GOD'S OWN INVOLVEMENT WITH 'WAR'.

A ~ EXAMPLES OF ‘WARS’ EXCLUSIVELY CONDUCTED BY GOD!
 [Please see 'WAR in the Tanakh' ~re ~Definitions and Causes of War.]

FIRST Note: In Jeremiah 51: 56, one of the special Names of God, is ‘YAWEH GEMULAH’, ‘ADONAI/ LORD of RETRIBUTION’.
~ Our Holy ADONAI is a just God against SIN. ~
Here are some Examples from the Tanakh, [O.T.]

1. The Flood.
Genesis 6:5-7, “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the Earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved…' I will wipe mankind that I have created from the face of the Earth – men and animals… and birds… for I am grieved'.”
> There are huge amounts of evidence ~ (from geology and histories of indigenous people's around the world), that the Flood was a worldwide event and changed the entire Earth, by new weather patterns and other Global effects.
> Christian scientists have detected these severe changes.
Check out http://www.allaboutgod.com/ [Type in: 'Biblical Flood' for more.]

2. The total destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 18: 20 records a conversation with Abraham, “The LORD said, ‘the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah are so great and their sin is so grievous, I will go down and see… then I will know’,” Genesis 19: 1 – 29. Then God used 'His WMD' - which only He could use because He is Holy.
> “The LORD rained down burning sulphur on Sodom and Gomorrah.”  

3. The 10 Plagues of Egypt, described in Exodus chapters 7 - 11 as those terrible plagues you may have looked at during 'Passover/ Pasach' - were all specifically against some filthy and evil 'gods' of Egypt. Remember? The river, 'Hopi' (which was turned to blood), the goddess 'Haqt' of frogs, and then gnats, and 6 more, until the 10th one which was a big test for the Israelites.
Yet the Israelis alone, were NOT affected by the last 7 plagues because God punished only the prosperous but wicked land of Egypt after many years of God's patience, and cruel treatment of the Hebrew People, called 'Israelites'.
So God protected, the imperfect Israelite People, (so they could not even fight) ~ all because of His promises to Avraham, Isaac and Yacov, and for His hopeful love of this chosen Nation of people!

> You will see ADONAI will do the same for Israel, in this Millennium!
First in weakening Israel's friendly nations, and dealing with Iran's Leaders; as described in 4 ways, described by the Prophet Jeremiah, 49: 37!
Secondly [as described in Ezekiel 38 & 39] by wiping out Israel's enemies in a huge earthquake.

4. The complete destruction of Egypt’s army at the Read Sea. 
Just read Exodus 14: 18-31! “The Egyptians were fleeing… The LORD swept them into the sea… the entire army of Pharaoh… not one of them survived!”

> Only a very powerful and Holy GOD could do a thing like that!

5. Years later, God used ‘panic tactics’ against the Aramean army in the time of Elisha as 2 Kings 7 tells.
 “The LORD had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army… So they got up and fled in the dusk…and ran for their lives!’
 It took 4 starving lepers to bravely enter the camp to discover what God alone had done to Israel’s huge enemy army in one night. Completely routed!
Yet God did this for Israel other times, as well, and will do it once more, soon!
See Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39.

> 2 Kings 7, is a great story to read! Please read it for yourself.

6. Again (in the time of king Hezekiah of Judah), 2 Kings 19:35 tells how “the Angel of the LORD went out and put to death 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp”, so saving Israel from even needing to fight!
Isaiah 37:36 reports God’s promise, “I will defend this City and save it,” but we should note first in chapter 37: 21 -38 ~

>It was in answer to the king’s urgent prayer in which he used God's Name 12 times!

7. Yet there was a time when God punished Israel after a long time.
Sadly there were times when the LORD fought the disobedience and lack of truthful dependence in His own People…. in the desert, (Numbers 11:33, 14:37 & 16:46) Later, 70,000 “men of Israel” died in the time of King David. (2 Samuel 24:15  & 16, & 1 Chronicles 21:13-15.) How seriously we need to take the significant words of a Rabbi Paul, in 1st Century C.E.  “See that you don’t reject the One Who spoke. For if those did not escape who rejected Him when He gave Divine warning on Earth – think how much less we will escape if we turn away from Him when He warns from Heaven…”  

This warning ends with the truth, “Our God is a consuming fire!”
NOTE: The mystery of the Suffering of Jewish people is given in the warnings of the Prophets in the Tanakh, over and over again, even if you only read just Isaiah and Jeremiah! GOD ALWAYS warns His own Believing People, first!
> Because God is Holy He hates sin! But remember God’s enormous mercy, too! Today He is warning us of coming wars, and troubles.

