King Og Defeated

Isaiah says that we are to “lift up an ensign over the peoples” (Isaiah 5:26). An ensign is a flag or banner. If you’ve seen a Navy ship you may have noticed the field of stars flying at the stern. That’s an ensign. It identifies the ship by its nationality. Isa … More

Victory

From all appearances Israel hardly stood a chance of defeating them but we must remember that no matter how insurmountable the obstacles may seem God is sovereign and will take care of any enemy he chooses (vv. 1-11). Continuing the rehearsal of Israel’s experience in the wilderness, Moses tells of the resistance of another Amorite King and the victory God gave to Israel. The Israelites faced the well-trained army of Og, king of Bashan (v. 1). They completely destroyed the kingdom of Bashan, just as they had destroyed King Sihon of Heshbon (vv. 2-3). They destroyed all the people in every town they conquered—men, women, and children, but they kept all the livestock for themselves (vv. 4-7). The land contained 60 high walled cities and a territory that included the northern half of Gilead and all of Bashan (v. 4). They hardly stood a chance, but they won because God fought for them. God can help His people regardless of how impossible the obstacles may seem. 

Sidon and Og were both Amorite kings that had controlled the territory which bordered Jordan. Their land stretched from the Arnon River gorge in the south to Mount Hermon in the north (vv. 8-9). They captured all the towns in the highlands, all of Gilead, all of Bashan and two of the towns that Og had ruled (v. 10). Israel had just gained victory over Sihon and now they were facing the well-trained army of Og, king of Bashan. Og was a giant. Moses describes his bed as 13 feet long and six feet wide (v. 11). This truly was a king-sized bed.

Application

Many young Christians think that the battles of life will get easier as we grow older, but it doesn’t seem to work that way. It is just that in different seasons of life we go through different types of battles. When I was younger it seemed that my battles were centered more around moral purity. Through the years of life occupation, they were more in the area of competition and pleasing others. Now as I approach the senior years physical and mental things become more challenging.

Deuteronomy 3:1-11 (English Standard Version)


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