The LORD your God goes with you
Thu, 15 June, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
1 “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people 3 and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, 4 for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’
Moses is reviewing what God has done for the people of Israel in bringing them out of Egypt. He is encouraging them by reminding them of all God has previously done. As they enter the promised land, and face the prospect of fighting for the land and battling the enemies who dwell there, Moses reminds them that they are not fighting in their own strength. Rather, it is God who fights against the enemies of His people.
What do we learn from this?
As long as we are fighting God’s battles, we do not need to fear, for He is the one who will be fighting for us. The problem for us is to know when the battle is the Lord’s. It certainly is easy for us to think that what we do is always what God wants done, and so therefore He should be on our side. But that isn’t how God works. He doesn’t work to win all our battles for us, just because they are our battles. We are not always in the right, nor does God automatically bless us with victory even when we are in the right.
But what we learn from this passage is that when God is for us, no one can stand against us.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Jesus Christ is the King and Head of the church. He is acting to guard and lead His church, bringing her the ultimate victory as He fights for her. As we serve Him faithfully, we have nothing to fear, for Jesus Christ goes with us into the fight against the enemies of the gospel and of the church.
