Often we give great value to preparation, strategy. We spend time on scheduling and planning, resource allocation, capital allotment and resource allocation. We evaluate logical sequence, possibilities, human resource planning and mapping. We critically evaluate location, appropriate technology, cost benefit analysis and various other aspects etc. While all these are important, it’s good to remember in spite of many/all these being good, victory can be elusive.
In this blog post we go through real life situations and then glean or conclude what’s superior. Should what is superior be the first priority along with others making victory a greater certainty.
Let us go through the details of the war between King Asa of Judah and King Zerah of Ethiopia. King Asa had an army of 580K well trained soldiers. An army of 300K men of Judah that carried targets and spears; and from the tribe of Benjamin 280K that bare shields and draw bows.Totally 580K men who were men of great valour.
King Zerah from Ethiopia came with 1 Million men, 300 chariots. He set his troops in a battle array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
King Asa knew the numbers, the superior size of the enemy’s army. He knew military formations. He knew that with all what the enemy brought to the battleground in numbers and in terms of strategy of formation it was powerful. Thus he knew who was more likely to win.
Hence King Asa cried out to God. He said in prayer. Lord God, you know it is no different for you to help with many or with few, with strong or with the weak. Help us Lord God. We trust in you. We rest in you. In your name we go against this enemy which has a stronger army, greater in numbers of soldiers and many chariots . Oh Lord, you are our God. Let no man prevail against thee, Oh Lord.
Let not anyone who is in the battlefield belonging to us turn back like Lot’s wife. Let not anyone who is on the housetop come down to take them away. King Asa cried desperately. But he cried with expectation. If you read the passage you will see faith empowered statements, arising from having known many testimonies which were being remembered when he made this desperate prayer.
We know what followed – the Lord struck the Ethopians before Asa and Judah and the Ethopians fled.
The Ethiopians were overthrown. They were defeated by the Lord and His army. They could not recover. King Asa carried away much spoils including livestock, sheep and camels in abundance from defeating the Ethiopian King.
Reliance in God is the superior matter. Always in every matter, in every situation rely on God.
Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. ( 2 Chronicles 16: 8 NKJV)
But the same King Asa, when faced with a threat from King Baasha, King of Israel, instead of relying on God, sought help from the King Ben-Hadad from Syria. So relying on God should be practised in an ongoing manner so that this becomes a lifestyle.
This is a great promise we can choose to claim for our lives.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. ( 2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV)
This is the AMPC Bible version of the same verse. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.
Like these there are many incidents in the Bible and in our lives. You can discover them as you diligently read the Bible. I will definitely be writing them. Do remember discovering them yourself the joy would be much greater.
May the Holy Spirit remind you to trust in the Lord God with all your understanding. Let us not make the mistake of leaning on our limited understanding.
