idols

Fighting the War

~ mercyfortheday ~ 1 Comment

When you read Numbers 31, you will find that God sent twelve thousand Israelite men to fight the five tribes of Midian. One thousand men from each of the twelve tribes fought the Midianites who were ruled by five kings. To understand why God wanted the Israelites to destroy the Midianites, we need to look at history.

God directed Abraham to leave the land of his forefathers to move to an unknown location. God told Abraham that he would show him where to go. And he did. Abraham, his wife Sarah and nephew Lot left the land of Haran and set out for Canaan. Due to a famine, they went through Egypt and landed in the hill country east of Bethel. Both Abraham and Lot owned large herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, so they decided to split up instead of sticking together. Lot chose the more fertile land of the Jordan Valley, leaving Abraham to settle in Canaan.

Lot and his wife had two daughters. They eventually moved into the town of Sodom, which became so evil that God declared he would destroy it. He sent angels to warn Lot and his family to leave the town immediately, so he and his wife and daughters were forced to flee the next morning. The two men engaged to Lot’s daughters refused to leave with them. And as Lot and his family were running for the hills, his wife turned to look back at the destruction. God had strictly warned them against this, and she turned into a pillar of salt right on the spot. Lot and the girls kept moving forward.

The story turns very sordid, because the daughters knew they would never find other men to marry them and have families. They somehow decided to get their father drunk and sleep with him. And, lo and behold, they both became pregnant. By their father. They each had a son, and the boys were named Moab and Ammon.

The Israelites were descendants of Abraham who had one son, Isaac, with Sarah. Isaac’s son Jacob had twelve sons. These twelve sons and their descendants were the nation of Israel. After Abraham’s wife Sarah died, he had several sons with Keturah. One son named Midian then had five sons, who were named kings over their own tribes.

God commanded Israel to destroy the Midianites because their women had seduced the Israelites into idolatry and sexual immorality. God would have none of it, and they had to be destroyed for their evil behavior and influence over his chosen people. During the battle, Balaam a Moabite, was killed along with the Midianite man and the five kings. Balaam was a key figure in Midian’s fight against Israel. He had been very influential in advising the Midianites on how to turn the Israelites away from worshipping the One True God to worshipping false gods. He had encouraged the Midianite women to seduce the Israelite men into sexual immorality and idol worship.

The Israelites won their battle that day by killing the Midianite men. Then the Israelites took all the Midianite women and children captive and plundered Midian, taking all the cattle, flocks and goods. And finally, they burned what was left. Upon the order of Moses, all the Midianite women who were not virgins and boys were killed, as well. Only the virgin girls were allowed to live. This may seem extremely harsh, but God does not play around with the worship of false gods. He will exact revenge however he deems best, and the Midianite women were the instruments used to entice the Israelite men away from serving God. The Midianite culture taught boys to avenge their father’s death, so they too were a continual threat. It’s a gruesome story, but God was fed up with any evil nation that would lead his chosen people, the Israelites, to bow down to other gods. He would not stand for it.

Although they had not been instructed to kill the women and children, the women were not allowed to live because of their earlier participation in leading the Israelites into sin. God exacted the appropriate punishment upon them and used Moses to correct that wrong in a mighty way. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t fun, but it was necessary in order to wipe out the threat of the Midianites.

When they went home and all the Israelite soldiers were counted, not one of them had been killed. Yes. All twelve thousand soldiers survived this huge battle. Oh. Some may have been injured. And I’m sure there was physical, mental and emotional trauma they dealt with. But none of them died. We would ask today how that could happen. But let’s look at the source of their strength. The giver of life and the taker of life won the battle through them. Supernatural protection by our God Almighty is real. God’s vast providence and protection in the battle was immense in preparing the Israelites in future battles against the Canaanites.

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God. Psalms 42:5

Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, came near to Moses and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us. Numbers 31:48-49

You can read the full story of the Israelite victory over Midian in Numbers 31.

We may ask what this story tells us today about our fight with sin and temptation and disobedience to God.

When we walk faithfully with God, we will fight many spiritual battles in our lives. They don’t have to destroy us. We may walk away from those battles with scars and wounds, hurts and aches. But we will survive them. With God’s help, we can be victorious over the tests and temptations thrown at us. We can stomp on Satan’s plan to destroy us and come out walking closer to the Lord. He is with us in our battles and he will fight for us.

In this historical story of the battle with the Midianites, the Israelites were led by God to eliminate these enemies who had swayed their hearts from serving God. Sure. They won the battle, but there was still a cleansing to be done. They not only divided the spoils of war with the people, the officers generously gave an offering to the Lord in gratitude for his provision and protection. They showed a reverent obedience to the God who had spared their lives.

