write a speech on victory of good over evil

Haile Selassie's address to the United Nations, 1963

Spoken to the United Nations General Assembly on October 4, 1963. This speech is typically credited as the inspiration for Bob Marley 's hit song " War ". The translation is that provided by the United Nations, running concurrent with his speech.

Twenty-seven years ago, as Emperor of Ethiopia, I mounted the rostrum in Geneva, Switzerland, to address the League of Nations and to appeal for relief from the destruction which had been unleashed against my defenseless nation, by the Fascist invader. I spoke then both to and for the conscience of the world. My words went unheeded, but history testifies to the accuracy of the warning that I gave in 1936.

Today, I stand before the world organization which has succeeded to the mantle discarded by its discredited predecessor. In this body is enshrined the principle of collective security which I unsuccessfully invoked at Geneva. Here, in this Assembly, reposes the best - perhaps the last - hope for the peaceful survival of mankind.

In 1936, I declared that it was not the Covenant of the League that was at stake, but international morality. Undertakings, I said then, are of little worth if the will to keep them is lacking. The Charter of the United Nations expresses the noblest aspirations of man: abjuration of force in the settlement of disputes between states; the assurance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion; the safeguarding of international peace and security.

But these, too, as were the phrases of the Covenant, are only words; their value depends wholly on our will to observe and honor them and give them content and meaning. The preservation of peace and the guaranteeing of man's basic freedoms and rights require courage and eternal vigilance: courage to speak and act - and if necessary, to suffer and die - for truth and justice; eternal vigilance, that the least transgression of international morality shall not go undetected and unremedied. These lessons must be learned anew by each succeeding generation, and that generation is fortunate indeed which learns from other than its own bitter experience. This Organization and each of its members bear a crushing and awesome responsibility: to absorb the wisdom of history and to apply it to the problems of the present, in order that future generations may be born, and live, and die, in peace.

The record of the United Nations during the few short years of its life affords mankind a solid basis for encouragement and hope for the future. The United Nations has dared to act, when the League dared not in Palestine, in Korea, in Suez, in the Congo. There is not one among us today who does not conjecture upon the reaction of this body when motives and actions are called into question. The opinion of this Organization today acts as a powerful influence upon the decisions of its members. The spotlight of world opinion, focused by the United Nations upon the transgressions of the renegades of human society, has thus far proved an effective safeguard against unchecked aggression and unrestricted violation of human rights.

The United Nations continues to serve as the forum where nations whose interests clash may lay their cases before world opinion. It still provides the essential escape valve without which the slow build-up of pressures would have long since resulted in catastrophic explosion. Its actions and decisions have speeded the achievement of freedom by many peoples on the continents of Africa and Asia. Its efforts have contributed to the advancement of the standard of living of peoples in all corners of the world.

For this, all men must give thanks. As I stand here today, how faint, how remote are the memories of 1936. How different in 1963 are the attitudes of men. We then existed in an atmosphere of suffocating pessimism. Today, cautious yet buoyant optimism is the prevailing spirit.

But each one of us here knows that what has been accomplished is not enough. The United Nations judgments have been and continue to be subject to frustration, as individual member-states have ignored its pronouncements and disregarded its recommendations. The Organization's sinews have been weakened, as member-states have shirked their obligations to it. The authority of the Organization has been mocked, as individual member-states have proceeded, in violation of its commands, to pursue their own aims and ends. The troubles which continue to plague us virtually all arise among member states of the Organization, but the Organization remains impotent to enforce acceptable solutions. As the maker and enforcer of the international law, what the United Nations has achieved still falls regrettably short of our goal of an international community of nations.

This does not mean that the United Nations has failed. I have lived too long to cherish many illusions about the essential high mindedness of men when brought into stark confrontation with the issue of control over their security, and their property interests. Not even now, when so much is at hazard would many nations willingly entrust their destinies to other hands.

Yet, this is the ultimatum presented to us: secure the conditions whereby men will entrust their security to a larger entity, or risk annihilation; persuade men that their salvation rests in the subordination of national and local interests to the interests of humanity, or endanger man's future. These are the objectives, yesterday unobtainable, today essential, which we must labor to achieve.

Until this is accomplished, mankind's future remains hazardous and permanent peace a matter for speculation. There is no single magic formula, no one simple step, no words, whether written into the Organization's Charter or into a treaty between states, which can automatically guarantee to us what we seek. Peace is a day-to-day problem, the product of a multitude of events and judgements. Peace is not an "is", it is a "becoming." We cannot escape the dreadful possibility of catastrophe by miscalculation.

