War: The Israelites had to take possession of the Promised Land by
conquest. They had to engage in a long and bloody war before the
Canaanitish tribes were finally subdued. Except in the case of
Jericho and Ai, the war did not become aggressive till after the
death of Joshua. Till then the attack was always first made by the
Canaanites. Now the measure of the iniquity of the Canaanites was
full, and Israel was employed by God to sweep them away from off the
face of the earth. In entering on this new stage of the war, the
tribe of Judah, according to divine direction, took the lead. In the
days of Saul and David the people of Israel engaged in many wars with
the nations around, and after the division of the kingdom into two
they often warred with each other. They had to defend themselves also
against the inroads of the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the
Babylonians. The whole history of Israel from first to last presents
but few periods of peace. The Christian life is represented as a
warfare, and the Christian graces are also represented under the
figure of pieces of armour
(Ephesians 6:11-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; 2 Timothy 2:3,4) The final
blessedness of believers is attained as the fruit of victory
(Revelation 3:21)
