XXIII.  The Lord's Book of Wars, and the Wars of the Lord

"Wherefore it is said, in the book of the wars of the Lord, what he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon." Numbers 21:14

IT has been a matter of wonder with some where Jude got the prophecy of Enoch from, which is mentioned in the 14th verse of his epistle; and I have heard of some who formerly offered a large sum of money for that book, if it was extant, and could be procured; and that a gentleman was imposed upon by a spurious composition, which passed for Enochs prophecy. I have read also, in Mr. Bruce, that he brought a book, called Enochs Prophecy, from the city of Gondar, in Abyssinia. The account that he gives of it is as follows: There are other books of less size and consequence, particularly the Organon Denghel, or, The Virgin Mary's Musical Instrument, composed by Abba George about the year 1440, much valued for the purity of its language, though he himself was Arminian. The last of this Ethiopic library is the book of Enoch. Upon hearing this book first mentioned, many literati in Europe had a wonderful desire to see it, thinking that, no doubt, many secrets and unknown histories might be drawn from it. Upon this, some impostor, getting an Ethiopic book into his hands, wrote-for the title, The Prophesies of Enoch, upon the front page or it. M. Pierise no sooner heard of it than he purchased it of the impostor for a considerable sum of money. Being placed afterwards in Cardinal Mazarine's library, where Mr. Ludolf had access to it, he found it was but a Gnostic book upon mysteries of heaven and earth, but which mentioned not a word of Enoch or his prophecy, from beginning to end; and from this disappointment he takes upon him to deny the existence of any such book any where else. This, however, is a mistake; for, as a public return for the many obligations I had received from every rank of that most humane, polite, scientific nation, and more especially from the sovereign, Louis XV, I gave to his cabinet a part of every thing curious I had collected abroad, which was received with that degree of consideration and attention that cannot, fail to determine every traveller of a liberal mind to follow my example.

Amongst the articles I consigned to the library at Paris, was a very beautiful and magnificent copy of the Prophecies of Enoch, in large quarto; another is amongst the books of scripture which I brought home, standing immediately before the book of job, which is its proper place in the Abyssinian canon; and a third copy I have presented to the Bodleian Library at Oxford, by the hand of Dr. Douglas, the Bishop of Carlisle. And concerning the passage in Jude, he says as follows: And, indeed, the quotation is, word for word, the same in the second chapter of the book? Bruce's Travels, folio, Vol. I. p. 497-499. I will not tell my reader how much my ears have itched to hear the contents of that book.

But, as for the book in my text, I believe it to be no other than the writings of Moses, which contain several wars of the Lord, and especially these two that are mentioned:

1. What he did in the Red Sea.
2. What he did in the brooks of Arnon:

both of which are recorded in the writings of Moses. If it be objected, that Moses wrote five books, and the book in the text is but one; it may be answered, that Moses himself called all his writings a book: "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." The mind of Moses seems to me to be this: What I have written has been by thy command, and under the influence of thy Spirit; and thou hast proclaimed thy name before me, and I have written thine own proclamation, "The Lord God, gracious and merciful, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and sin." And now, if thou wilt not forgive the sin of this people, blot my name out, and let it not stand in that book, nor let it ever be known that I am the writer of it. Which shews great wisdom in Moses, and wonderful condescension in the Almighty, to suffer a poor frail worm to make so free. But Moses represented the great Mediator; and a mediator must draw near to both parties. And, whosoever declares or wages war, the Captain of our salvation is the God of armies; he mustereth the forces, numbers the slain to the sword, and gives the victory. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." And we read, in the book of Genesis, of the wars of the confederate kings, who fought in the plains of Sodom, where the five kings were overthrown, and all the cities of the plain plundered, and the people led into captivity, whom Abraham and his confederates rescued. But the wars in my text seem chiefly to intend the wars of Egypt. God had sent Joseph into that country, who had made known to the king of Egypt Gods intention of sending seven years plenty, and of the seven years famine that was to succeed. In the seven years famine Joseph had bought up all the land of Egypt, except the land of the priests, for the king. The king, being in possession of the whole country, sends for Jacob and all his family, bidding them not regard their stuff, for the good of all the land of Egypt was theirs. But some of the succeeding kings and heirs of the land of Egypt knew not Joseph, though they enjoyed the land which Joseph had bought up for the crown. One of these heirs of the crown and country pays no regard to the promise of his predecessors, but turns his guests into slaves. This people being the people of God, God, like the king and sovereign of his people, sends his ambassador to demand his subjects from thraldom. This his just request being denied, he wages war with the king of Egypt. Hence it is said that God took him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, Deut. iv. 34. And he proceeded as great generals often do, who frequently distress the invaded by cutting off or poisoning their waters; so God turns all the waters of the river, ponds, and brooks, into blood, so that they could not drink thereof, Exod. vii.

