There has been a question plaguing me for a little while. Why do christians oppose going to war and yet war was a part of life in the Old Testament? I believe that it is a question that many religious people either try to answer or hope to avoid. I will try to answer this question more for my sake than any readers. But let us see where we end up with these thoughts.
First it is important to note that the followers of God in the Old Testament were under law and not grace. No matter how good they could live they were going to fail. The law was not perfect. Even David who was loved by God fell into sin. They were continually falling and having to make a sacrifice for their sins. The blood of bulls and goats could not stop them from sinning but it could cause them to be forgiven when they did sin. Hold on to the thought that they were looking for a better covenant we will address that later.
It is recorded that the very first act of killing was done by God in the garden of Eden. In Genesis chapter 3 God himself killed an animal and with their skins he clothed Adam and Eve. The first act of murder was done by man. After Cain killed Abel the morality of man became very grievous to God. God punished the evilness of mankind by destroying the world. After the flood he instructed Noah in Genesis 9:5-6 that killing another human being was wrong. If one took the life of another then that person was to be put to death.
In Genesis 14 God told Abram through Melchisideck that God had helped him when he went to war against the king that had taken Lot captive. This battle was not condemned by God. After this incident God spoke to Abram in military terms saying he would be his shield. God was letting Abram know that he was going to protect him, to actually defend him and destroy all the evils about him. Then we see how God intervened in the immoral lives of those of Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed those cities and there inhabitants.
God raised up Moses, trained in the house of Pharaoh, a military leader to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. God allowed for war and battles to be fought as the Israelites fled Egypt and conquered their Promised Land. God never commanded the Israelites not to kill. God instructed the Israelites to love their brother and love their neighbor, and yet also carry out capital punishment if necessary. According to the Old Covenant there were various crimes that required putting the offender to death (Genesis 21 and 22). The Israelites were however commanded not to murder. When they came to Canaan God commanded the Israelites to drive and wipe out the inhabitants of the land. In Deuteronomy 20 they were told that when they marched to war God would be with them. They were also instructed not to leave alive anything that breathed so that they would not be tempted to sin against God.
A distinction is made between the killing associated with war and the killing of murder. Joab, Davids military leader, was not reprimanded for all his occasions of battle and war. Yet when he killed an ally in a time of peace, it was considered murder. Joab's motive for the murder of Abner was revenge. For this Joab was cursed and eventually killed.
Man had fallen from the days of the Garden of Eden. The people of God were living in a day that killing criminals, in defense of one;'whom and family and occasional deliverance of oppressed people were required. Such was not considered a sin in the eyes of God.
to be continued....
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
A Shepherds Voice
Castles, Princesses and an evil force are at work again in this little lost kingdom which is tucked away in the middle of the largest of mountains and the prettiest of mountain valley's. In this story we find a king who is very much the prideful father of an extremely pretty daughter. She is lovely to behold and very accomplished in many areas of art. Her character is also very sweet, she is the picture of all that is good. The king also has a brother who is as evil as the princess is good. This brother has desired to be the king for many, many years. This has caused great hardship in the family and continued turmoil in the kingdom.
Up in the highest heights of the Northern alps. Above the last village was a very small hut. This one room hut was all that a particular lonely shepherd needed. During the day Caulay, for that was the shepherds name, he spent his time among the sheep on the highest mountain ranges. Far from every person and all the business of town life. He spent his days unnoticed by all the citizens of the valley for they shunned him as very simple. but his life was about to change.
The king of this vast kingdom's lovey daughter was his only child and the joy of his old age. She was rarely out of the kings sight. but this day his duties required the princess to be by herself. the wicked brother knew of the kings admiration and love for his daughter. He and some others conspired together to kidnap the princess and demand that the king would turn over the kingdom to them in exchange for his daughter.
This is exactly what the wicked men did. They crept into the castle and found the princess all alone. They lured her away from the safety of the castle and then they grabbed her and would not let her go. They took the princess far from her palace home and lead her up into caves of the Northern mountains.
