So how do we know that the conflict we're reading about is in fact lead by God? What distinguishes a Biblical holy war from even say a God-sanctioned one? As mentioned God ensures the victory. There are signs enacted which demonstrate God's sovereignty. God also raises up or establishes leaders to communicate His will or execute his deliverance.
And prove Himself God does in the narratives through victory by Israelites walking around walls, bashing empty pots, seas parting and collapsing, the sun standing still, and slingshots. These are not merely improbable but defy our sense of the credible. Indeed, the Biblical interpretation is clear, the motif of "signs" serves to reinforce the theme that only by the power of God could these events transpire.
Holy wars though are fought in conjunction with God's chosen representatives, either godly kings, judges, or prophets, generally leading God's holy people. Typically there's a sign involved either in their calling or their establishment as leaders.
One exception is Ehud who notably has nothing miraculous surrounding his story. He just shows up on the scene, assassinates by shoving a sword through the gut of the defecating Moab king, and then leads a revolt. The only allusion to any sorta God-connection is in a personal message from God to Eglon, which is not confirmed as such by the narration. While pretty cool, admittedly it does not fit the pattern with what I'm suggesting. *shrug* I think that's in part due to the shortness of the account, but you can imply it by the feel of the text. Make of that what you will.If you're curious about Deborah, I'm not suggesting that the miracle was that Sisera eluded death by the Israelites only to be shamefully slain by Jael. The miracle was that Deborah prophetically laid it all out.
Incidentally, Barak came to her under some kinda tree not a street corner like in the beautiful painting to your right. Her character though is introduced with the identity of a prophetess. So she has pre-established recognition as from God.I don't think all the judges' warfare constitutes a religious jihad. I do think that the warfare of the 8 judges we have extensive accounts do (Moses, Joshua, Ehud, Deborah, Jephthah, Gideon, Eli, and Samuel). There are a few kings, David and Saul who meet these criterion as well as a few of the prophets. The prophets of YHWH are recognized as such by initially speaking in the name of God and then successfully predicting the unfolding of events, as opposed to those who merely presume to speak for the Lord (Deuteronomy 18.18-22). The false prophets though are always giving directives in contrast to God's true prophets. They say rebel when God says don't. They say we'll lose when God says fight. Both true and false prophets can operate as a sort of oracle. Some of these can simulate signs (the quintessential being Balaam), and are routed out due to their idolatrous directing (Deuteronomy 13.1-5).
Notably all prophets are established via signs, although I can't really think of any war prophet who doesn't. The ones that don't tend to author books or be attributed as author and offer poignant social critiques. Also while signs establish the authority of a prophet, they never do so absolutely. Prophets are still humans and still step outside of God's will. They represent God but never perfectly, so switching off one's thinking cap in blind obedience is never commendable. If anything unthinking obedience is ascribed to listening to false prophets who tell the people what they wish to hear. Unthinking obedience connotes self-deception by God's people.While we might know by the narrator which of conflicting perspectives is from YHWH, the people or leaders themselves have to sift through the ambiguity of competing claims. They have to made judgment calls with incomplete information. Typically though, a little bit of knowledge goes a long way in deciding whom to follow.
If you're wondering what the point of this post was, hopefully as events unfold it will be revealed. ;)
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