Scripture
Deuteronomy 20
Going to War
1 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. 2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. 3 He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. 4 For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
5 The officers shall say to the army: "Has anyone built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may dedicate it. 6 Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. 7 Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her." 8 Then the officers shall add, "Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his brothers will not become disheartened too." 9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.
10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
16 However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. 17 Completely destroy [a]them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.
19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?[b] 20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.
Observation
God’s instruction for corporate warfare is unique.
1. God ensures that we know He is with us and not to be afraid.(v1)
2. God then instructs the priests (pastors) to pray for us not to be fainthearted, afraid, terrified, and panic when we go in battle because God goes with us, fights for us and give us victory.(v2-4)
3. In v4-7 God then gives the officers (leaders) with a checklist. If we do not follow this checklist, we are asked not to fight because we will die and someone else will enjoy our belongings. We must:
i. Dedicate our houses to him.
ii. Harvest the fruit of our labour.
iii. Marry if we are engaged.
4. If we are afraid or fainthearted after all the assurances God has given us, we are asked not to fight (v8) because we will influence others and they will become like us.
5. God instructs officers to appoint commanders over the army. (v9)
6. God is gracious enough to offer peace before engaging in war. If war still goes on, God is still gracious because minimizes bloodshed.
7. There is an exception if the land is for inheritance where everything that breathes must be killed. (v16) This is because he wants to purge out all evil in the city. God wants us to be holy. Holiness is Gods priority. If we do not purge evil, we will learn and practice evil. This is proven to be constant throughout scripture.
8 God also protects the environment. He instructs us not to chop trees, only those we need. This is because trees are not people. We must be concerned to our environment.
Application
1. I must not be afraid because God is with me and is fighting for me to give me victory.
2. I must always consult my pastors and leaders for prayer and advice.
3. I must dedicate my belongings to Him. It will help me to remember that he gave it to me.
4. I must not blindly go into battle. If I am not ready, I must equip myself because I’ll cause others to stumble.
5. I must purge out evil in my life. If not I’ll be influenced.
6. I must love God’s creation. I must use it wisely.
Response
Lord, I thank you for being with me always. Thank you for providing me with able pastors and leaders that I can always turn to. Teach me to always be accountable to my pastors and leaders. I praise you that everything I am and have is yours. Thank you for your providence. Help me to use my gifts to glorify your kingdom. Help me to equip myself before engaging in battles. Help me to be humble and wait if I’m not ready give me courage if I am. Let me be holy before you. Teach me to purge all evil in my life. Teach me to use your creation wisely. Help me not waste and ruin the environment. In Jesus name I pray, amen
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