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FAITH AND WAR
This past week, an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer by Jim
Remsen entitled, "Faith and War Support Linked." In one
of the latest polls by the Gallup organization, it was noted that
the level of support for military action was highest among people
who say they attend worship services most frequently. For instance,
when asked, "Would you favor or oppose invading Iraq with U.S.
ground troops in an attempt to remove Saddam Hussein?" 59%
said yes and 38% said no (overall).
The poll indicated that the stronger the faith, the more a person
backs a war. Yet many religious leaders oppose war. The National
Council of Churches (which represents the more liberal and moderate
mainline Protestant churches) and the Council of Catholic Bishops
oppose President Bush's war plans, while many Baptist, Pentecostal
and evangelical leaders support Bush.
WAR BY DEFINITION:
Date: 12th century
1 a (1) : a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict
between states or nations (2) : a period of such armed conflict
(3) : STATE OF WAR b : the
art or science of warfare c (1) obsolete : weapons and equipment
for war (2) archaic : soldiers armed and equipped for war
2 a : a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism b : a struggle
or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end
Civil War General Sherman is quoted as stating that, "W-A-R
IS
H-E-L-L"
Isaiah 21:15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn
sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness
of war.
Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah
be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that
shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end
thereof shall be with a flood, and unto
the end of the war desolations are determined.
Joel 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare
war, wake up the mighty men, let
all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
The common meaning of war in the Bible is a state of hostility
between nations, Provinces, or parties. Once again we come to a
time in history when the sabers of battle are rattling around us.
And once again we are faced with widespread opinion concerning the
need for war, the ethics of it, the wisdom of it, etc.-everyone's
got an opinion, including myself.
Matthew 24:6-7 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars,
but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen,
but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom.
These words remind me that the war talk around the Iraqi situation
is no surprise to God. We should not be surprised that conflicts
emerge in this world-there will be wars and rumors of wars, and
then the end will come.
This is not to say that we should simply throw up our hands. Of
course not! War is a bad thing and ought to be avoided whenever
possible. However, the reality of life in this world is that conflicts
will emerge until the end of time.
Christianity has had its belligerent eras, but the religion spread
over its first three centuries through martyrdom, not aggression.
Islam's expansion was different. Sweeping across the Middle East
and North Africa during the first century after Muhammad's death
in a.d. 632, Islam by 732 was dominant in Spain and known in China.
Had Charles "the Hammer" Martel not led Christian forces
that latter year to a victory over Muslim invaders in southern France,
Islam might have conquered all of Europe.
Not only Islam displays militaristic tendencies. Thinking
of Gandhi, we often think of Hindus as pacifists, but the Bhagavad
Gita, Hinduism's favorite scripture, is in part a war poem that
endorses military action. Hindu militants today speak loudly and
wave very big sticks, including nuclear-tipped ones. Buddhism
also is not necessarily a religion of peace, as the records of a
Buddhist army that dominated medieval Japan show. A recent book
documents how Zen Buddhist thought underlay Japan's buildup to an
attack on Pearl Harbor.
So we find out in verse 6 that the time period is going to be
characterized by wars and rumors of wars. If you're not involved
in one immediately, or even if you are, you'll hear about other
wars. And where wars don't even exist, there will be rumors that
they do...hot war, cold war, every conceivable kind of war...global
warfare, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. The point
is that nations and kingdoms globally wide will be engaged in wars
and rumors of wars.
There will be times of war and there will be nations fighting nations,
and kingdoms fighting kingdoms. But still, what our Lord is saying
here is that in the end, the beginning of sorrows that bring the
Kingdom, there will be worldwide warfare on a scale unknown prior
to that time. In massive proportions, there will be an intensification
of war across the earth. And the wars will be national, nation against
nation, kingdom against kingdom. There will be great groups of people,
cultures against cultures.
There's another note that you perhaps should have from the Greek
text. In verse 6 it says, "You shall hear," and
that is a future. But the idea of it is it carries the idea of continual
hearing. You will continually hear of wars, continually hear of
rumors of wars, continually hear of nations and kingdoms fighting
each other. In other words, it's a constant kind of ringing message,
ringing reality at that particular time in history.