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B. GOD EVEN USED ‘1 PERSON’ ISRAELI  'ARMIES' AS WELL ~ TOLD OF IN THE TANAKH!
Sometimes the most surprising people!
Also most amazing weapons ~ just faith in God,
and what was available!

1. Shamgar, probably a foreigner, now a leader in Israel saved the nation, in Judges 3:31, he “struck 600 Philistines with an ox-goad”. 
Good work! I hope he got a medal!

2. A strong woman, prevented a cruel fate for her city in Judges 9:52-55…” Abimelech [a very cruel and evil man] went to the tower and stormed it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull". He didn’t die straight away, but he did not want it to look as if it was a woman who’d killed him so he got a servant to stab him to death. ”When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home”. What a good idea!

3. Samson killed 1000 Philistine enemies with the jawbone of a donkey! (Judges 15: 15.) Some soldiers have a mixture of good deeds and sometimes, foolish ones. Yet God can use those who finally turn to Him in sacrificial prayer as Samson did as he died.

Please note: 'Philistines' are no longer in existence. Arabs are NOT 'Philistines', but descendants of Ishmael, Genesis 21: 18 & ch 25: 12 -18.

4. Elisha captured the God-blinded enemies in 2 Kings 6:8-23 and deflected war by kindness! “As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed, ‘strike these people with blindness.’ So God did - allowing Elisha to lead them all away to the main city, Samaria, where he prayed again, “’LORD open the eyes of these men so they can see’.” Now the king offered to kill them.
But Elisha had a better idea – which the king did – making a great feast for them, and sending them home to their master!
 [Talk about ‘how to win friends and influence people’ – but sadly – it is not always feasible to do this with fanatics!]  Yet in modern times Israel has given top medical care to Arab Palestinians, who politically are against Israel, [although many Individual Arabs are NOT enemies, especially Arab Christians.]
 
5. Another wise woman in 2 Samuel 20: 14-22 saved her city, by the punishment of one bad man. “All the troops came… and built a siege ramp up to the city… While they were battering the wall to bring it down, a wise woman called from the city. ‘Listen, listen!’ and then asked to speak to the Leader, who agreed to listen to her, and her suggestion. The result was the death of one traitor, and so then [the Leader] “sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home.”  

> A result we would pray for, from every war and battlefield.

6. David as a young shepherd boy, visiting his soldier brothers, virtually won the war against the evil Philistines, when he killed their great [9ft tall] leader, Goliath! Read and think all about it ~ in 1st Samuel 17.

> It has been said that, “ONE PERSON, WITH GOD, IS A MAJORITY”.
Did you know that you could prove that for yourself if you trust ADONAI completely!

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C. GOD ALLOWED A ‘ CIVIL’ WAR.
 (An example of God’s permissive will, surely - but for a real reason).

> In Judges 19 & 20, is a tragic story of unspeakable cruelty against one woman, (the partner of an innocent priest) when a gang of wicked men of the tribe of Benjamin killed her.  As a result the whole of Israel came against Benjamin, a war seemingly sanctioned by God in verse 35. “The LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel…”

There was a right reason for this, and still to this time, with the re-establishment of the nation of Israel in their own Land, Israel regards the killing or kidnapping of one soldier, as very serious, even giving over enemy prisoners for the release of one soldier.

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D. AMAZING TRUE STORIES OF GOD-ASSISTED WARS. [See #3 below!]
Some wars have been specifically ordered by God to punish evil nations.

Scripture has many examples, especially those on behalf of Israel ~ God's People; ~ from the battle of Jericho ~ to the final "War of Armageddon" the last of all wars before the Return of Messiah Jesus as KING…[See Rev. 19.]

1. When Joshua was fighting the Amalekites, before the Nation had actually crossed in the "Land of Promise." There is an outstanding example of Israel winning a tough battle, just like the time God helped Joshua win a very fierce battle in answer to the intercession of Moses (and Aaron and Hur) on the hill above. The graphic story is in Exodus 17:8-15 which introduces another Name of God.

“Moses built an altar and called it– YAWEH NISSI –‘THE LORD MY BANNER’; for hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD’.”
Prayer still wins battles!

2. The well-known story of Joshua 'fighting' the battle of Jericho, is an amazing and exciting story in Joshua chapter 6. Worth re-reading for yourself! The final conclusion one can make about this interesting story, is God can use His People to win by His miraculous help!
 MANY people believe this is how modern Israel won the first war for their survival in 1948, and each war since then!
And Israel's God is just the same today!
There are at least 2 special future 'wars' for Israel, which ADONAI will use to bless them! [See 'Future wars for Israel.']
Or, read our studies on Jer. 49: 37 - 39 about 'Iran, Israel and Egypt', here, and Ezekiel 38 & 39, about Islam in the 'Gog and Magog' War, here.