But we can reach the right decisions on the myriad subordinate problems which each new day poses, and we can thereby make our contribution and perhaps the most that can be reasonably expected of us in 1963 to the preservation of peace. It is here that the United Nations has served us - not perfectly, but well. And in enhancing the possibilities that the Organization may serve us better, we serve and bring closer our most cherished goals.

I would mention briefly today two particular issues which are of deep concern to all men: disarmament and the establishment of true equality among men. Disarmament has become the urgent imperative of our time. I do not say this because I equate the absence of arms to peace, or because I believe that bringing an end to the nuclear arms race automatically guarantees the peace, or because the elimination of nuclear warheads from the arsenals of the world will bring in its wake that change in attitude requisite to the peaceful settlement of disputes between nations. Disarmament is vital today, quite simply, because of the immense destructive capacity of which men dispose.

Ethiopia supports the atmospheric nuclear test ban treaty as a step towards this goal, even though only a partial step. Nations can still perfect weapons of mass destruction by underground testing. There is no guarantee against the sudden, unannounced resumption of testing in the atmosphere.

The real significance of the treaty is that it admits of a tacit stalemate between the nations which negotiated it, a stalemate which recognizes the blunt, unavoidable fact that none would emerge from the total destruction which would be the lot of all in a nuclear war, a stalemate which affords us and the United Nations a breathing space in which to act.

Here is our opportunity and our challenge. If the nuclear powers are prepared to declare a truce, let us seize the moment to strengthen the institutions and procedures which will serve as the means for the pacific settlement of disputes among men. Conflicts between nations will continue to arise. The real issue is whether they are to be resolved by force, or by resort to peaceful methods and procedures, administered by impartial institutions. This very Organization itself is the greatest such institution, and it is in a more powerful United Nations that we seek, and it is here that we shall find, the assurance of a peaceful future.

Were a real and effective disarmament achieved and the funds now spent in the arms race devoted to the amelioration of man's state; were we to concentrate only on the peaceful uses of nuclear knowledge, how vastly and in how short a time might we change the conditions of mankind. This should be our goal.

When we talk of the equality of man, we find, also, a challenge and an opportunity; a challenge to breathe new life into the ideals enshrined in the Charter, an opportunity to bring men closer to freedom and true equality. and thus, closer to a love of peace.

The goal of the equality of man which we seek is the antithesis of the exploitation of one people by another with which the pages of history and in particular those written of the African and Asian continents, speak at such length. Exploitation, thus viewed, has many faces. But whatever guise it assumes, this evil is to be shunned where it does not exist and crushed where it does. It is the sacred duty of this Organization to ensure that the dream of equality is finally realized for all men to whom it is still denied, to guarantee that exploitation is not reincarnated in other forms in places whence it has already been banished.

As a free Africa has emerged during the past decade, a fresh attack has been launched against exploitation, wherever it still exists. And in that interaction so common to history, this in turn, has stimulated and encouraged the remaining dependent peoples to renewed efforts to throw off the yoke which has oppressed them and its claim as their birthright the twin ideals of liberty and equality. This very struggle is a struggle to establish peace, and until victory is assured, that brotherhood and understanding which nourish and give life to peace can be but partial and incomplete.

In the United States of America, the administration of President Kennedy is leading a vigorous attack to eradicate the remaining vestige of racial discrimination from this country. We know that this conflict will be won and that right will triumph. In this time of trial, these efforts should be encouraged and assisted, and we should lend our sympathy and support to the American Government today.

Last May, in Addis Ababa, I convened a meeting of Heads of African States and Governments. In three days, the thirty-two nations represented at that Conference demonstrated to the world that when the will and the determination exist, nations and peoples of diverse backgrounds can and will work together. in unity, to the achievement of common goals and the assurance of that equality and brotherhood which we desire.

On the question of racial discrimination, the Addis Ababa Conference taught, to those who will learn, this further lesson :

that until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned;

that until there are no longer first class and second class citizens of any nation;

that until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes;

that until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race;

that until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained.

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed;

until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will;

until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven;

until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil.

The United Nations has done much, both directly and indirectly to speed the disappearance of discrimination and oppression from the earth. Without the opportunity to focus world opinion on Africa and Asia which this Organization provides, the goal, for many, might still lie ahead, and the struggle would have taken far longer. For this, we are truly grateful.

