God’s Angel Army

It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You!

June 11

When we sang the song “Surrounded(Fight my battles)” at Billy Graham’s The Cove several months ago God reminded me of a story I heard when I went to Israel 15 years ago. Ever Since then, every time I hear that song I think of that story. It is the story of the Six-Day War. When I went to Israel the retired Israeli General came to speak to us one evening. He told the story of how God won the war for Israel. Israel had only become a nation after thousands of years in1945 after WWII. So, less than 20 years later they were in no way prepared to defend herself. They had no real army to speak of and no tanks. They were an infant nation.

So when Egypt, Syria, and Jordan decided to join forces from the North, South, and East, it seemed like a sure win for them. Their plan was to push Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. But God had other plans. When the tanks were heading across the desert toward Israel, Israel had no defense. The soldiers were in bunkers below ground level, with just a small narrow window at ground level peeking out of a mound of sand. All the soldiers could do was watch as the tanks slowly rolled toward them. Their guns were no match for these state of the art tanks. So when the tanks stopped in the middle of the desert right in front of them, the Israeli soldiers were confused. When the tank’s hatch was opened and the soldiers got out and deserted their tanks and ran in the opposite direction, Israeli soldiers were surprised.

At the end of the war when all four nations sat down together to form the Peace Treaty, the Israeli’ leaders asked the question, “Why did your men abandon your tanks and run the other way?” This is what they said, “As they headed toward Israel and looked at the horizon, all along the Horizon as far as the eye could see, stood a glimmering army dressed in white on horseback. The size and power of this army was overwhelming. They knew they could not win, so they ran and deserted their equipment. What they did not understand was, it was not an Israeli army, it was God’s army. God’s Angel Army. The deserted tanks were then taken by Israel and used to create their own military. These were state of the art tanks and now Israel had them and all the technology to reproduce them.

At the same time they asked Egypt why they did not launch the bombs set and ready to deploy. All they needed to do was push the button to fire on their target. Egypt told the Israeli’s that just before they were to launch the bombs. They saw huge mushroom clouds over Israel and thought Syria or Jordan must have already bombed them, so they saved their missiles.

Israel was saved! God saved her. Israel didn’t see the angel army or the mushroom clouds, only their enemy did, and it scared them. So often the same is for us. We feel like we are surrounded with no way out. The fierceness of the battle is not evidence of defeat. We need to remember that we are surrounded by God’s angel army. He is doing battle for us and we are blissfully unaware. As I listen to this song I remember that this is how I fight my battles, with praise and worship. It may look like I'm surrounded, but I'm surrounded by Him