Whose side is God On?
In the book of Joshua, chapter 5, the children of Israel had crossed the river Jordan and were preparing for the conquest of the promised land. During this preparatory period Joshua encounters what appears to his eyes to be a warrior with a sword drawn in his hand.
Joshua approaching this warrior asks a single question. “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” (Joshua 5:13). The answer was, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come” (Joshua 5:14).
The answer to this question gives great insight to the question “Who’s side is God on?” The answer to that last question is “God is on God’s side.”
The Israelites could expect God’s blessing only so long as they were on God’s side. A truth the Israelites would soon learn by hard experience when shortly after the conquest of great city of Jericho, because of a flagrant disregard of an express command of God, they found themselves defeated by the little village of Ai. (Joshua 7).
A Defeated People
As recorded in the opening words of the book of Daniel the Israelites again find themselves a defeated people. No surprise. Prophet after prophet foretold this event. For ages they had given counsel, first on how to avoid such a fate, and when that was no longer possible, how to make the best of a bad situation.
But the prophets preached to the wind. Twice again the Jews would revolt against Babylonian rule, and twice again the city would be captured by Nebuchadnezzar. With every defeat the Jews would find themselves more heavily oppressed than the time before. Finally, at last, both Jerusalem and the temple were burned to the ground. And they had only themselves to blame.
Daniel 1:1-2 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.
The Babylonians quite naturally attributed the success of the conquest to their gods, but the Bible sets the record straight. Jerusalem and Judea were conquered, not because of the powers of any heathen gods, nor by the military ability of the Babylonian armies, but because, and only because, God GAVE the nation and the city to the Babylonians.
But why then God allow Judah to be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar? Jeremiah gives us the answer.
Jeremiah 2:11-13 Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the LORD. For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water.
God’s Tough Love
They had turned away from God. But nonetheless, they were still loved by God, and it is written that those who God loves, he chastises.
Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
The chastisement was severe, but then their case was desperate. But through it all (not withstanding their sins) they were in the hands of a loving God.
“And you shall be a blessing.”
It was to Abraham that God first spoke of his purpose for His people.
Genesis 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
These words were spoken not only to Abraham but also to all his spiritual descendants.
“Be a blessing.” But to be the blessing God desired them to be, the Israelites would have to live in harmony with His laws, laws which were the very foundational principles of love and freedom. To be the blessing God desired them to be they would have to walk in His light by the power of His Spirit. And had they done so, they would have reflected His pure and gracious character to all the nations around them. They would have been a light in this world, a blessing to all peoples.
To be a blessing, that is God’s desire for all His people in every age.
Matthew 25:34-40 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
To Be or Not to Be a Blessing – The Choice is Ours
But God does not compel obedience. He does not compel us to be the blessing He desires us to be. He leaves us as He left the Israelites to make our own choice.
Sadly, the one thing the Israelites wanted most was to be just like the pagan nations around them. Bickering and squabbling they split into two rival kingdoms, each in their own way hell bent on turning from God.
The northern kingdom of Israel almost immediately sunk into idol worship when their king had two golden calves made for the people to worship. The southern kingdom of Judah, though still giving lip-service to God, in time also sunk to overt idol worship, even setting up pagan altars and idols within the temple grounds itself.
Nevertheless, God did not immediately or willingly “give up” Israel. For centuries He sent prophet after prophet after prophet to both the northern and southern kingdoms offering complete pardon if only the people would repent.
But God shows no partiality.
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.”