Episode Four – YOU ARE PART OF A MIGHTY ARMY

Psalm 68:11, 12 tells the wonderful story of two armies. One is the army of men, and the other is the army of women in the home! Yes, the word that is used is “tsaba” and means “an army, a mass of persons especially organized for war, a host, battle, warfare.” And this army is in the home.

Well, they are supposed to be in the home. The Hebrew word is in the feminine gender and therefore it means women. And this army at home is also called “SHE,” not “he.” Sadly, a big portion of this army have deserted! We need them back!

Announcer: Welcome to the podcast, From Our Home to Yours, with Nancy Campbell, founder, and publisher of Above Rubies.

Nancy Campbell: Hello ladies. Good to be with you again. A couple of weeks ago, I was speaking to you about a beautiful Hebrew word. It's one of the Hebrew words for “dwell.” I think I told you that the word “dwell” is used 468 times in the Bible.

God loves the word “dwell” because He is a dwelling God. He loves to dwell in us, and He loves to dwell in our homes.

There are 31 different Hebrew words for that word, “dwell.” One of them is “naveh.” I was talking to you about it, and how the full meaning of the word is to “stay at home, to make your home lovely, pleasant, satisfying.” It's a dwelling place. It's used of God's Temple. It's used of homes for people, and homes for flocks and animals. It's a word that describes home because God wants all His creation to live in a home.

Now today I'd like to take you to another Scripture where this word is used. It's in Psalms 68:12. I will have to do some explaining about it as we go along but let me read it to you.

“Kings of armies did flee apace, and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.” The words, “tarried at home,” in the Hebrew is the word “naveh,” n, a, v, e, h. That word talks about a home, meaning “lovely, pleasant, satisfying.”

In fact, one commentary of this Scripture and this Hebrew word says that it means the “inhabitress of the home.” When it says, “she that tarried at home,” it means the “inhabitress of the home, the one who inhabits the home.” This is a wonderful Scripture because, dear ladies, we've got to get back to Scripture to understand who we are as women and God's ultimate purpose for us. We find God's truth for us all the way through the Word of God.

Here we pick up another Scripture where it says “she.” Did you hear me say that word? She, she. Okay. In my Bible, I have put a circle around it. You can do that in your Bible too. Because it doesn't say “he that tarried at home, he that dwelt in the home.” No, she that dwelt in the home.

It is God's intention for the woman to dwell in the home. That's His plan. It's not His plan for the men to be dwelling at home raising the children. Although today we do have this happening, and we even have it happening amongst Christian people. I know many who say to me, “Well, my husband, well, he can't earn as much as me. I can earn far more the him. So, it would only make sense for him to stay home and look after the children while I go out to work and bring in the income.”

Now that does sound very wise. Sounds feasible. Sounds with human wisdom the best thing to do. But human wisdom is foolishness with God. He laughs at human wisdom, even if it just looks so good. In fact, that is how the devil tempted Eve in the very beginning.

If you remember in Genesis, chapter three, how did he tempt Eve? He knew he couldn't tempt her with anything evil. Goodness, here was a woman who walked with God every evening in the cool of the day. At the end of the day, work was done, and God came and walked with them at that time and fellowshipped with them. How could someone like that be tempted by the devil?

The devil knows he can't tempt you with anything evil too. And so, He will use good things. Even things that may seem wise. Yes, they seem wise to the human mind. So, we read in Genesis 3:6 and it says here, yes, that he made the food so that she would see that it was “good.” Yes, that's the word, “good.” And that it was “pleasant.” It was “to be desired to make one wise.” All those things, oh, it looked good. It looked wise. And that's how she was tempted.

Dear ladies, because something looks wise, and it may look the best thing, it doesn't mean to say it is the best thing, because we either believe the Word of God or we don't. We are either believers in His infallible eternal Word, or we're not.

I am amazed how many times so many Christians, you'll speak the Word to them, and then they'll say, “but, da da, da, da,da” and give their circumstances and what they think. And it's opposite to the Word. And they think they're arguing with me. Oh no, I just quoted the Word. They don't even listen to it.

I believe we must get back to the Word. Everything I believe, everything I stake my life on, every principal I have in life, it's got to be backed by the Word.

