Ropes and cables are useful for exerting forces since they can efficiently transfer a force

over a significant distance (e.g. the length of the rope). For instance, a sled can be pulled by
a team of Siberian Huskies with ropes secured to them which lets the dogs run with a larger
range of motion compared to requiring the Huskies to push on the back surface of the sled
from behind using the normal force. (Yes, that would be the most pathetic dog sled team
ever.)
It's important to note here that tension is a pulling force since ropes simply can't push
effectively. Trying to push with a rope causes the rope to go slack and lose the tension that
allowed it to pull in the first place. This might sound obvious, but when it comes time to
draw the forces acting on an object, people often draw the force of tension going in the
wrong direction so remember that tension can only pull on an object.