Faith and Firepower

Whenever Moses raised his arm, Israel prevailed. But whenever he lowered his arm, Amalek prevailed. (Shemot 17:11)

Have you ever read the last book in Tanach, Chronicles II? It’s a review of the kingdoms of the Jewish People from King David to King Zedekiah, the final king before the Babylonian destruction.  

The Tanach introduces every king by summarizing his life in three statements:  

• What family did he come from? 
• How long did he reign?  
• Did he serve Hashem faithfully?   

The last question told you everything about how successful his rule was. When a king served God with all his heart, Hashem blessed him with victory. In some cases, like King Josiah, Hashem protected succeeding kings in the merit of Josiah’s righteousness. God blessed the righteous king with victory in war. He blessed the tzaddik with territory, slaves, livestock, gold, silver, and land.¹ 

King Hezekiah was so righteous that God blessed him with a victory over Sennacherib’s massive  Assyrian army without deploying a single Jewish soldier.²  

Even before the kings, the God blessed the Judge Gidon victory over 130,000 Midianite warriors with just 300 troops.³ 

Since Moshe, we always had soldiers. We always maintained an army.  Some kings had armies so large that they were greater than the IDF! 

The Only Factor in Winning Wars 

Chronicles II never mentions how the soldiers won. It never discusses military strategies, political intrigue, or individual stories of each soldier’s heroics.  

None of them are mentioned. It’s as if they don’t matter . . . because they don’t.  

The Tanach only mentions the results: How many were killed or taken captive; how much land, livestock, and material wealth was gained or lost.  

According to the outcome of the wars a king fought, we knew if he walked in God’s ways or not: 

And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he went in the first ways of David his father and did not inquire of the baalim. But he inquired of the God of his father, and he went in His commandments, and not like Israel’s deeds. And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah gave a gift to Jehoshaphat, and he had abundant riches and glory. (II Chronicles 16:3-5) 

Today’s Victory 

AI Agents and Cloud networks don’t change the rules for the Jewish People. Although we live in a new era, the current chapter of our history might as well be placed after the last chapter in Chronicle II. 

When we walk with God, He blesses us. He blesses us with victory, supremacy, and prosperity.  

In Afula where I live, everyone was dirt poor for 80 years. It was a secular socialist city. Over the last two decades, there has been a massive return to Hashem. Today, Afula is one of the fastest growing cities in Israel – from an initial 2,500 residents during the War of Independence⁴ to about  64,000⁵ today.  Building construction rates have exploded as high-tech companies flood the Jezreel Valley’s capital.  

Afula is a microcosm of Israel.  

For 60 years, Israel was a secular socialist country – and dirt poor. Over the last three decades, the teshuvah movement in Eretz Yisrael has grown considerably. During this era of unprecedented repentance, Israel has grown rapidly in the economic, education, and defense sectors.  

When we serve God, He blesses us with victory: 

• We served Him in 1948, reclaiming the Land of Israel for the Jewish People. He blessed us with countless miracles.  
• We served Hashem in 1967 during the Six Day War (June 5-10) by returning Jerusalem, Hebron, and the Sinai to Jewish rule. Hashem blessed us with countless miracles.  

But it works both ways:  

• Shortly after the Six Day War ended (on June 17), the Israeli government transferred control of our precious Temple Mount site to the Islamic Waqf, a Muslim religious authority. We have not won a single war since.  
• On September 25, 2023, violent clashes among Jews erupted during Kol Nidre prayers in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square. The reason: gender separation during public Yom Kippur prayers. A week and a half later, on October 7, 2023, the Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah massacre took place. 

The Army Whose Mission is Victory 

Like King David, King Hezekiah, and King Jehoshaphat before us, Israel needs an army to fight. 

For the Israeli Army to secure victory, we all must walk in the ways of God.  

As beautiful Israelis return to Hashem in teshuvah, and as more Jews in chutz l’aretz make Aliyah, Hashem will continue to bless us with strength and prosperity, until we feel the Land of Sinai, Jordan, and Lebanon beneath our feet.  

Each one of us must take on our mission of triumph by walking in His ways with more Torah, more prayer, more charity, more kindness, and more emunah.  

Our military army will fight, and our Yeshiva army will beseech our King to grant them victory.  

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David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, 60,000 passionate Israelis, and Matilda, our local camel. Follow his channel, The Conquest of Israel. 

Editor’s Notes: 

¹ II Chronicles, Chapter 35 

² II Chronicles, Chapter 32 

³ Judges, Chapters 6-8 

⁴ Jewish Virtual Library, “Afula” 

⁵ World Population Review, “Afula”