외국인칼럼 > 영어칼럼 > Battles in the History of Redemption

June is a month of commemorating patriots and veterans. Patriots defend and protect their country and, as vet-erans, they are recompensed for their distinguished services toward their country. We will examine the causes responsible for the outcomes of the various battles in the Bible and review the lessons given to us today.

[Victorious battles that upheld the nation]
Battle between Deborah the judge and Jabin the Canaanite king

Background
The sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord after the death of Ehud. As a result, God allowed Jabin the Canaanite king to severely oppress Israel for 20 years. It was at this time that Debo-rah received a command from God to save Israel. When even men did not have the courage to come forth, Deborah was the resolute leader who arose with an image of a strong mother who sets out to protect her child.

Analysis of military strength
The Israelite army consisted of 10,000 official soldiers and 40,000 volunteers. In contrast, Jabin mo-bilized 900 iron chariots and “all his army.” Armed entirely with iron, the iron chariots were akin to the tanks today. Considering that Canaan was able to severely abuse the Israelites for 20 years, “all his army” must have truly been great in number.

Outcome
God sent torrential rain to create rapids in the Kishon River so that the deluge made all the land a swamp, miring the Canaanites’ iron chariots and allowing Israel’s 10,000 men army to attack and annihilate them.

Cause of victory
Although the Israelites and its leaders fought hard in battle, God Himself came down to strike the mighty Canaanite army and helped Israel. Also, Deborah did not take credit for the victory; instead, she praised the achievements of those who risked their lives and expressed gratitude toward them. In a male-dominated society, Deborah became an unprecedented female leader who fulfilled her duties as judge well. God seeks people who, despite the weaknesses they may possess, listen to the Word with faith, preach the Word, and act according to the Word. The name Deborah means “honey bee.”
There will be victory when true leaders who accept the Word with faith and proclaim it, standing at the forefront like Deborah, arise like a swarm of bees.

Battle between Jehoshaphat (the 4th king of southern Judah)
and the coalition forces of three nations

Background
After Jehoshaphat carried out a second religious reformation, the coalition forces of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir attacked Judah. After his marriage alliance with Ahab, Jehoshaphat committed the sin of participating in the battle at Ramesh-gilead and God’s wrath regarding this was displayed through the attack of the coalition forces of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir.

Outcome
God set ambushes so that the Ammonite and Moabite armies rose up against the people of Mount Seir and destroyed them completely. Then, the armies of Ammon and Moab slaughtered each other to utter destruction. Jehoshaphat was triumphant without even having to fight and Judah was able to collect a great spoil.

Cause of victory
As soon as Jehoshaphat heard the news of the attack, he proclaimed a fast throughout the kingdom and the people willingly obeyed the decree by fasting and praying to God. The wisest thing to do in times of great trials, which cannot be resolved through human abilities, is to humbly entrust every-thing to God and pray. Jehoshaphat also selected singers and had them put on holy attire to go out before the armies to sing praise. When they began singing praises of thanksgiving to the Lord, the invading three nations slaughtered each other to utter destruction. The battle belongs to God. Even if we are faced with overwhelmingly great tribulations, a victorious outcome is not gained through our abilities; it is achieved by completely relying on God.

[Battles lost as a means of judgment]
Battle between Joash (8th king of southern Judah) and the Aramean army

Background
King Joash did right in the sight of the Lord while Jehoiada the priest instructed him; after Jehoiada’s death, however, he listened to the officials of Judah and served the idols. Though God sent a prophet to have Joash realize his sins, Joash did not listen to him and had Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, stoned to death for rebuking him of his sin of idolatry. In the end, God used the Aramean army to strike southern Judah.

Analysis of military strength
Second Chronicles 24:24 states, “Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the Lord delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers.” The Aramean army was much smaller than the army of Judah, but they were able to defeat the great army of Judah because the mighty God was using them to punish Judah.

Outcome
Joash was able to turn the Aramean army around by sending all the sacred things and gold that was found among the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house to the king of Aram. However, Joash was severely injured in this war. Soon after the war, his own servants conspired against him and struck him to death.

Cause of his defeat and lesson
Joash heard the warnings and rebukes regarding his sins of idolatry yet he did not repent. Rather, he killed the son of Jehoiada who had established him as king and had led him to live uprightly before God. He truly forsook grace. Joash’s servants struck him to death in the same way that Joash stoned Zechariah to death in defiance of God. His death confirms the biblical truth that one reaps what he has sown. Joash was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings. On the contrary, Jehoiada the priest who had done well was buried among the kings in the city of David. Today, we must not live foolish lives that forsake God’s grace and stand against Him but have the works of living faith, trying to “render to the Lord for all His benefits” toward us by remembering God’s grace; then, we certainly will be blessed in what we do.

Ahab (the 7th king of northern Israel) and the battle at Ramoth-gilead

Background
Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. Then, King Ahab asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to ally with him in attacking Ramoth-gilead and started a war.

Outcome
King Ahab put on armor along with a disguise as he went into battle. Ahab thought he would be safe if he were not targeted by the enemy.
However, he was struck by an arrow that was shot at random and, after he continued on in battle bleeding, he died.

Root of his defeat and lesson
Despite having committed extremely wicked transgressions before God, Ahab received numerous opportunities to repent. As his name means “father’s brother,” Ahab received such changes to repent according to the abounding love of God the Father. Nevertheless, he continued to disregard the Word of God and did not think much about his sinful ways. Ultimately, trivializing sin is taking a disdainful attitude toward God. Punishment will surely ensue for those who despise God (2 Peter 2:10). King Ahab who disdained God was, in turn, disdained by God and
his life ended in wretchedness. We must revere God and become the obedient saints who receive His Word by faith with fear and trembling to the end.

War does not exist only among nations. It encompasses the never-ending battle between the good and evil within us, the various conflicts that we encounter in our families, workplaces, society, and even the battle of Armageddon that will take place in the end. The loser will become slave to the victor as a result of war. Are we to triumph and defend ourselves, our families, society, and nation? Or are we to suffer defeat and become slaves to sin and receive judgment? Such are the questions the history of Korea and the history of redemption ask of us.

Reporter Geun-Wook Ji
This article summarizes a portion of the contents from Book 3 “The Eternally Unquenchable Lamp of the Covenant” and Book 4 “God’s Profound and Mysterious Providence” of the History of Redemption series (authored by Rev. Abraham Park, published by Huisun).