Alright, I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Chronicles 6. 2 Chronicles 6. We're going to read verses 34 and 35. So if you'll notice in your Bibles, 2 Chronicles 6, verses 34 and 35, Solomon is praying at the dedication of the temple. And notice, if you would, what he said in verse 34, If thy people go out to war against their enemies, by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name. Then hear thou from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause." Now, the phrase that caught my attention as I was reading through 2 Chronicles on this passage is verse 34, when he said, If thy people go out to war against their enemies, by the way that thou shalt send them." Oftentimes we hear the phrase, gone to war or sent to war. I've had numerous uncles, as well as other relatives, that were sent to war. And usually when you ask someone, well, where is so-and-so, or where is Uncle so-and-so, the response is they've gone to war, or they have been sent to war. In other words, when you say he's been sent to war, he's gone to war, it could imply an eagerness and a readiness to go, but it also could imply a necessity to go as well. Usually when someone says he was sent to war, that means he either enlisted, or he was drafted, and he was sent there by his government. The truth of the matter is this, everyone has enemies, but that does not necessarily mean that you have to war against those enemies. Likewise, governmentally speaking, all governments have enemies, but unless a government or its people are endangered, it does not necessitate a war. Now, if you've never read the speech, now it's a little booklet, by General Smedley Butler, entitled, War is a Racket. I would encourage you to read that little speech and that little book, and it's very short, because I understand that the military-industrial complex and their desires to keep wars going, because that is the way that they make profit. For them, war is profit. The death, the destruction, and the devastation does not matter to them or concern them whatsoever. The bottom line is profit. It's the same way with the pharmaceutical industry, whose bottom line is profit. And both the military-industrial complex and the pharmaceutical industry are controlled by money. It's just that simple. They want the profit. Now, there's a vast difference between what you and I would simply call war and a just war. Practically all of our wars Since the War of Northern Aggression have been unjust wars. And when I say that, an unjust war usually is when you are fighting for empire, or for profit, or for gas or oil, or a lot of our last wars have been merely for the stabilization of the petrodollar, which would be the Federal Reserve note. Now, if I remember correctly, I've dealt with this issue a number of times. In fact, I think I have 15 messages on the biblical doctrine of war. I've got two messages on the biblical doctrine of self-defense, plus numerous other messages like, Lord, teach us to fight, and how to fight like a Christian. So there are many messages that I've preached on this subject before. But what I find interesting is simply the fact that the attitudes and the thoughts that Christians have on the concept of war. In fact, very few Christians really and truly hold a biblical concept when it comes to war. There are some that are even totally pacifistic. That is, they don't believe in fighting at all. I met one of those individuals in Indiana years ago when I was preaching on Romans chapter 13. And I just simply mentioned war, I guess, and fighting, and sometimes it was necessary to do so. But after the service, I had a young man come up to me along with his wife and small children, and the first thing he told me was that he disagreed with me. He did not believe in war, period, and he did not believe in fighting or resisting whatsoever. And so I said, well, let me ask you a question. If a man, therefore, breaks into your home, And he is breaking into your home so that he might rape your wife and murder her and your children. What would you do? So help me. Here's what he said. I would not do anything. The outcome is in God's hands. I looked at him and I said, Sir, the only thing I can say is I am so thankful I'm not your wife and I'm not your child. Because, I mean, any man who would just sit by and let his wife and children be murdered, something is certainly wrong. That means most people do not understand the sixth commandment. When God says, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not murder, or Thou shalt not take life except on God's terms, that's the negative. The positive is, thou shalt preserve life. So, there's a duty and a responsibility to preserve life. Another difficult concept to grasp when it comes to this is that God oftentimes uses war. So, let me put it to you like this. War is not necessarily sinful in and of itself. It is true that there are unjust wars. It is true that many wars are just absolutely unnecessary. And these unjust and unnecessary wars are indeed sinful. But there are just and righteous wars that are not sinful. Now, if war was sinful in and of itself, then God Himself would not be engaged in them, because He is infinitely holy and righteous. May I remind you that the book of Exodus 15 and verse 3 teaches us that God is a man of war. In fact, the Bible says the Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. Consequently, God does indeed use war. And He uses war oftentimes not only for the deliverance of His people, but also for the destruction of His enemies. If you would turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Deuteronomy 4, I want you to look at verse 34, Deuteronomy 4 and verse 34, because here's an interesting verse talking about how God delivered the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. So, in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 34, the word of God says this, Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?" But notice he's saying that God brought forth the children of Israel, not only just simply by the temptations and the signs and wonders, but also by war. And in doing so, God revealed His mighty