience under oppression, helpful and harmful testing. There is a test of restraint in commitments and a test of prevailing prayers. Faith operates through love and that love will be tested as an approach to life finding out whether our wisdom is true or false. The test of our selfish factor is tested in our flesh and spirit. We have to know in whatever we go through, come to or leave is in God’s control. We can’t go everywhere but God can; He can send His Spirit and His Word to all of our situations. Our religion is determined on how we obey God, His Spirit and His Word. Our relationship with God and every relationship we have with man in the earth should be pure. God does not solicit to evil but He will destroy evil. Our minds stayed on Jesus will keep us in perfect peace.

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