SOME TRUST IN HORSES

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7 NIV).

Many of the nations surrounding Israel were far more advanced in their uses of military weapons and tactics than Israel. Israel’s military had no cavalry and no chariots even though most of the nations around them did. This seems to be such an obvious need that one wonders why a warrior king like David did not develop a large mounted cavalry.

The answer is found in the instructions God gave to guide the developing nation. In Deuteronomy 17:14-20 we see the specific directions given for the time when the Israelites would want to have a king as the other nations did.

Included in the list for the king were three prohibitions:

1. Do not acquire large amounts of gold and silver for himself
2. Do not acquire multiple wives
3. Do not acquire a large number of horses

“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, You are not to go back that way again" (Deuteronomy 17:16 NIV).

Sadly, beginning with King David, there was a gradual degradation on all of these prohibited items. David was the first king to have multiple wives and there is some indication that he also began to add horses to his personal stables.

Israel’s army was to be comprised largely of infantry and would be significantly weaker than an enemy army with chariots and cavalry. This was precisely the point of God’s instructions. God did not want the army to have an overabundant confidence in its own strength—He wanted His people to trust Him to bring them to victory.

The first part of verse 16 says, “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses…” so it was not a complete prohibition against there being any horses in Israel. There could be some but not enough for them to become a significant part of the military force.

It is interesting to note that those instructions went beyond a prohibition of horses; they also included a similar restriction on going back to Egypt. As Israel discovered itself as a nation and found its destiny in God, Egypt at that time was the primary source of the best horses. In order for Israel to add a significant number of horses, they would be forced to go back and do business with Egypt, and God said “You are not to go back that way again."

In the spiritual realm, Egypt is often seen as a type of the carnal, sinful world; it is thought of as our life before we came to faith in Christ. Spiritually, God did not want the newly delivered and developing nation to go back to the world that it knew as oppression and bondage. He did not want His people to step out of the journey of faith and step back into the life of the flesh.

Walking in faith/trust has always been a struggle for God’s people. It was a struggle for the children of Israel in their journey to the Promised Land. Over the centuries, trust in the Lord has often been a defining struggle for God’s people and it continues to be so today. We have thousands of contemporary fellowships that have essentially said, “This is a different time and our struggles and needs are different from any generation before us.” The complexity of the hour has led many to reject what they have considered “old fashioned.” Frankly, I don’t disagree with them. Much of the methodology and style that was appropriate fifty or more years ago in church circles is no longer viable and needs to be discarded. Sadly, in the rush to find solutions, some (although not all) didn’t feel they could wait and instead of trusting the Lord our God and seeking His face, they went back to Egypt.

What I mean by that is they bought too many horses! Instead of waiting on the Lord and letting Him guide, which He would have done, they put Him over to the side and brought too much of the world system into the church. They went back to Egypt—they stepped out of faith and into the flesh.

Some of our contemporary megachurches are monuments to the flesh. Several months ago I read a powerful testimony of a Lutheran pastor from Glendale, AZ. The article was entitled “Showtime!” No More. I’m not going to try to tell his story but below is a link that will take you to the article.

The Community Church of Joy had grown to about 12,000 members. The pastor, considered one of the stars of the contemporary church world, regularly spoke at conferences with big-name contemporary pastors. In 2002 the pastor had heart surgery and needed to take a lengthy time off. While he was recuperating, he and his wife visited a number of churches to see how they did things. The sabbatical became a time of renewal and restoration and he returned to his home several weeks earlier than expected. On a Sunday morning he slipped into the back of his own church without notice and he wept as he…well, I’ll let him tell the story.

Here’s the link (simply copy and paste it into your browser if the link doesn’t connect you):
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/fall/13.39.html