Believe it or not, of all the times I’ve read this chapter, I didn’t understand that the Israelites formed a giant crucifix ✝️ when they were in formation 😅😅 until I saw a post online that they were doing this. Even the Pharisees in Jesus’ time didn’t understand this (see John 5:40) — but this chapter is found in page 78 of the NKJV Bible I have for this journey, pages 99-100 of the NASB Bible I have for this (Old Testament, 1995 version), and pages 161-162 of my VOICE and Amplified Bible (Classic Edition) copies (I don’t know why they’re the same pages between two different physical Bibles when they haven’t been meshed or paralleled together).
One thing I noticed in verse 32 here is that this is the exact same number of troops as recorded in chapter 1. Literally. I think in those days, the Israelites were surrounded by primeval tribes who were always waging war against others, and I don’t know why God hadn’t commanded them to preach righteousness yet. Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact God’s Name hadn’t been widely known yet (many future references would often be blasphemous, sadly), or with the judgments Israel was making akin to Moses killing the Egyptian (see Exodus 2:12), or maybe peace was impossible? I’m not really sure… but thankfully, the world is a lot different than that now, for Isaiah 61:1-3 predicted Jesus’ days, and we’re to look and practice Isaiah 2:1-4 prophetically as a result. Too bad a peaceful revolution is sometimes impossible, though… so God gives these violence-lovers up to the evilness they’d always loved. For they had time to repent of their sins, as we all do, but chose a lie about Him 🙄🙄🙄🙄😒😒😒😒😑😑😑😑😑😑😑🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️ — and Solomon would say over 500 years later, “God made people upright, but everyone’s sought out many schemes” (Ecclesiastes 7:28, author’s translation). I know I did when I was younger, hoping to ascertain the best feeling I’d ever felt. Can anyone else relate to that? But I’m glad Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He can help with you (the reader) seeking this, too.
If someone uses this passage to promote any warmongering, they miss the point of Scripture entirely, and they’ll be under God’s holy ban because of Exodus 20:7, and I’m not talking about the conquest of Canaan that Israel would pull off ~40 years after the events of this and the next 12 chapters unfold (those who’ve read their Bibles know what’ll happen).
I ddon’t have much else to say, but speaking of safety, I pray a bunch of land mines in places like Asia and north Africa and the Caribbean would be defused safely, and I pray Jesus is the primary motivator for this. For if someone steps on one, they’ll be blown apart and will likely die from it 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔 don’t let this happen to you, for your life is more precious to God than millions of birds in one flock 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗 and to Him, all humans are alive (Luke 20:38).
But with that, if you want to send me a prayer request, you can do that in my email: ron.outland4727@gmail.com! I’ll read each one, write them down, then tape them to my bedroom walls! I’ll see you in chapter 3, the subject of which I don’t remember, to be honest 😅😅 later, guys!
Ron And His Stories 