We too must live and act in gratitude for Jesus’ sacrificial gift of dying on the cross for our sins. It was a necessary, painful death required by his Heavenly Father. We too may be asked to suffer for our Lord and Savior. Will we be faithful in our calling to serve him regardless of the cost?

We must prepare for spiritual battles on a daily basis. We must stay in prayer, asking for God’s provision and protection in our battles. We must surround ourselves with godly people who can mentor and support us. We must remain in God’s Word, taking life from his message of forgiveness, hope, sacrifice, justice and mercy. With God’s help, we can be victors over Satan’s ploys.

Read God’s Word attentively. It gives a history of the most remarkable battles between the great soldiers of Christ and their adversary Satan. You can read how Satan has foiled them and how they recovered lost ground. There is not a lust of which you are in danger, but you have it disclosed; there is not a temptation which the Word of God does not arm you against. ~William Gurnell, The Christian in Complete Armour

The Foolishness of Idols

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We’ve been told in the Old Testament that manufactured idols can do nothing for us. Oh. Those who lived during those ancient times tried and failed to achieve anything with their prayers and sacrifices to their handmade idols. But it didn’t stop them from repeatedly worshiping these fake gods. There were those who actually made and sold the idols as a career. They believed these handcrafted objects could save them from war and disease and famine and anything else they didn’t want. They thought these idols would bless their families and their crops and their lives in untold ways. They bowed and worshiped a piece of wood they had carved into an inanimate object. And those objects. Those idols did nothing for them. Nothing at all.

The Israelites had been warned many times about their habit of idol worship. Through the years, many prophets had blasted their disobedience to God and warned of the impending punishment. But the people didn’t listen. It seemed easier and more convenient for them to bow to an image that couldn’t speak or move. After all, an image that can’t speak or move can’t convict you of your sins. It won’t bring shame or guilt onto your disobedient heart. It won’t even hear you when you cry for help. But the Israelites worshiped their idols and wouldn’t turn back to God.

This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!” How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don’t know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god— an idol that cannot help him one bit? All who worship idols will be disgraced along with all these craftsmen—mere humans— who claim they can make a god. They may all stand together, but they will stand in terror and shame. Isaiah 44:6-11

We may think modern societies don’t worship idols. Especially nations that call themselves Christian. We may believe we worship the One True God and him alone. But when we look at our lifestyle. Our goals. Our wants. Our deepest longings. What do we see? Where are we headed? What is it in life that fully satisfies us? What do we call sacred?

The thing about idols. They can’t make anything happen, because they need someone to make them. They can’t make themselves, and they will wear out and possibly break. In other words, they’re useless. Who but a fool would make their own god?

Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain. Isaiah 57:13

Idolatry. The worship of an image built on man’s imagination is a severe act of rebellion against God. An idol doesn’t have to be manufactured out of wood or stone or metal or ceramic. Idolatry is the act of giving sacred value or power over to something or someone other than God. We may worship our best friend. Or our spouse. Or our job. Or our fancy car. Or that designer handbag. Or our closet full of clothes. Or that sports team. Or that hobby. What holds sway over your life in the place of God? Where do you look for security and happiness? What do you bow down to?

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! Psalms 95:6-7

The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, “Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?” The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?” Isaiah 44:19-20

Just as God warned his chosen people, the Israelites, that they must not worship other gods, he is telling us the same thing. The first and second commandments warn that we must have no other gods or idols. But we, like the Israelites, have chosen to place other gods above the One True God. And, unless we repent, there is punishment for that act of disobedience. God allowed his chosen nation to be attacked over and over in an attempt to make them see the error of their ways. Oh sure. They repented of their sins for a time, but they continued to return to their false gods.

We can’t think that we’re safe from God’s punishment for our waywardness as a nation and as individuals. Just as Israel did, we will bring disaster upon ourselves if we continue down the path we’re on. The truth will catch up with us sooner or later. And while it’s still today, we have time to repent and turn from our wicked ways. God is a jealous God, and he wants the hearts of all nations to bow to him. And they will. At the appointed time, every knee will bow. Why not today?

“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk! What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:18-20

Many times we’re seeking God, but we don’t realize it. There is a deep longing, a yearning inside each of us that is looking to be filled and satisfied. And we search and search for the answer. We look in the oddest places to find fulfillment. We choose the most unsatisfying activities or items to try to fill that longing. We look for relationships or people who are broken to make us whole, and they’re not whole themselves. We aren’t happy. We blame others for our problems. We seek comfort in the wrong places. Nothing we try fills us. There is no manmade idol that can comfort us. That can forgive us. That can love us. Only God can do that. Only God will satisfy our souls.

Continue seeking Him with seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him.

C.S. Lewis