But more can be done. The basis of racial discrimination and colonialism has been economic, and it is with economic weapons that these evils have been and can be overcome. In pursuance of resolutions adopted at the Addis Ababa Summit Conference, African States have undertaken certain measures in the economic field which, if adopted by all member states of the United Nations, would soon reduce intransigence to reason. I ask, today, for adherence to these measures by every nation represented here which is truly devoted to the principles enunciated in the Charter.

I do not believe that Portugal and South Africa are prepared to commit economic or physical suicide if honorable and reasonable alternatives exist. I believe that such alternatives can be found. But I also know that unless peaceful solutions are devised, counsels of moderation and temperance will avail for naught; and another blow will have been dealt to this Organization which will hamper and weaken still further its usefulness in the struggle to ensure the victory of peace and liberty over the forces of strife and oppression. Here, then, is the opportunity presented to us. We must act while we can, while the occasion exists to exert those legitimate pressures available to us, lest time run out and resort be had to less happy means.

Does this Organization today possess the authority and the will to act? And if it does not, are we prepared to clothe it with the power to create and enforce the rule of law? Or is the Charter a mere collection of words, without content and substance, because the essential spirit is lacking? The time in which to ponder these questions is all too short. The pages of history are full of instances in which the unwanted and the shunned nonetheless occurred because men waited to act until too late. We can brook no such delay.

If we are to survive, this Organization must survive. To survive, it must be strengthened. Its executive must be vested with great authority. The means for the enforcement of its decisions must be fortified, and, if they do not exist, they must be devised. Procedures must be established to protect the small and the weak when threatened by the strong and the mighty. All nations which fulfill the conditions of membership must be admitted and allowed to sit in this assemblage.

Equality of representation must be assured in each of its organs. The possibilities which exist in the United Nations to provide the medium whereby the hungry may be fed, the naked clothed, the ignorant instructed, must be seized on and exploited for the flower of peace is not sustained by poverty and want.

To achieve this requires courage and confidence. The courage, I believe, we possess. The confidence must be created, and to create confidence we must act courageously.

The great nations of the world would do well to remember that in the modern age even their own fates are not wholly in their hands. Peace demands the united efforts of us all. Who can foresee what spark might ignite the fuse? It is not only the small and the weak who must scrupulously observe their obligations to the United Nations and to each other. Unless the smaller nations are accorded their proper voice in the settlement of the world's problems, unless the equality which Africa and Asia have struggled to attain is reflected in expanded membership in the institutions which make up the United Nations, confidence will come just that much harder. Unless the rights of the least of men are as assiduously protected as those of the greatest, the seeds of confidence will fall on barren soil.

The stake of each one of us is identical - life or death. We all wish to live. We all seek a world in which men are freed of the burdens of ignorance, poverty, hunger and disease. And we shall all be hard-pressed to escape the deadly rain of nuclear fall-out should catastrophe overtake us.

When I spoke at Geneva in 1936, there was no precedent for a head of state addressing the League of Nations. I am neither the first, nor will I be the last head of state to address the United Nations, but only I have addressed both the League and this Organization in this capacity.

The problems which confront us today are, equally, unprecedented. They have no counterparts in human experience. Men search the pages of history for solutions, for precedents, but there are none.

This, then, is the ultimate challenge. Where are we to look for our survival, for the answers to the questions which have never before been posed?

We must look, first, to Almighty God, Who has raised man above the animals and endowed him with intelligence and reason. We must put our faith in Him, that He will not desert us or permit us to destroy humanity which He created in His image.

And we must look into ourselves, into the depth of our souls. We must become something we have never been and for which our education and experience and environment have ill-prepared us. We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.

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3 short stories — Mythologies are beyond just ‘Victory of Good over Evil’

Kartik Vishwanathan

The stories of Bhasmasura, Jaya-Vijaya & Ashwatthama can teach you some life and management lessons

Parents and elders strive hard to build virtues and values into their offspring in different ways. Moral-based and Mythological stories have been one such tool used by my grandparents and parents during my growing years, and I assume of many other fellow Indians and others across the globe. In continuation to my series of 3 short stories, I am going to share 3 mythological stories in this article and my views on how we miss out on some important learnings from those which are relevant even in today’s times. The structure of these stories was quite consistent and the result was very predictable.

