Judith 2:14-20. A description of the army, supplies, and followers that Holofernes musters together to go out and "cover the whole earth to the west with [Assyrian] chariots and horsemen and picked troops of infantry." King Nebuchadnezzar has commanded Holofernes to carry out his revenge on the people who would not obey him open (such as the Jews). Holofernes gathers together all the commanders, generals, officers; picked troops numbering 120,000; 12,000 archers on horseback; vast numbers of camels, asses and mules; innumerable sheep, oxen, and goats; plenty of food; and huge amounts of gold and silver. He is followed by "a mixed crowd like a swarm of locusts, like the dust of the earth - a multitude that could not be counted."

Here we see the force that was brought against the enemies of Nebuchadnezzar. The description is meant to show how futile it would be to try to resist or fight back - there is no way that the Jews could possibly muster the strength to resist Nebuchadnezzar's army! But they don't have to!

Just like so many other times in the Bible and in our lives - God brings down the mighty with the humblest of his servants - in this story it is Judith. As I wrote about in Girl (with God) Power!, Judith, alone, (just one woman!) defeats this entire army by trusting God and doing his will. She kills her Holofernes and his army scatters.

God always protects his people. When they deserve punishment or need to be guided back to him, he sometimes lets them suffer the consequences of their actions. But when they on are on the right path, are doing his will, and are staying obedient to him, there is no army on earth that he cannot and will not defeat for them. And he always does it in the most amazing way - he seems to take pleasure in doing it with the humblest of his servants (like David, Judith, and even Jesus!).

I love the way God works and I love that he tells us his story so that we can see how he works. It gives me so much confidence and hope at a time when I feel that the forces of evil are coming against us "like a swarm of locusts." He will protect us, he will save us, and he will use the humblest of us to help him fight the powers of darkness (which his Son already conquered for us, but they are flailing about in their death throes!).