You Can Lead A Horse To Water But …
19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. Job 39
I’m pretty sure most of us have, at one time or another in our lives, heard this well-known horse related maxim. But … I’m not too sure if that’s giving all horses a fair rap.
This passage in Job highlights the marvelous strength and wisdom of the war horse. The horse knows that in order to survive and win the battle, he must do two things: Obey and eat. Life and death depend upon it.
The well trained war horse knows that his master has nothing but his best interest in mind. Also, the horse knows his master. If the master’s tone is one way, then he knows what that means. If the master shifts on his back or moves his legs or feet, then it knows what that means. Horses are very in touch with the one who, ultimately, cares the most for them.
Therefore …
When it’s time for battle the horse and rider flow in perfect harmony and symmetry:
“He goes out to meet the armed men.”
“He mocketh at fear and is not affrighted.”
“He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage”
“He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha.”
The War Horse — what a beautiful specimen to behold.
The horse and master form such a symbiotic relationship that the horse, without hesitation, gives absolute obedience. That doesn’t mean the horse no longer is a horse. Horses most definitely have their own will that must be dealt with.
But when it’s time, both horse and rider will plunge into the mayhem and carnage of the battle field.
So … ??????
Our Master gave us one very important “maxim” that He felt strongly about. He didn’t suggest it as an option. He didn’t say we could do it if we felt like it was a good idea. He knows what will sustain us in the battle “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
I think sometimes we read the words of Yeshua like He’s that feminine looking guy with a halo around His head. He’s FAR from anything like that. If anybody was a Man’s Man, it was Yeshua. So, when He says what I’m about to tell you, I have to imagine there was some manly urgency and passion behind it.
Here it is:
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” And surprisingly that wasn’t anything new. He wrote the same thing a long time ago back in Deuteronomy. He’s the Word made flesh, remember?
Yeshua starts with the basics: Daily intake of His Word.
We forget that the “Jesus” of the New Testament is God. And as such, He already had a long history of dealing with His people. He already knew how recalcitrant/obnoxious/resistant we can be at times … a lot of the time.
And He knows that if He doesn’t whip us into shape, we’ll lose the battle.
Could our insufficient intake of God’s Word help explain our spiritually anemic conditions? Are we war horse material? Would you depend upon yourself to do battle?
I want to be like the war horse that the book of Job talks about. That war horse didn’t become a great war horse by maintaining a life of resistance to his master. He obeyed. And in the crucial moment of engagement the two of them took on the enemy together, as one.
Funny, it seems like a good portion of God’s creation does what He created it to do … except us.
So, who’s more stubborn, stiff necked … resistant? The horse or the human?
Somehow I think it’s easier to lead a horse to water and drink then it is to get God’s people to daily feed on His Word.
What do you think?
Anybody vote for the horse??