· The characters — protagonist, antagonist, and support characters

· The journey/narrative — protagonist’s journey and struggle to eventually win against a very powerful antagonist,

· The result — ‘Victory of good over evil’

Many movies also follow a similar structure, but I would restrict this article to mythological stories. Our fascination towards the end results is so overhyped and celebrated that, we usually miss out on the important messages in the progression of the story, because we all want to only hear and believe it’s ‘Good that is eventually going to win over Evil’. For which the good has to make a lot of sacrifices, but in this world of very thin wall between the two, do we actually know which side we actually fall on?

Story 1 — Bhasmasura — Paradoxical effect of empowerment

Vrikasura was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva (the destroyer God of Hindu trinity) who performed great penance to obtain a boon from the Lord. Shiva was pleased and granted him a boon. Vrikasura then asked that he be granted the power that anyone whose head he touched with his hand should burn up and immediately turn into ashes (bhasma). Since then, Vrikasura is also known as Bhasmasura. Bhasmasura then wanted to test his newfound power by placing his hand on Shiva, himself. So, Shiva ran and prayed to Lord Vishnu (the preserver God of Hindu trinity) for help. (Source: Wikipedia)

The story post this is about the ‘Victory of Good over Evil’, it is about how Vishnu takes the form of Mohini and eventually tricks Bhasmasura to death by making him place his own hand on his head.

Yes, this empowered man chose to erase the source of his empowerment. One key message this story delivers to me is, Bhasmasura showed determination and grit in his journey to acquire growth and powers from someone to who he seemed devoted. He was great on that aspect of performance to have impressed Lord Shiva but lacked empathy for anyone around him, choosing the extreme step of erasing them with a boon to turn people who are a threat to him to ashes. He couldn’t ethically manage the powers bestowed on him. While you may question why such powers should ever be bestowed to anyone, we are the ones who have also had ‘not so good’ bosses in our careers or at least seen or heard about them. That should answer the question. Harmony and collaboration are the essence of life and essential for holistic assessment of performance rather than just completion of tasks. Empowering self-centered individuals who fail to responsibly manage their powers can eventually cause harm to the team, boss and eventually result in the collapse of the system.

Story 2 — Jaya-Vijaya — Challenges can prove the shortest route to success

Vaikuntha or the ‘the abode of eternal bliss’ is the abode of the mighty Vishnu (the preserver God of Hindu trinity). Regarded as the highest spiritual realm that one could attain, according to Hindu mythology. The entrance to this magnificent realm is guarded by the twin deities, Jaya and Vijaya. One day, four Kumaras (young boys), named Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara, arrived at the entrance of Vaikuntha. They were actually old and spiritually knowledgeable ones but blessed to look young like children. Deceived by their appearance the gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya did not allow them inside informing them that Vishnu could not be disturbed as he was resting. Enraged by the response, they cursed the twin gatekeepers to lose their divinity and take birth in the material world. On being cursed they pleaded to the Kumaras to revoke the curse. Hearing the commotion Lord Vishnu arrived himself and got to know about the incident. Vishnu turned to his gatekeepers and told them that the curse of a Kumara could not be revoked. Instead, he could modify the curse. He gave them two options; either they could be born seven times as devotees of Vishnu, or three times as enemies of Vishnu in the material world. Either way, Vishnu would be a part of their mortal lives. Jaya and Vijaya could not stand the thought of being away from their master for seven lives, so they agreed to be born thrice as his enemies.

So, in the mortal world they were born in Satyug (the age/era of truth) as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu slayed by Vishnu’s Varah and Narasimha avatar. Then as Ravana and Kumbarkarna in Tretayug (the age/era of 3 quarters of truth and a quarter of sinfulness) to be slain by Vishnu’s avatar of Rama and finally as Shishupala and Dantavakra in Dwaparyug (the age/era of 2 quarters of truth and 2 of sinfulness) to be slain by the avatar of Krishna. (Source: Amar Chitra Katha)

So, it all eventually had a happy ending with the twin gatekeepers resuming their roles after that and believed to be immortalized. They were at core nice people, so we know this was to happen. But there was a more important message to this story. Why did the Lord himself choose to put his devotees through challenges as a fast-track to reach their goal? The proposition was high risk — high returns . Most of the bosses do that too, as that differentiates one from the others in their conviction to reach ultimate growth. Take those as cues of someone testing your abilities to develop the skills to swim through the toughest times to shine as a leader. A goal can be reached in multiple ways and at different time periods depending on the ability to face and overcome challenges encountered or sometimes intentionally thrown at you. How do you differentiate if the challenges posed are genuine and the boss is well-intended? That answer too is available in the story. Lord Vishnu told them, he would be with them in the mortal journey irrespective of their choices.

