Teach My Hands to War, OLord

October 22, 2024

King David, an ancient king of Israel, wrote in the Bible Book of Psalms (144:1–2, NIV), “Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”

In the Old Testament. war was exactly like it continues to be today — an obscene act of pain, suffering, death, and useless destruction. Why King David was involved in civil and international wars is a story spanning half of the Old Testament and not a suitable topic for this writing.

Nevertheless, a different point that I want to make here is that war only further guarantees its endless repetition, continuing, not like the WW1 claim that it would be the war to end all wars.

Notwithstanding that fact, the topic for this writing is not about a materialistic war but an ethereal one. It is not always covert and invisible, but it only appears overtly and out in the open through common attitudes and actions of Mankind. This writing is intended to point the way out of this damning cycle of war sprouting more war.

In the New Testament the Apostle Paul included characteristics causing these endless conflicts in a list of Human’s contributing faults in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 5, “…hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy…”

Might human nature then be the root cause of all wars?

Our freedom to choose what we do certainly raises that possibility

So, there’s that.

Bible understanding is not as simple as some might hope., is it? The Bible is quite complex, because in covering a lot of time, civilizations, cultures, and the experiences of a wide range of individuals, in order to make sense of it all, all had to be woven together under the tutelage of a vastly superior intellect. The result became a very thick tapestry of insights, practical applications, and a pathway toward an abundant life and empowering individuals for living life to the full.

By the way, there is significant meaning which existed right before the Hebrew priests, every day standing right in front of them as they served in the tabernacle. It hung between them and the Holy of Holies with the Mercy Seat of God behind.

It was as thick as a handbreadth and woven with many colored threads. It was, of course, that tapestry which separated them from personal interaction with God.

This is one of the earlier things God directed so as to be revealing Himself to Humanity as time went on. That was a reason God directed Moses to build the Tabernacle and everything in it, very carefully, building exactly as God directed.

At the time of Jesus’ death it is recorded that the tapestry ripped in two from top to bottom, signifying the opening of the door to the personal relationship that hadn’t existed since Adam and Eve walked with God. Remember? Because of their actions, they had to leave the Garden, and with two Angels standing guard, they could not return

Yet. God still had the plan for reconciliation and redemption

At the same time, once this tapestry blocking the way to understand God was torn away, the stories had to continue to be passed down and eventually recorded in written form: hence, the Bible.

Yet unraveling the threads of the tapestry of the Bible remains an enigma of sorts.

Further back in Biblical history, after Moses led the Hebrews and they escaped their bondage in Egypt, God spoke to Moses on a mountain. When he came down to speak God’s words to the people, his face was shining brightly. The people demanded Moses cover his face, and I think this caused the people not to “see” what God’s words meant to them.

In understanding that set of circumstances, the Apostle Paul wrote how the New Testament ministry was different. In 2 Corinthians 3:13,14& 16 he explained “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away… But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

What I am trying to get to is that there is now a way into personal knowledge and fellowship with God through the saving graces provided by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

In the end this is a key to what Jesus was trying to unveil to all people: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28–30, NIV.

Now there is no curtain tapestry, no veil over the face, no mysterious enigma that cannot be solved and thoroughly understood. Just like he opened the eyes of the blind, Jesus can open our eyes to Who is standing right in front of us. The only possible things that can get in the way are our human character faults, That curtain is what Jesus will take away.