The pages of the Old Testament are filled with the dramatic prayers and actions of the people of Israel as they faced enemies, famine, and disaster. Their cry was often: "O God, be on our side!" They longed for the Divine Warrior to march with their armies, to deliver them from their foes, and to bless their land. Much like you and I today.
And, when they walked in obedience, God was indeed their protector and deliverer. When they strayed, the prophets brought God's stern but loving verdict, reminding the people of God's perspective and calling them back to covenant faithfulness.
One powerful example of this dynamic is seen when the Israelites were about to take Jericho:
“When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you for us, or for our adversaries?’ And he said, ‘No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, ‘What does my lord say to his servant?’ ”
— Joshua 5:13–14 (ESV)
The commander's answer, "No," is striking. He wasn't choosing sides; he was declaring that God's mission was the only side that mattered. Joshua's response was immediate humility and surrender. He stopped asking God to join his side and asked how he could join God’s.
The New Covenant: The Question Is Settled
With the coming of Jesus Christ, the question of whether God is "on our side" is definitively answered and fundamentally transformed.
The Gospel reveals the ultimate, unwavering truth of God's heart toward humanity: He is absolutely, eternally, and completely on our side.
He did not wait for us to clean up our lives; He came while we were still lost. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8 (ESV)
He did not send a general or a prophet; He sent His own Son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16 (ESV)
The very act of the Incarnation, the Cross, and the Resurrection is God’s decisive declaration of love and commitment to redeem humanity.
The Apostle Paul drives this point home with powerful rhetoric:
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
— Romans 8:31–32 (ESV)
The New Challenge
Because God has proven beyond all doubt that He is for us through Christ, the question shifts from a desperate plea to a deliberate choice. The ultimate battle is no longer for God's allegiance; it is for ours.
The question is no longer: "Is God on our side?"
The question now is: "Are we on God's side?"
This means:
Surrender: Are we willing to lay down our own plans and will, just as Joshua did, and ask, "What does my Lord say to his servant?"
Obedience: Are we actively seeking to live by Christ's teachings, aligning our values, actions, and priorities with His kingdom purposes?
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” — Matthew 6:24 (ESV) (This principle applies to all areas of allegiance, not just wealth).
Faith: Are we trusting in His completed work on the cross, making His perfect righteousness our ground for peace and hope, rather than relying on our own strength or goodness?
A Final Thought
Let us move past the anxious plea for God to join our cause and embrace the reality of the New Covenant: God has already committed Himself to us. Our task is to enthusiastically and obediently commit ourselves to His cause.
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