🛑 The Chariot and the Wagon: Which Vehicle Drives Your Faith?
The symbols for speed and strength in the ancient world—the chariot (a war-car) and the wagon (a truck for supplies)—are used throughout scripture to expose a dangerous spiritual reliance on human power and material wealth. Today, this translates to relying on the speed of technology (the Car) or the burden of wealth (the Truck), rather than the power of God.
This article challenges the reader to examine their source of trust: Is it the powerful vehicle of their own making, or the divine power that transcends all earthly transport?
Prophetic Hotspot: The Idolatry of the Iron Horse
The primary prophetic issue is the warning against trusting in earthly military, technological, or financial might instead of the covenant-keeping God. The prophet Isaiah directly confronts this reliance on the “iron horse.”
| Ancient Vehicle | Modern Equivalent | The Prophetic Condemnation |
| Chariots (rekeb) | The Car (Speed, Military Tech, Personal Power) | Psalm 20:7 (KJV): “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” |
| Wagons (‘a˘gaˉlaˉh) | The Truck (Commerce, Wealth, Carrying Capacity) | Ezekiel 26:10 (KJV): “By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wagons, and of the chariots…” (The tools of destruction). |
The Chariot: The Vehicle of Personal Speed and Warfare
The Chariot represented the pinnacle of technological and military advancement. To amass chariots was to place confidence in human innovation and power. The biblical warning against the chariot is a direct condemnation of the modern obsession with speed, personal control, and worldly power.
- The Sin of Acquisition: King Solomon was specifically warned against multiplying horses and chariots (1 Kings 10:26), yet he did so anyway. Modern relevance: When we pursue the fastest car or newest technology out of pride or a need for self-reliance, we repeat Solomon’s error, prioritizing human invention over divine protection.
- The Illusion of Security: The Egyptian army’s downfall came when they pursued Israel with their “six hundred chosen chariots” (Exodus 14:7, KJV). Their ultimate power was exposed as nothing when it stood against the power of God. Modern relevance: When crisis hits, the speed and security promised by human systems (like personal wealth or fast travel) will fail if not anchored in faith.
The ultimate Christian counterpoint to the earthly chariot is the chariot of fire that took Elijah to heaven (2 Kings 2:11, KJV), demonstrating that God’s power is the only true and swift transport.
The Wagon: The Vehicle of Burden and Commerce
The Wagon was the heavy-duty vehicle, designed to carry supplies, goods, and people over long distances. It symbolizes material wealth, commerce, and the heavy burdens of provision. The prophetic mention of wagons often occurs in the context of judgment and the transfer of goods.
- Provision vs. Burden: Wagons were sent by Joseph to bring Jacob’s family to Egypt (Genesis 45:19, KJV), symbolizing God’s provision. However, they also symbolize the heavy, military supply lines used by invading armies to carry away spoils (Ezekiel 26:10, KJV). Modern relevance: Our “truck”—our resources and capacity to carry burdens—is good when used for God’s purposes (provision), but catastrophic when used to fuel personal greed (the carrying away of spoils).
- Trust in the Haul: The temptation of the “wagon” is to trust in its carrying capacity—to believe that the sheer volume of our bank account, possessions, or cargo is our source of security. Prophecy warns that all these material burdens, which we carry for ourselves, will be destroyed in the day of judgment.
The Return Question: Which Driver Is at the Wheel?
The key distinction for The Lord’s Return is simple: The Chariot and the Wagon are only relevant as symbols of the reliance they represent.
Isaiah 31:1 (KJV): “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!”
Our choice today is whether we put our trust in the Car (speed, technology, power) and the Truck (wealth, capacity, security), or if we place our faith solely in the ultimate power of the Returning Lord, who will come on the clouds of heaven, proving that all earthly vehicles are vain.