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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Monday, 12 May 2025:
Deuteronomy 20:1 – “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
This verse sets the tone for the entire chapter, reminding Israel that the strength of their enemy is irrelevant compared to the presence and power of their God. As the people prepare for battle, they are instructed not to place their hope in their military might (which was not so mighty) but rather on divine deliverance. This echoes the theology of Exodus and reminds believers today that spiritual battles are not won by numbers, resources, or worldly strength but by the faithful presence of the Lord. Christians, therefore, are called to courage and trust, especially when facing daunting opposition, knowing that the same God who delivered Israel from Egypt fights for His people today.
God knows His people will have to fight battles. God expects His people to have courage in Him. Some say, “God would never ask you to do something you can’t do.” Actually, God will regularly task you with what is impossible for you to do, so He can do it through you, revealing Himself to you in a greater way and to others who are watching. God doesn’t want to use you to show the world what another talented person can do. God wants to use you to show the world what He can do, even with someone like you.
God has proven His presence and power in the past and will do so again. How should the reality of God change the way you respond to challenging people and circumstances today?
Deuteronomy 20:2-4 — “And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'”
The priest leads the people not just in rituals but through life’s challenges, helping people maintain perspective on the reality of the presence and provision of God during times when it can be easy to become deceived and disoriented. In today’s readings, before any military leader speaks, talks tactics, and issues orders, the priest grounds everyone on the reality of God and gives the ultimate guidance repeated countless times in the Bible – “Do not fear… for the Lord your God… goes with you… to give you the victory.” As a priestly people, we must be continually reminded of God’s perfect providence through His word, and we must lead others as messengers and examples of the victory available in Christ. How we respond to difficult people and circumstances reveals what we really believe about God, and everyone is watching. When crisis comes to your family, neighborhood, church, place of employment, or various other organizations, what do you communicate about Christ, and how do you lead others to Christ in that situation? Do people see in you the peace of Christ which transcends understanding?
– Romans 8:31 — What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
– Psalm 118:6 — The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
– Psalm 56:11 — In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
– 1 John 4:4 — Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
– Isaiah 54:17 — No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.
– Jeremiah 20:11 – But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.
– Psalm 27:1-3 – Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
– Psalm 84:11-12 – For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
– Numbers 14:9 – Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.
– Isaiah 50:7-9 – But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
– John 10:28-30 – I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.
Deuteronomy 20:5-9 — Let him go back to his house….
God ordained exemptions from battle for those who have recently built a house, planted a vineyard, become engaged, or are fainthearted. These exclusions underscore two principles. First, Israel’s army was not a professional or compulsory force but a theocratic militia where morale and devotion mattered more than numbers. Second, these laws reveal God’s compassion and understanding of human circumstances. God values the home, fruitful labor, and marriage, and even the fears of men are taken into account. For Christians, this suggests that God’s mission includes care for the whole person. Life’s sacred institutions—family, livelihood, emotional well-being—matter in the economy of God. He is not a harsh taskmaster but a merciful Father. This passage also reveals God’s intent to provide through community.
Spiritual Readiness, Human Frailty, and the Power of Christ-Centered Community. God doesn’t need a large army; He desires a faithful one: “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) In other words, God’s victories come through the willing, not the impressive. He does not coerce half-hearted soldiers; He calls fully surrendered hearts. However, God also has compassion for those who are not up to the task for various reasons. This teaches us that the church should be the same way: a refuge for the weary, a launchpad for the called, and a family for all. A Christ-centered community isn’t a place for pretending or hiding fears—it’s a training ground for real people becoming more like Jesus, together.
Jesus Himself embodies this rhythm. In Matthew 11:28–30, He says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” He calls us not into burnout or religious performance, but into restful readiness—a life yoked with Him, empowered by His Spirit, and supported by His Body. And that’s where the church comes in.
The New Testament vision for community, especially in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, is one of interdependence, authenticity, and purpose. Just as God didn’t want distracted or fearful soldiers in His army, He doesn’t want isolated or disoriented believers in His church. He wants engaged hearts, aligned lives, and mutual support. “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
If you’re building a life, preparing for the future, or battling internal fear—you need the body of Christ. Don’t try to fight your spiritual battles alone. Plug into a gospel-centered community where you can grow, be strengthened, and support others.
