This Means War

With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes. [Psalm 60.12]

The context of this Psalm (song) is war.  It is about killing enemies in combat and taking possession of what was theirs.  This means war.

The careful reader will note however that this song is not about holy war - it is not about religious enforcement.  The conquests David sang about were about annexation and control of land.  Never was the purpose to convert the occupants of such lands to Judaism.  It was about real estate.  It was about control.  It was about having a place where Israel could enjoy the blessings of their relationship with God in freedom.

The dominion David speaks of in Psalm 60 involved hand-to-hand (physical ) combat and bloodshed.  The battlefields were not beautiful, but instead were grim pictures of harsh physical conflict high in fatalities.  There were no clean bullet holes in the bodies but rather gaping flesh wounds from spears, arrows, clubs, and swords.  Although Israel believed and declared that God was their strength, they realized His strength through their methods and tools of war.  These methods and tools were mostly bloody and gruesome.

My point?

Although Israel had a relationship with God that was in fact spiritual and religious, their invasion, occupancy and control of the Promised Land was purely physical and purely business. 

Do modern God-followers today dare seek victory and dominion as a matter of business in order to acquire and maintain freedom to follow God?  The Founding Fathers of the United States did.

Father, it seems critical to me today to seek Your wisdom and guidance for the days and circumstances ahead.  Show me Your ways...