WAR?                                      

Please consider the following scenario:  Something very similar to the following event occurred:

Christmas of 1914 saw something Very unusual happening:  World war One had been taking place for some months and the Germans had been fighting the English in France.  It was Christmas Eve and there was a short space of silence.  An Englishman heard the sounds of a German whistling a Xmas hymn that was also familiar to him in English.  He whistled the rest of the hymn and they both whistled the hymn together.  Understanding German he asked the German soldier if War could be suspended for a day for Christmas.  The message was passed back to those in charge of that section and then forwarded on  to the English.  Both raised white flags and got together the next day for a game of football and Christmas lunch, sharing each others small rations.  After the day was finished the flags were dropped,  and so the firing commenced once again.  (See ‘Christmas Truce’ 1914 Wikipedia)

• From ‘this’ scene many may see the absolute absurdity and stupidity of ‘War’!

• Let us investigate this ‘Controversial’ subject from an ‘enlightened Christian perspective’!

A BRIEF LOOK AT WAR

Revelation  12:7   And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 

 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 

 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

 12:10         And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 

James  4:1    From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?  

WAR, v.i.

1. To make war; to invade or attack a nation or state with force of arms; to carry on hostilities; or to be in a state of contest by violence.

KILL, v.t.

1. To deprive of life, animal or vegetable, in any manner or by any means. To kill an animal or a plant, is to put an end to the vital functions, either by destroying or essentially injuring the organs necessary to life, or by causing them to cease from action. An animal may be killed by the sword or by poison, by disease or by suffocation. A strong solution of salt will kill plants.

MURDER, n. [L. mors.]

1. The act of unlawfully killing a human being with premeditated malice, by a person of sound mind. To constitute murder in law, the person killing another must be of sound mind or in possession of his reason, and the act must be done with malice prepense, aforethought or premeditated; but malice may be implied, as well as express.

MURDER, v.t.

1. To kill a human being with premeditated malice. [See the Noun.]

2. To destroy; to put an end to.  (Webster – 1892)

• What is arguably the Greatest, Most obviously Important of All God’s Commandments that the World in General Recognizes as Evil?

Exodus  20:13      Thou shalt not kill.

• The Opposite or Most Positive fulfilment of this commandment is  carried out in the following Great Commandment:

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 

 15:13         Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

John  10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

• (And what is more abundant than ETERNAL LIFE?)

• Two of the Largest World Religions, Roman Catholicism, and Buddhism,  recognize the importance of Respecting Human Life:

Homepage » The Dalai Lama » Three Main Commitments »

‘Three Main Commitments

His Holiness has three main commitments in life.
 
Firstly, on the level of a human being, His Holiness’ first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. All human beings are the same. We all want happiness and do not want suffering. Even people who do not believe in religion recognize the importance of these human values in making their life happier. His Holiness refers to these human values as secular ethics. He remains committed to talk about the importance of these human values and share them with everyone he meets.
 
Secondly, on the level of a religious practitioner, His Holiness’ second commitment is the promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world’s major religious traditions. Despite philosophical differences, all major world religions have the same potential to create good human beings. It is therefore important for all religious traditions to respect one another and recognize the value of each other’s respective traditions. As far as one truth, one religion is concerned, this is relevant on an individual level. However, for the community at large, several truths, several religions are necessary.
 
Thirdly, His Holiness is a Tibetan and carries the name of the ‘Dalai Lama’. Therefore, his third commitment is to work to preserve Tibet’s Buddhist culture, a culture of peace and non-violence.‘

‘Sanctity of human life and dignity of the person

The foundational principle of all Catholic social teachings is the sanctity of human life. Catholics believe in an inherent dignity of the human person starting from conception through to natural death. They believe that human life must be valued infinitely above material possessions. Pope John Paul IIwrote and spoke extensively on the topic of the inviolability of human life and dignity in his watershed encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, (Latin for “The Gospel of Life”)’

(Emphasis added)

• Is it God’s intention in his law to help us refrain from ‘Murder?’ or deliberate killing of human beings?  or from destroying ‘any’ form of life?, including ‘plant life’?

• Whether it be by thought, intention or attitude??

(Avoid, if possible, destroying even trees)

Deuteronomy  20:19         When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an ax against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field [is] man’s [life]) to employ [them] in the siege: 

 20:20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they [be] not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued. 

• God’s Leading Representatives, the Priests, went about trying to Kill Jesus, their own Saviour!!

Luke  22:1    Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. 

 22:2  And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. 

Matthew  26:3        Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 

 26:4  And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill [him]. 

Luke  6:8      But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. 

 6:9    Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy [it]? 

John  10:10   The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly. 

• Is it God’s will that His people be involved in the wars of this World?

• Many in the world recognize war as the WORST thing man can do to one another and therefore campaign for Peaceful Negotiations to settle disputes and arguments.

• God has said in His word – Come Now Let us REASON TOGETHER! Isaiah 1:18

• In the past God used His people to punish the wicked nations around them, but He has now called them to a higher position of light and understanding!  These nations had passed their state of being able to recognize and follow God’s promptings of Right/ Wrong, Truth and Justice.  Their  Consciences being completely blunted so that he could no longer get through to them , He allowed Israel to destroy many of them because of their Wickedness , and  as an example of what would eventually happen to all who Reject God’s gentle overtures.  Because of their partial blindness and unwillingness to follow God’s methods properly,  He allowed them to deal out these punishments to the surrounding nations,  though this was Not their intended role.

   ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord ‘  Rom. 12:19

Ezekiel  20:24         Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. 