He distressed them in their cattle also, by sending a grievous murrain among them. And he brought such instruments of death forth from his armoury as are not in the power of an earthly prince to furnish out.

Nor was the beginning of this war army against army, but rather single combat. The Lord of hosts fought the field; his troops were making brick in Goshen. He sent frogs, lice, pestilence, hail, and fire, into the land, which destroyed their corn, trees, and vines; then he sent darkness; and, last of all, smites the heir apparent, and all the firstborn of the land; and having humbled them, and spoiled them of their treasure, he enriched his own subjects with the spoil. He led his armies out with an high hand, and with the full consent of the truly mortified king of Egypt.

But he, repenting of his submission, and of the compulsive terms he had agreed to, pursues them with all his strength. Moses, as their leader at the head, seeing they were likely to be surrounded, calls to his Sovereign for aid. He is ordered to divide the sea, and lead the armies of the Lord into it; and, they being hid as in an ambuscade, their enemies pursue; but, lest the pursuers should travel too fast for the pursued, the wheels of the war chariots drop from their axles, and this troubles the host, and impedes their march. The armies of God gain the shore, when the returning waves, like soldiers in ambush, fall upon their enemies in the rear and overwhelm them. This raises the Lords honour, and spreads his fame: "And, in very deed, for this cause," says God, "have I raised thee up, to shew in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." And, indeed, it is upon this stroke that Jethro so much admires him: "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them," Exod. xviii. 11. And upon this also the Almighty got a new title; "The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name."

And upon this victory was that famous song composed, which will be sung once more upon the destruction of another Egypt, and upon the completion of a better salvation: "Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath flashed in pieces the enemy. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters," Exodus xv, The manner of Israel's obtaining this victory is worthy of our observation. Israel wins the day by fearing, crying, and running away; while Pharaoh loses the battle, his own life, and that of all his army, by triumphing, boasting, and pursuing. And what army, except the Israel of God, ever made such a slaughter without blood, without a sword, and got such a victory without a blow? And we are under the same captain, commander, and leader, now. Our Lord, single-handed, without any to help, overcame Satan, and all his devils with him. He overcame the world, and all the serpents seed that is in it. He overcame death and the grave, and then ascended to heaven with a shout; the Lord with the sound of a trumpet; and led captivity captive; and then sends his Spirit upon rebels, telling them that his victories are placed to our account: "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." And our victory in every skirmish depends upon fearing the Lord, crying for help, and running to him for support, succour, and safety. And he that confides in his Lords love not only wins the field, but never diminishes aught of his strength; for "We are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us." So much for the war at the Red Sea.

Now for the brooks of Arnon; where we have an account of another war of the Lord, and of another victory obtained. "Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon. Behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee," Deut. ii. 24, 25. The wonder that appears in this account is, that the Captain of our salvation had given into their hand Sihon before they had seen him. He had given them also his land before they entered into it, and the victory before the sword was drawn. The next wonder is the quick dispatch of the messengers of dread and of fear; which were to reach the nations that were under the whole heavens. All these were to hear the report of Israel, and should tremble and be in anguish because of them. And I do not think this war is quite ended yet; for, although it be true that "the earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof: if not, where, and who is he?" yet I think that God's Israel are still fighting to gain the possession that God has given them. There is a new earth that we look for, according to his promise, Wherein dwelleth righteousness, or righteous persons, possessing righteousness. The heirs of promise look for this. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." This promise is by no means fulfilled in the present state of things; for, if there be any of the meek and quiet who have any worldly possessions, none fall a prey to the litigious so much as these. But there is another earth: "Behold," says God, "I create new heavens, and a new earth. But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." Hence we read, in Johns visions, of the new Jerusalem being let down from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband, and of a great shout on the occasion, saying, "The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell among them."

This Jerusalem is the covenant of grace, and all the elect are called the children of the covenant, being secured within the bonds of it, These are the bride, the Lambs wife; for there can be no lawful wife without a marriage covenant. "And, as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain," Isaiah lxvi.

