By: Obed Pineda
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31).
During Israel’s post-exilic era, the Jews that had returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and Jeshua had ceased the rebuilding of the temple because of their adversaries, the Samaritans (cf. Ezra 4:4-24). The house of God would remain unfinished for the next fifteen years, prompting the Almighty to raise the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to rebuke and exhort the people to return and finish rebuilding His house (cf. Haggai 1:1-12, Zechariah 1:1-6). History places the emergence of both prophets around 520 B.C., with a two month span between them (cf. Haggai 1:1 and Zechariah 1:1). There is no question that a contributing factor to the Jews hesitancy in completing the task that God had assigned them, via King Cyrus’ decree (cf. 2nd Chronicles 36:22-23), was the fact that they had just returned from a seventy year captivity in Babylon. It is very plausible that they were afraid of kindling the wrath of the Persian king since the Samaritans used Israel’s dreadful past that would exhibit a rebellious spirit in order to incite Artaxerxes’ suspicion of their motives for rebuilding the temple (cf. Ezra 4:12-16). Undoubtedly, the thought that conceived this anxiety was that they were a small and weak nation in comparison to the mighty and powerful Mede-Persian empire, and were in no condition to face them on the battlefield. Ergo, from a human perspective, it becomes easy to understand why the Jews would panic upon witnessing that “Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions…went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease” with the king’s full authority (Ezra 4:17-23). Yet, it is wise to recall that this fearful concept is from the human perspective, neglecting to turn toward the Divine side of things. Zechariah insured the people that Zerubbabel would be God’s chosen instrument to complete the rebuilding of the temple (cf. Zechariah 4:6-10). The son of Iddo was shown a series of eight visions in one night (cf. Ezra 1:7-6:15), and in the fifth vision God declares, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:9-10a). It is wise to comprehend that the “small things” spoken of is in regards to the success of laying the foundation for the renovated temple. Haggai encouraged Zerubbabel, “‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land’ says the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:3-4). Observe that the “small things” mentioned by Zechariah is described by Haggai (a contemporary of Zechariah) as the rebuilt temple falling short of Solomon’s luxurious and splendid edifice (cf. 1st Kings 6). However, although the external appearance of Zerubbabel’s temple was not as attractive as Solomon’s, it still belonged to God and was going to be used for His service. Furthermore, another extraordinary example one finds from Zechariah’s reassurance to Zerubbabel about how vital their work was, is that the presence of God is what makes glorious and mighty to that which may appear weak and insignificant,. Several centuries before the Jews were taken into Babylonian captivity, even before Solomon built the temple, God illustrated this magnificent lesson to a mighty man of valor who questioned being the right choice to deliver Israel from their enemies. After being told by the Angel of the LORD that he would save Israel from the hand of the Midianites, Gideon queried, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” to which God replied, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:14-16). When the enemies of Israel gathered together to go to war with them, God once more reminds Gideon that victory is secure only in Him. Scripture reveals that Gideon had been able to recruit 32,000 men for battle, but the Lord proclaimed, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me’” (Judges 7:2). This illumines God’s purpose for selecting what human logic would conclude to be an unsuitable choice for a leader in Gideon; God would leave no doubt in the minds of Israel as to who their true Deliverer is. The inspired Psalmist penned, “You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them” (Psalm 44:3). Decreasing Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300 to confront the combined armies of the Midianties, Amalekites, and the people of the East, totaling 135,000 soldiers certainly proves that “the battle is the LORD’s” and He gives the victory to whom He chooses (1st Samuel 17:47b, cf. Judges 7:3-7, 8:10). Even though the heavenly Father was teaching His people that He is their true Deliverer, it must be noted that God was also imparting this same lesson to His enemies as well. Gideon had been encouraged to go near the enemy camp to hear what was being spoken about them among their enemies, so that his resolve could be strenghtened (cf. Judges 7:9-11). The Bible speaks that one man spoke of dreaming that “a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed” (Judges 7:13). The dream was correctly interpreted to mean that “this is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp” (Judges 7:14). Biblical history unveils that Gideon is represented by a loaf of barley bread because it was the food of the poorer classes during those days, and it was all Israel could eat (cf. Judges 6:3-6). Consequently, the Midianites would interpret this loaf of barley bread as a symbol of Israel, since they despised and disdained them as an inferior nation. It is sapient to establish that the nature of the enemy’s dream was miraculous, thus confirming that God was illustrating to them that victory belongs to Him, no matter how depleted or weak the opposing military may seem. It behooves the Church to always keep this valuable doctrine in mind, especially when it can appear that we are outnumbered by a world that “lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1st John 5:19b). The victory that Israel’s tumbling loaf of barley bread was given over Midian solidifies that indeed, “Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people” (Psalm 3:8).