Why is there War?
What is God's perspective?
What is God's purpose concerning war?
Is there such thing as a noble war, or just war?
Should the United States have even become involved?
How should we as Christians respond?
How should I pray concerning the war?
Why am I afraid and what can I do about it?
How should I be supporting my government's position on the war?
Is this the beginning of the end?
How does Iraq fit into the Biblical past and the prophetic future?
WHY IS THERE WAR?
The dictionary defines war as a state of hostility, conflict, or
antagonism; a struggle or competition between opposing forces or
for a particular end.
The Biblical term employed to describe such conflict are similar.
Strife, conflict, battle, fight.
James explains clearly the source and just why there is war on
this earth and why there will always be war.
"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come
from your desires that battle within you? You want something but
don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.
You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God."
James 4:1-2
The foundation of all war and fighting relates to selfish ambition.
Man has inherited from Adam a insatiable desire to have.
We have examples from the old feuding families to Sadaam Hussein
today. Right from the beginning family this has been the cause.
Cain and Abel
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By
faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of
his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
Heb 11:4
Somewhere in every war is selfish ambition, the desire to control,
manipulate, plunder, possess someone else.
In all or our wonderful intelligence and sophistication and technology
you would think that we would have progressed beyond war and fighting
one another.
As long as there is fallen man with his selfish ambitions stirred
up by our flesh, our culture, and the enemy of our souls, there
will be war.
The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.
Energizing these drives is the prince of the power of the air.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which
you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of
the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work
in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at
one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following
its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects
of wrath. Eph 2:1-3
Satan and his demons energize the flesh to unspeakable dimensions.
As we will see, God uses war and conflict to make a stand against
these powers of darkness.
Jesus said, "I will build my church and even the gates
of hell will not prevail against it."
The church is God's restraining factor in the world today against
unbridled lusts.
We live in a culture now that views any kind of restraint as an
offense against my rights to be immoral.
On the one hand we cry about how terrible our
society has become.
On the other hand we propagate and promote
an amoral culture whose supreme law is the liberty to do what I
feel.
A fool is one who holds to the belief that I can do whatever I
want or feel and not have to consider the consequences.
The book of judges describes the horribleness of such a society
which every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
"Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of
violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war
every day." Psalms 140:2
We have wars because we live in a fallen world of proud, rebellious,
and self-centered people whose chief aim in life is to get their
own way no matter what.
HOW DOES GOD FEEL ABOUT WAR?
God's Perspective
One cannot read the Old Testament or the New without a distinct
impression that God is somehow closely connected to war.
The trouble with some pacifists who hold up Jesus as their example
have ignored the full revelation concerning Jesus pictured in the
book of Revelation.
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse,
whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges
and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are
many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but
he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name
is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding
on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out
of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.
"He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the
winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe
and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD
OF LORDS. Rev 19:11-16
The song of victory in Exodus 15 hails God as a God of war.
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will
exalt him. The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name. Exodus 15:2-3
God strengthened individuals for war.
Moses
Joshua
Judges
Many of the judges are held in high regard in Hebrews for their
faith demonstrated in battle.
"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David,
Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered
justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword;
whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in
battle and routed foreign armies." Hebrews 11:32-34
God destroyed armies before the Israelites
Gives counsel to be wise in war
"Make plans by seeking advice; if
you wage war, obtain guidance. Pro 20:18 A wise man has great
power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for
waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers."
Proverbs 24:6
In the stubbornness of his heart man will not listen. God must
cause him to face the ultimate before he will wake up.
War is one of those things that brings about a soberness and attentiveness
to the realities of life.
Today as never before in recent history America is facing the realities
of our fallen world.
Can we believe in a loving God and make room for
war at the same time?
Yes, as long as we remember that the
ultimate source of war is the wicked selfish ambition of mankind
for power and control of his world.
Just what are the purposes for war in
the Bible?
God's Purpose
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