Pondering God (Part 23)

23 May. Continuing our study of God. He is a man of war. A warrior. A battler. God gets involved in situations, for His name's sake, and fights. Maybe you are imagining a scene from Game of Thrones or Superman, El Cid or Star Wars. Each of those has some mystery like the Heavenly battle and the Heavenly Battler. But it's not quite right.

There is justice, after all, which matters and the whole idea of God doing things for His own glory, and for His people. I imagine the similarities can be visible. 

But it's more than that. After the Jewish people escaped Egypt in about 1500 BCE, in the original Exodus, Moses leads the people in song. Not bad for an 80-year-old crooner. One line is "The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name." (Exodus 15.3)

This shout of exaltation is as big as a GOOOOOOOOAAAAALLL by a World Cup announcer. It's as noisy as a chest-beating self-congratulations by Lebron James after taking Game 4 in the Eastern finals in the NBA. 

Moses is making God's name known in the Red Sea, as they cross from Egypt into the wilderness. Listen to other phrases in that song. "He is highly exalted", "He has hurled the horse and rider into the sea." And again, "Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. "

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous of the Lord. 

Earlier this month I quoted Zephaniah 3 as God is Singer. Here, Moses joins in that Song of Praise to the Almighty. Zephaniah said, "Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, o daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.
The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. " (3.14-17)

The victory and the Lord and the singing and the shouting...it's all merged. 

But it's not only a contest of physical and brute strength. It's a matter of honour and holiness and living right before God. 

How are you doing on that one?

God will be the warrior; He will win battles in His name for you. Your job? Stand with Him, love Him, and keep clean.