MAKE WAR BY WISE GUIDANCE
(DOCTRINE OF WAR)
Proverbs 20:18 - Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance. NAS
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PRAYER PREPARATION
Jesus Himself tells us about the importance of studying His word in John 8:31-32:
31 "... If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " NAS
In John 15:7, Jesus tells us this:
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. NAS
And in John 4:24, Jesus says that:
24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." NAS
Let’s take a moment to quietly confess our sins to God, so that we "abide" in fellowship with Him and so are led by the Holy Spirit when we study God’s word. 1 John 1:9 promises us, that if we name our known sins to God, He always forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness, even from the unknown sins we forgot or didn’t even realize we committed.
With this forgiveness, we are able to worship God "in spirit" by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, and "in truth" by studying His word. Let’s pray.
Thank you, Father, for always restoring your children when we admit our sins to you. May your Holy Spirit teach us your word as we study it now. We ask these things in Jesus Name. Amen
INTRODUCTION
With all of the talk of war in the newspapers and on television, I want to look at what the Bible says about war.
We as Christians should always remember that God ultimately controls history, and we need to be sure that our view on war agrees with God’s word, the Bible. It doesn’t matter what our pastor or our denomination says, nor how we feel about it, but rather what the Bible teaches. That’s what I want to look at right now.
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING WAR
The Bible teaches a number of principles concerning God’s view of war.
1. The sixth commandment does NOT say, “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” and does not prohibit war nor capital punishment (Ex. 21; Rom. 13). Let’s get that misunderstanding out of the way right away.
The original Hebrew word “tirtsaach” which is translated "kill" in the King James Bible, actually means “to slay with premeditation and malice” according to the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary. In other words, the word "kill" should actually be translated "murder," and it is in better Bible translations such as the NIV and NAS. The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary also states:
’Killing’ is not what is prohibited, otherwise the judicial infliction of capital punishment, as well as the slaughter of an enemy in defensive war, would be unlawful - in which light these were certainly not regarded by the Israelites in the time of Moses (Ex. 21:14; Deut. 19:11; 31:9).”
The correct translation of the sixth commandment from the original Hebrew manuscripts is “You shall not MURDER.” This commandment directly forbids you or I from murdering someone, and indirectly prohibits us from hurting others or ourselves. Most religious people and many secular people who are opposed to war misquote this commandment and say that it forbids ALL killing. That’s an absolutely ludicrous viewpoint if you’ve simply read the Old Testament. If ALL killing were wrong, then God told the Israelites to sin when He commanded them to enter the Promised Land and to totally wipe out the inhabitants there.
Of course, today’s “peaceniks” really couldn’t care less what the Bible says about war or peace, only to the extent that they can misquote verses out of context to support their socialist agenda.
2. The Bible NOWHERE teaches the idea that a Christian should be a so-called “conscientious objector.” That term is a totally humanistic viewpoint. It is anti-Bible and thus, anti-God. The Bible expects that believers will fight for their country. Numbers 10:9 says “when you go to war,” not "IF you go to war."
Numbers 10:9
9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies. NAS
3. God’s word teaches that, not only isn’t it a sin to go to war and kill the enemy in battle, but in fact, it is a sin for a believer NOT to go to war. As Christians, we’ve probably all heard a pastor use the words of Numbers 32:23, “…be sure your sin will find you out,” in reference to sins in our lives such as drugs and sexual sins. However, if we look at that verse in its true context of Numbers chapter 32, it refers solely to the believer who refuses to go to war
Numbers 32:20-23
20 So Moses said to them, "If you will do this, if you will arm yourselves before the LORD for the war,
21 and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before the LORD until He has driven His enemies out from before Him,
22 and the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you shall return and be free of obligation toward the LORD and toward Israel, and this land shall be yours for a possession before the LORD.
23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out. NAS
4. The Bible asks the sinning believer who refuses to fight, the rhetorical question we all ask such a person:
Num 32:6
6 But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, "Shall your brothers go to war while you yourselves sit here?
5. The Lord God will prepare the believer for battle.
Psalms 144:1
1 A Psalm of David.
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle; NAS
6. Believers should seek wise guidance from others in waging war.
Proverbs 20:18
18 Prepare plans by consultation,
And make war by wise guidance. NAS
Proverbs 24:6
6 For by wise guidance you will wage war,
And in abundance of counselors there is victory. NAS
7. The Bible praises believers who became mighty in war.
Hebrews 11:32-34
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. NAS
SUMMARY:
No one wants war if it is avoidable and if a peaceful solution can be found. However, this is not always possible. Both sides of the conflict have to want peace, be capable of rational decision-making, and be willing to compromise when necessary.
This lesson has been just a brief outline, but clear and strong Biblical proof, that it is a sin for believers NOT to fight in a war for their country. God expects Christians to fight in battle when the need arises. There is absolutely no Biblical basis for being a so-called “conscientious objector.”
It is a sin not to go to war, and we have in our society denominations who actively teach others to refuse to fight. Such people are perfectly willing to watch others fight and die for THEIR freedom, and then they use that very freedom to self-righteously judge and criticize the heroes who defend them, heroes who obey God’s word and risk their very lives for all of us.
Let’s pray.
Copyright (c) 2003, Frank J. Gallagher
Abiding In The Word
http://members.aol.com/abidingitw
All materials are written by me and are copyrighted. These materials may be freely copied and distributed for the purpose of study and teaching, so long as they are made available to others free of charge, and my copyright is included. These materials may not, in any manner, be sold nor used to solicit "donations" from others, nor may they be included in anything you intend to copyright, sell, or offer for a fee. God the Holy Spirit freely provides this knowledge in grace, and so do I. My copyright is exercised to keep these materials freely available to all.
