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Enemies Israel Had to Fight: A Chronological Study

✍️ By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas

A chronological list of ancient Old Testament biblical major battles of Israel’s enemies, showing:

The enemy nation
The reason God told Israel to fight them
What happened in the battle
The outcome (win or loss) and why

This study blog will take you step by step, starting from the wilderness under Moses, through Joshua, Judges, Kings, etc.

🏺 Battle #1. Egypt – Pharaoh’s Army at the Red Sea

Key Verse:
“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14 KJV)

What Happened:
After God brought Israel out of Egypt, Pharaoh hardened his heart again and pursued Israel with his army. Israel was trapped at the Red Sea, but God parted the waters, allowing them to walk across on dry ground. When Pharaoh’s army tried to follow, the waters returned and drowned them all.

Why God Fought Them: Egypt represented bondage, idolatry, and oppression. God delivered Israel to show His salvation is by His power alone.

Conclusion: Israel won not by fighting, but by trusting. Victory came because God fought for them.

⚔️ Battle #2. Amalekites in the Wilderness

Key Verse:
“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.” (Exodus 17:8 KJV)

What Happened:
Amalek attacked Israel’s weak and weary from behind. Joshua fought, while Moses held up the rod of God. As long as Moses’ hands were raised, Israel prevailed. When his arms grew heavy, Aaron and Hur held them up until sunset. Amalek was defeated.

Why God Fought Them: Amalek represents Satan attacking the weak. God declared He would have war with Amalek forever (Exodus 17:16).

Territory of the Amalekites — Map of nomadic territory south of Israel, between the Sinai peninsula and edges of Canaan.

Conclusion: Victory came through prayer and intercession. Israel won because they depended on God’s power.

🏰 Battle #3. Canaanite Nations under Joshua

Key Verse:
“Ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves.” (Exodus 34:13 KJV)

What Happened:
God commanded Israel to destroy the Canaanites for their wickedness (idolatry, child sacrifice, abominations).

Jericho fell when Israel marched around it seven days, and the walls collapsed (Joshua 6).
At Ai, Israel was defeated first because of Achan’s sin of stealing devoted things. After repentance, they conquered Ai (Joshua 7–8).
Joshua fought and defeated thirty-one kings (Joshua 12:24).

Why God Fought Them: To cleanse the land of wickedness and establish Israel in the promised land.

Map of Canaan Enemies / Canaanite & Philistine Neighbors — showing positions of Moab, Philistia, Ammon, etc., in relation to Israel’s territory during the Judges and early Israelite kingdom period.

Conclusion: Victories came when Israel obeyed. Defeat came when they sinned.

🐂 Battle #4. Moabites and Ammonites

Key Verse:
“Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many.” (Numbers 22:3 KJV)

What Happened:
Balak king of Moab feared Israel and hired Balaam to curse them. God turned the curse into a blessing (Numbers 22–24). Later, Moab oppressed Israel for 18 years. When Israel cried unto the LORD, He raised Ehud, who slew Eglon the king of Moab, delivering Israel (Judges 3:15–30).

Why God Fought Them: Because they opposed His people and tried to destroy them through sorcery and oppression.

Conclusion: Victory came when Israel cried out to God.

⛺ Battle #5. Midianites

Key Verse:
“Vex the Midianites, and smite them: For they vex you with their wiles.” (Numbers 25:17–18 KJV)

What Happened:
Midian seduced Israel into idolatry with Baal-peor and fornication. God commanded Moses to smite them (Numbers 31). Later in Judges, the Midianites oppressed Israel seven years. God raised Gideon, who with only 300 men, torches, and trumpets, routed a host of 135,000 Midianites by God’s strategy (Judges 7).

Why God Fought Them: Because they led Israel into sin and idolatry.

Conclusion: Victory came when God fought for them, not by numbers or strength.

🪖 Battle #6. Philistines

Key Verse:
“And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.” (2 Samuel 5:22 KJV)

What Happened:
The Philistines were continual enemies:

Samson slew many with the jawbone of an ass (Judges 15:15).
Samuel prayed, and God thundered against them at Mizpeh (1 Samuel 7:10).
David slew Goliath, showing victory comes by faith (1 Samuel 17).
Saul, however, was slain by the Philistines at Mount Gilboa because of his disobedience (1 Samuel 31).