arm and His stretched out arm as well. If you would look back in your Bibles to the book of Exodus 17 and verse 16, here's another verse that we should understand in light of this. because Amalek had made war against the children of Israel. And of course, in this instance, Moses happened to defeat them. But notice, if you would, what the Bible says in verse 16. For he said, in fact let's read verse 15, And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi. For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now there's a reason for that, and I'm not going to get into that today. But Amalek is indeed a type of the flesh. But notice the Bible says the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. if you would turn in your Bibles to the book of I Chronicles 5, and look, if you would, please, at verse 22. Here's another astounding verse, I Chronicles 5, and if you'll look there at verse 22, look what the Bible says. I Chronicles 5, and verse 22. The Bible says, for there fell down many slain." Why? Because the war was of God. and they dwelt in their steds until the captivity." Note that phrase, and the war was of God. And then in the book of Numbers, you don't have to turn there, I will quote it, but in Numbers 21 and verse 14, the Bible says this, "'Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord what He did in the Red Sea and in the brook of Arnon.'" So, notice if you would, he said, Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord. Now, someone is going to say, inevitably, but, Brother Weaver, all of those are Old Testament verses. Yes, they were. And I usually respond when someone says that with this statement, we have one Bible, not two. And the Old Testament is just as much the Word of God as the New Testament. And when the Apostle Paul wrote II Timothy 3 and verse 16, when he said all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, he was referring primarily to the Old Testament because the New Testament had not been completed at that particular time. But, if you want a New Testament verse, you don't have to look any further than Revelation 19. If you will turn there, we will begin reading at verse 11, and I will show you what the Bible says concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Does Jesus Christ engage in war? And the Bible says most definitely He does. So, Revelation 19, verse 11, John writes and said, I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, that's the Lord Jesus. And in righteousness doth he judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, and in a name written which no man knew but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth the wide press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. And on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." I want you to please note that the Bible does say in verse 11 concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, that in righteousness He doth judge and make war. So, therefore, it should be understandable that God does indeed at times send His people forth to war. You say, well, Brother Weaver, I don't believe that God would ever do that. I don't believe that God would ever send someone to war. Well, the truth of the matter that you must grasp is simply this, that God does send people to war. He has done so in time past. May I remind you that He sent the Israelites against the Canaanites. They had to fight in order to conquer the land. God commanded them to. And the truth is, in one instance, God punished them for not fighting. If you'll turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Numbers, chapter 13. You remember, if you would, how God brought them into the land, and God sent out the spies. And, of course, the people themselves wanted the spies because they wanted to know which way to go up into the land. And, of course, it was Joshua and Caleb who brought forth a good report But ten of those wicked people brought forth an evil report against the land and against the Lord, and discouraged and disheartened the people. And the people, therefore, said, We're not going to fight. What we're going to do is we're going to make us a captain, and we're going to return to Egypt. So look in Numbers 13 and verse 30. Let's see. I'm in Deuteronomy. Numbers 13, look if you would please, and let's begin reading there with verse 30. The Bible says, And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report on the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land through which we have gone to search it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, And so we were in their sight." Now, continue reading. And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or, Would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return unto Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return unto Egypt." Now, God sent them to fight. God told them to go and conquer the land. They refused to fight. They said, what we need to do is make us a captain, and let's return to Egypt. Now, what was their punishment for refusing to fight? Well, look in Numbers 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 28. Look at this. They said, Would to God we had died in Egypt, or would to God we had died in this wilderness? So in Deuteronomy 14 and verse 28, God says, "'Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as you have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you. Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which you have murmured against me, Doubtless you shall not come to the land concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in the wilderness, and your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness." Now, God is judging them for their refusal to fight. And here is the sad Truth. When they heard God's punishment for their refusal to fight, they rebelled even more and determined that they were going to go ahead and fight, even though God told them not to now. So look in verse 40, And they rose up early in the morning, and got them up to the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and we will go up into the place which the LORD hath promised. For we have sinned, Moses said, Wherefore now do you transgress the commandment of the Lord? But it shall not prosper in the Lord's... You're sinning more. Don't do this. Go not up, for the Lord is not among you, that you be not smitten before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword, because you turned away from the Lord. Therefore the Lord will not be with you. But they presumed to go up into the hilltop. Nevertheless the ark of the coveted Lord and Moses departed not out of the camp. