Are there several phases of this conflict?

Can we learn anything from Old Testament typical history?

We believe the answer is that the conflict is threefold:

We look back to the cross, and there see that Christ triumphed over

principalities and powers, thereby rendering us `more than

conquerors' in His victory (Col. 2:15).

Our present conflict with the `world-holders of this darkness'; it

is described as a wrestling.

A conflict upon a vaster scale will take place when the church

prepares to enter its inheritance in resurrection.

These three phases of conflict are found in the typical history of Israel.

The first, which typifies the triumph over principalities and powers by

the Cross, and which lies at the basis of all victory (Rom. 8:37-39; Col.

2:14,15), is set forth by the victory over Pharaoh, in which Israel did nothing

but `stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord ... The Lord shall fight for

you, and ye shall hold your peace' (Exod. 14:13,14).  This initial victory had

far-reaching effects:

`The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the

inhabitants of Palestina ... all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away

... they shall be as still as a stone; till Thy people pass over, O Lord,

till the people pass over, which Thou hast purchased' (Exod. 15:14-16).

Rahab, of Jericho, said to the spies:

`I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is

fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint (have

melted) because of you.  For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water

of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt' (Josh. 2:9,10).

Here it will be seen that the initial victory at Israel's redemption went

before them, melting the opposition of their foes.  By reading Joshua 2:10,11

and 5:1, we see that the second victory, namely, that of Israel over the

Amorites, Sihon and Og, all of which be it noted are on `this side of Jordan',

likewise carried consternation into the ranks of the Canaanites.

The present conflict with the `world-holders of this darkness' is typified

in Israel's battles with Amalek, Sihon and Og.  We must remember that the reason

why Israel were led through the wilderness, instead of taking the shorter road

through the land of the Philistines, was to prevent the people from being

discouraged, `lest peradventure the people repent when they see war' (Exod.

13:17).  Consequently, the battles of the wilderness are not to be reckoned as

war in the full sense.  Our present conflict is spoken of as `wrestling', the

shock of battle may be yet future.

It will help us considerably to note a few features of this typical

wilderness struggle.  The first great victory was immediately subsequent to

redemption.  After Amalek's attack, Israel do not meet Canaanite foes until they

have met with God, have been cleansed, sanctified, and made a covenant people.