The Men of War
“MY BOWELS, MY BOWELS!
I am pained at my very heart;
My heart maketh a noise in me;
I CANNOT HOLD MY PEACE,
Because thou hast heard, O my soul,
The sound of the trumpet,
THE ALARM OF WAR.”
“Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” (Jeremiah 4:19-22)
“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” (Jeremiah 48:10)
“And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.” (Jdg. 8:20)
Although David was anointed of God to be His warrior king, he was not judged by the members of his family to be a man of war. To them, he was but a youth, and they employed him in the tasks that belonged to a young, untried stripling. Even the prophet Samuel did not readily identify him as one of God’s warriors; for the stern, unyielding, unmoveable courage that will die upon the battlefield before surrender—“only over my dead body”—was only in evidence to the all-seeing eye of God. The lion and the bear were harbingers of what was to come (1 Samuel 17:34-37), but only God knew the tried and proven character of the young man. Though in embryonic form, here was an emerging man of war—God’s man of war. We are privileged to have this insight into the early training and preparation of one of God’s shock troops—those who can and most definitely do “turn the battle to the gate.” Yea, “In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.” (Isaiah 28:5-6)
There is a great clarity of purpose needed to wage war in this fashion—a hot, burning vision that is crystal clear and unreceptive to any misgivings or doubts. This is far beyond a fuzzy, vague idea of what is right and what should happen. The violence of spiritual warfare, the utmost-sacrifice mentality that is indispensable to a man of war, both demand an implacable sureness—a deadly certainty—that fully justifies absolute spiritual destruction of the enemies of God. “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” (Jeremiah 48:10) I am obligated before God to call your attention to the curse. “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; and forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.” (Psalm 78:9-11)
This is a day of weak diplomacy—a day when men devote themselves to cunningly-devised begging—a day when the conception of God’s church as an army with banners, striking terror into the hearts of evil doers, is a faint and stigmatized memory.
People think it is the business of the church to stand like a beggar at the door of the devil’s kingdom and politely coax his subjects over; saying much about the duty and advantage of belonging to church and little about their sin and the duty of repentance, as though God were a dependent, and the devil proprietor of the universe.
[Daniel S. Warner; Bible Proofs of a Second Work of Grace, “Chapter 26”]
Great emphasis is placed upon being polite to the forces of evil, or more accurately, politically correct. As though the war between righteousness and wickedness were a chivalric contest, instead of a fight to the finish.
Where Are the Men of War?
“Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken. And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD…. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 39:8-10,20)
This is a description of the warriors of God—the type and shadow of those whose warfare is “not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4) We have seen them at work. One brother, having delivered himself of the burden which God laid upon his heart at a given meeting, was hotly confronted by the compromise element in that area. “You brethren have no right to come in like this,” the champion of spiritual letdown cried. The man of God set quietly under the hostile fire. In the next meeting, another man of God arose and made his way to the pulpit. As he passed the first brother, he quietly said, “Round two, coming up.” Under such preaching, such expounding of the one and only way to be right with God and accepted of Him, all faces (that will not receive the truth) gather blackness. The Bible captures their attitude: “This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” (Isaiah 30:9-11) Now this is the hostile fire of those in the kingdom of darkness. “Leave us alone.” “Don’t judge us.” “I don’t want to think about that.” “I want to do whatever I please.” They want their ears tickled; they desire entertainment—especially entertainment of the sort that King Saul had when in one of his moods—I want to feel better about myself. Stop talking about crosses and sacrifices and obedience and all that stuff! And then we see the bombardment of gospel truth exploding among these sinners. “Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.” (Isaiah 30:12-14)
The heavenly fusillade of truth, even the words of truth and soberness, fell upon the man Agrippa until he confessed, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28) That is, almost he surrendered, almost he made peace with God, almost he was translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the dear Son. Oh, what a tragedy is in that almost! The man of war before him was grieved at his almost. As another one of God’s soldiers said, “But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears.” (Jeremiah 13:17) Almost was king Agrippa conquered for Jesus. Almost was the sinner made into a new creature in Christ Jesus, even a child of God and one of His saints. Almost was the works of the devil destroyed within him; almost was he spoiled of the deadly fruits of sin by the triumph of mighty grace. How much of Agrippa’s obstinacy was reinforced by the enfilading fire of the sinner, Festus? He attempted to discredit the gospel testimony of the man of God, saying with a loud voice, “Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” (Acts 26:24)
In spite of all hellish opposition, the spiritual battle was turned right to the gate of King Agrippa’s heart. Behold the work of God! See the man of war, used of the Holy Ghost, under fire and giving fire. Behold the conflict between right and wrong!
