CHARIOTS OF IRON by Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 22, 1877

CHARIOTS OF IRON.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

“And the Lord was with Judah; and he possessed the mountain; but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, for they had chariots of iron.” Judges 1:19.

Skeptics have made a great handle of this text, as if the scripture intimated that the Lord had not power over those who had chariots of iron.

It is a truth abundantly taught in the Bible that the Lord works for his people only when they put their trust in him. “Be it unto you according to your faith,” is the language of the Saviour to those who come unto him, and the language of all Scripture. Of course there are circumstances where God cannot work for them, to be consistent with his own revealed purposes and plans. The angel of the Lord, acting under divine direction, said to Lot, “Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither.” Gen. 19:22.

Of the Saviour himself it is said, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Matt. 13:58. Recording the same thing Mark says: “And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.” Mark 6:5, 6. Thus we see that the Lord was restrained from working for them by their want of faith in him.

“The Lord was with Judah, and he possessed the mountain.” Why, then, asks the skeptic, could they not drive out the inhabitants of the valley? The Lord might be with them at one time and not at another. Doubtless at the sight of the formidable implements of war among the dwellers in the valley their fears overcame their faith and trust in God, and the Lord would not go with them in their unbelief. They had been warned not to fear before enemies so armed, and assured that the Lord would be their help. Deut. 20:1; Josh. 17:16–18. Yet “they remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.” Ps. 68:42.

And the principle is true to-day as it was in the time of Judah. “Be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.” Jer. 1:17. The Lord will not work for them who distrust him and fear before his enemies. But “they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.” Ps. 125:1. J. H. Waggoner.