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in the hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah." Wow! So God punished them for refusing to fight, and then they tried to fight without God's permission and without God's direction, and God punished them again. So let me make a point right now that I think that this truth should be emphasized, and here it is. We must learn this truth. It is just as much a sin to go to war unsent by God as it is to be sent by God and refuse to go. So it's a sin either way. Now there's a very clear passage on this truth in which the context is hardly ever, ever considered. So you're in the book of Numbers. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 31. Here's a verse that practically every Christian can quote, or at least they can quote part of this verse. but they never, ever consider the context in which this verse is found. So, if you'll look at Numbers 31 and verse 23, look at it. Numbers 31 it is. I believe in verse 23. No, that's not it. I have the wrong verse down. I can quote it for you though. Let's see, it's Numbers 32, I think. Let me see. Yes. Numbers 32, not 31, but Numbers 32. Look at it if you would. Here's what Moses said, But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. Look at that. He said, If you will not do so, be sure your sin will find you out. So we quote that verse all the time, or at least part of it, be sure your sin will find you out. Well, that is a truth But what sin in the world is Moses talking about? Well, let's look in our Bibles in the same chapter beginning with verse 16. Watch this. And they came near unto him, and they said," Now we're talking about the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. So that's who is the they in verse 16. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones. But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place. And our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, unto the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward, because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan, eastward. And Moses said unto them, If you will do this thing, If you will go armed before the LORD to war, and will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, and the land be subdued before the LORD, and then afterwards you shall return and be guiltless before the LORD and before Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, Behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out." So Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River. All the other tribes had helped them conquer that land, because that land had previously belonged to Og and Sihon, who were kings on that side of the River Jordan. And so they come to Moses and they say, look, we've got cattle and this is a good land for cattle. We don't want to inherit on the west side. We want to be here on the east side. And Moses said, wait a minute. All of your brethren helped you conquer this land. you need to go over and cross Jordan and help them conquer their land." They said, we'll do it. We will build the sheepfolds, we will build the fences and the fence cities for our wives and our children, and we'll go over armed, and we won't come back until they conquer. And that's when Moses said, If you do so, that's fine. But if you do not do so, be sure your sin will find you out." So the sin would have been refusing to fight. The sin would have been refusing to help the people indeed inherit the land. So they agreed to fight, and Moses said, that is correct. Now, God does send His people to war. If you will look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers 31, here's a good instance in the first three verses. Look at this, avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. Afterwards thou shalt be gathered unto thy people." And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Note, if you would, and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. So, God is indeed sending them to war. If you would look in your Bibles to the book of Joshua, in chapter 6, verses 1 and 2. In fact, God here tells Joshua about Jericho. Look in Joshua 6, verses 1 and 2. Now Jericho was straightly shut up because of the children of Israel. None went in and none came, and none went out and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given unto thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And then God told him how to conquer Jericho. Yes, God sent them to war. That is a fact. If you would turn over in your Bibles to I Samuel 15 and look at the first two verses, I Samuel 15. Notice if you would verses 1 and 2. The Bible says, Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people over Israel. Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, laid wait for him in the way when he came up out of Egypt. Now go, and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, and ass." And now God has sent him to war. He said, I want you to take care of Amalek. Now, Look at your Bibles, if you would. I've got two passages more. I want you to look at this. I want you to look at Numbers 10, and then I want you to compare that with Deuteronomy 21. So look in your Bibles, the Numbers 10, and we're going to be looking at verse 9. Numbers 10, verse 9. And then we're going to be turning to Deuteronomy 21. So look at it, if you would, Numbers 10, and verse 9 first. So God says, And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, Then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies." Now, note what he said, and if you go to war in your land against the enemy that is oppressing you, in other words, here is someone that is trying to subdue and conquer the people of God. They are oppressing. They are wicked. They are wrong. Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to Deuteronomy 21 and verse 10. Deuteronomy 21 and verse 10. Look what he says now. When, not if, when thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken captive. And now he goes on and explains other principles. But notice it's when thou goest to war. It's no longer if thou goest to war, it's when thou goest to war. In other words, he is saying, yes, there are times that he sends people to war. Now, one other verse on this one point. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah 48, and look at verse 10. You're talking about a powerful, powerful verse. Look what God says. Yes, God does indeed send people to war. He sends His people to war. And look what He said in Jeremiah 48, verse 10. When God sends you to war, He says this, Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. So if you do not fight when God commands you to fight, then you're under the curse of God. So let me just put it down as a biblical principle. God does indeed send His people to war when it is needed, when it is necessary, either for their deliverance or for the destruction of His enemies. Here's the second truth. Here's a second concept that is often overlooked, and that is the fact and reality that God and His people do have enemies. I could spend the whole afternoon on this, but let me just point out the fact, even the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 3 and verse 18, talking about individuals, made this statement, For many walk, whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that there are enemies of the cross of Christ. When you read I Corinthians 15 and verse 25, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, for He must reign until He's put all of His enemies under His feet. God does have enemies. We have enemies. Now, I will hasten to point out the fact that not all of these enemies that we have as saints, not all of them are violent toward us. And if they're not violent to us, we certainly will not be violent to them in any way whatsoever. One can be an enemy just simply by resisting the truth. One can be an enemy by mocking, and ridiculing, and harassing the people of God. However, there are instances in the Bible, and I showed one of them very thoroughly yesterday from Nehemiah chapter 4, where the people of God were violently attacked by their enemies, and they had to defend themselves. You can find, if you read the book of Ezra and Nehemiah, how the enemies oftentimes attacked. But it's not just in those books. If you'll look back in your Bibles to Psalm 83, it's throughout the entirety of the Word of God. And let me just give you this one Psalm, Psalm 83. Look, if you would, please, beginning there with verse 1. Psalm 83, verse 1. Look at this psalm. The psalmist says, and this is the psalm of Asap, Keep not silence, O God, behold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. Why? For lo, thine enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation." In other words, let's kill them. Let's murder them. "...that the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent, their confederate against thee." the Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites of Moab, and the Hagareens, Giebel, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines, with the inhabitants of Tyre. Asher also is joined with them. They have hope in the children of Lot. Do unto them as unto the Midianites, as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the brook of Kishad, and of course God killed his enemies there, which perished at Endor, and they became his dung on the earth. Make their nobles like Orab and Zeb also who were killed. And yet, yea, all their princes like Ziba and Zalmunna, who were also killed, who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. O my God, make them like a wheel, as the stubble before the wind, as the fire burneth the wood, and as the flame setth the mountains on fire. So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. their faces with shame, that they may seek Thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled forever. Yea, let them be put to shame and perish, that men may know that Thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth." So we must grasp a principle. I mentioned this yesterday. I'm going to mention it again right now. According to the Word of God, We cannot and we must not use arms or weaponry to extend the kingdom of God, but arms and weaponry may be used to defend the kingdom of God. And this is why He's praying this in Precatory Prayer against these enemies, because they are attempting to violently take the lives of innocent individuals and confiscate all of their property. And so he prays this in preparatory prayer. So we do have enemies. There are enemies not only of God, but there's enemies of His people as well. So here's a third concept that should be understood, and that is this, that when God sends His people to war, He providentially directs them. When God sends His people to war, He providentially directs them. So I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of II Samuel 4, and let's begin reading there with verse 17. David is a good example of this truth. So in II Samuel 4, notice if you would, verse 17, Ah, must be first Samuel chapter four. I don't know. I've got it down wrong again. I was hurrying up to try to finish all of these messages for yesterday. I've got it down, but I've just got the wrong passage there. It is where the Philistines had heard that David had been anointed. Let's see. No, it wouldn't be first. No, it would have to be in II Samuel. Okay, let's see, I might have the wrong chapter. Verse, yeah, okay, let's do it in II Samuel 3, and look at verse 17. And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, You sought for David in times past to be king over you. Now then do it. For the Lord had spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of their enemies. And Abner spake also in the ears of Benjamin. And Abner went out also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron. And