The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Exodus 15:3,
"The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name."
"The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name."
Following their exodus from Egypt and the annihilation of Pharaoh's army, Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to the Lord, recognizing him as the warrior who defeated the Egyptians. "The Lord is a warrior".
Here is something that I'm fully aware of and yet, to be honest, I don't think of all that much - yet I should since he reveals himself to be a warrior. Perhaps that is due to other things I know about him. For instance, that nothing opposed to the Lord or aligns itself against him has any hope of successfully contending with him. We are told in Proverbs 21:30, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord."
Merriam-Webster defines warrior in its broad sense as "a person engaged in some struggle or conflict".
Throughout the Scriptures we see the Lord in his role as warrior. No place, perhaps, more prominently than Revelation 19:11-16 were we see Jesus Christ presented as the "Heavenly Warrior", "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords."
As expected, those who arrayed themselves against our "Heavenly Warrior" did not fare well, "Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf... The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." Verses 19-21.
Over the years I have read my share of doctrinal statements that reflect the teachings of churches, denominations, seminaries and other ecclesiastical groups. In none have I read that they view the Lord as a warrior (except maybe in some indirect way.) I'm certain most all would subscribe to it, but that aspect of our Lord is never given any billing.
Here is something that I'm fully aware of and yet, to be honest, I don't think of all that much - yet I should since he reveals himself to be a warrior. Perhaps that is due to other things I know about him. For instance, that nothing opposed to the Lord or aligns itself against him has any hope of successfully contending with him. We are told in Proverbs 21:30, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord."
Merriam-Webster defines warrior in its broad sense as "a person engaged in some struggle or conflict".
Throughout the Scriptures we see the Lord in his role as warrior. No place, perhaps, more prominently than Revelation 19:11-16 were we see Jesus Christ presented as the "Heavenly Warrior", "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords."
As expected, those who arrayed themselves against our "Heavenly Warrior" did not fare well, "Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf... The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." Verses 19-21.
Over the years I have read my share of doctrinal statements that reflect the teachings of churches, denominations, seminaries and other ecclesiastical groups. In none have I read that they view the Lord as a warrior (except maybe in some indirect way.) I'm certain most all would subscribe to it, but that aspect of our Lord is never given any billing.
Perhaps it should. After all, the Lord is a warrior!
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know. A blog with all my posts can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know. A blog with all my posts can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
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