Tuesday May 19 -WAR

War breaks out often and men compete to end them and keep them going.  Our best experience with good war seems to amount to watching combatants smiling warmly at each other and saying peace never arose. 

Now the dread of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:10)

The neighbouring nations did not KEEP WAGING WAR (LXX επολεμουν). The globe

Faith – war – LIGHT; seeing courage in conflict |

Since all the ancient heroes were expected to believe and consequences other than pleasing God (Hebrews 11:6) have fallen on the unfaithful (and if you don’t believe read what happened to Moses in Numbers 20;12).  The judges were examples of faithful persons who died in faith, and their occupation was warmaking. Four judges are named in Hebrews 11:32 to show they died in faith, ae having pleased God. The writer makes a case that time would fail him to name everyone.

Hope – war – LIGHT;  trusting endurance |

That human beings have a built-in hope to be free from violence and war does not need to be documented. Humanity has tried twice to end all wars and some people pretend that they don’t want war but that’s all they do.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Believers are locked in on believing and abounding in hope.

Love – war – LIGHT; embracing reconciliation |

It should not be strange to us that the New Covenant continues to portray God’s intervention as a war.  I am aware of Christ’s struggle in Gethsemane. We are aware of him doing battle with the Devil and throwing him out of heaven. We have to recognize that for Christ to be called a conqueror he must have been engaged in a struggle, a war.

Death – war – LIGHT; becoming silence after struggle |

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh, (2 Corinthians 10:3)

One definitive interaction of the Lord on behalf of his people is pictured as a war, Yahweh fighting against the Egyptians.

3. “The Lord is a warrior; The Lord is His name. 4. “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. (Exodus 15:3-4)

We confess that same thing about Yeshua, with bloodstained garments.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. (Revelation of John 19:11)

He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (Revelation of John 19:13)