“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord” (Proverb 21:31)
Men have encountered battle from the age of Torah. Israelis began war onwards the reign of Prophet Moses by the order of God. (Numbers 21, 31, 32) Battle amongst ancient people have not only ensued amongst Israelis and their enemies which we find in scripted in the Holy Bible, but also between the nations of world countries. On all the battle filed though, the triumph is God’s for He becomes the power of righteous. (1 Samuel 4:2, 18:17, 19:8, 25:28, 2 Samuel 3:1, 3:6)
We can mention the following wars in accordance to their sequence:
Battles from Abraham to Israel’s Conquest
• Abraham’s 318 against the Armies of Shinar (Babylon) – Genesis 14
• Pharaoh Pursues the Israelites in Exodus – Exodus 14
• The Israelites Fight Back against the Amalekites – Exodus 17:8–16
• Israel Opposes the Midianites and Moabites – Numbers 31:1–11
o Israel’s Rules of War – Deuteronomy 20 (Exod 23:24; Lev 18:21–24; 19:24; 20:2–3; Deut 18:9–14)
• Israel Marches on the City of Jericho – Joshua 6
• Israel’s Struggle with the City of AI – Joshua 7–8
• Joshua Leads Israel against the Five Amorite Kings – Joshua 10 (Deut 9:5)
• King Jabin of Hazor with a Great Army Opposes Joshua and Israel – Joshua 11
• Israel’s Continuing Conquests – Judges 1:1–11
• Ehud Leads Israel against the Moabites – Judges 3:12–30
• Barak Leads Naphtali and Zebulun against Sisera, the Commander of Canaan – Judges 4
• Gideon’s 300 Rise Up against the Midianites – Judges 7–8:21
• Israel Wars with Its Own Tribe of Benjamin – Judges 19–20
Battles of the Kingdom
• The Philistines Capture the Ark of Covenant – 1 Samuel 4:1–11
• Samuel Leads Israel to Repent and Repel the Philistines – 1 Samuel 7
• Saul Leads Israel to Save the City of Jabesh Gilead – 1 Samuel 11
• The Battle at Michmash – 1 Samuel 13:16–14:23 (14:47–48)
• Saul Leads Israel against the Amalekites – 1 Samuel 15:1–9 (15:19, 33)
• The Battle of the Valley of Elah, David verses Goliath – 1 Samuel 17
• David Saves the City of Keilah and Out Maneuvers King Saul – 1 Samuel 23 (21:1–15; 22:1–5)
• Saul’s Pursuit of David in the En Gedi – 1 Samuel 24
• David’s Strategic Movements – 1 Samuel 26–27
• David Saves the City of Ziklag – 1 Samuel 30
• King Saul’s Final Battle – 1 Samuel 31
• War Between David’s Judah and Ishbosheth’s Israel – 2 Samuel 2–4
• King David’s Conquest Establishes Jerusalem – 2 Samuel 5
• David’s Mighty Men and Special Training – 1 Chr 11:10–25; 12:1–2, 8
• King David’s Great Conquests – 2 Samuel 8 (2 Chr 18)
• The Ammonite Rebellion – 2 Samuel 10
• Absalom’s Rebellion – 2 Samuel 18 (2 Sam 13–17)
• Sheba’s Rebellion – 2 Samuel 20
• King David Avenges the Gibeonites – 2 Samuel 21 (1 Chr 29:26–30)
Battles of the Divided Kingdoms, Judah and Israel
• Israel’s King Ambushes Judah – 2 Chronicles 13
• Ethiopia’s Army, Greater than One Million, Attacks Judah – 2 Chronicles 14
• King Jehoshaphat’s Army of Judah Worships and Sings in the Face of Battle – 2 Chronicles 20
• King Ahab of Israel’s Battles with Syria – 1 Kings 20; 22
• Israel and Judah Joined Together to Defeat the Moabites – 2 Kings 3
• The Syrian Army Come to Conquer Israel including Elisha – 2 Kings 6:8–7:20
• Edom Revolts against King Jehoram of Judah – 2 Chronicles 21
• King Amaziah of Judah Wars against Edom – 2 Chronicles 25:1–16
• King Amaziah Stirs Up Israel to Battle – 2 Chronicles 25:17–24
• King Uzziah of Judah Fights the Philistines – 2 Chronicles 26:1–15
• Judah is Weakened by Battles – 2 Chronicles 28
• The Assyrian Invasion – 2 Kings 18–19 (2 Chr 32:20–21)
• King Josiah Goes Out to War against Pharaoh Necho – 2 Chronicles 35:20–27 (2 Kgs 23:29–30)
• The Babylonian Captivity of Judah – 2 Kings 25
Battles of the Christian Era
• The Destruction of Jerusalem – Luke 19:41–44, 21:5-24, (Matt 24; Mark 13)
• The Christians’ Spiritual Warfare – John 18:36; 2 Corinthians 10:3–6 (Rom 13:12; Eph 6:11–18)
• The War in Heaven between Michael and Satan – Revelation 12:1–17 (Rev 11:2)
• The Defeat of the Beast in the Battle of Armageddon – Revelation 19:11–21 (16:12–16)
• The Last Victory – Revelation 20:1–15
Israelis use to consequently win battles by carrying the Ark of the covenant. The abode of God was their strength and power. The Wise King Solomon said, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord.” (Proverb 21:31)
The New Kings James Version of the bible tells about former battles stating as, “The first battles of men were with clubs, or some weapons used in beating, striking. Hence the club of Hercules. And although the moderns use different weapons, still a battle is some mode of beating or striking.” This reminds us about our prehistoric country of Ethiopia’s battle. Our Ancient Kings won the battle filed with the aid of God just as Israelites instead of relying on swords or weapons.
To mention instance, the battle of Adwa is the victory of all the black nation who has been deprived one way or another by enemy country. Emperor Menilik won the war against the Italians carrying Saint George’s Ark of the Covenant relying on God to triumph on their battle. Our forefathers had true faith in the Lord and thus defeated their enemy consequently.
Prophet David relied on his Lord and had victory on every battle of his, beginning his adolescent. He defeated Goliath with only a stone for the power of God was in him. (1 Samuel 17:1-50)
May God be with us for we could triumph on our every battle of us, Amen!