The Weapons of Meekness and a Willingness to Suffer
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
While Brother Warner was with us in San Diego, California, he gave a series of lessons on the Revelation, and preached hard against the errors of Millennialism. A man who had come amongst us, who was a preacher, and seemed to he accepting the truth very well, but had not received the light on this line, became very much offended at the sermon Brother Warner preached that evening. He seemed to lose his patience altogether, and manifested anger. He came forward to Brother Warner before the congregation had left the hall and in a loud voice and with a face expressing real bitterness said, “The Lord shows me that you are of the devil.” He had hardly finished his words when Brother Warner fell on his knees and began to pray, right at the feet of his accuser.
I never before heard such a pitiful prayer, as he poured out his heart to God for this dear man who had brought such a charge against the servant of the Lord. He prayed that the man might he able to see his wrong, that God would reveal the truth to his understanding, and also bless the people who were standing and looking on at this scene of Christian discourtesy, etc. We were all so shocked at the unusual act that it was hard to know just what to do but stand there, which we did, until the prayer was over. After finishing the outpouring of his soul in prayer, he quietly rose from his knees, and went away.
The accuser was one of the most surprised people I ever saw. During the prayer he stood as though riveted to the floor, his deathly pale face turned down toward Brother Warner. His hands hung by his side, and he had the appearance of one paralyzed. For awhile after Brother Warner had risen from his knees, the man remained fastened to the spot. The congregation began going out, and finally the man also took his hat and left, without one word.
The next night, in the presence of a large audience, this man arose and came forward to Brother Warner, weeping and humbly asking that he might be forgiven for the great offence toward him and the people. He said the Lord had shown him that Brother Warner was right, and he did all that could be expected to right himself with God. From that time he was a strong advocate of the truths of the reformation.
[Jacob W. Byers—quoted in Andrew L. Byers; Birth of a Reformation, “As Others Knew Him”]
The weapons of carnality can be employed with great arrogance, with bitterness, with hatred, with malice, or even lightly, casually—and still do carnal execution very effectively. But the weapons that are not carnal are designed in heaven and ingeniously made to touch the hearts of men with the depths of heavenly love. The most powerful weapon of mass destruction (to the devil) is described in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Those who imagine that they exhibit the love of God by diplomacy, sleight of hand, and cunning craftiness do not seem to realize that the real needs of the people for deliverance and radical heart change by grace are not accomplished by their fair speeches. The razing to the ground, the devastation of conviction that I am lost and undone that is accomplished by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) does not seem necessary to the non-combatant mind. It is strongly embedded in human nature that assistance can be achieved without the need of absolute surrender. The civilian cringes in horror from the violence of the soldier or police. It all seems so uncouth—so primitive. Surely… there must be a better way than forcing people to do right—a reasonable method. In natural life, if the police withdrew, if no one was made to do what is right, then chaos would result. The thirteenth chapter of Romans speaks of the civil authority which God has allowed for man to keep order (although oftentimes much abused because of sin), and it states, “But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 13:4) This is directly referring to carnal weapons and effort, including the use of deadly force to achieve some resemblance of physical order and restraint. It deals with a man whether he wants to be dealt with or not, and it deals with him physically, for physical results, not spiritual.
But the spiritual weapons of God’s men of war are not carnal. They are intended to bring the soul to where it voluntarily surrenders.
“I know my sins have pierced Thy heart;
O Jesus crucified!
And now Thy love is breaking mine;
I bow to Him who died.”*
As I write these words, my mind and heart go out to that obstinate opposer of the gospel, that man who kicked so hard against the pricks, that one who learned by bitter experience that in the end we can do nothing against the gospel. For this proud man found Jesus when he was struck blind, lying prostrate in the dust on the road to Damascus, his sinful heart full of hatred and prejudice, exceedingly mad against the church of God and the Redeemer Himself. He had purposed to bring more havoc upon God’s little children. He himself was a Philistine to the truth—a skillful and cunning foe of the way of the Redeemer. But there he found himself in hand-to-hand combat with our Lord. And there the gospel prevailed, and he came (trembling and astonished) to “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6) There the love of God broke him; there he utterly surrendered. There he took the first steps on the path: “For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16) Ahead lay the stonings, the journeys, the beatings, the loss of all things but the winning of Christ.
“Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”*
These spiritual weapons are intended to manifest the love of God by suffering and by authority until “the secrets of his heart [are] made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.” (1 Corinthians 14:25) And to accomplish this objective, these weapons manifest a mixture of suffering and heavenly authority in those who employ them that can break through great barriers and explode great walls of bitterness. The gospel plow can uproot great trees of sin, even masterpieces of iniquity, even towering giants—great hellish redwoods, so to speak—that seem perfectly imperious to all appeals. It can tear up and heal hearts wounded and bruised by the wickedness of parental failure and foster-care laceration. It can subdue a devilish fortification that is carefully braced and prepared with prejudices of superhuman strength against godly assault.
