“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’ Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit. And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’ And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’ And when the officers have finished speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people.
“When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you. But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. And when the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall put all its males to the sword, but the women and the little ones, the livestock, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as plunder for yourselves. And you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you. Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here. But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded, that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the LORD your God.
“When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. You may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field human, that they should be besieged by you? Only the trees that you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, that you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.” [1]
Modern social dogma indoctrinates students in the belief that all cultures are equivalent. Social scholars advocate the position that powerful nations suppress weaker nations, and that this accounts for the disparity in economic power between nations. According to contemporary social dogma, the reason so many nations are impoverished is the result of a disparity in power. Adopting a Marxist view of history, contemporary scholars argue that the foundation for social inequities lies in the economic systems favoured by western nations. However, even a casual review of history will validate a much more plausible reason for the inequities observed.
I state at the outset of this message a truth that is immediately obvious to serious students of history: A nation that is not founded on biblical principles will not prosper! Though a nation without biblical foundations may appear to prosper for a while, ultimately, that nation is doomed to fail, the seeds of its destruction even now growing. The words penned by the Psalmist still hold true, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” [PSALM 33:12a]. The nation that is not founded on biblical principles will inevitably reveal an unbridgeable gulf between the elite and the hoi polloi, and that gulf will ensure social and economic inequities. The lack of biblical grounding will set the tone for how that nation views others, and how that nation intends to treat others when they are captured or conquered. You must know that all cultures are not equivalent.
In the western world, hostility toward Christianity—and especially hostility toward Christian morality—appears to be growing. Perhaps there has always been a level of hostility toward the Faith of Christ the Lord, but it does seem that opposition to the Faith has grown significantly in the past several decades. Only a few years past, it would have been common that the doors to a church building were not locked. Now, it would be quite foolish to fail to lock the doors to the church building.
Throughout the western nations we witness enmity toward righteousness flourishing, open animosity toward godliness. Despite this growth in hostility, we have witnessed a surprising undercurrent of support for Christian morals, and thus tacit support for biblical morality, being voiced by individuals we might not expect to speak favourably of such morality.
For example, the noted atheist, Richard Dawkins recently made this confession after seeing the lights of Ramadan in Great Britan. “I call myself a cultural Christian. I’m not a believer, but there’s a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian. …I love hymns and Christmas carols, and I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos. …We [in the U.K.] are a “Christian country” in that sense.
“…If I had to choose between Christianity and Islam, I’d choose Christianity every single time. It seems to me to be a fundamentally decent religion in a way that I think Islam is not.” [2]
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a woman who fled Islam becoming a central figure in New Atheism in the west, when recently challenged by Dawkins to agree in ridiculing the statement that Jesus is the Son of God and that He conquered death, admitted, “What the vicar says no longer sounds nonsensical, it makes a great deal of sense. And not only does it make a great deal of sense, it’s also layered with the wisdom of millennia. Like you, I did mock faith in general, probably Christianity but, I do not do that anymore.” [3]
Another example is witnessed when in a conversation with Jordan Peterson, Elon Musk recently acknowledged that he considers himself a “cultural Christian.” He said, "While I'm not a particularly religious person, I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise, and that there's tremendous wisdom in turning the other cheek. …I'm actually a big believer in the principles of Christianity. I think they're very good.” He continued by saying that Christian beliefs “result in the greatest happiness for humanity, considering not just the present, but all future humans.” [4]
Understand that none of the individuals cited are practising Christians, though each is admitting that a foundation of Christianity is superior for a nation than is a foundation without Christian underpinnings. None of the named individuals would be considered paragons of the Faith of Christ the Lord. Yet, each has come to the conclusion that all cultures are not equivalent. Some cultures, in particular cultures founded upon biblical principles, produce a superior culture to those cultures without biblical foundations. It is evident that Christian culture is superior to all other cultures.
Recently, Kemi Badenoch, newly elected leader of the U. K. Conservative Party, was interviewed on the BBC. In that interview, she said, “We cannot assume that all cultures are equally valid.” She continued by saying, “I actually think it’s extraordinary that people think that’s an unusual or controversial thing to say. Of course, not all cultures are equally valid. I don’t believe in cultural relativism. I believe in Western values, the principles that have made this country great. And I think we need to make sure that we continue to abide by those principles.” Kemi Badenoch is the first black woman elected to lead her party in the history of Great Britain.
