It is interesting that as you read the Old Testament there are a couple of interactions that God has with man regarding troop numbers that I think are very telling.

The first is God’s interaction with Gideon. Gideon is about to face the Midianites and this is what God tells him. “The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Median into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. Judges 7:2-3. This whittled the Israelite army from 32,000 to 10,000 men. God used two more test to make the army smaller and eventually ended up with 300 men. This type of battle preparation makes no sense to men. However, as the word of God says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong”. 1 Corinthians 1:27 Of course this strategy that God is using with Gideon is pure foolishness in the eyes of wise war planners.

The next interaction is between David and God. For some unknown reason David wants to count how many fighting men he has in his country. Joab tells him it is bad idea but the King insists and the men of fighting age are counted. The counting of the men brings great displeasure from God and David has to choose one of three curses as a punishment for his sin. This story is found in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. It does not say specifically why God did not want David to count his men; but, I can think of two reasons. 1) Knowing the number of men allows you to put your trust in the numbers rather than in God and 2) was David filled with pride over his kingdom and what he thought he had accomplished, even though it was God who had delivered the nation of Israel from the hands of enemies and blessed its growth.

Interesting that in neither story is God interested in Israel’s troop strength. Additionally all modern wars that Israel has been involved, they have been horribly out numbered yet against all odds they have overcome and won every battle since the rebirth of their nation.

The moral to these stories is if God is on your side, leave your war calculators at home. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords will be sufficient for whatever battle you find yourself in. This truth applies both to war and plain old life.

Soli Deo Gloria