Why God Fought Them: They represented constant worldly opposition to God’s people.

Philistine Cities & Conquests — Map shows the location of the Philistine pentapolis (Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath) and their expansion toward Jerusalem in the 10th century BC.

Conclusion: Victory with obedience and faith. Defeat when Israel disobeyed God.

🐑 Battle #7. Amalekites (again under Saul and David)

Key Verse:
“Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have.” (1 Samuel 15:3 KJV)

What Happened:
God commanded Saul to utterly destroy Amalek. Saul spared Agag and the best sheep. Because of this disobedience, God rejected Saul as king (1 Samuel 15:23). Later, David destroyed Amalekite raiders who burned Ziklag, recovering all that was taken (1 Samuel 30).

Why God Fought Them: To fulfill His judgment against Amalek for their ancient sins.

David’s Neighbors — Map shows Amalek, Edom, Moab, Aram, Ammon, Philistia, etc., as surrounding nations during King David’s reign.

Conclusion: Saul lost favor for disobedience. David won because he sought the LORD.

🐎 Battle #8. Syrians (Aram)

Key Verse:
“The LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.” (2 Samuel 8:6–7 KJV)

What Happened:
David defeated the Syrians and placed garrisons in Damascus. Later, in the time of Elisha, the Syrians surrounded Dothan, but God blinded them (2 Kings 6). Sometimes Israel prevailed, but in times of sin, Syria oppressed them (2 Kings 8, 13).

Why God Fought Them: Because they opposed His anointed king and people.

Conclusion: Victory came when kings sought God; defeat came with sin.

🏹 Battle #9. Assyrians

Key Verse:
“The king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.” (2 Kings 17:5 KJV)

What Happened:
Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel because of idolatry and rebellion (2 Kings 17:6). Later, Assyria besieged Jerusalem under Hezekiah, but the angel of the LORD slew 185,000 soldiers in one night (2 Kings 19:35).

Why God Fought Them: To judge Israel for idolatry, but He defended Judah when they trusted Him.

Conclusion: Israel fell for sin. Judah was saved when they trusted God.

🔥 Battle #10. Babylonians

Key Verse:
“Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land.” (Jeremiah 25:9 KJV)

What Happened:
Babylon besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and carried Judah into exile for seventy years (2 Chronicles 36:17–21).

Why God Fought Them: Babylon was used as His instrument of judgment because Judah rejected the prophets and worshiped idols.

Conclusion: Judah lost because of rebellion. God used Babylon to discipline His people.

On a map, you can place Israel centrally (Canaan, west of Jordan, the hill country to the coastal plains). Then mark the surrounding nations in their locations: Philistines to the southwest coast; Moab and Ammon to the east; Edom to the south-east; Amalekites toward the south / wilderness; Syria (Aram) to the north / northeast; Assyria further northeast; Babylon further east beyond Assyria.

On a timeline, you could mark key dates:

Exodus (~15th-13th century BC, depending on your date) – Egypt, Amalekites first encountered.
Conquest under Joshua (~13th-12th century BC) – Canaanite nations defeated.
Judges era (~12th-11th century BC) – Moab, Ammon, Midian, Philistines rise in strength.
United Kingdom (Saul, David, ~11th-10th century BC) – Philistines major threat; David fights Moab, Ammon, Edom, Amalekites, Syria.
Divided Kingdom onward (~10th-7th century BC) – Assyria becomes dominant; Israel falls.
Judah’s decline (~7th-6th century BC) – Babylonian conquest and exile.

📍 Geographical & Timeline Context

Here’s a breakdown of where major enemies were located (geographically) and when they became enemies in Israel’s history (chronologically), maps / timeline:

