The following are instructions to the
Israelites about all the battles that they would be fighting. These are rules
concerning the men who would go to battle. The Bible says in Deuteronomy
20:5-8, And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man
is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and
return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.[6]
And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it?
let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and
another man eat of it.[7] And what man is there that hath betrothed a
wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die
in the battle, and another man take her.[8] And the officers shall speak
further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful
and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's
heart faint as well as his heart. If someone had just
built a new house, he would not have to go off to battle, because he deserved a
chance to enjoy his new home. If someone had just planted a new vineyard, he
would not have to go off to battle, because he deserved a chance to wait until
he had enjoyed the first harvest. And if someone had just been engaged to a
woman who would be his bride, he would not have to off to battle either,
because he deserved the chance to get married and enjoy being with his new
wife. War is cruel and people will get killed in war. Even though war is
inevitable in the age in which we live, the sufferings that war can cause
should be reduced where possible. God wants people to enjoy the blessings of
life as much as they can. Even Jesus said, I
am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Deuteronomy 20V8 gives one other
reason that certain men should not go to battle. It says, What man is
there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house,
lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. Some men
just would not make good soldiers. Fear is not a good emotion for anyone to
have, and certainly not someone who is going to battle. Another problem with
fear is that it can be contagious. A little leaven leaveneth
the whole loaf. Error spreads. Fear spreads. Courage and goodness and boldness
also spread from one person to another. No wonder Jesus kept telling the
apostles, Fear not. Jesus wants good soldiers in His army. We are involved in
the greatest war of all: good against evil.
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 20:9, And it shall
be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they
shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
God establishes hierarchies. Everyone has a boss. Even the president is
responsible to the people. And of course, everyone has God over them. That is
probably one of the reasons for having people in authority: it symbolizes Gods
authority. It says in Romans 13:1-7, Let
every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God:
the powers that be are ordained of God.[2] Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth
the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves
damnation.[3] For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the
evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and
thou shalt have praise of the same:[4] For he is the minister of God to
thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain:
for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil.[5] Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but
also for conscience sake.[6] For for this
cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually
upon this very thing.[7] Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to
whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Believers should be the best citizens no matter what
country they live in.
The Bible says in Deuteronomy
20:10-15, When thou comest nigh unto a city to
fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.[11] And it shall be, if
it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all
the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall
serve thee.[12] And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make
war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:[13] And when the LORD thy
God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof
with the edge of the sword:[14] But the women, and the little ones, and
the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou
take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the
LORD thy God hath given thee.[15] Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities
which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
God made the Israelites the most powerful people in the region, especially when
they first went into the land of Canaan. The Israelites would have remained the
most powerful, if they had continued to keep their hearts right with the Lord.
God gave the Israelites the power and authority to conquer every city in their
region. God does that. God raises up one nation and casts down another. But
before Israel conquered any given city, they had to offer that city the chance
to surrender. That somewhat symbolizes how salvation works. Every person who is
not saved is at enmity with God. When they come to Christ, they make their peace
with God. If they do not make peace with God, judgment will eventually fall on
them. As an exception to some of the harshness that we often see in the Old
Testament, the Israelites were told that with these particular cities, they
were to spare the lives of the women and children. They were only allowed to
kill the soldiers of those cities who refused to surrender.
Regarding other cities that were
closer to Israel, the Bible says in Deuteronomy 20:16-18, But of the
cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an
inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:[17]
But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites,
the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD
thy God hath commanded thee:[18] That they teach you not to do after all
their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin
against the LORD your God. These verses show us the difference between the Old
Testament and the New Testament. Most nations do not conduct war in this way in
the age in which we live. Thank God for that. Thank God that Jesus did bring
the new covenant and changed things. Jesus brought us a new age: very much
different from the old. But there is a spiritual lesson behind what was done.
Of course, God determines when everyone dies. God gives life and God takes it.
But in addition to that truth, we are told exactly why the Israelites were
commanded to thoroughly destroy their enemies: false teachings. It says in
verse 18, That they teach you not to do
after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should
ye sin against the LORD your God. O how much
God hates false teaching and loves good teaching. False teaching does so much
harm, and good teaching does so much good. No wonder that Paul wrote to Timothy
by the Holy Spirit, Preach the Word, be
instant in season, out of season.
The Bible says in Deuteronomy
20:19-20, When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war
against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an
axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down
(for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:[20]
Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not
trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build
bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
The Israelites were told to be careful with the trees, even in time of war. War
should never be a total slash and burn policy where everything in an armys
path is destroyed. Some trees could be cut down, but not all of them. One of
the responsibilities that God has given to all people is to take care of the
world. God created this world and then God put man on it. If you want to serve
God faithfully in all ways, make sure you take proper care of the part of the
world where God has placed you. God has given fruit tress because He wants them
to bear fruit. God does not want them to be destroyed. He wants them to be
fruitful. There is a spiritual lesson there. Jesus wants believers to bear
fruit also. Once you have been saved through faith in Christ, the Lord is
working in your life so that you will bear more fruit.
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 21:1-9,
If
one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess
it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:[2] Then
thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the
cities which are round about him that is slain:[3] And it shall be, that
the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall
take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in
the yoke;[4] And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer
unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the
heifer's neck there in the valley:[5] And the priests the sons of Levi
shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him,
and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy
and every stroke be tried:[6] And all the elders of that city, that are next
unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in
the valley:[7] And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed
this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.[8] Be merciful, O LORD, unto
thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy
people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.[9] So
shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt
do that which is right in the sight of the LORD. These verses
concentrate on one great spiritual principle: every wrong must be righted.
Every sin must be dealt with. This is the responsibility of man because it is
the responsibility of God. God is over all. God looks down on the earth at
every person and every deed that is ever done. God is holy. God is the judge.
Every wrong will be righted. Justice demands it. God demands it, and He is the
boss. Every sin must be forgiven, because the sins that are not forgiven must
be punished. That truth should drive you to repent of your sins. That truth
should also drive every believer to pray that Gods mercy fall upon the land
around us because of all the sins that have been committed that have not been
repented of.
In these verses in Deuteronomy we are
talking about the sin of murder: the murder of an innocent person. Murder is a
particularly terrible sin because God gives life, and only God should take
life. Man has no right to commit murder under any circumstances. God loves
every person that He created, and God wants everyone to live life to the
fullest. Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly. When an innocent person is murdered, the blood cries out for
justice and for punishment. God hears that cry and will avenge that murder. In
the time in which we live there are so many murders like that. We must be ever
mindful of the fact of how much we rely upon the mercy of God through Christ,
not only for our own lives, but also for our community and our country.
___________________________________________________
Copyright; 2015 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved