To Teach Them War
Have you ever stumbled upon a passage in the Bible that just made you scratch your head? I recently found myself pondering a curious detail in the book of Judges. Specifically, Judges 3 tells us that after leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, God didn’t completely remove all the existing nations. Instead, He left some of them behind. Why? To teach the new generation of Israelites the art of warfare.
Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.
Judges 3: 1-2 (ESV)
Think about it: these descendants hadn’t experienced battle firsthand. They needed to learn how to defend themselves, and what better way to do that than to face real enemies? But here’s the question that got me thinking: if God was always fighting for them, why did they need to learn war? I mean, their victories weren’t based on their strength but on God’s intervention. Was God planning to take a break from fighting their battles? And let’s be honest, couldn’t they have just watched a few online tutorials? (Okay, maybe not back then!)
After pondering this, I believe there are two lessons we can extract from this passage.
Firstly, understanding that God is on your side shouldn’t mean you can skip out on developing essential skills and knowledge. Faith isn’t a substitute for competence. You need to learn what you need to know, hone your disciplines, and become proficient in your craft. Relying on God doesn’t negate the need to utilize the God-given talents and abilities He’s provided – your intellect, your hands, and your strategic thinking.
Secondly, the most effective learning often happens through real-life experiences (that is why they ask for ten years of experience). God saw it fit to expose that generation to war so that they could learn warfare. We learn a lot when we physically do an activity. We learn about temptations when we read about them, but also when we are actually tempted and overcome.
Learning can also come from negative experiences, like war. Facing challenges and obstacles provides invaluable lessons. If you’re dealing with a difficult boss, you have a golden opportunity to learn how to navigate interpersonal conflicts. If you’re constantly struggling with limited resources, you’re gaining crucial skills in resourcefulness and survival. If you come from a broken family, you have the chance to learn how to build a healthy and functional one. Now, please don’t misunderstand me: I’m not advocating for seeking out problems and suffering. What I’m saying is that your unique circumstances, however challenging, can become powerful teachers.
It’s no coincidence that China, a nation renowned for its focus on food security, has recent experience with devastating famine. Between 1959 and 1961, millions of Chinese citizens perished from starvation. This horrific experience instilled in them an unwavering commitment to food security. Similarly, Israel, faced with a desert landscape and hostile neighbors, has been forced to develop innovative agricultural techniques to ensure its survival.
The challenge, however, lies in our willingness to learn from these trials. The Israelites were given enemies to teach them warfare, but only if they actively engaged in battle. They could have chosen to flee, avoiding conflict altogether, but that would have meant forfeiting the opportunity to learn. And let’s be honest, some of them undoubtedly lost their lives in those battles. That’s the reality of warfare.
So, the next time you face a challenge, remember the Israelites. Don’t run from it. Embrace it as an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to develop the skills you need to thrive. Because sometimes, the most valuable lessons come from the most unexpected places.
