“Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your
foes will be destroyed.” Micah 5:9
When the sunlight
faded into the darkness of night the streaks could be seen from miles
away. Rockets, missiles tracers and artillery
fire left distinct images in his mind that could never be erased. The world had changed from when he was a
young boy, and everything he had read in his history books about war was very
different while watching it on TV. It was almost as if watching a movie or
television drama, built on the fascination and desire of mankind to see the
game. But, it’s not a game, it’s real
life and there’s only one. The
explosions as the missiles strike their target are leaving dead bodies in the
rubble. Some innocent, some with every
intent of firing missiles back in return.
There is no winner in war, it’s not a game with a scoring system. The conflict arises for many different
reasons and we have come to a point where humanity cannot simply put aside our
differences and rationalize an answer through negotiations. The reality is that most wars and battles are
fought as an act of revenge.
Why are the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Korea, the Middle East, Africa and other areas of the world taking place today? The original battles may have been fought over cultural, economic, territorial or religious beliefs, but the ensuing battles have been examples of vengeance. As a human race we are intent on executing our own form of revenge upon our enemies, and to defend against our enemies who may seek revenge against us. These are not problems we will solve in this manner. A strike against another country or people will only result in a vengeful return strike from those people in the future at some point. There is no end to this exercise, there is only more death and destruction. You see, man’s ability to execute vengeance is only temporary and can only result in more violence.
When the scriptures say “Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) there is much truth in this verse. The Lord will enact true vengeance on mankind and sift the wheat from the chaff. On that day, He will destroy those that have denied Him, mocked Him and cursed Him. Between this day and that day, many will die in trying to defend the Lord’s honor against those that do not accept His love or plan of salvation. In doing so they will do nothing but create anger and hatred for the God they are trying to promote. We must take a step back and realize that this “Holy War” is rooted deep in the history of the scriptures and can only be resolved when God chooses to do His bidding. We are to share His love, grace and mercy with the world. This is one of the things that differentiate followers of Jesus Christ from other religions and cultures.
There are those religious sects that have determined to enact revenge, death and destruction on any who do not see god the way they do. This is not the role of the Christian Church in today’s world. Defending our faith is our calling, but we do not need to defend Jesus Christ or God Almighty. Their ability to destroy their enemies is legendary and greater than any force imaginable on this earth. God’s ability to invoke wrath is demonstrated throughout the scriptures, but that is not what following Jesus Christ is about. Christ came that we would learn to love, serve and discover salvation without force and killing. The only battle worth fighting for is the battle over the souls of those that are lost, and this isn’t accomplished through force or killing. It is accomplished through love and grace. Let God hold the final word on who should or should not be eliminated, and trust that He will and if you’re not clear read Revelations 20:11-15 – God lays it out clearly.
Why are the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Korea, the Middle East, Africa and other areas of the world taking place today? The original battles may have been fought over cultural, economic, territorial or religious beliefs, but the ensuing battles have been examples of vengeance. As a human race we are intent on executing our own form of revenge upon our enemies, and to defend against our enemies who may seek revenge against us. These are not problems we will solve in this manner. A strike against another country or people will only result in a vengeful return strike from those people in the future at some point. There is no end to this exercise, there is only more death and destruction. You see, man’s ability to execute vengeance is only temporary and can only result in more violence.
When the scriptures say “Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) there is much truth in this verse. The Lord will enact true vengeance on mankind and sift the wheat from the chaff. On that day, He will destroy those that have denied Him, mocked Him and cursed Him. Between this day and that day, many will die in trying to defend the Lord’s honor against those that do not accept His love or plan of salvation. In doing so they will do nothing but create anger and hatred for the God they are trying to promote. We must take a step back and realize that this “Holy War” is rooted deep in the history of the scriptures and can only be resolved when God chooses to do His bidding. We are to share His love, grace and mercy with the world. This is one of the things that differentiate followers of Jesus Christ from other religions and cultures.
There are those religious sects that have determined to enact revenge, death and destruction on any who do not see god the way they do. This is not the role of the Christian Church in today’s world. Defending our faith is our calling, but we do not need to defend Jesus Christ or God Almighty. Their ability to destroy their enemies is legendary and greater than any force imaginable on this earth. God’s ability to invoke wrath is demonstrated throughout the scriptures, but that is not what following Jesus Christ is about. Christ came that we would learn to love, serve and discover salvation without force and killing. The only battle worth fighting for is the battle over the souls of those that are lost, and this isn’t accomplished through force or killing. It is accomplished through love and grace. Let God hold the final word on who should or should not be eliminated, and trust that He will and if you’re not clear read Revelations 20:11-15 – God lays it out clearly.
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