Dr Paul Allen

When exposed to evil, we might doubt God ’s presence. Soldiers’ accounts and memoirs often recall times of doubt as they grappled with war, atrocity and, ultimately, the struggle between good and evil. While Scripture is clear that good will triumph, it also says evil will win its share of battles. Second Kings 3 records a war event where evil won. Does God take sides? Second Kings 3 describes the rebellion of Moab , led by its king, Mesha, against the monarch of the northern kingdom of Israel , King Jehoram (3:5). Like his father Ahab, Jehoram solicited King Jehoshaphat of Judah (the southern kingdom) for assistance against his enemy (3:7). They were joined by the king of Edom (3:9). The invasion route—“by way of the wilderness of Edom”—is critical to the storyline. Edom was the territory settled by the descendants of the red-haired Esau (Gen 25:25; 36:1, 8). “Edom,” a play on the word adom (אָדֹם, “red”), was epitomized by the reddish soil and rock of its wilderness. By tak...

Image via Wikipedia "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem . . . to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you." ( 2 Chronicles 20:17 )   The Ammorites and Moabites and Edomites had organized "a great multitude" seeking to destroy Judah under King Jehoshaphat . But the king and his people came together to "seek the LORD" in prayer for deliverance, and God answered. "The Spirit of the LORD" spoke through Jahaziel , assuring them that "the battle is not yours, but God's" (see  2 Chronicles 20:2, 4,14-15 ).   Then the Lord sent what may have seemed a strange instruction. "Stand ye still," He said. Just watch God do it! And He did. All their enemies were constrained by the Lord to fight and destroy each other, without the Israelites having to fight at all. Similarly, at the Red Sea when everything looked...