Our Daily Scripture – 4/1/23

SCRIPTURE:  DEUTERONOMY 20

BIBLE VERSES: 

“Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.  For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”” (Deuteronomy 20:3-4)

GOING TO WAR (vs 1-20)

Before going to war, the priest shall address the army not to be afraid nor terrified because the Lord is the one who is fighting against their enemies.

PEOPLE PROHIBITED TO JOIN THE ARMY TO FIGHT AGAINST THE ENEMIES:

  1. Anyone who had built a house but not dedicated it yet. (v. 5)
  2. Anyone who planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it. *v. 6)
  3. Anyone who had pledge to a woman and not married yet. (v. 7)
  4. Anyone who is afraid or fainthearted. (v. 8)

RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN THEY ATTACK A CITY:

  1. Make an offer of peace.  If they accept and open their gates, subject all the people to forced labor. *v. 11)
  2. If they refuse to make peace, engage battle with them and lay siege to that city and put to sword all the men. (v.s. 12-13)_
  3. Take the women, children, livestock and everything in the city as plunders for yourselves (v. 14)
  4. Completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, for they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods.
  5. Do not destroy trees that bear fruits (v. 19)
  6. You can cut down trees that are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works (v. 20)

THOUGHTS:

How to defeat the enemies we face (By Warren Wiersbe)

  1. Before the battle – Courage – take courage from the Lord for He will give us the power to fight and overcome.
  2. During the battle – Obedience – Be totally devoted to the Lord by obeying what God has plan for us.
  3. After the battle – Conquest – remember to take total control to avoid the enemy enticing us into sin.

Just like the Israelites, we sometimes face overwhelming opposition, felling outnumbered and helpless.  But remember that God is always with us.  He is able to overcome even the difficult odds and make us feel secure.