Jerusalem is created to be a rejoicing, and her people a joy; and indeed there can be nothing else; corruption being put off, and incorruption put on; vile bodies changed, and glorious bodies fashioned; death swallowed up, and immortal life brought to light. A fullness of love within furnishes out an everlasting joy to the daughters of this Jerusalem; and Jerusalem herself is to be a rejoicing, because endless love, joy, and gladness, are promised in this covenant, and treasured up in the covenant head and husband of the church; and it will be the husbands delight to fill the soul of his wife with it.

The monster that reigned in this country, by the river Arnon, was Sihon; and neither he, nor any of his subjects, would suffer Israel to pass through their land, though on foot; no bread would they sell them for money, nor one drop of water, though Moses offered to pay for them. And Satan and his seed serve Israel the same way now.

Arise, says God, and pass over the river Arnon, and contend with him in battle. And this is war. And surge I am that this long and lasting campaign is not finished yet. The world, the flesh, and the devil, are still engaged. And there is a kingdom for which we also suffer; and one branch of that kingdom is the thousand years reign in the new earth; and we must pass through this present world to it, and fight our way, in order to gain and possess it.

Sihon, and all his princes, and all his people, were delivered into the hand of Israel to be slain. Satan and all his principalities are to be bruised under our feet shortly; and power is given us to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and in this conflict there will not be the loss of one single soldier; "For nothing," says Christ, "shall by any means hurt you." Yea, "we shall judge angels," says Paul; and destruction shall succeed the judgment passed. But the gospel of Christ, and the preachers of it, and the real professors of it, and the very profession that they make, all, all, are a savour of death unto death, both to Sihon and to the Amorites. But it shall be preached and professed in all the world for a witness; a witness in behalf of some, and a witness against others. And Moses and his forces utterly destroyed the whole country, king and people, women and children; they left none alive.

But, for the present, we must do under our Mediator as Israel did under Moses. "And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth, unto Sihon king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the highway, Thou shall sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for, money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet. But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day." Ambassadors of peace, and sons of peace, must still send and sound out messages of peace; and it is still seen that words of peace are rejected. God hardens the spirit, and makes the hearts of thousands obstinate, even when words of peace are sounding in their ears. "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work that you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it." To such we are a savour of death unto death. The Lord slays these with the word of his mouth. And, when all these despisers are slain, and the sword of the Spirit returns to its scabbard, a universal dread and fear will go through the world; for even the most daring despisers of the witnesses will dread the witnesses they have despised; for they will see these enter the marriage-chamber, and themselves shut out. And I believe this wedding-chamber, in which our Lord will present his church to himself as a glorious church, having neither spot nor wrinkle, will be this new earth promised to us, in which the Bridegroom and his bride will enjoy each other a thousand years. Then, then shall be brought to pass these sayings, that are written: "Then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more," Joel iii. 17. "And in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the. house of the Lord of hosts," Zech. xiv. 21.

But before all this takes place the wonders wrought in the Red Sea will be re-acted in a future period. The 14th chapter of the Revelation describes the destruction of Mystery Babylon, and the victory of the Lamb over her is expressed by a wine-press of blood, and her dreadful end by the smoke of her torments ascending for ever and ever, Rev. xiv. 11, 20. Upon the destruction of Pharaoh at the Red Sea the song of Moses was sung. The subject matter of the song was Gods power and glory, their own deliverance, and the destruction of their enemies. All this is yet to be sung again in truth, as the former was in type. "And I saw as it were a sea of glass, mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." These are some of the contents of the book of the wars of the Lord, and of what he did in the Red Sea.

And, if I am not much mistaken, there will be a repetition of the wonders performed at the brooks of Arnon; for the next country which Israel took in the same war was all the regions of Argob, Deut. iii. 4. And these two kingdoms bear the names of Gilead and Bashan: "And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon; all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan." There is a singular prophesy to the inhabitants of Gilead and Bashan: "Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitary in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old," Micah vii. 14. For, as the new earth is to be given to the saints, who can tell but that part conquered by Israel will be the chief paradise, and Christ receive the highest praises where he suffered the greatest shame? The prophets request is, that the chief Shepherd, with his crook and sceptre, would feed the flock of his heritage in Gilead and Bashan as in the days of old, when he gave Israel all that country, and the treasures of it. And true it is, that the Lamb in the midst of the throne will feed them, and lead them to living fountains of water; and when we are thus fed we shall be perfect in knowledge, and able to comprehend the contents of this book of the wars of the Lord; and what he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon. Until then, the good Lord the Spirit direct our hearts into the love of God, and into a patient waiting for Christ!