“I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,
without turning back until they were destroyed.
I destroyed them, crushed them; they can’t get up;
They have fallen under my feet.”
-2 Samuel 22:38-39
Verses 38-49 refer to Holy War.
This is as good a time as ever to remind you that the Biblical Holy War was what Joshua began…
But never successfully finished.
Ya feel me?
The goal was to rid God’s Kingdom of those who did NOT belong there.
And who did not belong?
Simple.
Gentiles who didn’t pledge allegiance to the God of Israel.
Now, understand that God didn’t require the outright extermination of all Canaanites.
Yehovah was just as cool if they were booted out of the land.
Of course, the Lord’s priority was for the Canaanites to give up worshipping their false gods and come to Him.
Yet, the Israelites never tried to force conversion on anyone.
If conversion was to happen, it was to be modeled after Rahab, the prostitute innkeeper of Jericho.
After witnessing the power of the God of Israel, she decided to leave her people and join Israel of her own free will.
The only Canaanites who were killed were those who chose to stay in the land and fight Israel.
Now, another thing that needs to be said, because there’s so much misunderstanding in this area, is that this holy war only applied to the land of Canaan.
The other nations surrounding the Promised Land weren’t in danger from Israel.
The Lord didn’t order Israel to take over the entire Middle East.
So remember that.
This holy war was limited to the territory of Canaan.
But having said that, it was still an uncompleted Holy War.
The completion of this battle is what the return of Yehoshua and Armageddon are all about.
The second Yehoshua (Jesus of Nazareth) will return to finish what the first Yehoshua failed to complete per Torah-based holy war protocol.
This leads to our takeaway for today.
The Holy War protocol given to Joshua when the Israelites first invaded Canaan continued in David’s day.
And since David was committed to this Holy War, the Lord equipped him for it.
David rightfully boasts of not just partial victories, but of overwhelming victories.
Verse 40 says…
“For you braced me with strength
for the battle and bent down
my adversaries beneath me.”
In other words, David fought hard with zeal…
But it was the Lord who made the enemy fall.
The victory was already decided before the fight even started.
So, remember.
David didn’t sit around waiting for lightning to fall from the sky.
He showed up.
He fought hard with everything he had.
Yet, God was the One tipping the whole battle in his favor.
And that’s exactly how it works for you.
You bring your effort and your obedience when you step into the fight.
Yet, it is the Lord who brings the power that actually turns the tide.
That’s why the things in your life that feel impossible right now?
They don’t stand a chance if Adonai is backing you.
When God’s already settled the ending…
The enemy can roar all he wants…
But it doesn’t matter.
Because he’s already been defeated
Done.
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