Sharpest Double-Edged Sword Against Enemies--Part 1

Satan's hordes war against and subvert God's people.

Dictators and terrorists persecute Christians around the world.

Extremists swear, "Death to America." North Korea brandishes its nukes. South American drug cartels bomb the life out of US citizens with a steady barrage of addictive substances. Pornographers ruin lives and homes. The ACLU wants to sue Christianity out of American life. Abortionists deny unborn babies any right to life. Same sex couples want to take US society down the same path as Sodom and Gomorrah. Liberals would rather see criminals protected while denying the same for the likes of Terri Schiavo.

The next driver in the freeway could suddenly get into a deadly rage and do you in. The work place politics-conscious co-worker. The hostile unbelieving kin. The home invader. The inhospitable neighbor. The school bully.

Countless are the enemies of the man (and I use the word generically to cover both genders) that seeks to walk righteously before God. Whether he brings them on to himself or not, they are there. But he has the best news going for him. God's promises belong in the category of life's few absolutes. And God's Word is replete with promises pertaining to his children's enemies.

Take for instance Moses' instruction on how the priest should address the army before battle:

"For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." (Deuteronomy 20:4)

Or, as Moses spoke to Israel about God's blessings for obedience:

"The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven." (Deuteronomy 28:7)

Then there was Elisha whose servant was afraid that they were grossly outnumbered as the king of Aram's armies surrounded Dothan. Before praying so that God would open the servant's eyes so he too could see the hills crawling with God's horses and chariots of fire, Elisha told the servant:

"'Don't be afraid...Those who are with us are more than those who are with them'" (2 Kings 6:16)

The author of the book of 2 Kings reminded his readers of the LORD's command when he made a covenant with the Israelites:

"'Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.'" (2 Kings 17:39)

In the book of Job, Eliphaz and Bildad just did not know any better about their friend's plight, accusing him even of not being on the right side with God, but their confidence in the LORD was still dead on:

"In famine he will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword." (Job 5:20)

"Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more." (Job 8:22)

(More on next week's Tuesday and Thursday, March 22 and 24, 2005 posts.)