Story 3 — Ashwatthama — The Half Truth

In the war Kurukshetra of Indian epic of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna (Avatar of Lord Vishnu) who guided the protagonists of 5 Pandava brothers knew that it was not possible to defeat an armed Dronacharya who was the supreme commander of the enemy camp of Kauravas and also the guru of the Pandavas. Krishna also knew that Dronacharya loved his son Ashwatthama who was blessed with immortality. So, Krishna suggested to Yudhishthira and other Pandavas brothers that, if he were convinced that his son was killed on the battlefield, then Dronacharya would be so sad that he would lay down all his arms on the ground and it would be easier to kill him.

To find a way out, Lord Krishna suggested Bhima (one of the 5 Pandava brothers) kill an elephant by the name of Ashwatthama and claim to Dronacharya that he has killed Dronacharya’s son Ashwatthama. After killing the elephant as suggested; Bhima loudly proclaimed that he had killed Ashwatthama. Dronacharya however, did not believe Bhima’s words as he knew that it was impossible for anyone to kill Ashwatthama and he approached the eldest brother Yudhishthira (and the head of Pandavas). Droṇacharya knew of Yudhishthira’s firm adherence to Dharma (truth) and that he would never ever utter a lie. When Dronacharya approached Yudhishthira and questioned him as to whether his son was dead, Yudhishthira responded with the cryptic “Ashwatthama is dead. But it is an elephant and not your son”. Krishna also knew that it was not possible for Yudhishthira to lie outright. On his instructions, the other warriors blew trumpets and conches, raising a tumultuous noise in such a way that Dronacharya only heard that “Ashwatthama was dead”, but could not hear the latter part of Yudhishthira’s reply. Drona descended from his chariot, laid down his arms, and sat in meditation. Closing his eyes, his soul went to heaven in search of Ashwatthama’s soul. Dhrishtadyumna from the Pandava camp took this opportunity and beheaded the unarmed Drona. (Source: Quora)

While Dronarchya is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and respected gurus in Indian Mythology, his alliance with Adharma (evil) due to call of duty and loyalty to the kingdom caused him this painful death. The Dharma (good) wins over evil yet again. But like the previous 2 stories, this was not supposed to be about that aspect. Why did Krishna a Lord himself, choose to go this route of making only a half-truth heard? Sometimes in life and at work, even the most powerful people with the best of abilities and efforts don’t get the best result. Being truthful is regarded as the holy grail, however, the evils around are sometimes empowered so much that they can flip this very aspect of you being truthful against you. I would be wrong in suggesting resorting to lies but would recommend giving out only that aspect of truth which is for the larger good and doesn’t cause harm to the good itself. If the complete truth causes harm to the good itself, it isn’t worth being the truth.

Next time you hear or narrate such a story look or teach for the learning beyond the ‘victory of good over evil’, as what you learned and implemented from that would decide which side you belong.

Written by Kartik Vishwanathan

I live in Shanghai, China, work in the business of media & communication. Life teaches us every moment, I try to capture some of those in my writings.

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The Victory of Good Over Evil

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The subject of the third Book of Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone is, as Kant phrases it, ‘The Victory of the Good over the Evil Principle, and the Founding of the Kingdom of God on Earth.’ The Book consists of two main sections, the first of which he describes as a ‘philosophical account’ of how this comes about. In the opening sub-section he registers his belief that moral man can resist evil successfully, otherwise his struggle would be pointless, but that he does so, as he soon learns, only to deliver himself from the sovereignty of evil. That is to say, he will always be at risk from its actual power , and if he is to assert his freedom against perpetual attack he must ‘ever remain armed for the fray’. But this continuing state of peril is really his own fault, and the question is how he is to extricate himself from it. The moral danger to which he is constantly exposed is to be located, however, not in his own ‘gross nature’ as an individual but in human society itself. Simply as an individual his needs are comparatively few and he has no great difficulty, so Kant believes, in satisfying them: it is not his being poor that a man minds so much as in fearing to be despised by others for his poverty. In other words, his passions are aroused as soon as he finds himself among his fellow-men.