She continued by stating that if British culture is to thrive, and survive, the culture must be shared. We must not imagine that that bringing in cultures that devalue women, or accepting that cultures advocating child marriage will make our own society stronger. She then made a distinction between multi-ethnicity and multi-culturalism. The one ideal is laudable, commendable; the other is impossible. [5]
Of course, the evil that infects every person and every culture is just as much “here” as it is “over there.” And so those opposed to the Faith often resort to “whataboutism.” There’s no racial or ethnic superiority to be found in one place versus another. Instead, what makes one culture superior over another is what it recognises as true about people, and which of our instincts need to be governed and controlled.
Allow me to present one egregious example of the difference between cultures. Government lawmakers in Iraq are proposing legalising girls as young as nine to be married. [6] When little girls should be playing with dolls and having tea parties, they can be forced to marry with all that entails. Nations that are based on and influenced by the Judeo-Christian religion would find such ideas abhorrent.
While the marriageable age for girls may vary among Muslim nations, the laws are guided by the religion of Islam which inevitably influences the laws. Among the sayings guiding Islamic clerics is this: “Virgin girls are like fruits on trees. If not plucked in time, the sun will rot them and the wind will disperse them. When girls reach maturity and their sexual instincts arise, like that of women, their only remedy is marriage. If they aren’t married, they are prone to moral corruption. It is because they are human beings and human beings are prone to making mistakes.” [7]
Again, have you noted the difference in how Muslim terrorists conduct war when compared to the Israeli Defence Forces? The Iranian proxies are noted for their savagery. Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthi, and Iranian missiles are launched indiscriminately and allowed to fall indiscriminately on civilian populations. Increasingly, Hezbollah rockets target Arab and Druze communities in Israel. [8] Obviously, radical Muslims kill their own if they imagine doing so makes Israel look bad. And anyone with even a modicum of awareness of news items concerning the Middle East are aware of the continuing conflict between Sunni and Shia proponents of the Religion of Peace.
Israel is noted for the care it takes in launching missile strikes or artillery barrages. Yes, civilians are killed, but this cannot be avoided when the Muslim foes deliberately hide among the civilian population. The civilian deaths are a desirable feature of the Muslims, whereas Israel attempts to avoid harming civilians. The Muslim foes are ruthless in raping and pillaging non-combatants, whereas IDF forces willingly accept surrender even from the most brutal foes. There is a cultural distinction.
PREPARE FOR WAR — The text before us dictates in broad terms how Israel was to conduct war. Notice how the passage opens: “When you go out to war against your enemies…” The godly can anticipate enemies besetting them. For the righteous, the prospect of war is not “if” an enemy seeks to harm them, it is “when” an enemy besets them. Enemies abound, and they will never go away. Therefore, the child of God must prepare for war.
Individually, and as congregations of the faithful, we must know that our wars are not to be fought as the world fights. This becomes evident when we witness the Apostle writing, “though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” [2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5]. We don’t seek retaliation against those who assault us individually because of our Faith. Rather, we accept the admonition, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” [MATTHEW 5:44b-45].
In this vein, we do not seek to injure those who assail us because of our Faith. Rather, we accept the instruction given on how we are to prosecute the war that the enemy devises against us because we follow the Saviour. God has spoken through the Apostle, instructing us, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” [EPHESIANS 6:10-18].
Though we dishonour the Master if allow ourselves to be vindictive, pugnacious, or combative concerning the Faith, there will be times when our nation is at war, or our community is under assault, or a neighbour is being attacked; at such times, we will be compelled to defend our nation, or protect our community, or stand up for our neighbour. When we are placed in situations that require us to defend ourselves, or our neighbours, or our family, the instructions provided through the Great Law Giver will become operative for us. We who follow the Master will need wisdom.
Generally, we will realise that our weapons are those already noted—prayer and the Word of God. We will train ourselves through self-discipline and through receiving the instruction of the Word through reading the Scriptures and through participating in directed study in the services of the congregation where Christ has placed us. Moreover, we will seek opportunity to share the message of Christ with those who are still in darkness. We will take to heart the Apostle’s godly counsel, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” [2 TIMOTHY 2:1-4].
We have received the warning given when we became followers of the Saviour, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
“This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith” [1 TIMOTHY 1:15-19].
For the one who would honour Christ, we accept the charge, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” [1 TIMOTHY 6:12].