Here we have God's truth, “she that dwelt in the home.” It's the mother dwelling in the home. That beautiful word “naveh.”

Okay, let's look a little bit more at the whole context of this Scripture. It's in Psalm 68, which is talking about victory over war. And these two, there's two Scriptures that go together, tell a story.

Let me read them to you. We'll go to verse 11: “The Lord gave the word, great was the company of those that published it. Kings of armies did flee apace, and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.”

All right, I'm reading King James. So, let's unfold it a little more. “The Lord gave the Word.” This is a Word of truth that God gives. And then there were some people who published it.

“Great was the company.” Now my King James Bible, in the margin it says for the word “company,” it says it should be “army.” Army. Did you hear that? Army! Yes, that is the exact Hebrew word. The Hebrew word is “tsaba,” t, s, a, b, a. It means literally “a mass of persons, especially organized for war, an army, battle, warfare. A huge host of warriors.” That is the word.

So, it's talking about an army here and then it goes on to say, “Great.” Great. Notice it was “great,” not little.

“Great was the army of those that published it.” Now in the Hebrew, the word “that published it,” is the word “bassar.”  It has a little bit more to it in the Hebrew when you read the whole phrase, but that phrase is in the feminine plural. Most translations of the Word of God translate, “The Lord gave the Word. Great was the ARMY OF WOMEN who published it.” So, dear ladies, this Scripture is talking about us. It's talking about women. But do you notice it's also talking about an army? Yes, we are an army. Yes, we are not to be trifled with. We are an army.

And then the next verse talks about how another army was going out at to attack the enemy. They won the victory and all the kings flew away because they were winning the victory.

We see here in these two Scriptures, two different armies. Isn't that amazing? Now the army that it's speaking about here, the women, in the next verse, it tells where the women are meant to be; in the home.

We've got an army who is in the home, and an army who goes out to fight the enemy. So, we've got two armies here. You’ve got this word “tsaba.” There’s also another word in the Bible that talks about us women being an army.

Did you know this one is in Proverbs 31? We all know the Scripture. Proverbs 31:10, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” The word “virtuous” in the Hebrew is the Hebrew word “chayil.” This word literally means “a force, an army, virtuous, valiant, strength.” It’s interesting, ladies, that this same word “chayil,” is used to describe valiant men in the Bible.

In 1 Chronicles 26:7, we read about “strong men.” The word is “chayil.” We read in the next verse about “able men,” same word, “chayil.” In 1 Samuel 31:12, we read about “valiant men.” In 2 Chronicles 26:12-13, we read about an “army” = “chayil,” and “mighty men of valor,” = “chayil.” And so it goes on. There's loads and loads of Scriptures about valiant men, and it's all that word.

And then we come to Proverbs 31:10, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” It's still the word “chayil,” an army. Oh my. But maybe the translators didn't really know how to translate that word for women. So, they used virtuous women instead of valiant women. Because God wants us to be valiant women in our homes, to be a mother in the home. The anointing of motherhood is an anointing of gentleness and nurturing and nourishing and caring and loving and protecting.

But there's an also another aspect to mothering. That is that valiant aspect of mothering, that watch- dog-like spirit, that thing that rises up in a mother to protect her child from evil, from danger, or for whatever is happening. She will give her life to lay down, to save her child, and she will protect.

She is like a lion, and she's like a mother bear. Why do we say mother bear? Because a mother bear will fight to protect her little ones. And so, we have this gentle, beautiful, nurturing spirit, but we also have this fighting, valiant spirit to protect our children, our little ones and our bigger ones, to protect them from evil.

It's the same dichotomy we see in the life of Christ Himself. We go to Revelation 5:3-6. Remember how John was so sad because there was no one worthy to open the books. An angel came and said to John, “Don't worry, because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will come. He will open the books. He is worthy.”

And so, John looks. But instead of seeing the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, he sees a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Christ is the Lion. He is also the Lamb. In motherhood, we are nurturing, but we also value and protect. God calls us an army.

We also see another part of the story here, “the Lord gave the word.” Maybe that was the word, “The enemy is coming!” Maybe the women had the responsibility to go out and pass it from home to home, to tell the men, “Get ready for war! You've got to go out against the enemy! You've got to protect our city! You've got to protect our families!”

