Judges 1:19 - So the LORD was with Judah. And they drove out the mountaineers, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the lowland, because they had chariots of iron.
Background:
Joshua had divided the inheritance among the children of Israel. However, there were still lands to be possessed. After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel decided to fight against the Canaanites who had occupied their inheritance.
Israelites started well by trusting the Lord – The Israelites did not decide to fight the Canaanites on their own. Rather, they sought to Lord concerning which tribe must go up first to fight against the Canaanites. They also received the divine instruction that the tribe of Judah must go first. Judah went up city to city and smote all their foes. and the Lord was with him and delivered various territories of the Canaanites and the giants into his hands.
The reason why Judah was successful in all their battles was because they trusted in the Lord. As per the instructions of the Lord, they led the way in the battle and went conquering city after city, not doubting that God was with them.
Now coming to Judges 1:19. Judah had taken possession of the hill country, supposedly a rough terrain filled with rocky fortresses and natural barriers. They defeated massive cities and the giants. And now suddenly they are unable to drive the people of the plains – because the foes had iron chariots?
Consequently, few questions surfaces:
1. What is the big deal with iron chariots?
In simpler terms, the Canaanites had iron chariots while the Israelites did not. Iron undoubtedly surpassed all the other materials used in wars. These war chariots seemed to have scythes that were 1 metre long fitted in the axles of the wheels. Such novel war machines of those days contributed dynamically to battles in the lowlands. Israel did not have any such chariots, so it resembles a battle between foot soldiers and tanks.
2. If the Lord is Almighty and was with Judah, why was Judah not able to fight the chariots of iron?
Well, we need to be clear on the fact that the Lord indeed is Almighty and Omnipotent and is well able to destroy the chariots of iron.
Job 37:23 – “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power
Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
After all, it wasn’t that long before in the history of the Israelites that the Lord had drowned the entire Egyptian army, including all its chariots, in the Red Sea.
We read another instance in the Bible of the king named Jabin who had 900 chariots of iron
Judges 4:3 - And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.
And we read of the marvellous victory that the Lord gave the Israelites who were under the oppression of king Jabin and his commander Sisera.
Judges 4:13-15 - So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth Hagoyim to the River Kishon. Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot.
We find that the 900 chariots of iron were no big deal for the Almighty God. The Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots.
Then the question remains. Why did Judah fail to drive out the inhabitants of the lowland?
It was the will of God and the Israelites had a promise of victory against the Canaanites and it doesn’t matter what the situation or power of the enemy is.
Exodus 33:2 - And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.
The Lord had instructed the Israelites that since the Lord was with them, they should not be afraid when they see the numerous horses and chariots of the enemies.
Deuteronomy 20:1 - “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
But the Israelites were clearly warned of one thing
Deuteronomy 20:4 - Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.
Because this demonstrates the lack of faith against the power of the Lord. Where faith ends, fear begins.
Matthew 9:29 - “According to your faith be it unto you”, God can bless us only according to our measure of faith.
In the words of Charles Spurgeon - The Lord will not fall short of the measure: let us not make the measure short.
This explains the painful fact that power of the Lord was restrained because it was not trusted. Judah’s reliance on God was only up to a certain point. The Lord was with them but their lack of faith in Him made them fail miserably.
Do you remember Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14:25-31)? Seeing Jesus walk on the water, Peter asked the Lord that he must also be able to walk on the water towards Jesus. And He did!
Matthew 14:29 - Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
But all of the sudden, Peter started to sink. Why? Jesus was with him, it was Jesus who permitted him to walk, then why did he start sinking?
Matthew 14:30 - But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
He started to look at the situation and his faith in Jesus failed. He was afraid.
Hence Jesus rebuked him saying, “You of little faith,” and “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).
This is the hinge of the problem with Judah as well. Judah kept on conquering as far as their faith was strong. However, their faith was not perfect. They evidently thought that they had some strength in themselves (indeed Israel had a fine army – seasoned veterans of war); for their power went as far as driving away the men of the mountains, but not so far as attacking the army of iron chariots in the open plain. They were disheartened on seeing the iron chariots and thought that they would not be able to drive them out, they failed miserably. If Judah had demonstrated the same faith about the chariots of iron as about the mountaineers, the chariots of iron would have been no better than chariots of straw, for Psalm 46:9 says, ‘He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.’
Yes, Judah failed badly although they had a special commission - Judah shall go up (Judges 1:2) with a special promise - behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
You may say, “Yes, the Israelites were stiff-necked and rebellious people. They had an all-powerful God who freed them from Egypt, supplied all their needs and gave them a land flowing with milk and honey. Still, what was their problem? Why were they afraid, faint-hearted, and panic stricken over iron chariots?”
Let me tell you that we often sail in the same boat as them. This is our weakness too. We often believe that God can help us, but only up to a certain point. This belief often conceals a measure of self-trust. How often does our faith sink and we shrink away in fear and dismay when we face problems that seem like iron chariots. Where is our faith in the Lord who promised us His power and presence?
Matthew 28:20 - I am with you always, even to the end of the age
Hebrews 13:5 - For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
1 Peter 5: 7 - casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Very often we believe in one promise and not the other. Whatsoever God has promised he is able also to perform; be it suitable in our case or not, we need to grasp the promise and expect its fulfilment. Let us not forget that we have a Lord who cares about the iron chariots that we face and is well able to destroy them.
Probably, you are going through some problem in your life for which you are not able to trust God enough. Recollect the special promises that the Lord has made for you. Recollect the great things that the Lord has done specifically in your life in the past. Why then are you dismayed by the chariots of iron that you are facing now?
May the Lord help us put our faith in Him as we ought to and give us the courage to face the iron chariots of our lives!
