Deu 20:5-8 | KingComments | STEP | After the priest, the officers speak to the people. The priest encourages in view of the battle. The officials discourage certain categories from taking part in the battle. They must ensure that only qualified soldiers take up the fight. A believer is a qualified soldier if he can devote himself completely to the Lord, without having to deal with anything else ( ). This means that he goes into the battle in complete confidence on the Lord and only focused on Him. The officers do not prohibit these categories from participating, but suggest that they first deal with the situation they have just found themselves in. These are people who have recently entered into a new situation to which certain expectations apply, expectations not yet realized by such as these. It concerns those who have 1. built a new house, 2. planted a vineyard, and 3. become engaged to a woman. Anyone who has built a new house, but has not yet lived in it, may first move into it. This can be applied to someone who has just been converted. As a result he has come to live in the house of God. Now such a person must learn how to behave in that house ( ). The saying that we are ‘saved to save’ may sound good, but doesn’t originate from the Word of God. A person must first learn to take his place in the local church. Only then can he go out. Also someone who has planted a vineyard, but has not yet enjoyed its fruit, need not join the battle. He may wait for the first fruit to enjoy it. This waiting time can be as long as five years ( ). Wine is a picture of joy ( ). Here is the lesson that first we can and must enjoy the blessings ourselves in order to be able to distribute them. We can’t testify truthfully to something we haven’t enjoyed the experience of ourselves. Someone who is engaged to a woman, also, need not join the battle ( ). He may first marry and rejoice in intimacy with his wife; this includes sexual intercourse. The joy of sexual intercourse in marriage is also associated with the conception of offspring. It is the experience of the intimacy of love with the resulting fruit. This can be applied to the experience of the fellowship with the Lord Jesus and the fruit that this produces for Him. The exercise of fellowship with the Lord Jesus must come first. Then one can set of to the battle. Another category is mentioned in . Everyone will have been afraid in the fight once. However, if someone is marked by a spirit of fear, the Lord cannot use him. Such a person may go back home. Paul acts as an officer when he sends John Mark back home ( ). Mark spent some time with Paul, but the hardships have become too much for him ( ). Being a Christian cost him too much. Taking someone like him to the work poses more of a hindrance than a help to the furtherance of the gospel. With Gideon we too see the effect of this verse. He receives from the LORD the instruction to act according to the directions of this verse. As a result, no less than 22,000 men have dropped out of his already small army ( )! After everyone has had the opportunity to make a personal decision not to take part in the battle, the battle can begin. The army is provided with army commanders. They go first and are examples for the soldiers who follow. They do not define the way of fighting. God does.

‏ Deuteronomy 20:5-8

The Officers Speak to the People

After the priest, the officers speak to the people. The priest encourages in view of the battle. The officials discourage certain categories from taking part in the battle. They must ensure that only qualified soldiers take up the fight. A believer is a qualified soldier if he can devote himself completely to the Lord, without having to deal with anything else (2Tim 2:4). This means that he goes into the battle in complete confidence on the Lord and only focused on Him.

The officers do not prohibit these categories from participating, but suggest that they first deal with the situation they have just found themselves in. These are people who have recently entered into a new situation to which certain expectations apply, expectations not yet realized by such as these. It concerns those who have

1. built a new house,

2. planted a vineyard, and

3. become engaged to a woman.

Anyone who has built a new house, but has not yet lived in it, may first move into it. This can be applied to someone who has just been converted. As a result he has come to live in the house of God. Now such a person must learn how to behave in that house (1Tim 3:15). The saying that we are ‘saved to save’ may sound good, but doesn’t originate from the Word of God. A person must first learn to take his place in the local church. Only then can he go out.

Also someone who has planted a vineyard, but has not yet enjoyed its fruit, need not join the battle. He may wait for the first fruit to enjoy it. This waiting time can be as long as five years (Lev 19:23-25). Wine is a picture of joy (Jdg 9:13a). Here is the lesson that first we can and must enjoy the blessings ourselves in order to be able to distribute them. We can’t testify truthfully to something we haven’t enjoyed the experience of ourselves.

Someone who is engaged to a woman, also, need not join the battle (Deu 24:5). He may first marry and rejoice in intimacy with his wife; this includes sexual intercourse. The joy of sexual intercourse in marriage is also associated with the conception of offspring. It is the experience of the intimacy of love with the resulting fruit. This can be applied to the experience of the fellowship with the Lord Jesus and the fruit that this produces for Him. The exercise of fellowship with the Lord Jesus must come first. Then one can set of to the battle.

Another category is mentioned in Deu 20:8. Everyone will have been afraid in the fight once. However, if someone is marked by a spirit of fear, the Lord cannot use him. Such a person may go back home. Paul acts as an officer when he sends John Mark back home (Acts 15:38). Mark spent some time with Paul, but the hardships have become too much for him (Acts 13:13). Being a Christian cost him too much. Taking someone like him to the work poses more of a hindrance than a help to the furtherance of the gospel.

With Gideon we too see the effect of this verse. He receives from the LORD the instruction to act according to the directions of this verse. As a result, no less than 22,000 men have dropped out of his already small army (Jdg 7:3)!

After everyone has had the opportunity to make a personal decision not to take part in the battle, the battle can begin. The army is provided with army commanders. They go first and are examples for the soldiers who follow. They do not define the way of fighting. God does.