Topical Encyclopedia Throughout the Bible, the theme of God's sovereignty over human warfare and His ability to defeat weapons and warriors is a recurring testament to His power and protection over His people. This theme underscores the belief that ultimate victory belongs to the Lord, regardless of human strength or military might.Old Testament Accounts 1. The Exodus and the Red Sea: One of the most dramatic demonstrations of God's power over human military forces is the parting of the Red Sea. As the Israelites fled Egypt, Pharaoh's army pursued them. God miraculously parted the sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. When the Egyptian army followed, the waters returned, drowning the soldiers and their chariots. Exodus 14:27-28 states, "So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state. As the Egyptians were fleeing toward it, the LORD swept them into the sea. The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived." 2. The Fall of Jericho: In the conquest of Canaan, the fall of Jericho is a significant event where God demonstrated His power over fortified cities and their defenses. The Israelites, led by Joshua, marched around the city for seven days as instructed by God. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho collapsed after the Israelites shouted and blew trumpets, as recorded in Joshua 6:20 : "So when the trumpets sounded, the people shouted. And when they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it." 3. Gideon's Victory over the Midianites: In Judges 7, God reduced Gideon's army from 32,000 to 300 men to ensure that the victory over the Midianites would be attributed to divine intervention rather than human strength. Judges 7:22 describes the outcome: "When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD set the swords of each man against his companion throughout the camp, and the army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath." New Testament Insights 1. Jesus' Teachings on Peace and Trust: In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes peace and reliance on God rather than on weapons or military power. In Matthew 26:52 , Jesus tells Peter, "Put your sword back in its place. For all who draw the sword will die by the sword." This teaching highlights the futility of relying on human weapons for ultimate security. 2. Spiritual Warfare: The New Testament also shifts the focus from physical battles to spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12 states, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Believers are encouraged to put on the full armor of God, relying on His strength to stand firm against spiritual adversaries. Prophetic Visions of God's Ultimate Victory 1. The Battle of Armageddon: In the book of Revelation, the final defeat of earthly powers is depicted in the Battle of Armageddon. Revelation 19:19-21 describes the gathering of kings and their armies to wage war against the rider on the white horse, symbolizing Christ. The passage concludes with the defeat of these forces: "But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs, he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." The biblical narrative consistently affirms that God is the ultimate victor over all forms of human opposition, whether through miraculous interventions in historical battles or through the spiritual triumphs promised in the eschatological future. Subtopics God for Other Anthropomorphic Scriptures by Israel God for Other Anthropomorphic Scriptures: Saul God in the Banishment of John to Patmos God in Turning the Heart of the King of Assyria to Favor the Jews God is Declared to Be: A Consuming Fire God is Declared to Be: Compassionate God is Declared to Be: Eternal God is Declared to Be: Faithful God is Declared to Be: Glorious God is Declared to Be: Gracious God is Declared to Be: Immortal God is Declared to Be: Immutable God is Declared to Be: Incorruptible God is Declared to Be: Invisible God is Declared to Be: Jealous God is Declared to Be: Long-Suffering God is Declared to Be: Merciful God is Declared to Be: Most High God is Declared to Be: Omnipotent God is Declared to Be: Omnipresent God is Declared to Be: Omniscient God is Declared to Be: Only-Wise God is Declared to Be: Perfect God is Declared to Be: Righteous God is Declared to Be: Unsearchable God is Declared to Be: Upright God Loving all of his Children God: Appearances of To Abraham God: Appearances of To Ezekiel God: Appearances of To Jacob, at Beth-El God: Appearances of To Moses and Joshua God: Appearances of To Moses, at Sinai God: Appearances of To Moses, in the Flaming Bush God: Appearances of To Solomon God: Delaying and Destroying Pharaoh God: Delivering the Israelites God: Feeding Elijah and the Widow God: Fighting the Battles of Israel God: Preserver in Delivering from the Oppressions of the King of Syria God: Preserver in Exempting the Land of Goshen from the Plague of Darkness God: Preserver in Exempting the Land of Goshen from the Plague of Flies God: Preserver in Giving Peace With Other Nations God: Preserver in Preserving Their Cattle from the Plague of Murrain, God: Preserver in Saving the Firstborn, when the Plague of Death Destroyed the Firstborn of Egypt, God: Preserver in the Wilderness God: Preserver: As he Journeyed in the Land of Canaan God: Preserver: Daniel and the Three Hebrew Captives God: Preserver: Deliverance from Egypt, God: Preserver: Delivering Israel by Jeroboam Ii God: Preserver: Delivering the Kingdom of Israel from Syria God: Preserver: Delivering Them from the Army of the Assyrians God: Preserver: Jeremah and Baruch God: Preserver: Jesus and his Parents God: Preserver: On Account of Samuel's Intercession God: Preserver: Paul and Silas God: Preserver: The Ethiopian Host God: Preserver: The Wise Men of the East God: Preserver: To Abraham and Sarah, in Egypt God: Preserver: To Hagar, when Abraham Cast Her Out God: Preserver: To Jacob, when he Fled from Laban, his Father-In-Law God: Preserver: To Joseph, in Egypt God: Preserver: To Lot, when Sodom Was Destroyed God: Preserver: To Moses, in his Infancy God: Preserver: To Noah and his Family, at the Time of the Flood God: Preserver: To the Israelites, in Bringing About Their Deliverance from Bondage God: Preserver: To the Kingdom of Judah: in Delivering from Egypt God: Preserver: Under Jephthah God: Preserver: Victories Over the Canaanites Under Joshua God: Preserver: when he Met Esau God: Protecting Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech God: Protection of Homes While at Feasts God: Providence of, Mysterious and Misinterpreted God: Providence of, Overruling Interpositions of The God: Purifying the Waters of Marah God: Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem God: Restoring Manasseh After his Conversion God: should be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth God: Special Grace: To Abraham God: Special Grace: To Solomon God: Supplying Manna and Quail God: Supplying Water at Meribah God: Symbolized by the Darkness of the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle God: Symbolized by the General Structure of the Most Holy Place, See God: Symbolized by the Pillar of Fire God: The Revolt of the Ten Tribes God: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To God: Warning Pharaoh About the Famine God: Warning the Wise Men from the East Sarcasm: God Reproaching Israel Related Terms |