Chico Alliance Church
WAR AND THE BIBLE
Part Two
IV. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE?
There are many parallels between the realities of our seen physical world and the realities in the unseen spiritual realm.
In fact, God has specifically created the physical world as an illustration of spiritual truth.
The problem is that we are often too dull to comprehend.
The disciples were continually caught off guard by Jesus.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees!
This temple will be destroyed and in three days be restored to life.
I am the bread of life.
I am the water of life.
I am the vine your are the branches.
Except a kernel fall into the ground and die, there is no life.
Why do you marvel that I said you must be born again.
The kingdom of God is like...
You shall mount up with wings like eagles.
All of creation finds parallels in the spiritual realm.
This is also true concerning war.
God warned Adam and Eve that sin would bring about death.
They did not die physically first, they died spiritually.
Yet as an illustration of the horror of death, physical death became a reality beginning with Abel’s murder and rang all though Genesis 5 and on through to present times.
There is continual war in the celestial realm just as we have continual war on the terrestrial scheme of things.
There is a conflict to battle aggression against the kingdom of God and its citizens and a continual battle to defend and reclaim territory.
Satan wants to claim what was rightfully given to man to rule.
Satan may be the prince of the power of the air, but to man was given dominion over the earth.
Man forfeited his birthright and the whole of creation groans (Rom 8) until the revealing of the liberated sons of God who will bring liberation to creation through Jesus Christ.
There has thus been a conflict between the seed of Satan and the sons of God for centuries.
We are provided a rare glimpse of the interplay between the two dimensions in a discipline session between Elisha and his servant.
Then the king of Syria sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don’t be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2Ki 6:14-17
Daniel furnishes us another fascinating facet of the celestial battle in Daniel 10.
He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come." Dan 10:14
Ephesians 6 makes it clear that our real battle is not against flesh and blood although that is often where the battle manifests itself.
WE are commanded to march against the gates of hell.
We are to be engaged in warfare.
in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 2Co 6:7
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2Co 10:5
Wars and fighting are a fact of life. In fact they will increase in the end times because man’s wickedness increases along with Satan’s activity.
There is a interrelation to what goes on in the world and what is happening in the spiritual realm of things.
Even though these things are not always understood we are part of the overall direction of God’s plan.
WE must remember however that God is in ultimate control.
How should we then respond?
V. HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS RESPOND?
A. Protest?
Can we Biblically support conscientious objection to war?
It is possible, but only if we are willing to be honest and apply the principles across the board.
The assertion that the ground is on the basis that Jesus was a passifist will not hold water viewed from the broadened picture of Jesus presented in Revelation.
If we protest on the grounds that God is able and will take care of me and by faith, I will trust Him alone not the government to protect me.
The principle must then be honestly applied to all areas of my life.
I must also protest personal intervention against evil?
I must also protest neighborhood intervention against evil?
I must also protest police intervention against evil?
Our intervention against evil aggression as one among many nation is the same principle on a national scale.
If we protest on the national level, we must be willing to carry through on those convictions on the personal level.
We can long for peace, and pray for peace but when our government is engaged in aggression intervention we ought not protest but thank God we are carrying out a God given-directive.
B. Paranoia?
Another possible reaction is fear. Is there reason to fear? Is this the end? Should I sell everything and move to the mountains?
God never indicates that we should live in terror as Christians for we have the only reality and hope to offer those paralyzed by paranoia.
Remember, God is in the drivers seat.
He is not pulling out his hair and wringing his hands over world events.
Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Isa 40:15
Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. Isa 40:17
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Isa 40:25
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. Act 17:27
C. Promotion?
We should not promote war in the sense that we are looking for a fight and rejoice at the pain of others.
Yet there should be in my view a support of those who are risking and giving their life to defend freedom.
America does not always make good decisions and is not always good at carrying out her God-given directives but it is still better than most other places in the world.
Besides, Scripture admonishes us to honor the king and support the government.
And that was said about a dictatorship that was responsible for the death of Jesus and eventually the very one who gave the admonition.
D. Participation?
I am still a patriot. I think as frightening it is or could be, it should be counted a privilege to serve our country.
E. Prayer?
How should we pray?
1. Pray for the individuals and their families.
2. Pray for a spiritual awakening among the service men and women.
3. Pray for a spiritual awakening in America.
4. Pray for our own awakening to reality and the nearness of the end times.
5. Pray for an awakening among the Arab peoples.
6. Pray for our leaders.
7. Pray for God’s disciplinary purposes, refuse Satan’s destructive purposes.
8. Pray for Sadaam himself -- His renewal or his removal.
THOUGHTS
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. Dan 4:31
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Dan 4:36
We have war because of the wickedness of men’s heart.
God is not opposed to war. It is part of the over all plan.
God allows war for protection.
God allows war for liberation.
God allows war for discipline and judgment.
We need not protest.
We need not be paranoid.
We should promote our government and soldiers.
We should participate if called upon.
We should definitely pray.
TIME IN PRAYER
