War.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 1 min. read • grade level: 12

Antiquity of. Gen. 14:2²That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. (Genesis 14:2).

Originates in the lusts of men. James 4:1¹From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (James 4:1).

A time for. Ecc. 3:8.

GOD

Frequently ordered. Ex. 17:16¹⁶For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Exodus 17:16). Num. 31:1, 2¹And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ²Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. (Numbers 31:1‑2). Deut. 7:1, 2¹When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; ²And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: (Deuteronomy 7:1‑2). 1 Sam. 15:1-3¹Samuel 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. ²Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. ³Now 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 and sheep, camel and ass. (1 Samuel 15:1‑3).

Taught His people the art of. 2 Sam. 22:35³⁵He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (2 Samuel 22:35).

Strengthens His people for. Lev. 26:7, 8⁷And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. ⁸And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. (Leviticus 26:7‑8).

Gives the victory in. Num. 21:3³And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah. (Numbers 21:3). Deut. 2:33³³And the Lord our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. (Deuteronomy 2:33). Deut. 3:3³So the Lord our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining. (Deuteronomy 3:3). 2 Sam. 23:10¹⁰He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. (2 Samuel 23:10). Prov. 21:31³¹The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31). (marg.) Causes, to cease. Psa. 46:9⁹He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. (Psalm 46:9).

Scatters those who delight in. Psa. 68:30³⁰Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war. (Psalm 68:30).

Large armies frequently engaged in. 2 Chr. 13:3³And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor. (2 Chronicles 13:3). 2 Chr. 14:9⁹And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. (2 Chronicles 14:9).

Weapons used in. Josh. 1:14¹⁴Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them; (Joshua 1:14). Jud. 18:11.

PRECEDED BY

Consultation. Luke 14:31³¹Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? (Luke 14:31), with Prov. 24:6⁶For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. (Proverbs 24:6).

Great preparation. Joel 3:9⁹Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: (Joel 3:9). Rumors. Jer. 4:19¹⁹My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. (Jeremiah 4:19). Matt. 24:6⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:6).

Frequently long continued. 2 Sam. 3:1¹Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. (2 Samuel 3:1).

Frequently sore and bloody. 1 Sam. 14:22²²Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. (1 Samuel 14:22). 1 Chron. 5:22²²For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity. (1 Chronicles 5:22). 2 Chr. 14:13¹³And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before his host; and they carried away very much spoil. (2 Chronicles 14:13). 2 Chr. 28:6⁶For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. (2 Chronicles 28:6).

OFTEN ATTENDED BY

Famine. Isa. 51:19¹⁹These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? (Isaiah 51:19). Jer. 14:15¹⁵Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. (Jeremiah 14:15). Lam. 5:10¹⁰Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine. (Lamentations 5:10).

Pestilence. Jer. 27:13¹³Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? (Jeremiah 27:13). Jer. 28:8⁸The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. (Jeremiah 28:8).

Cruelty. Jer. 18:21²¹Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle. (Jeremiah 18:21). Lam. 5:11-14¹¹They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah. ¹²Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honored. ¹³They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood. ¹⁴The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music. (Lamentations 5:11‑14).

Devastation. Isa. 1:7⁷Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (Isaiah 1:7).

Records often kept of. Num. 21:14¹⁴Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, (Numbers 21:14).

Often sent as a punishment for sin. Judg. 5:8⁸They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? (Judges 5:8).

THE JEWS

Were expert in. 1 Chron. 12:33, 35, 36³³Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart. (1 Chronicles 12:33)
³⁵And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. ³⁶And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand. (1 Chronicles 12:35‑36). SoS. 3:8.

Frequently engaged in. Josh. 6 ch. to Josh. 11 Ch. 1 Kin. 14:30. 1 Kin. 15:7, 16.

ILLUSTRATIVE OF

Our contest with death. Ecc. 8:8.

The contest of saints with the enemies of their salvation. Rom. 7:23²³But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:23). 2 Cor. 10:3³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (2 Corinthians 10:3). Eph. 6:12¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12). 1 Tim. 1:18¹⁸This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; (1 Timothy 1:18).

The contest between Antichrist and the Church. Rev. 11:7⁷And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (Revelation 11:7). Rev. 13:4, 7⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13:4)
⁷And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:7).

The malignity of the wicked. Psa. 55:21²¹The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. (Psalm 55:21).

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