Deu 20:1-4 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter we find a people who possess the promised land and want to conquer more ( ). This is in accordance with God’s thoughts, for He wants to give expansion. Which in turn, is linked to the responsibility of man. There will be no expansion if there is no fight. These are voluntary wars, there is no obligation. That is why some exemptions are given. Additionally, to those afraid is given the opportunity to go home. There are other wars which God commands, and from which no one should escape, such as the ones against the Canaanites. We can apply this to the local church. We may ask ourselves how many believers have been added to the local church in recent years. Has the area been expanded? It has to do with our spiritual power, through which we can evince where the church stands as aligned to God’s thoughts. If there is a real desire to make that happen, it is possible to win others. Defending the truth is not only defensive, but also offensive. We can win souls through the gospel and bring them to the place God has chosen to make His Name dwell. In New Testament language, this is the bringing of those who accepted the Lord Jesus into the local church of which the Lord Jesus Himself says: “I am there in their midst” ( ). With a view to the battle, the priest first addresses the people. In , the “officers” do so. The priest encourages the people. He points to the LORD their God, Who goes with them ( ) to fight for them and to give them the victory. To know what it means that the LORD goes with them, Moses reminds the people of the redemption out of Egypt. The priest who speaks encouragements is a picture of the Lord Jesus. He encourages by His word ( ) and by His intercession ( ; ). The enemy shows himself in his power and vast array and thereby tries to impress and deter God’s people. Horses and chariots essentially make up the army of hostile nations with which Israel must deal ( ; ; ; ; ). Inclined as Israel is to be impressed by that display of strength, the priest gives a fourfold encouragement to face the enemy: 1. do not be fainthearted, 2. do not be afraid, 3. do not panic and 4. do not tremble. The reason for this is the presence of the LORD. Together with the Lord, we need not fear the greatest and most powerful enemy ( ), for he is a defeated enemy from the outset. Without the Lord, however, even the most insignificant enemy has the upper hand. Believers who encourage us as true priests, that is, from God’s presence, are urgently needed. There is no need for believers who want to impose on us a certain strategy or tactic, often derived from the model of the world. The gospel and the truth of God are not articles to be sold through management techniques. Believers who work with these means live predominantly in the presence of the world. They are under the influence of the thinking that reigns in the world, and not in the presence of the Lord and under the influence of His thinking.

‏ Deuteronomy 20:1-4

Introduction

In this chapter we find a people who possess the promised land and want to conquer more (Deu 19:8). This is in accordance with God’s thoughts, for He wants to give expansion. Which in turn, is linked to the responsibility of man. There will be no expansion if there is no fight. These are voluntary wars, there is no obligation. That is why some exemptions are given. Additionally, to those afraid is given the opportunity to go home. There are other wars which God commands, and from which no one should escape, such as the ones against the Canaanites.

We can apply this to the local church. We may ask ourselves how many believers have been added to the local church in recent years. Has the area been expanded? It has to do with our spiritual power, through which we can evince where the church stands as aligned to God’s thoughts. If there is a real desire to make that happen, it is possible to win others.

Defending the truth is not only defensive, but also offensive. We can win souls through the gospel and bring them to the place God has chosen to make His Name dwell. In New Testament language, this is the bringing of those who accepted the Lord Jesus into the local church of which the Lord Jesus Himself says: “I am there in their midst” (Mt 18:20).

Encouragement by the Priest

With a view to the battle, the priest first addresses the people. In Deu 20:5, the “officers” do so. The priest encourages the people. He points to the LORD their God, Who goes with them (Isa 41:10) to fight for them and to give them the victory. To know what it means that the LORD goes with them, Moses reminds the people of the redemption out of Egypt. The priest who speaks encouragements is a picture of the Lord Jesus. He encourages by His word (Jn 16:33) and by His intercession (Lk 22:32; Heb 7:25).

The enemy shows himself in his power and vast array and thereby tries to impress and deter God’s people. Horses and chariots essentially make up the army of hostile nations with which Israel must deal (Jos 17:16; Jdg 4:3; 1Sam 13:5; 2Sam 8:4; 1Chr 18:4 ; 1Chr 19:18). Inclined as Israel is to be impressed by that display of strength, the priest gives a fourfold encouragement to face the enemy:

1. do not be fainthearted,

2. do not be afraid,

3. do not panic and

4. do not tremble.

The reason for this is the presence of the LORD. Together with the Lord, we need not fear the greatest and most powerful enemy (2Chr 32:7), for he is a defeated enemy from the outset. Without the Lord, however, even the most insignificant enemy has the upper hand.

Believers who encourage us as true priests, that is, from God’s presence, are urgently needed. There is no need for believers who want to impose on us a certain strategy or tactic, often derived from the model of the world. The gospel and the truth of God are not articles to be sold through management techniques. Believers who work with these means live predominantly in the presence of the world. They are under the influence of the thinking that reigns in the world, and not in the presence of the Lord and under the influence of His thinking.