In the broadest sense, Moses gave instructions that those who do engage in war are to be courageous, depending upon the rightness of their cause. We are not to be hasty about initiating a war, but when war is necessary, or when our nation is attacked and compelled to fight, then we are to enter the conflict in dependence upon the Lord knowing that He is set to defend us.
It is interesting that the faith leaders are to encourage boldness and courage, as this is a major contribution to the conduct of the war. Then, those who are timid are to withdraw from the army, as are those who are newly married. There must be no timidity permitted as war is serious business. Cowardice sapping the courage of the armed forces must be addressed quickly.
The instruction that the newly married are to return to their wife is testament to how important home life is. Marriage is vital to the health of the nation. The charge delivered in the Letter to Hebrew Christians testifies to this fact. That charge informs us, “Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” [HEBREWS 13:4]. In too many instances, it would appear that this admonition has been forgotten in this day; but godly marriage is righteous. To neglect this charge is to jeopardise the nation.
The dicta for the conduct of war could easily be witnessed in the manner in which the contemporary nation of Israel is conducting itself as it attacks the Hamas and Hezbollah terror organisations. Contrasted with the way in which Hamas conducted itself when it unleashed the terror attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel is righteous. More importantly than merely viewing the text as a manual for the conduct of war, what is revealed is a cultural distinctive that demonstrating how the Judeo-Christian culture differs from all other cultures.
War is serious business. No nation should enter war without just cause or without determination to pursue the war to a just conclusion. This seems to be apparent when we witness the Saviour using the initiation of a conflict as a teaching moment concerning commitment as a disciple. Recall that Jesus has taught His disciples, “What king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” [LUKE 14:31-33].
The concept of limited war may seem appealing to some who have not thought through the consequences of war, but if the need to engage another nation in battle arises, the righteous nation must prosecute the war with every intention of bringing the war to a successful conclusion. Israel is correct today to determine to destroy Hamas and to destabilise Hezbollah until they no longer are a threat. The successful conclusion of war must mean that the belligerent the nation has engaged can no longer be a threat to the peace and welfare of the nation. Otherwise, the cost of war is impossible to justify—the death of the youth of the nation and the loss of national productivity is simply too high.
Ask yourself whether you wish to live next to a neighbour who seeks to kill you, or whether you wish to live next to a neighbour who seeks peace with you. Do you want to live next to a neighbour who wants to eat you, or do you want to live next to a neighbour who loves you. There is a difference in cultures. Not all cultures are equivalent. This fact must be driven home for us to succeed in this world.
SEEK PEACE — “Si vis pacem para bellum” is a Latin phrase which translates to English, “If you wish peace, prepare for war.” The one who follows Christ must always seek peace with all people; but the wise follower of the Risen Saviour will maintain strong defenses knowing that strength avoids conflict rather than engendering conflict. Indeed, the Psalmist has spoken for us as Christians when he wrote,
“How horrible it is to live as a foreigner in Meshech
or to stay in the tents of Kedar.
I have lived too long with those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I talk about it,
they only talk about war.”
[PSALM 120:5-7 GOD’S WORD]
You will no doubt find it instructive to note how frequently the Apostle speaks of our God as “the God of peace.” Concluding his instructions of the Christians in Rome, Paul prays, “May the God of peace be with you all. Amen” [ROMANS 15:33]. What a meaningful title for our God.
Momentarily, Paul will urge the believers in the Lord Jesus to avoid being trapped by wicked individuals, writing to us who follow the Master, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil” [ROMANS 16:17-19]. Then, Paul appends this powerful reminder to encourage us, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” [ROMANS 16:20].
Apparently, this is a favourite designation for our God, as the Apostle uses this term to speak of the Lord God as he urges prayer and speaks of purifying the mind when writing the Philippians [see PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9]. And this is the title he uses for the Lord as he prays for the saints in Salonica [see 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23-24]. We find the same name for God used when the writer of the Hebrew Letter pens the benediction for his readers, “May the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” [HEBREWS 13:20-21].
That Paul would speak of God using this title should not surprise us. When he is instructing the Corinthian congregation on how to conduct themselves in the House of God, he bases the instructions on the truth, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” [1 CORINTHIANS 14:33a].
The point of this admittedly extended study of the title used for the Lord God is to remind each listener that we are to reveal the presence of God in our lives. Jesus instructs us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” [MATTHEW 5:14-16].
More pertinent to the message before us in this hour, recall that Jesus has taught us, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” [MATTHEW 5:43-48].