all seemed good to Israel, and they seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him." All right, now, notice if you would what has happened. They're now going to make David absolute king over all of Israel. Well, what happens is this. When the Philistines hear that David is made king over all of Israel, then they, of course, try to come and fight against David. So let's look in chapter 5, if you would, and verse 18 there. Then the Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephim. And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up, For I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. Now watch carefully. And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smoked them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them." So now David has fought the Philistines and defeated them. Evidently what David did in this battle was a frontal assault, and God gave him the victory. The problem was the Philistines now came again a second time. And so if you'll look in verse 22, And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephiam. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, thou shalt not go up." In other words, no more frontal attacks. "'But fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. Let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then thou shalt bestir thyself. For then shalt the Lord go out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.' And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him, and he smote the Philistines from Geba, until thou comest to Gazer." So, I want you to note, David did the frontal assault one time, and God blessed it, and now God directs him a second time. No, you don't do a frontal assault, you come around behind them a second time, and God did indeed give him the victory, that is for sure. Now, what I want you to do is look in your Bibles to the book of Joshua 8. because not only has God directed David, God also directed Joshua. God told Joshua exactly how to conquer AI. Look at this, Joshua 8, verse 1, And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed. Take all the people of war with thee, and arise, and go up to Ai. See, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land. And thou shalt do to Ai and her king, as thou didst unto Jericho and her king. Only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall you take for a prey unto yourselves. Lay an ambush, for the city behind it." So now you can read the rest and see how Joshua did indeed lay that ambush exactly the way God gave him directions to do. All I'm saying is, when God sends His people to war, He providentially leads them. He opens doors and directs them. Now, I want you to turn to 2 Chronicles 14 for another Look in 2 Chronicles 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. And then I'm going to ask and try to answer some questions for you. Look at this, 2 Chronicles 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. This is astounding to me. And Asa had an army of men that bear targets and spears out of Judah, 300,000, and out of Benjamin that bear shields and drew bows, 204,000 men. All these were mighty men of valor. So he had, what, 580,000 men. Now watch verse 9. And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian, with a host of a thousand thousand, that's a million, and three hundred chariots, and came to Mereshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in a ray in the valley of Zephathah at Mereshah. And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, It is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy name do we go against this multitude. O Lord, thy God, let not man prevail against thee.' So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled." and Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar, and the Ethiopians were overthrown. They could not recover themselves. Why? Why? Here it is, for they were destroyed before the Lord and before His hosts. In other words, Asa now has cried, God delivered. So God does indeed providentially direct and deliver His people in the time of war. So here's the leading question, this is what I want to get to. So here's the question, how do we discern whether or not God is sending His people to war? Someone may just up and say, well God is telling me to do something. Really? I know of one preacher who was single, a young man, and this young woman came up to him and said, God told me to marry you. He said he did. She said, yes. He said, well, let's wait until he tells me to marry you. Well, you know, a lot of people will say, well, God told me this, or, well, God says now is the time. How do we know when God is saying, this is a war that I've ordained, and I want you to go to it. I'm going to tell you that there are probably a number of answers to that given from the Bible. In fact, I have a message just on that question. But I'm going to tell you very quickly, at least three quick ways that we can discern. The first one is this, number one, We know that God will be sending His people to war when God unites the hearts of His people by giving them a holy and righteous resolve. When God unites the hearts of His people by giving them a holy and righteous resolve. You know what the Bible says in the book of Judges, chapter 20 and verse 1? Let me just read it. Here's what the Bible says. Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord and Misbah." They were coming to make war against the Benjamites. But notice what the Bible said, the whole congregation was gathered together as one man. In other words, everyone knew what had happened was wicked, and wrong, and ungodly, and it was time to fight. You can read what happened in Judges 19. But what God did was He united the hearts of His men, and everybody knew in their soul, now is the time. Okay. There's a second answer. That is, we know that God is sending us when we go in obedience to Him and His law, and we have the promise of victory from Him. So, I want you to see this. Look in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Joshua 23, and look, if you would, at verse 10. Joshua 23 and verse 10. Look what the Bible says, Joshua 23 and verse 10. God says, One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as He hath promised you. God said, You will be so victorious, you will be so valiant, you will be so brave, that one man of you will chase a thousand. And then if you would turn right on back to the book of Leviticus chapter 26, Because in this passage, of course, the law is given the blessings and the curses, just like it is in Deuteronomy 28. But in Leviticus 26, beginning there in verse 7 and 8, in fact, let's read verse 6, because this is still the blessing of God for obedience. He said, And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land." In other words, you're not going to be attacked if you're obedient. And then He said in verse 7, And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. In other words, if you're not going to go in obedience, and if you're not going to be holy and godly in the battle, then you're not going to have the promise of victory. In other words, God has to not only ordain it, but it does indeed have to be a holy armor. Do you realize that even Oliver Cromwell In their battles against King Charles, they carried flags that said, The Lord of Hosts. And they would go into battle singing psalms. And Oliver Cromwell and his ragtag army of just common, everyday men defeated one of the greatest armies in the world at that particular time, because they trusted in the Lord, and they had the promises of God. A third, we know that God gives us, that God has sent us when He gives us the victory. In other words, if God sends you to war, there's not going to be a defeat. So if you look in your Bibles to Psalm 20, look what David said in Psalm 20, and notice beginning there with verse 6. Psalm 20 and verse 6. I thought I'd turned it down. Look at Psalm 20, if you would please, and verse 6. Look at this. Psalm 20, and notice if you would please, verse 6. Psalm 20, verse 6. David said, Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed. Wait a minute, now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright. Save, Lord, let the King hear us when we call." Now, you're in the Psalms, so look back at Psalm 18, beginning now with verse 39. Psalm 18, verse 39, here it is, "'For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle, thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.'" So notice we have victory here. Note if you would, thou hast, look in verse 40. Thou hast given me also the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save them, even unto the Lord. But He answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people, and thou hast made me the head of the heathen. A people have I not known shall serve me." Actually, this has reference not just to David, but to the Lord Jesus. He said, As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me, and strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. Here it is. It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. He hath delivered me from mine enemies. Yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. Thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and will sing praise unto thy name." So we can know if God is sending us when, number one, God unites our hearts into a holy resolve. We can know that God is sending us when we're not violating any of His principles, any of His Scriptures, and we have the promise of God, and we are living a holy, righteous life. I wish I had time to deal with that passage. I think it's in Deuteronomy 21, where God even demanded that the camp always have a paddle. Because He said that when you had to ease yourself, you had to dig a hole and cover it. Why? He said, because the Lord thy God is holy, and He walks among you. In other words, God is going to not only require cleanliness, He's going to require godliness as well. And God's not going to be blessing an ungodly people, a rebellious people, a people that will not listen to His will and to His Word. So we can know that God is sending us when He gives us a holy resolve, when He gives us an obedient life, when we have His promises, when His providence opens doors and directs us And then, you know, finally it was of God when He does indeed give us total victory. And so that is why when Solomon is praying and dedicating the temple, he said, when thou dost send them, or by the way which thou dost send them. We have to understand something. There is a time that God does indeed send His people to war. So it's just like Ecclesiastes 3, when the Bible says there's a time to fight and a time not to fight. There's a time of peace, and there's a time of war. To everything there's a season. And unhappily, so many Christians turn out to be If not pacifists, they turn out to be unbelievers and say in one sense of the word, it'll never happen here. We will never have to fight. We will never, ever have to go to war. We will never have to defend ourselves. And the truth of the matter is, We're no better than those in the Old Testament. We're no better than those in the New Testament. Read Hebrews 11, and you will find how the righteous suffered so many times, and how they did fight, and how God, the Bible says, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. And you will read about Jephthah and Samuel and the rest of the prophets who did indeed fight, and they had to fight, because God sent them to war. God does send His people when it is needed, when it is necessary, and it will always be just and righteous and holy. He will only do it to deliver His people or to destroy His enemies, but He does send His people to war. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And Lord, help us to understand that there is indeed a biblical doctrine of self-defense, and there is indeed a biblical doctrine of war. Help us also to understand, Lord, that Thou art a man of war, and Lord, that You do indeed use war for many and various reasons. But help us always, Lord, be tender to Thy word and Thy will, and help us always to make sure that we follow Thee and walk in Thy steps and do that which is right and holy. Give us an understanding, and give us Your grace and mercy, we pray in Christ's name. Amen.