God Has The Power To Help Or Overthrow - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Chronicles 25:8,

"Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow."

This prophecy was brought by a man of God to King Amaziah of Judah. As Amaziah organized his military, he added to his own ranks a hundred thousand mercenaries from the northern kingdom for a hundred talents of gold. In response to Amaziah's move to add the mercenaries, the Lord sent him this warning.

The reality is that the military victories God's people enjoyed were at the Lord's hand - the Lord brought them. The size and strength of the military was never the deciding factor. This point is made over and over again throughout Israel's history as provided us in the Scriptures. Not only did this point appear to escape King Amaziah, but a further threat he brought against himself was to hire men the Lord would oppose, and result in God overthrowing any military action Amaziah might engage in.

The Lord made the point by sealing it with this observation of himself: "God has the power to help or to overthrow."

This is perhaps one of the more important truths about God we should be reminded of in our own lives - and often. Knowing that God has the power to help or to overthrow, in no matter what challenge we might be facing is important because this aspect of God transcends just military activity. It is applicable to every facet of our lives.

Do we want God's help in bringing a victory in our life, or do we want to be overthrown by him? It all resides in our desire to live for him.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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