We are children of the Heavenly Father since we have been born from above and into His Family through faith in Christ the Son of God. Therefore, we who are redeemed have the Spirit of God living in us. We reflect the character of our Father. If our Father is the God of peace, then it should follow that we seek peace with all people. We make every effort to apply the Word of God which teaches us concerning our response to evil that may be done to us. “Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord. ‘BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” [ROMANS 12:17-21 NASB 2020].
In our text, we saw that God instructed His people through Moses to offer terms of peace before a fight begins. If the antagonists against whom the nation comes accepts the terms of peace, then war is averted. If, however, the bellicose nation rejects terms of peace, then they are to be treated as the hostiles they are. The fight is not merely a matter of punishing the hostiles so that they are sorry for starting the fight—they are to be conquered! Western nations have neglected this concept in recent days to the detriment of our culture. War must be aggressively prosecuted and it must be complete, or the conflict will not be resolved. If the war is not carried out to completion, the conflict is merely set aside for a brief while.
CULTURAL DICTATES — In the text before us, God is quite clear that war with nations that are at a distant should be rare, entered into only when absolutely necessary. However, for the nations that occupied the land which the Lord had promised Israel, those nations were to be utterly eliminated. The basis for this brutal command was that the nations to be conquered were utterly corrupt. They were debased beyond any prospect of redemption.
I understand that in our perverse view of cultures, we assume all cultures are equivalent. However, that is untrue. A helpful critique of culture is whether or not human dignity is recognized and valued. Are the powerless, particularly women, the elderly, the poor, and the outcast, given opportunity and protection? Is human ingenuity encouraged in areas such as science, the arts, as well as practical and personal liberties? And are these areas aimed at collective flourishing or at decadence? These chosen areas of analysis do not reflect Western values, but rather eternal truths as applied within particular contexts. These truths make it possible for any society to be not a clone of the West, but the very best version of itself possible.
The cultures that were to be destroyed were debased. Throughout the pages if the Old Covenant we read how those cultures sacrificed their children in the fire to placate the demonic gods they worshipped. Women were treated as objects to be used for the gratification of the powerful, rather than being treated as partners to strengthen the family and to work together with the men to ensure the nation was strong and stable.
What is essential to grasp is that wars were not to be fought against races, against sexes, or against social strata; rather wars were to be fought against cultures. The Faith of Christ the Lord is not a “white man’s religion;” it is a Faith that is built on common belief in the grace of God as revealed through the Word of God. As we are taught, “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” [GALATIANS 3:26-28].
In the Faith of Christ the Lord, we are taught, “Here [in the Faith of Christ the Lord] there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” [COLOSSIANS 3:11].
The point is critical and must be stressed by pointing to what is written in the First Letter to the Church of God in Corinth. The Apostle teaches us, “In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” [1 CORINTHIANS 12:13]. If we are twice born children of the Living God, we each had a common experience of grace when we were born from above. Then, if we have been obedient to His command to identify with Him in baptism, we share in a common experience. Race, sex, social status, wealth are all meaningless in determining whether we are followers of the Risen Lord of Glory. All that matters is whether we are born from above. And when that attitude permeates the culture in which we live, it transforms the nation.
Here is what must be said in our world today: Christianity shaped the West because the twin powers of common grace and Scripture offer the insight that helps people and entire societies flourish. Which culture has been elevated and made more noble because the teachings of the Quran were incorporated into the fabric of the culture? Has Hinduism made any nation more productive, more energetic, more righteous? Perhaps Buddhism has made some culture more advanced in the realm of the sciences and for the betterment of society? What ennoblement has Sikhism brought to any nation? There is a reason why it can be said that cultures in which people love their neighbours are always better than cultures in which people eat their neighbors; cultures in which people love their neighbours are superior in every way to cultures that teach people to hate their neighbours. Cultures are not equivalent; cultures that demean some, or allow the most vulnerable to be demeaned, cannot enjoy the rich blessings of the Living God.
Here is a truth that is worthy of your serious contemplation. There is an obvious reason why the wealthy from the Middle East don’t go to Cairo when they need the best healthcare in the world. They go to a little town in Minnesota to the Mayo Clinic.
Perhaps the modern Pharisees dwelling in their ivory towers worry that sending medical missionaries to impoverished cultures is cultural imperialism, but people living in those impoverished regions of our world don’t see things that way. They rejoice that modern medical or irrigation technologies are made available to them so that their lives can be improved. And they will gladly receive the message of life in the Risen Son of God that motivates Christians to serve in such difficult places.