 3. God made time stand still, just to finish a Battle!!! In Joshua 10:1-15 is the amazing story of even ‘time standing still! “On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to LORD ~ in the presence of Israel: 'O sun, stand still... O moon...'
 The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. [23 hrs 40 mins.*]
There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!”  
> When scientists were using God-given rules of physics, etc to figure out the times and protectorates for sending a space vehicle on a planned mission, they were puzzled that there seemed to be a mistake in their calculations. However: "Recent research by atomic and space scientists has revealed a startling event. Whilst plotting a programme ahead for space shots and taking into account astronomy patterns over the next 2,000 years the scientists have had to look that far back, into the past. For 23 hours, 40 minutes, about 2,000 years ago, there was an unaccountable gap in the time period!
One scientist concluded that the Earth was forced into a reverse rotation sufficient to cancel out the normal movement. It questioned whether some 'heavenly body' could have caused this change in the Earthly pattern?"
We know from the accurate Biblical Record in Joshua's book,
what happened and why! ~ It was ELOHIM, The Creator of the Universe, Israel's God - ADONAI!

However ~ speaking of war we note: in this same chapter it is also recorded that more of Israel’s enemy died of the hailstones, sent by God than the soldiers!

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4. In a later event ~ * God completed the 20 minutes needed, [to complete one 24 hour day *] by giving Hezekiah, King of Judah a sign to re-assure him, "That the LORD will do what He has promised."
He did this by stopping the shadow on the sun dial from moving, to complete the needed 20 minutes for one day, at that time as a sign to the king of God's reliability! Read the whole event Isaiah 38: 7 & 8. "So the sunlight went back the 10 steps it had gone down." Only GOD could do that!

NOTE: These stories indicate that it is right to PRAY for the LORD’S help in a war, especially on behalf of His People,
plus the honour of God’s NAME!
NOTE: ANOTHER SPECIAL NAME FOR ADONAI. It is in Judges 6: 24: 'YAWEH SHALOM' ~ 'The God of PEACE', ~ also given in other places in the TANAKH ~ Emphasising God's real Character and desires!

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WHAT GOD'S PROPHETS SAID ABOUT WARS.

1. All through the main history of ADONAI’S dealing with His chosen Nation of Israel, we see that He expected Israel to see themselves as just that – His People, through whom, He so much wanted to bless the whole world - through them!  Yet Israel failed to be obedient to God and His loving purpose for them, but one day they will understand and be this blessing!

2. Yet over and over again ADONAI sent prophets with an urgent call to them to fulfill the conditions He looked for – summed up by the prophet Micah.
Only this way would Israel have true peace.
> “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
 > It was never about rituals and religious regulations, but about an inner heart attitude of complete trust in El Shaddai, a God who NOT ONLY LOVED people but also looked for love from His loved People! Real Love to Himself, and to each other. NOT outward false keeping of 'Laws' - even from the Torah! Because GOD looks at each person's heart! [1 Sam. 16: 7.]

3. The Prophet's words of warning ~ came true!
> The reality was that Israel as a Nation, (when almost everyone in Israel had forgotten about God's love), ~ Israel as a nation chose to copy the terrible - even cruel and stupid ways of other nations.
> So sadly, as a nation divided, and rebellious, some 582 years BCE, ADONAI finally fulfilled the warnings He had given, [because He is Holy] and sent enemies to WAR against Israel and even take them away into Exile!  > Yet God brought many of the Jewish Nation back to their own Land at the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, for over 400 years, ready for the coming of their Messiah, Yeshua/ Jesus.
> The tragedy was, they rejected Yeshua, so in the Common Era AD 66- 70, God allowed another WAR and the second Exile again for 2,000 yrs.

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Yet GOD GAVE OTHER MESSAGES of FUTURE BLESSING for ISRAEL!

Only in the last 200 years or so, amazingly ~ the Jewish People have been able to establish their own Nation, in part of their own Land! This was announced by David Ben Gurion in May 1948, a modern miracle!
Sadly this has resulted in a number of wars and even terrorist attacks against them, though even then ~ God was helping them.
Now in this 21st Century, God is still helping and supervising the events to give them ALL their own Land, quieten their enemies right down, and best of all use all these events to bring God's People ~ "His Treasures" ~ back to Himself, as their Loving Father and God, through their recognition of Who Yeshua is! Just as Joseph who became a Ruler in Egypt revealed himself to his Family, and finally delivered them from disaster, so Yeshua/ Jesus the Messiah will do the same deliverance from wars, and bring all Jewish people to God! See Ezekiel 39: 29, Romans ch. 11, Joel 2: 28 - 32.

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For more about 'Future wars for Israel' click here, please.
 [If you want to contact us to make a comment on this study, please give the name of it to us. Thanks for that!] For your encouragement read Psalm 86.

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