The king was very distraught when he discovered the kidnapping of his precious daughter. In his inconsolable state he just sat upon his throne day and night crying for his daughter. In his innermost being he was praying and hoping that she would be found. All the soldiers of the land were swarming the towns and valleys. Many had gone into the mountains searching for the princess. but all was in vain.
The shepherd in the Northern Mountains heard of the princesses capture from the searching soldiers. The citizens of the town had joined the search and were crawling all over the mountains. As the shepherd looked for ways to help in the search all the citizens told him to stay out of the way. They even told him directly that he was too simple to help in the search. Day after day the search went on but no one could find where the princess was being hidden.
Then tragedy occurred. The mountains, as if angry at hiding the princess beneath them began to quake and shake. They seemed to want her to be found. To shake her loose from her hiding place. All their shaking caused a tremendous avalanche. The mountains and hills were falling down and sliding, sliding toward the village. The huge boulders were stopping up the rivers, filling the gorges and blocking off passes and caves. What was to become of the princess?
The shepherd had felt the mountains shaking. He knew what was happening was dangerous. As the rocks and boulders began to crash about him he nimbly dept out of their way. The town was in danger, the princess was in danger all the shepherd could think of doing was yelling down the mountain to alert the villagers and soldiers. Off of the mountains and through the valleys the shepherds voice resounded.It was not muffled or hard to understand but clearly gave the warning cry, 'The mountains are falling." The villagers heard him. The soldiers heard him. The king on his throne in the midst of his castle heard him. Everyone looked up to the hills.
All were able to rush to safety and in minutes the destruction was ended.In the calm and quiet after the avalanche the shepherd hear a cry amidst the rocks. A cry that was not one of his sheep. These were safe in a cave near his home. Rather it was the cry of a young girl. The shepherd knew instantly that it was the princess. She was trapped in the mountains among the rocks. Again the shepherd acted instinctively, he rose up on the nearest boulder, cupped his hands and began to yell again. "The princess is trapped come and help!" The villagers heard him, The soldiers heard him. The king on his throne heard him. He sat on the very edge of his throne and looked up into the hills with anticipation. All the villagers and soldiers looked at each other and realized the shepherd was speaking and looked at the mountain with fear. Everyone in the vast kingdom was frozen with fear. No one was able to come to the aid of the princess.
The shepherd moved from the boulder and looked at the rocks before him. He reached over and picked up a boulder and started throwing it out of the way. One by one he was flinging the rocks down the mountains. The villagers were more scared than ever and refused to start up the mountain. The rocks were rolling past faster and faster. It just was not safe. The shepherd kept listening for the princess every few boulders he would check to see how she was doing. Soon he was within feet of where she was.Out of a crevice the kings brother bolted past the shepherd and escaped into the thicker parts of the mountain forests. The next rock to be moved revealed the other wicked men dead under rocks and boulders. One more rock was thrown down the mountain to reveal the princess. Tucked into the side of the mountain, safe from harms way she had been protected from all the danger.
Caulay, the shepherd of the Northern Mountains picked up the princess and placed her on his shoulders. Down the hill he marched with the princess high above all about her. The soldiers saw the shepherd coming down the hill and word was passed quickly that the princess was found. The shepherd carried his princess all the way to the castle. The king was so glad to have his daughter back that he through a great banquet. Here all were told of the shepherds bravery and Caulay was given a new title and job as the princess protector. She was never to be left alone again.
.
Up in the highest heights of the Northern alps. Above the last village was a very small hut. This one room hut was all that a particular lonely shepherd needed. During the day Caulay, for that was the shepherds name, he spent his time among the sheep on the highest mountain ranges. Far from every person and all the business of town life. He spent his days unnoticed by all the citizens of the valley for they shunned him as very simple. but his life was about to change.