They took the word out because great was the army of women who proclaim the news. Now they go to proclaim it, and that army gets ready to go out to war. There's the army that goes out, but of course, there must be an army at home.

The homes must be protected. The women have to take on even more responsibility because their men are out at war. That's greater responsibility for the woman. You know how it is when your husband is away. If your husband is in the military, and he's had to go overseas, you feel the weight of all that you have to do on your own.

Or your husband has to go away on business for a certain time. I said to my husband the other day, “Oh Darling, you just have to stay around forever, because if you go away from me, if something happens to you, this house will fall down around my ears.”

I am so unpractical. I don't know how to fix anything, but my husband can fix anything. When something goes wrong, he's there to fix it. He's there also as my protector. If he's not here, well, what do I do? I've got to rise up.

So, the women had even more responsibility, but they would not vacate their homes. They are there to protect their homes and to protect their children while their husbands are out. This is an army in the home. She that dwells in the home. Let's get it straight, dear ladies, okay?

But then, praise the Lord! They win the victory. Did you read “the kings of armies flee, they flee, they flee.” It's repeated twice because it was a great victory, and they won. They come home now, and they're bringing all the spoils, and all the beautiful gold and silver, and costly garments.

The Bible says that they don't bring it home and just appoint, “Okay, Wife, you can have this, and you can have that.” No, they bring home the spoils and they lay it at the feet of the women. It is the women who have the privilege to divide the spoils among themselves, and among their children, and among those who are needy. They had been given that responsibility.

You see how beautiful it is. Everyone has their part. We are made to believe in this society today that the woman, she is at home with her little ones, in her four walls looking after her children. No. She has a mighty, mighty task.

Once again, she begins to proclaim, because when they come home with the news, the women are out on the streets again, with their timbrels, singing the songs of victory as they did so much in the Bible. When they came through the Red Sea, Miriam went forth and danced with the timbrels, and they all joined her in praise to God.

And I remember when David slew Goliath, when he won the battle over the Philistines, he'd come home. And the ladies would come out of their homes with their tambourines and timbrels, and they would sing, “Saul has slain his thousands, but David has slain his tens of thousands!” They would sing the victory songs.

The men play their part in the war, in the battle, of chasing the enemy. The women play their part on the home front. Amen, are you getting the picture, dear precious ladies?

But another thing we must think about. No army can win a battle if they have deserters. Oh well, they can get away with a few deserters, but imagine if more and more and more soldiers began to desert the army. In fact, we all know, especially in bygone times, my, if you deserted, you got shot.

Now they don't do that. But they do have a very serious punishment for deserting. Deserting is a very serious offense in the army. I was just checking it out on the Internet recently, and I read all about it. There's different aspects of desertion and I won't go through them all with you here, but I got up to number five, which is the desertion of abandoning watch, or guard.

I said,” Oh my, I'd better take notice of this one because this is one that God has mandated to us as women. He has made us to be the watchdogs of our homes. He has made us to guard and watch over our children's lives, not only physically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We are to watch and guard them and we're responsible for that. We can't do that effectively unless we are there in the home, watching over them.

If we're out of the home, we can't be watching. We don't know what goes on. We've got to be there. There are women who will stay home with their little ones, even their little bigger ones, but then when their children are getting older, they think, “Oh, well, they're great. They can manage, they're on their own.” They go off and out into the workforce and they don't realize this is such a very important time as well.

Oh, I just remember the sad, sad story. A dear, dear, dear friend, so close to me. Beautiful, beautiful mother. And this mother was working. She didn't want to work. She wanted to be at home. She had such a big mother heart, but she was under the illusion that she had to help her husband, and she helped her husband by going out to work.

But then she began to see it wasn't working, and she began to become unwell. She was working about three jobs at once at one time and things were just getting worse and worse. And she was realizing more and more too, that, okay, this wasn't right.

She wasn't really a helper to her husband by going out, because she wasn't there in the home. She wasn't even there for him. She wasn't even there to prepare a meal for him.

But then the clinch day came. One day this dear friend came home to her unguarded home . . .  a home where she wasn't there. She came home to find her teenage daughter in the shower with the neighbor next door. She was totally devastated. Devastated!

