To get his people ready for battle, the Lord asks a priest to encourage them before they face the enemy. First, he grabs their attention with a call to listen.
He then uses four related verbs: fainthearted, afraid, terrified, and panic. He stresses that Israel has nothing to fear because Yahweh is the reason they can be fearless.
“When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots, an army larger than your own, do not fear them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel!
Today you are drawing near to do battle against your enemies. Do not lose heart or be afraid or panic or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory'” (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).
Why does the priest come and speak to the troops? It’s because the priest can say, “Hear, O Israel,” as he has heard from God and has a word from Him.
When we face our battles, the truth is we haven’t truly heard until we’ve heard from the Lord. We may not have a priest to deliver the message to us, but we should wait until we’ve heard from God before making any decisions.
Who Should Stay Home
Next, the priest announces who should be exempt from the battle. The first three exemptions are for humanitarian reasons. The last one helps keep morale high among those who stay.
Then the officers shall address the troops, saying, ‘Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? He should go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another dedicate it.
Has anyone planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit? He should go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another be first to enjoy its fruit.
Has anyone become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? He should go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another marry her.’
The officers shall continue to address the troops, saying, ‘Is anyone afraid or disheartened? He should go back to his house, or he might cause the heart of his comrades to melt like his own.’
When the officers have finished addressing the troops, then the commanders shall take charge of them” (Deuteronomy 20:5-9).
This passage shows how important the promised land is to God. Enjoying God’s gift of land is a key theme in Deuteronomy. It would be tragic for the Israelites to die without experiencing the blessings and gifts that the war aims to secure.
We have here a wonderful look into God’s nature. He wants us to get the most out of life. Yes, there are battles to overcome, but we can walk joyfully with the Lord as we serve Him and trust His work in our lives.
Reflections
Life isn’t always a war, nor is it always a carefree walk in the park. Some days, we have to fight, and other days, we get to walk with the Lord peacefully.
This passage reminds us that God has a plan for us. He wants us to enjoy life, but there are also battles we must face.
The key to living well, whether we’re in the park or on the battlefield, is listening to the Lord.
What have you heard from the Lord today? It’s a good question to ask ourselves every day.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 