Today's Scripture Reading (March 8, 2025): Deuteronomy 20
"Today is a good day to die." It is the cry of the Klingons in Gene Roddenberry's (1921-1991) optimistic view of the future. The Star Trek creator and those who became caretakers of his vision after his death built the Klingon Empire around the idea of honor. They are a race made for battle whose warriors would find their way into Sto'Vo'Kor (Klingon heaven) as a reward for dying well in battle. I have always noted similarities between Roddenberry's fictional Klingon warriors and the Japanese soldiers who fought in World War II. That connection is likely intentional.
Klingon culture resulted in a warrior race of fierce fighters who fought without reserve. Klingons stormed into battle, instilling fear in their enemies as they let loose with their war cry or even the scream of grief that accompanied the death of a fellow soldier. There is a danger in someone who fights without fear, firm in the knowledge that even if they die, their deaths will be accompanied by their passage to Sto'Vo'Kor, the place of the honored dead.
Moses knows that taking Canaan will not be easy, nor will it be done without a fight. He won't be with his people when they enter the Promised Land, but God will. As a result, before the nation goes into battle, the priest(s) will appear before the army and remind them that they do not need to fear. They can be fearless in the fight because God is with them. An army that fights without fear is a dangerous army to fight against.
It is not that there will be no reason for fear. The enemies Israel will face will be bigger and stronger than they are. The enemies would often possess all the advantages that military generals crave in battle: superior numbers, technology, and equipment. But none of these things were enough to overcome the presence of God.
It should be noted that these instructions assumed that the battle was God-ordained. Theologian Adam Clarke (1762-1832) reminds us of the danger of fighting a war without the approval of God. "Divine assistance could not be expected in wars which were not undertaken by the Divine command" (Adam Clarke).
The Apostle Paul gives a similar teaching to the Christian Church. "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us" (Romans 8:31)? It's a good question. If we are going about the business of God, nothing can stand against the purposes that God has placed inside us.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 21
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