Although superficially the Old Testament seems to be so much mayhem, when we probe deeply we discover an extraordinary vision of peace.  “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).  “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb; a little child shall lead them. They shall not hurt or destroy... for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:6-9).

   For Israel, peace (shalom) is not merely the absence of war, but a life of justice, righteousness, prayerful devotion to God’s will.  Promises of peace are pegged to appeals for justice.  When there is no justice, there is no peace, or peace is bogus (Jeremiah 6:13-14).  Shalom is the full participation of all people in God’s blessings; the rich do not hoard; holiness is everything; freedom isn’t doing my will, but God’s.

    In his latest book, The Sins of Scripture, John Shelby Spong “exposes the Bible’s texts of hate to reveal the God of love.”  But the Bible has already done this for him.  Most of the Bible’s warfare was not of God.  “Repay no one evil for evil; vengeance is mine, not yours,” says the Lord (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:17).  The people pleaded with Samuel for a king “to fight our battles” (1 Samuel 8) – but their desired battles were not of God.  David was a famous warrior, but was denied the privilege of building the temple, so bloodstained were his hands (1 Chronicles 22:6-9).  How many kings hurled armies into battle in God’s name, but God was not on their side?  Jehoshaphat asked 400 pious prophets if he should go to war, and these yes-men resoundingly blessed his plan.  But one, Micaiah, bucked their fervor and opposed the war.  Whining that Micaiah was unpatriotic, the king threw him in jail, listened to the 400 – and was killed alongside brave soldiers who had no business in that battle (1 Kings 22).  The clergy and the prophets not only had the right to pass judgment on political power-brokers.  They were expected to, and failure to do so was censured by God.  The faithful urged imperialistic-minded kings not to go to war – even when it seemed the only logical course of action.

   Throughout history, the Bible’s stories have been manipulated to justify military actions.  In 1099, Crusaders did as Joshua did:  they prayed, marched around Jerusalem seven times, blew trumpets – but the walls did not come a-tumblin’ down.  So they took God’s will into their own hands, breached the fortifications, slaughtering tens of thousands – but it was not of God.  Medieval theologians devised a “just war theory,” trying to understand life in a harsh world, and the necessity for self-defense, yet in the light of Jesus’ words that “those who live by the sword die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52), and “Love your enemies, turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5) – but this will require another email on another day.

James

james@mpumc.org

The complete email series on Bible Questions can be found if you click here.

Coming up:

eBibleQuestions17 – What can archaeology tell us? and not tell us?

eBibleQuestions18 – What was daily life like in Bible times?

eBibleQuestions19 – What was the role of women in Bible times?

eBibleQuestions20 – Why all the bloody sacrifices in the Old Testament?