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Fog Of War…

Armor of God

The term “Fog of War” is a term that defines what we sometimes cannot discern. Think of facing an enemy that you cannot see. By this I mean that while all hell is breaking loose and your eyes are filled with sweat, you smell the mixture of combat smells…smoke, sweat, blood, gun powder, and vehicle exhaust – you sometimes cannot see who the enemy is and who is not – what direction can mean safety and what direction can mean certain death.

King David faced several enemies over his 40 years as king. As Israel’s greatest leader David was a world-class warrior, but it seems that he never suffered from a fog of war (he certainly got foggy other places, but was “battle focused” and “battle ready”) when in physical earthly combat. What he truly never got foggy about was who his TRUE ally was; David knew where to turn for aid. Where did this start, this is character that we see in him as a young teenager – the stage is set that Goliath is mocking them all and mainly this little, young, handsome BOY. Referred to as a “stick” Goliath calls himself a dog here (strange) but his point is that this battle is for nothing more than his amusement. How often do we live by what our eyes see in lieu of what God’s eyes see? Are we open to see through His eyes?

[45] Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts (this is important because like in the New Testament there is a definite line in the sand drawn here – Goliath comes out praising himself while David’s flinch is to the Name of the LORD – YAHWEH), the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. [46] This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. (imagine the look on the Philistine army’s face, imagine the look on the face of Goliath – have you ever fought a bully who never expected you to show up? Were YOU that bully who had someone show up?) And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel (a circumstance to show God’s glory, a circumstance to give witness to the armies of the enemies of God), [47] and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand.”
(1 Samuel 17:45-47 ESV)

Laws Concerning Warfare

20 [1] “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. [2] And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people [3] and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, [4] for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’ [5] Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
(Deuteronomy 20:1-5 ESV)

Our Commanding General Jesus Christ has faced the enemy eye to eye in a stare down for you and for me. Jesus took the full force the enemy could give Him and He never cursed him or those that he used – but rather in the midst of His battle there was no FOG of WAR. Make no mistake that Jesus knew and knows who is the enemy and who is not. Weather during the breaking of bread or during the de-fleshing of His body – HE knew!

Clergyman George Macleod of Iona, a Scottish Soldier from World War I puts it this way…”Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew, and in Greek, and in Latin, at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and Soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died, and that is what He died about.”

There is nothing pretty about facing the enemy but with Jesus with you there can be a peace and a beauty that only comes from Him.

Father God,
I pray that whatever it takes to keep us as a body battle focused and battle ready to serve you takes place. That Father we would never leave our sword at home, we would never forget the cost that was paid on that cross – open our hearts to those hurting around us, open our eyes to those that need you – in you Jesus is where the battle is won.
In your precious, precious name
Amen

Adrian “AG” Green