 20:25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; 

Acts 17:30    And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

• God himself would have destroyed the enemies of His people.

Exodus   23:27        I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. 

 23:28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. 

• But they wanted to take things into their own hands many times, and so God tolerated their lack of understanding and put up with their ignorance,  hardness of heart, and slowness to learn.

Ezekiel 20:17          Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. 

Ezekiel 20:25          Wherefore I gave them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; 

• Sufference was given, at times, to protect themselves:

Esther  9:16  But the other Jews that [were] in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, 

 9:17  On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 

9:24   Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that [is], the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; 

 9:25  But when [Esther] came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 

 9:26  Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and [of that] which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, 

 9:27  The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their [appointed] time every year; 

• But His Ideal, was that they trusted in His protection, in Full Faith:

2 Chronicles  20:17       Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle]: set yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD [will be] with you.

Although God is the ultimate Judge and terminates the lives of the wicked, sometimes in this life, but ultimately at the very end, what is His attitude towards this Sad Act?

Isaiah  28:15          Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 

28:17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 

 28:18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. 

28:21 For the LORD shall rise up as [in] mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

Ezekiel 18:29          Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? 

 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn [yourselves] from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 

 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 

 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn [yourselves], and live ye.   

• He let them know, at times, he was not happy with their involvement in war.

1Chronicles  28:2    Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: [As for me], I [had] in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 

 28:3  But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou [hast been] a man of war, and hast shed blood. 

• Does God want us to move on in our understanding of His ways and His Will, especially in these last days?

Proverbs 4:18      But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 

John  16:12          I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 

• According to Jesus in the book of John, His Kingdom is no longer of this world from the time the Jewish nation rejected Him.  His spiritual kingdom transcends all nationalities, castes and genders.  He is seeking all to come out of the corruption of this world into a spiritual kingdom, His church, an international Kingdom that reaches heavenward throughout the universe, in which their is nothing but peace, harmony  and order.

• What lesson was Jesus trying to give His disciples? 1stly through John the Baptist, then Himself, right before Calvary?

Luke  3:14    And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse [any] falsely; and be content with your wages. 

Luke  22:35          And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. 

 22:36         Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take [it], and likewise [his] scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 

 22:37         For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 

 22:38         And they said, Lord, behold, here [are] two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. 

22:47          And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 

 22:48         But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? 

 22:49         When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? 

 22:50         And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 

 22:51         And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 

 22:52         Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? 

 22:53         When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. 

Matthew  26:52      Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

• What is God’s most powerful weapon,  which we are told to use also?

Psalms 33:6         By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 

 33:7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 

 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 

 33:9 For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast. 

Ephesians 6:17    And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

Hebrews 4:12      For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

•  Then what are we to do with physical swords and weapons of all kinds?

John  18:36          Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

• For our defense. should we trust in ourselves? or in God?

Psalms 7:10 My defence [is] of God, which saveth the upright in heart. 

Psalms 91:1         He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

 91:2 I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

• What will eventually happen to those who trust in man and weapons?

Matthew  26:52    Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 

Jeremiah 17:5        Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 

Isaiah  28:21          For the LORD shall rise up as [in] mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 

Ezekiel  18:32         For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD:

Revelation 21:8      But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 

Revelation  19:11   And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

 19:12 His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 

 19:13 And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

 19:14 And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 

 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 

 19:16         And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 

• What sort of future are you planning to be part of?  One of Peace, or One of War?

There is a ‘spiritual’ battle raging, though, in which we are to take part, by putting on God’s ‘spiritual’ armour and using His ‘spiritual’ weapons –

2 Timothy  2:3        Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

 2:4    No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

Ephesians 6:12       For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

Ephesians   6:17     And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

• How can we win?

Phillipians 4:13       I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

• What do we then look forward to?

Isaiah  2:4 (last part): nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

Isaiah 11:9   They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. 

Isaiah  65:25          The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust [shall be] the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Addendum

• Many faithful Christians have stood the Test and come  out of the worst wars in History without touching a Weapon of any kind!

• Their conviction, based primarily on the Commandment – Thou Shalt Not Kill!

James  4:1    From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members? 

 4:2    Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 

 4:3    Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts. 

 4:4    Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.   

James  1:14          But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 

 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 

2Corinthians  6:15         And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 

 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, 

Revelation 18:4    And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

AMEN

GARY SOUTHWELL (18/5/2010)

WAR

WHY FIGHT,  WHY KILL,  WHY SLAUGHTER YOUR BROTHER BECAUSE OF ILL WILL

COME LET US REASON TOGETHER SAY’S GOD TO HIS CHILD

WE ARE ALL OF ONE BLOOD, LET US BE CALM AND NOT WILD

VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,

GOD WILL PUNISH THE ONES WHO  DELIBERATELY  STRAY

THOUGH HE HATES TO EXECUTE THOSE WHO ARE BENT ON THEIR WRONG WAYS

HIS LOVE IS JUST AND YET MERCIFUL , IN THE END HE WILL AMAZE

SO NOW IS THE TIME

TO TRUST IN HIS POWER

TO PROTECT ALL HIS LOVED ONES

AT THE APPROPRIATE HOUR

SOME MAY DIE BUT IT WILL SOON BE SEEN

THAT GOD’S WAYS ARE BEST

IN THE LONG RUN, AND NOT MEAN

PEACE OVER WAR, LOVE  OVER ILL-WILL

KILL OR BE KILLED  –   REPLACED BY

PEACE,    BE  STILL!

Gary Southwell    2014-07-20