She realized she could not stay away from her home a day longer. She gave her notice. She came back home. She said, “I'm not allowing this to happen to my younger children.”

You see, we must be in the home, dear ladies. But as I read this No. 5, the area of desertion on the watch . . . by the way, Titus 2:3-5 tells the older women to teach the younger women to keep the home. That word there actually means “to guard the house, to watch over the home, like the keeper of the castle who keeps the keys and will not allow any intruder in. It's a guarding watch.

Then we also have that word in Proverbs 31:27, where it says “She.” Do you notice that word? “She,” again. So many times in Proverbs 31 it states “She.” What “she” does . . .  “She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness.”

Once again, it doesn't say, “He looks well to the ways of his household.” No, that's not his job. His job is out there to earn the money, provide the money. Well, he may be doing a job that he can do at home. That's so great, but it's his work, and he must give his time to that.

But it's the woman, the mother who has been given the charge, the mandate, to manage her home, to guard her home. That word, “She looks well to the ways of her household,” is the exact same word as “watchman.” When it talks about watchmen on the walls, and you read about it many times in the Bible, look up the Hebrew. It's exactly the same word as “She looks well to the ways of her household.” It means “to guard.”

We have been given a mandate, a command, to guard our home, to guard our marriage, to guard the lives of our children—spirit, soul, and body.

Now this is what it says regarding ABANDONING WATCH IN THE ARMY, No 5.

• “The accused is a member of a guard, watch duty.” Now that's what we are, mothers. We are members of a watch guard and we are on watch duty. We are on sentry duty. We're an army, remember.
• “He has absented himself or herself from this guard.” Absented . . . hey, isn't that amazing? So many women today are absenting themselves from their sentry duty, from their guard duty, then leaving their home unguarded.
• “The absence was without authority.” Have they been to the One who gave them the mandate, the King of Kings, written in His word? Have they got authority to leave their home? No, no, they have not.
• “The accused intended to abandon his or her post.” So many women today are abandoning. Dear precious ladies, the actual word is “deserter.”

We are an army. The sad thing, this powerful, powerful army in the home is weakening. There are hundreds, there are thousands and thousands of deserters. The enemy has deceived the minds of women, and he has wooed them out of the home to leave their homes unguarded, their precious children unguarded.

Oh yes. They can care for them. They can cook the meals, they can clothe them. They can do all that. There's far more. We are responsible to guard their minds and hearts and souls and spirits. We must be there. We are an army, we're a soldier against the enemy who comes in to intrude into our homes, who comes to want to take our children. He wants to get hold of them. You can't get hold of them when there is a praying mother, a guarding mother in the home, dear precious, precious, dear ladies.

Oh, I believe that in this hour, there must be a returning, a returning, a returning to the home, back to our posts, back to our sentry duty, back to our guarding the home. Because God wants this army, a powerful army, in the home, as well as going out.

There are two armies, you are part of the army that is at home. “She dwelt in the home.” All the works, all the blessings, and all the responsibilities that she has in her post in the home. Let's embrace it.

Will you do that today? Be encouraged.

Dear Father, we come to You today in the Name of Jesus. We think, oh God, of this huge army that You have planned to be in the home, because our nation is only as powerful as the home. It is only as powerful as the marriages and the home life.

“Oh God. we grieve so many mothers who have been deserting. Many have been doing it willingly, but many, dear Father, they are doing it ignorantly. They're wanting to do the best. They are just following what others say. They think it looks good, but oh God, bring them back to Your precious Word, to Your Truth, Lord, to the vision that You have and that You planned right from the very beginning.

You set it out. You showed the way and Lord, You created the home. You put the woman in the home. Lord, You want her to be a valiant soldier in the home. I pray that You'll bring back the women into the home, bring back this mighty, valiant force into the home, that we will raise up godly marriages in godly, strong homes in this nation, for this is the only way that we can make a strong nation.

Oh God, I ask that You do this, that You will bring this revival, oh God. Lord, we think of the last words that You gave at the end of the Old Testament, but Lord God, before that great day comes, that great and terrible day, that You will send the anointing of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers and the mothers back to their homes, Lord, not wooing them into the workforce, but back to their homes. Lord God, we pray that You will do this in the Name of Jesus.

Bless these precious mothers today in Jesus' Name, Amen.”