The Battle Already Won In The Cross

And then...this is where we begin to get near to the heart of the nature of this battle-the song was governed by the priestly and Levitical side of things

You will see at the end of the previous chapter how the government was put into the hands of the priests; and then the narrative in II Chron. 20 shows that it was the Levites, whose it was to praise, who spontaneously broke into praise (v. 19).  

Praise expressive of faith was governed by what was priestly and Levitical-which shows the nature of the battle at once.

This was the question, the whole question...on whose side was God? and God has no favorites.

God is not on one side just because He feels inclined to favour that side.

God is only on the side of righteousness, on the side of holiness “in holy array.”  

God is on the side where salvation is already implicit by reason of priestly government, or the government of priestly principles-that is, the Blood, the Cross, all that redemption means through the work of the Lord Jesus.  

And so the answer to the question, On which side is God?

Is this...He is found where that is represented and implicit which is the work of His Son on Calvary.  That is the nature of the battle; and that is not your battle nor mine; that was God’s battle!

So we come over to this well-known passage in the Letter to the Colossians.  It is a wonderful passage.  I have been looking at several different versions, and, although I do not often trouble you with the technique of different translations, I think it worth dwelling upon two or three. 

Having despoiled the principalities and the powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (His cross).

The dominions and powers He robbed of their prey, put them to open shame, led them away in triumph through His cross.

He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in His cross. 

Now you notice that is all in the past tense; that is something done.  The ground has been taken from the enemy-that is the first thing; and when an enemy’s ground is taken from him, he is in total confusion. 

Note the confusion back there in 2 Chron. 20-they are all killing one another. Why?...their ground upon which they trusted has been taken from them.

In Colossians it is the same confusion: “put to shame.”  What is shame but confusion?

If anybody is in confusion, they are very much put to shame.  In confusion they are helpless, you can take their prey; and that is what Judah did in the story we have read. 

He took their prey, prey from the principalities and powers.  Why?...because their ground was taken away. 

~T. Austin Sparks~