The king of this vast kingdom's lovey daughter was his only child and the joy of his old age. She was rarely out of the kings sight. but this day his duties required the princess to be by herself. the wicked brother knew of the kings admiration and love for his daughter. He and some others conspired together to kidnap the princess and demand that the king would turn over the kingdom to them in exchange for his daughter.
This is exactly what the wicked men did. They crept into the castle and found the princess all alone. They lured her away from the safety of the castle and then they grabbed her and would not let her go. They took the princess far from her palace home and lead her up into caves of the Northern mountains.
The king was very distraught when he discovered the kidnapping of his precious daughter. In his inconsolable state he just sat upon his throne day and night crying for his daughter. In his innermost being he was praying and hoping that she would be found. All the soldiers of the land were swarming the towns and valleys. Many had gone into the mountains searching for the princess. but all was in vain.
The shepherd in the Northern Mountains heard of the princesses capture from the searching soldiers. The citizens of the town had joined the search and were crawling all over the mountains. As the shepherd looked for ways to help in the search all the citizens told him to stay out of the way. They even told him directly that he was too simple to help in the search. Day after day the search went on but no one could find where the princess was being hidden.
Then tragedy occurred. The mountains, as if angry at hiding the princess beneath them began to quake and shake. They seemed to want her to be found. To shake her loose from her hiding place. All their shaking caused a tremendous avalanche. The mountains and hills were falling down and sliding, sliding toward the village. The huge boulders were stopping up the rivers, filling the gorges and blocking off passes and caves. What was to become of the princess?
The shepherd had felt the mountains shaking. He knew what was happening was dangerous. As the rocks and boulders began to crash about him he nimbly dept out of their way. The town was in danger, the princess was in danger all the shepherd could think of doing was yelling down the mountain to alert the villagers and soldiers. Off of the mountains and through the valleys the shepherds voice resounded.It was not muffled or hard to understand but clearly gave the warning cry, 'The mountains are falling." The villagers heard him. The soldiers heard him. The king on his throne in the midst of his castle heard him. Everyone looked up to the hills.
All were able to rush to safety and in minutes the destruction was ended.In the calm and quiet after the avalanche the shepherd hear a cry amidst the rocks. A cry that was not one of his sheep. These were safe in a cave near his home. Rather it was the cry of a young girl. The shepherd knew instantly that it was the princess. She was trapped in the mountains among the rocks. Again the shepherd acted instinctively, he rose up on the nearest boulder, cupped his hands and began to yell again. "The princess is trapped come and help!" The villagers heard him, The soldiers heard him. The king on his throne heard him. He sat on the very edge of his throne and looked up into the hills with anticipation. All the villagers and soldiers looked at each other and realized the shepherd was speaking and looked at the mountain with fear. Everyone in the vast kingdom was frozen with fear. No one was able to come to the aid of the princess.
The shepherd moved from the boulder and looked at the rocks before him. He reached over and picked up a boulder and started throwing it out of the way. One by one he was flinging the rocks down the mountains. The villagers were more scared than ever and refused to start up the mountain. The rocks were rolling past faster and faster. It just was not safe. The shepherd kept listening for the princess every few boulders he would check to see how she was doing. Soon he was within feet of where she was.Out of a crevice the kings brother bolted past the shepherd and escaped into the thicker parts of the mountain forests. The next rock to be moved revealed the other wicked men dead under rocks and boulders. One more rock was thrown down the mountain to reveal the princess. Tucked into the side of the mountain, safe from harms way she had been protected from all the danger.
Caulay, the shepherd of the Northern Mountains picked up the princess and placed her on his shoulders. Down the hill he marched with the princess high above all about her. The soldiers saw the shepherd coming down the hill and word was passed quickly that the princess was found. The shepherd carried his princess all the way to the castle. The king was so glad to have his daughter back that he through a great banquet. Here all were told of the shepherds bravery and Caulay was given a new title and job as the princess protector. She was never to be left alone again.
.
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