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References and Notes

Near the end of his life Kant is said, in conversation, to have declared that ‘there is nothing good in men. Each of them all but hates his neighbour, seeks to set himself above those who surround him, and is full of envy, ill-will and other devilish vices. Homo hominis nicht deus, sondern diabolus’ (J. G. Hasse, Letzte Aüsserungen Kants von einem Tischgenossen , Königsberg, 1804, p. 28; quoted J.-L. Bruch, La philosophie religieuse de Kant [Paris, 1968] p. 159.

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The characteristic marks ( notae ) of the church are those first listed in the so-called Nicene Creed in the fifth century, namely, one, holy catholic and apostolic. As a topic of theological discussion, however, they did not figure prominently until the Reformation era, when Roman Catholic theologians appealed to them in their disputes with the Reformers as to how the true church — as distinct from bodies spuriously claiming ecclesial status — was to be recognized. See G. Thils, Les Notes de l’Eglise dans l’apologétique catholique depuis la Réforme (Gembloux, 1937). For the Lutherans the essential marks of a church were the preaching of the gospel and due administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Cf. Article XIX of the Church of England’s Thirty-Nine Articles.

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Reardon, B.M.G. (1988). The Victory of Good Over Evil. In: Kant as Philosophical Theologian. Library of Philosophy and Religion. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08395-4_9

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Good and Evil in the Bible—and Why Good Doesn’t Always Win

When exposed to evil, we might doubt God’s presence. Soldiers’ accounts and memoirs often recall times of doubt as they grappled with war, atrocity and, ultimately, the struggle between good and evil. While Scripture is clear that good will triumph, it also says evil will win its share of battles. Second Kings 3 records a war event where evil won.

Yahweh takes sides

Second Kings 3 describes the rebellion of Moab, led by its king, Mesha, against the monarch of the northern kingdom of Israel, King Jehoram (3:5). Like his father Ahab, Jehoram solicited King Jehoshaphat of Judah (the southern kingdom) for assistance against his enemy (3:7). They were joined by the king of Edom (3:9).

The invasion route—“by way of the wilderness of Edom”—is critical to the storyline. Edom was the territory settled by the descendants of the red-haired Esau (Gen 25:25; 36:1, 8). “Edom,” a play on the word adom (אָדֹם, “red”), was epitomized by the reddish soil and rock of its wilderness.

By taking a circuitous approach to Moab, the invading armies must cross desert terrain without water (3:9). Jehoshaphat called the wilderness-wandering prophet Elisha for advice (3:11–12). After a testy response to Jehoshaphat’s plea (3:13–14), Elisha received word from Yahweh: God would supply the armies with water (3:16–17). It would appear—without rain—in a streambed that was presently bone dry. Elisha had even better news: “This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand” (3:18).

No faith, no gain

When they arrived at the place of battle, the Moabite soldiers were fooled by the pools of water that appeared red against the ground and the sun’s reflection (3:21–22). They assumed it was blood and that invading armies (often enemies themselves) had erupted in battle against each other (3:23). When the Moabites approached to strip and plunder the dead, they were ambushed by the invading armies.

In desperation, the king of Moab committed a horrible atrocity: “He took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall” (3:27). The meaning of the next line is hotly debated: “And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.” Why did this happen? Why wasn’t Yahweh victorious? After all, Elisha had said God would give the invaders victory (3:18).

In the Old Testament, we read that the Israelites believed the gods of other nations were real, assigned to the nations by Yahweh, who was superior and ruled over all other gods (Deut 32:8–9). They believed these gods were demons—real spiritual beings (Deut 32:17). Given the nature of this worldview, it seems the Israelites were frightened by the sacrifice and lost faith, thinking Moab’s god was angry against them and would empower Moab to win because of the sacrifice.

Elisha had told the kings of Israel and Judah that God would help them. So why had He not? This situation isn’t the first time God promises but chooses not to deliver: God had told the Israelites that they would conquer Canaan under Moses and Joshua, yet they failed because of unbelief (Num 13; Deut 31:1–7; Josh 13:1–5; Judg 1:27–36). Yahweh was not defeated by the god of Moab. He was, and is, ready and able to help his people. But he will not do so if they refuse to believe and act on that belief.

This article is excerpted from Dr. Heiser’s book  I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.  It has been lightly edited.

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Michael S. Heiser

Michael S. Heiser (1963–2023) was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (M.A., Ancient History) and the University of Wisconsin- Madison (M.A., Ph.D., Hebrew Bible and Semitic Studies). He had a dozen years of classroom teaching experience on the college level and another ten in distance education. He was a former scholar-in-residence at Logos Bible Software.

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