And if the pharisaic professors and blustering bigots cannot dissuade followers of Christ from daring to serve the poverty-stricken peoples of the world, they will charge the faithful with what they call white supremacy. Is it “white supremacy” when Korean Christians send missionaries to Los Angeles? Is it “white supremacy” when Brazilian Christians send missionaries to Toronto? Is it “white supremacy” when African bishops rebuke British Anglicans for deserting the Bible to embrace modern psychological concepts rather than hold fast to the Word which we have received?
Was it “white supremacy” when north African nations enslaved Europeans? Was it “white supremacy” when Pacific Coast natives enslaved peoples from interior tribes? I’m not attempting to minimise the sins of western nations, but what is often overlooked is that it was western nations, undergirded by the ideals of the Bible that abolished slavery in the British Isles and later in the United States. And it was Christians that demanded a cessation of the practise! Don’t forget that it was the British who banned Sati, widow burning in nineteenth century India. Is honour killing, as practised in Islamic culture to be equated with limiting abortion “rights” of women in the West? Even a casual consideration of the facts will demonstrate that all cultures are not equivalent.
We are witnessing a change in western culture, and it is not for the better. We have lost sight of how we became the great nations that have blessed the world. When the world had been destroyed by the Flood that God sent on the earth, sparing only Noah, his three sons, and their wives, the blessing which Noah pronounced has come to pass. Ham had dishonoured Noah, his father, bringing upon his progeny a curse. But Noah also pronounced a blessing for all mankind when he looked upon his other two sons, Shem and Japheth. Noah said,
“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem;
and let Canaan be his servant.
May God enlarge Japheth,
and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,
and let Canaan be his servant.”
[GENESIS 9:26-27]
Shem, progenitor of the Semitic peoples, would indeed provide the knowledge of God that would bless the world. And Japheth, progenitor of the Caucasian races, would “dwell in the tents of Shem,” embracing the God that chose the Semitic peoples. The cultures that embraced the Faith of Christ the Lord have blessed the nations, exporting the ideas of justice, equality, innovation, and even not looking down on other cultures. These ideas are the fruit of a people, who since ancient days, studied and applied Scripture to living out life.
In our text, even the thought that the army must not wantonly destroy the trees that bear fruit reveal a distinction for the culture that served the Living God. Those who know God cannot wantonly despoil the earth merely to enrich themselves. Rather, they will honour the Creator by seeking how they may use the ingenuity He gives and the knowledge He provides to bless the world. Not all cultures are equivalent. Amen.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2] https://x.com/LBC/status/1774510715975368778, accessed 31 December 2024
[3] https://x.com/Lewis_Brackpool/status/1800622757794676916, accessed 31 December 2024
[4] https://www.dailywire.com/episode/dr-peterson-x-elon-musk, accessed 31 December 2024
[5] https://x.com/LozzaFox/status/1840397803031310553?utm_campaign=Product%20-%20Breakpoint%20Daily%20BPD&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--xP8blYVS1VM4JtAVi89mLjQbY5ZIJI5Rb5AL4Q0bhtQCtGVloxohp6saFlhnMBPTHQjJnnQrpZU0hEYxK6Siwrf9YWg&_hsmi=333416359&utm_content=333416359&utm_source=hs_email, accessed 31 December 2024
[6] Khalid Razak, “Iraq could allow marriage for girls as young as 9. A survivor says it would fuel rape and child abuse.” Dec. 15, 2024, NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iraq-child-marriage-girls-personal-status-law-change-clerics-rcna180968, 15 December 2024
[7] Jacquiline, “Marriage Quotes from Quran,” https://rishtapakistan.pk/blog/marriage-quotes-from-quran/, accessed 21 December 2024; Arifa Hudda, “The Age of Marriage,” Al-Islam.org, https://www.al-islam.org/religion-al-islam-and-marriage/age-marriage, accessed 21 December 2024
[ 8] Seth J Frantzman, “Hezbollah rocket fire increasingly targets Arab and Druze communities—analysis,” The Jerusalem Post, November 2, 2024, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-827267, accessed 4 November 2024; Diana Bletter, “In Arab town where 2 were killed by Hezbollah rockets, leaders demand shelters,” The Times of Israel, 31 October 2024, https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-arab-town-where-2-were-killed-by-hezbollah-rockets-leaders-demand-shelters/, accessed 4 November 2024