The modern Simons of this day leave no stone unturned to manipulate and control the people. Money is no obstacle—they will pay any price, go to any length to grasp a new method for dealing with the human heart. They have never felt the gospel weapons upon them as they should, and as the man of war said to Simon of Samaria, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.” (Acts 8:20-23) You see, this Simon saw that the weapons of the Holy Ghost, employed in the hands of men of war, such as Peter, brought about results in the lives of those who consecrated for and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Let us not miss the amazement of this Simon—a man whose heart was not right with God. He saw the effects of the gospel weapons in the hands of the men of war upon the Samaritan battlefield. This Simon saw the Son of God conqueroring. This is what the Simons need to see. They need to experience it, too. They need to be delivered from an inappropriate envy of God’s ways and a lack of personal familiarity with saving grace. What hot prayers followed this undelivered Simon! With what burning intercession and keen regret did the saints of God see him retire—unsubdued, unconquerored, unwashed, yet in his sins—from the battlefield!
Where are the men of war?
The Courage of the Men of War
“You can’t stop a man of God! He just keeps coming,” said one of God’s men of war.
The king of Syria was vexed beyond endurance. Over and over, he invaded the land of Israel, but in vain, for the forces of Israel awaited him at every turn (2 Kings 6:8-10). Thinking and reasoning in himself, fighting his battles as a carnal man, the king concluded that he had a spy, a traitor, in his midst—but no, he was up against a man of God, one of God’s men of war. This did not intimidate the king of Syria. He decided to capture the man of God. An army was sent to take one man. The man of God seemed hopelessly outnumbered. What could one man do against an army? It would be more accurate to ask what one army could do against one of God’s men of war.
We are permitted to see some of the details; we are greatly privileged. “And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?” (2 Ki. 6:13-15) By human reasoning, the matter looked nigh well hopeless. They would be doing well to escape, and even that looked impossible—the great host compassed the city about. The servant of the man of war was not a man of war himself. He thought as a man; he walked as a man (1 Corinthians 3:3). “Alas, my master! How shall we do?”
The man of God was not worried. The enemies of the Lord were just where God wanted them. Everything was under control. The enemies were surrounded. If you could not see that, you needed your eyes opened to spiritual realities. “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.” (Psalm 46:2-3) The matter is of the Lord. He designed it to be like this. “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Daniel 12:10)
We see the forces of apostasy and compromise. They seem to be sweeping all before them. “Thus hath the Lord GOD showed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings. And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.” (Amos 7:1-2) Those who truly desire the truth seem so small; how shall they arise? It is God who designed the test. It is God who allows the storm to break upon His trusting children. Many will be shaken off; many will be carried away. The battle is the opportunity of the truth; it is designed by God to separate the pure from the vile. Where will you be? What do you see?
Where are the men of war? Do you want to be one of God’s men of war? Will you embrace the plumbline? Will you be of the three hundred who each carried the earthen pitcher, the flaming torch within, and carried the trumpet of battle?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who?
It is time now to show ourselves. That man of God, that warrior of the Lord’s, “said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6) Now hear the reply of the young man of war: “And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.” (1 Samuel 14:7-10) Let us leave off political maneuvering, masquerading under the name of wisdom. Let us discover ourselves unto them. “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” (Isaiah 28:17) When they see our discovery of where we stand and what we are, and they do not come to us, but instead say, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing,” then it is time to climb up in God, “for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.” (1 Samuel 14:12)
“I’m in this army, this glorious army,
And the God of battles will defend me.”*
And so climbing in the face of the host of Philistines, Jonathan and his armorbearer attacked uphill, and these two men abandoned themselves to God and attacked the entire Philistine army. What was the result?
“And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.” (1 Samuel 14:14) God is a force-multiplier. God is the air force and navy, cruise missiles and nuclear missiles—all responding to the authorized call of one of His men of war. Only twenty men slain out of a host, but there were only two men conquering. I expect by that time they were breathing hard, but, oh, so triumphant! Glory! “And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.” (1 Samuel 14:15) Praise God for the trembling! God knows how to make the devil and all his legions tremble. Let us take courage.
Others were watching—others that were hindered. The deadening hand of Jonathan’s father, Saul, was upon them. He was no longer one of God’s men of war. He had fallen away from that, Israelite though he was. This falling away did not stop God or His men of war, either! “And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.” (1 Samuel 14:16) You would think that the ex-man-of-war, Saul, would abandon all his own efforts and just join in—but no! He must needs number the people. “Who’s here? How did this get out from under my control?” The ex-man-of-war proceeded down the path that seemed best to him, but God was working anyway. God could easily defeat the Philistine host with two men of war.
Where are the men of war? What are you? What are you doing? In what do you trust? Where is your confidence? How do you fit in with the men of war?
“For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him…. He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them. And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places…. It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, and that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.” (2 Samuel 22:30-49)