The Limitless God

One of the enemy's great tricks against us is to get us to believe our God is limited in some way from saving or helping us. This is well illustrated in the second half of 1 Kings 20. Israel has won the first episode of this battle. Now Syria was a bit over-confident, with the king and his alliances getting drunk and seemingly unprepared for war. But when they regroup, they make a fatal miscalculation about their first loss. Listen to it:
1 Kings 20:23–25 (ESV) And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places, 25 and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

What you see here is the ancient philosophy at war in play. Ancient nations considered that whoever won the war had stronger gods. Gods were also territorial by their understanding so the first loss was simply a miscalculation on their part to fight Israel on the hills. Now they plan to attack with the same kind and size army but this time in the valley, where they suppose Israel's God is limited from helping.

The calculation Syria makes is one that we are often tempted to make about the Lord! God can save us from one thing but not another. Or if we see Him come through in a certain area we tend to doubt His ability in another area. Or perhaps He did something in our past but now our present struggles are beyond His grace and favor for us. In other words, we are all tempted to limit the limitless Lord!

What happens next is very important. Syria gathers for battle and Israel is dwarfed in size:

1 Kings 20:26–27 (ESV) In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country.

Scripture spares no feelings in describing Israel's diminutive status here. They are like two little flocks of goats and the Syrians fill the country. What would you imagine at that moment if you were Israel? God may have gotten us through the last battle, but this issue is another story. They were drunk and unprepared, we got lucky. This time they are focused and we are far outmatched. 

Yet God once again intervenes for His people:

1 Kings 20:28 (ESV) And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’ ”

Israel is going to be shown that their God is the God of the hills and valleys!

1 Kings 20:29–30 (ESV) And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30 And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city.

Here's what we are being asked to see as we wrestle through life's many varied trials and troubles. God is unlimited to help and save. It is not He who fails, it is we who fail to understand how great He is. 

Where are you limiting God right now? In your finances by failing to steward what He gives, tithe and practice generosity? In your relationships by not forgiving and holding grudges? In your workplace, by doing the bare minimum thinking God cannot open doors of advancement through that job right now? Maybe you believe God for valley highs but not those desperate valley lows. He's there for both. Elijah perfectly illustrated this for Israel and they missed it. Elijah was fed by the ravens in the valley and called down fire on the mountain. God is able in all things. We need only learn and believe.