The God of Angel Armies: Part Two

The “God of the Angel Armies” is referred to in Haggai 2: 7. The theme is given contemporary life in the popular song by Chris Tomlin in which are these lines: “The one who reigns forever He is a friend of mine, The God of angel armies Is always by my side.”

This God, the God of the Angel Armies, has engaged in many military conflicts. Secular history omits some of the most inspiring accounts of action in military conflicts. Following is an account of such a conflict in which He was the determinant of the outcome.

In one of the most decisive encounters of the Revolutionary War, General Washington and his outnumbered rag-tag army was pinned against the East River. Annihilation awaited them. The superior British force did not press the conflict, but paused near the end of day. Doom was certainly to come for Washington and his army at dawn.

Weather kept the British from sailing up the river and further assured a British victory.

Washington’s only hope was to feverishly build rafts under the cover of night and try to withdraw across the river to live to fight another day.

As they hurriedly worked, constructing rafts during the seemingly short night, it soon became apparent they would not finish before dawn and the breaking of the battle. A group of skilled oarsmen were in Washington’s army. Silently, he feverishly worked to carry many of his forces across the river.

As dawn drew near, something eerie happened. Fog was unknown and unheard of in that area in that season of the year. Mysteriously, the mist began to form and shroud the would-be battlefield. Washington’s withdrawal was made possible by this weather phenomenon. As the last of the retreating army moved across the river just out of range of the British rifles the fog lifted.

General Washington called such divine aid “a remarkable interposition of Providence” (“The Light & the Glory,” Revell, 1977, p. 300).

Again, in answer to the prayers of His people, God had intervened and won the day.

It is this God who said, “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13: 5). Dare we cower in the face of our own needs with the God-of-the-Angel-Armies always by our side.