EXEMPTED FROM WAR?

MEMORISE: 'If thou faint in the day of adversity, thY strength is small.' (Prov 24:10)
READ: Deuteronomy 20: 5-9

In the law God allowed certain categories of people to be exempted from going to war. They were those who had yet to eat from the garden they had planted; those who had just built a house, but had not moved in; those who had been betrothed in marriage, and those who were afraid to join in the battle. God is the commander-in-chief of the heavenly armies. He is a warrior. God wants his children to be warriors like him. 2 Timothy 2:3 says we should endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ. But why then would he exempt some people from war?

Firstly, God does not always depend on numbers. He may call many, but choose only a few. This was part of the reason why God reduced Gideon's army from132000 to 300. He does not want people to attribute their victories to themselves, their power or their superior numbers, which is exactly what might happen if God allows them to be victorious.

Another reason why God excuses some people is because those who are strong in faith can only handle certain assignments. The presence of the faint hearted in such a forum will weaken the faith of the strong. In Matthew 9:18-26, before Jesus raised the daughter of the rule back to life, he asked all the professional mourners who surrounded her to leave. On other occasions, he excused all the Disciples, except peter, James and John. Before you can accomplish significant things for the Lord, you must excuse doubt and fear, and anything that brings it about.

Another reason for reducing numbers is to test people. Gideon's army went through several tests. Sometimes it is necessary to determine whether your soldiers are in the battle heart and soul, or whether they are merely present in the physical sense. In the last days in which we live, Jesus is gathering his army. To belong to this army, you must pass the tests that come your way. If you pass, you will become a mighty instrument in God's hand. If you fail, you will be excused. I have made the choice to be part of God's army for the battle that lies ahead. How about you?

ACTION POINT
Declare that you are joining God's army in the last days.
Ask God to make you relevant to your generation.