Let this be a call 1) to stop pretending and start walking in truth; 2) to surround yourself with godly brothers and sisters who can speak courage over your fear; and 3) to link arms with others who know the battle belongs to the Lord. This is how we live victorious lives—not as lone soldiers, but as one Body, led by one Lord, filled with one Spirit.
This is a reminder for those who are fulfilling God’s word by living in a united Christ-centered church community that we must watch out for one another through life’s battles. We must be perceptive enough to know when someone is not up to the challenge at hand, and we must be ready to pull them out of the fight and fight on their behalf until they are ready again. We all have days when we are spiritually weaker than other days, and the challenges we normally handle well might be too much for us to handle today, making us susceptible to sin. This is when we need other spiritual warriors to intervene and give us refuge. When we are strong again, we will be ready to do the same for others. Too often personal pride, individualism, and lack of intimacy within relationships rob us of the power of “many as one.” Work within your family of Christ to rebuild such relationships.
Deuteronomy 20:10-12 — “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you. But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.”
Israel was to pursue peace first, even in the context of war. This provision reflects God’s character as a God of peace who takes no pleasure in destruction. War is not the ideal; it is a concession to a fallen world. This principle speaks to Christians today about the importance of exhausting all peaceful options before conflict. While the passage speaks to a historical context with civic implications, the underlying message for believers is that the heart of God leans toward reconciliation and restraint. However, God also calls us to be ready to fight for justice. Great wisdom is required to rightly discern when violence is required.
Deuteronomy 20:16-18 — “But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction… that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices.”
This difficult command illustrates the severity of judgment on nations who persistently rejected God and embraced idolatry, violence, and depravity. It was not merely warfare but divine judgment executed through Israel. While we are not called to enact physical judgment, we are to take seriously the call to spiritual separation from the practices and patterns of the world (2 Corinthians 6:17). This reminds us of the need for purity in worship, obedience to God, and avoidance of influences that draw our hearts away from Him.
God has no tolerance for those who would lead His people astray, whether they are believers or unbelievers (see chapter 13)
Deuteronomy 20:18 – …that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the LORD your God.
We must be very careful not to be influenced by the worlds ‘idols,’ or substitutes for God. Mankind’s prioritization of self over God has corrupted everything, every institution, and all social mores. We are called to be holy, set apart, for God alone. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Deuteronomy 20:19-20 – “When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. You may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field human, that they should be besieged by you? Only the trees that you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, that you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.”
Even in warfare, God commands ecological stewardship and thoughtful restraint. Israel was not to practice total destruction or scorched-earth tactics. This command teaches reverence for God’s creation and thoughtful use of resources. This encourages a principle of stewardship: even in conflict or difficulty, we are to act responsibly, conserve resources, and reflect God’s care for the created world.
Resources are not inherently good or evil and can be used for either good purposes or bad ones. God wants His people to use resources formerly used to support evil to support good for the future. The same resources that supply bad people can also supply good people. God’s people can destroy institutions or take them over. Why not take them over for God’s glory? In Acts 28, Paul takes a ship “with the twin gods as a figurehead” to Rome. The ship may have been dedicated to false God’s, but God Himself used it for His purposes so Paul could proclaim the Gospel in Rome. God is Sovereign over all things, and what mankind intends for evil, He intends for good (see Genesis 50). Use whatever imperfect thing you have at your disposal to glorify God and share the Gospel.
– Numbers 14:9 — Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 12 May 2025: Today, choose one specific fear or challenge you are facing—whether it’s a conversation you’ve been avoiding, a decision at work, a family issue, or a step of faith you’ve been putting off—and begin by taking it directly to God in prayer. Re-read aloud Deuteronomy 20:1–4, asking God to replace your fear with trust in His presence. Then write down one way you will act today in faith rather than fear—whether that’s making the call, initiating the conversation, offering forgiveness, or taking the next step in obedience. Let the Word of God lead you as the priest led Israel, so your actions reflect trust in God’s power, a commitment to peace, and a life shaped by holiness and stewardship. This daily rhythm of “pray, hear, act” will train your heart to be courageous and Christlike even when the battles seem too big.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 