What does the Bible say about war?

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What does the Bible say about war?

War has been present in our lives ever since the dawn of time. From the resolution of conflicts to territorial, religious, and political reasons, humankind has resorted to the use of force on innumerable occasions. But what does the Bible say about it? Did Jesus bring a new perspective to God's message in the Old Testament? Is war ever just?

The first war

The first war, according to the Bible, was conducted in heaven. It was the war between good and evil; Satan and God. And it’s not until we get to the Book of Revelation that it’s mentioned.

Revelation 12:7-9 reads: “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

Value of life

The Bible places great value on human life. After all, we were created in God’s image. This is stated in Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. [...]'”

Life is precious

There are other instances in the Bible that highlight the importance of human life and how sinful it is to end it. One of them is in Exodus 21:12. “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.”

Time for war

But there is a time for everything, and war is no exception. Ecclesiastes 3:8 states that there is, “A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for peace.”

Can God intervene in war?

According to Isaiah 2:4, it does seem like indeed he can. The passage reads: “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

War in the Old Testament

There are numerous, and quite detailed, accounts of war in the Old Testament. The root of the problem seems to be common to all of them: sin. War is the result of sin in the world. This holy war is led by God Himself. God is the instigator and the leader of war in the Old Testament.

Ark of the Covenant

The famous Ark of the Covenant (which contains the tablets of the Ten Commandments) was actually taken into battle as a sort of lucky charm. 1 Samuel 4:3 reads: “When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, 'Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.'"

Weapon of war

There’s an example of how God used war in Jeremiah 51:20-21. “The Lord says, Babylonia, you are my hammer, my weapon of war. I used you to crush nations and kingdoms, 21 to shatter horses and riders, to shatter chariots and their drivers.”

Warriors find solace in God

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 can be quite motivational for those on the battlefield. It reads: “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.”

Motivation

It continues: “When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. 3 He shall say: 'Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4 For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.'"

War in the New Testament

There are fewer accounts of war in the New Testament. After all, Jesus was a man of peace who avoided retaliation.

God gives powers to government authorities to enforce (His) laws

Romans 13:1-5 talks about submitting to governing authorities (who are ultimately responsible for war), and the need to obey the law.

Submitting to governing authorities  

Romans 13:1-3 reads: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”  

Love your enemies

Matthew 5:38-45 gives us a new perspective on the God of the Old Testament when it comes to war. "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." It continues: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

Be at peace

Paul the Apostle also spread a similar message: “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men,” (Romans 12:17).

Overcome evil with good

He continues: “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, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

War is inevitable

It's always happened and it always will. Jesus Himself spoke about it. Matthew 24:6 reads" “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

Prophecy?

One could interpret this as a prophecy, but the truth is that wars have been happening since the dawn of time, and the consequences are often disastrous. Matthew 24:7 reads, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”

Pacifism

When Jesus was arrested, one of his followers wanted to defend him with a sword, but Jesus said, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword," (Matthew 26:52-53). Christian pacifists also base their stance on the belief that the kingdom of God is not on Earth, as per John 18:36, which reads, “Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.'"

Holy war

Paul the Apostle makes a reference to a holy war between good and evil in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

Just war theory

The just war theory is a philosophy that emerged many years ago. Its principles can be traced back to classical Greek and Roman philosophers, but Christian theologians such as Augustine and Thomas Aquinas expanded on it.

“Just” doesn’t mean “good.” The whole idea still condemns war, but addresses it from a "lesser evil" standpoint. The theory tries to reconcile the ideas that killing people is bad, but that sometimes the use of force is inevitable. It provides guidelines on how to conduct war in a more just way.

Sources: (Christian Bible Reference Site) (BBC) (Bible Resources) (Bible Reasons)