Misguided Claims of Presumed Victory - 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 today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 20:3-4,

"Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

This is what the priest was to say to the fighting men of Israel prior to going into battle when taking the promised land from the Canaanites. In this statement they were told to trust in God, that he would provide them certain victory in spite of the size of the opposing army and how well it might be equipped.

God would provide the victory, but Israel would still have to fight. The victory Israel could expect would be God working through Israel's military campaign. Did that victory have to come only through the Israelites engaging in battle? Not at all. We read of some military victories, later in Israel's history, where the Israelites didn't fight at all, or had such a ridiculously small force it was obvious God brought the victory apart from any military prowess.

One such example was Gideon's defeat of the massive army of the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples with just 300 Israelites! See Judges, chapter 7, where the Lord brought him a miraculous victory. Another example is when Sennacherib of Assyria surrounded Jerusalem and an angel of the Lord annihilated all of his fighting men, commanders and officers without any Israeli military, following King Hezekiah and Isaiah crying out to the Lord, 2 Chronicles, chapter 2. 

There are other examples that could be cited as well, but these are sufficient to make the point that the Lord could have brought victory to the Israelites when they entered the promised land without their help at all. However, he chose to have Israel fight for what they would inherit from the Lord. The Lord would insure they would be victorious as long as they followed him in faith and fought.

Some today may claim Deuteronomy 20:3-4 as a promise from God for success as some venture is pursued. As an example, some church wanting to build in an area where the local zoning officials deny their request. They go to prayer and quote Deuteronomy 20:3-4 as they claim God's victory and then expect the Lord to pave the way for them. 

You see these kinds of misguided things from time to time and wonder about the damage such presumption brings to the weaker brothers and sisters in the fellowship. Before "claiming" such passages, it is important to note a couple of things about this passage. It was a conditional promise made to Israel for a specific circumstance: the taking of the promised land by Israel. It is not a blank check for God's people for all time to pursue what they think they should be doing

This brings me to my second thought. In Deuteronomy 20:3-4, God told Israel what he wanted them to do, not the other way around. A lot of churches go off in a direction and then ask God for victory, assuming they will get it based on this "promise". What churches need to focus on is what God is asking them to do, not ask God to do for them what they want.

I suspect that most efforts at building up large congregations, fat bank accounts from the offerings, all sorts of amenities and activities provided and a nice large facility have never been asked for by God. I'm not saying always, but I am reading my Bible and I'm struggling to find those particular priorities asked of us by God. Not that God doesn't ask for things of us, as his people, but I see an awful lot around me that he has never asked for. And to think there are those who have "claimed the victory because God has promised the victory"! It often seems misguided at times to me. 

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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