These verses present another instance of military warfare. Nonetheless, there is a difference here, because this example seems to see Israel as the one initiating the conflict. Moreover, Solomon said in his explanation that it was a case that he was conceiving that the Lord would be the one to send his people into battle. Therefore, he did not imagine this supposition to include God’s chastisement or punishment. This was a plea that whenever the Lord sent out the armies of Israel against their enemies, the Lord would hear their requests for victory and the maintenance of their cause.
There is, however, an important lesson to learn in this portion of the prayer. Even when God’s people are acting on the basis of his instruction, they are not to consider that there is no need to pray for the successful conclusion of the matter that they are engaged in. The Lord wants it to be known that even in those circumstances, his favour is not to be presumed. Israel was to war in faith but not in presumption.
There is another lesson to learn. And this has to do with what we may call the concept of a just war. Initiating warfare can be just in the context of a covenant people when there are true prophets to tell them that God is sending them out. Taking it upon oneself, however, to initiate warfare is highly dubious. Self-defence is one thing, but aggressive war is quite another thing. The failure of God to answer prayer in that scenario may be a sign that the Lord has not sent you.
Just war theory cannot be exhausted here. Nonetheless, the nations of the world ought to take warning that none of them is in the same position that Solomon’s Israel was.
44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name,