Enemy	Approximate Location	When They First Became Enemy in the Biblical Record
Egypt	South of Canaan; the Nile Delta and into the land that became Lower & Upper Egypt.	At the time of the Exodus (Moses), when Israel was in Egyptian bondage etc.
Amalekites	Nomadic tribes south of Canaan; wilderness, Negev, Sinai region. Wikipedia	Soon after the Exodus (Rephidim).
Canaanite nations (e.g. Jebusites, Hittites, Amorites, etc.)	Canaan proper: in and around the land west of the Jordan, coastal plains, hill country.	During the conquest under Joshua.
Moab	East of the Dead Sea, in what is today southern Jordan. Wikipedia	Encounters in Numbers (Balaam & Balak), then oppression during Judges.
Ammon	Also east of the Jordan, north-east, bordering Moab.	Similar timeframe to Moab; became more prominent during Judges / early Kingdom era.
Midianites	Southeast of Israel; desert and wilderness areas (Midian region).	Numbers (during the wilderness wanderings), then again Judges (when oppression arises).
Philistines	Southwestern coastal area of Canaan: the coastal plain along the Mediterranean (Philistia). The five main cities: Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Gath.	Appear in the time of Judges, increase in threat during the time of Saul, David.
Assyria	North-east against Israel / Syria; empire spreading into Mesopotamia, Levant.	Late period in the divided kingdom: Assyria conquers the northern kingdom (Israel) around 722 BC.
Babylon	East of Assyria; Mesopotamia area; becomes dominant in the 6th century BC.	During the decline of Judah; Babylonian exile around 586 BC.

📖 Final Conclusion

Throughout Israel’s history:

Victory came when they obeyed God, trusted Him, and repented of sin.
Defeat came when they disobeyed, trusted in themselves, or turned to idols.

God is faithful:
“If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them… I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid.” (Leviticus 26:3,6 KJV)

But also just:
“If ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.” (Leviticus 26:23–24 KJV)

Israel’s battles are a picture for us today: Obedience brings peace, blessing and victory. Sin brings defeat and captivity.

What can we learn from Israel’s battles in the Old Testament?

Questions every Christian should ask themselves

Does God want NewTestament believers remain in spiritual Egypt where they were in bodage
Should believers in Christ allow the devil to attack us from the back as the Amalekites in the Wilderness did to Israel, or should we submit to God and His will and resist devil?
Do we obey God as when the Canaanite Nations under Joshua destroyed all idolatry?
When witches and warlocks like Moabites and Ammonites attack believers, should we just sit back and not war against demonic forces, or do we take courage like Gideon and destroy the devil’s wiles and vexations?
When worldly opposition tries to stop you from doing God’s will as when the Philistines attackes Israel, should believers go back to the world or should a believer rid themselves from worldly influences?
Should believers attack the devil as when the Lord commanded king Saul to do with the Amalekites who attacked from behind? Do believers hold back and only destroy the demons that are disrupting their life and not destroy the demons that bring pleasure, and should believers continue to re-attack Satan and his demons to destroy him out of their life?
God allowed the Assyrians attacked Israel because of idolatry, should a believer try to server God while trying to keep idols in their life?
Should a Christian who hears the true word being preached continue to reject and rebel against God and his servants as when Jeremiah was sent by God to tell people to repent and turn from their sins or they will be carried away into Babylon where Israel was defeated for a long time?

Every person has a choice to make, serve the Lord and obey him and experience his peace and blessings, or continue in sin and rebellion toward God and his word and experience major set-backs in life by having to battle enemies that God will cause you to fight so you can learn the will of God, the choice is ours according to the bible.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Jesus said “My burden is light” Matthew 11:30, yet many Christians today are experiencing unnecessary battles in life because they refuse to allow the will of God in their life because they reject what the Lord Jesus has spoken and taught in scripture because of unbelief. They continue in sin expecting God to bless them but nothing in their life changes for them, in fact it gets worse because of the spiritual battles they are forced to face until they submit to God. James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

All spiritual battles are only won as believers in Christ submit to the Lord. Resisting Satan without submitting to God will only drag you into a loosing battle with the enemy unless you have submitted to the word of God. Satan is always looking for a good battle to win and drag you into — 1 Peter 5:8, but if you are submitted to the Lord and His word when Satan tries your faith in God, all you have to say is The LORD rebuke you Satan, and the devil must flee from you if you believe and are submitted to the LORD and his will in your life.

When you are submitted to the Lord, God will fight your battles as you rebuke the devil. Exodus 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

When the Lord fights the devil on your behalf, Satan does not stand a chance to win because Jesus has already defeated the devil. Colossians 2:14-15 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Whatever battles you face in life are there because the Lord is expecting you to overcome as you fight the good fight! God sees every believer as not just a conqueror over sin and the devil, but more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus the LORD!

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

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Enemies of Israel in the Bible: Major Battles, Reasons, and Outcomes (KJV Study)