Our God is a man of war. Exodus 15:6 states: “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.”
He called His people an army. Exodus 6:26 tells us how Aaron and Moses brought the children of Israel out from the land of Egypt “according to their armies.”
The Bible talks about many different weapons of war. These weapons can also be used spiritually in the place of prayer.
Jeremiah 51:20 states: “Thou art my BATTLE AXE and WEAPONS OF WAR.”
The battle axe in this passage describes the people He chose to go to war against Babylon, one of the greatest empires of the ancient world who had taken Israel captive and brutally mistreated them.
The battle axe is an instrument to break IN pieces all the enemy’s strongholds. Let’s look further in verses 20-24 where we see 10 things God will break in pieces through the battle axe:
1. “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee” (that's YOU fighting), “will I break in pieces the nations.” (That's GOD fighting). The overcoming church will be given power over the nations. Revelation 2:26, 27 says: “He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father.”
2.“And with thee” (YOU are fighting) “will I destroy kingdoms” (GOD is fighting);
3.“And with thee” (YOU are fighting) “I will break in pieces the horse and his rider” (GOD is fighting);
4.“And with thee” (YOU are fighting) “will I break in pieces the chariots and his rider;” (That's GOD fighting)
5.“With thee also (YOU are fighting) will I break in pieces man and woman; (GOD fighting)
6.“And with thee (YOU fighting) will I break in pieces old and young;” (GOD fighting)
7.“And with thee (YOU fighting) will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;” (GOD fighting)
8.“I will also break in pieces (GOD fighting) with thee (YOU fighting) the shepherd and his flock;”
9.“And with thee (YOU fighting) will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen;” (GOD fighting)
10. “And with thee (YOU fighting) will I break in pieces captains and rulers. And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion IN your sight, saith the LORD.” (GOD fighting).
Here are some similar Scriptures to check out:
Deuteronomy 7:2, 16: “When the Lord thy God shall deliver them before you” (that's GOD fighting), thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them; thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver you.” (That’s the children of Israel fighting).
Deuteronomy 7:24: “He shall deliver their kings into thine hand” (that's GOD fighting) and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven.” (That's YOU fighting).
Deuteronomy 9:3: “The Lord thy God, which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire, He shall destroy them and He shall bring them down before thy face.” (That’s GOD fighting). Then it goes on to say: “So shalt thou drive them out and destroy them, as the Lord thy God hath said to thee.” (That's YOU fighting,)
In 1 Chronicles 14:15-16 we read a strategy that God gave to Israel for one of their battles: “When thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle.” (That's YOU fighting). “For God is gone forth before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.” (That's GOD fighting). “David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon, even to Gazer.”
Are you getting the picture? God does His part BUT He also wants us to fight.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell