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War in the Bible

This week's segment of Isaiah has images of and references to war.  The leaders "put their trust in chariots because of their number, and in horsemen because of their combined power" (31:1); "So shall the LORD of hosts come down to wage war upon the mountain and hill of Zion" (31:4); and "Assyria shall fall by a sword not wielded by man, no mortal sword shall devour him; he shall flee before the sword" (30:8).

This talk of war should be no surprise.   The Hebrew conquest and settlement of Canaan was accomplished by means of armed conflict with other peoples.  Israel's early history (1225-1025) is a history of the wars of Israel.  War was so common at this time that special mention was made of those times when there was peace (Jdg 3:11; 1Kg 5:4; 2 Chr 14:1,5-7).

Following these early phases of Israel's history, the Hebrew monarchy (1025-586) was established and maintained by means of war.  The most successful warrior-leader in Israel's history was King David himself.  Throughout all of Hebrew history, many others of Israel's outstanding leaders were known for their military achievements (e.g., Joshua, Deborah, Gideon, Saul, Uzziah, and Judas Maccabeus).

Between the Exile (6th century BC) and the end of the NT era, biblical literature makes less mention of war.  Yet, the Hebrew mind of the later centuries was still molded by war because of the military campaigns against them by Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman conquerors.

Israel's wars were often based upon an understanding of God's nature.  Their image of God was that of a warrior; their wars were extensions of the will and power of the Lord God.   Israel's enemies were the Lord's enemies, and the Lord assisted Israel in times of war.  They did the fighting, but God alone gave the victory.

When Israel suffered defeat, it was understood as a withdrawal of God's assistance.  The idea that God "used" war to punish an apostate Israel appears again and again in the OT.  Often, the biblical writers saw war as a means to exact divine judgement.

The sacred authors also used war imagery to describe the spiritual combat between the evil one and the Divine One.  In the Book of Daniel, an enemy power represented under of features of monstrous beasts has for its first purpose "to make war on the saints" and to attack God's very Self (Dn 7:19-25; 11:40-45).  Behind this scenery can be seen depicted the spiritual combat between the God Head and the evil one.

In answer to this, God fights back.  It is God who will determine the death of the beast (Dn 7:11-26) and break its power (8:25; 11:45).  This plan goes beyond the scope of temporal wars.  It ends in a celestial combat by means of which God will crown those whom God has already sustained in history. This combat will put an end to inequity here and will be the direct prelude to the reign of God on earth. That is why it will be followed by an eternal peace, in which all the just will have part (Dan 12:1f).  The eschatological promises of the prophets are all fulfilled by this marvelous vision of universal peace (Is 2:4; 11:6-9).

In the NT, we find the weaponry of war used as an appropriate symbol for the Christian life.  The Book of Revelation continues Daniel's theme of final combat between God and evil: "They (ten evil kings and the beast) will make war on the lamb, but the lamb will conquer them" (17:14a).  The heavens open and the King of Kings appears on a white horse.  "He judges and wages war in righteousness . . . the armies of heaven followed him. . . .  Out of his mouth came a sharp sword to strike the nations" (19:11-15).

St. Paul is no exception in using this symbolism. "Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day. . . .  So stand fast with righteousness as your breastplate. . . .  And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph 6:13-14, 16-17).  "May you fight the good fight by having faith and a good conscience" (1Tm 1:18-19).  "Bear your share of hardship along with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2Tm 2:3).  And in the First Letter of Peter we read: "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desire that wage war against the soul" (2:11).

And finally, Jesus himself uses such imagery.   His words, "I have come not to bring peace, but the sword" (Mt 19:34), use military imagery to show that his message would create opposition which would sometimes be violent.  Still, Jesus' ultimate goal and mission was not to promote war or violence; he rather sought the opposite: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" (Jn 14:27).

Text: Isaiah 31:1-9; 32:1-8

1  Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who depend upon horses: Who put their trust in chariots because of their number, and in horsemen because of their combined power, But look not to the Holy One of Israel nor seek the LORD!

2  Yet he too is wise and will bring disaster; he will not turn from what he has threatened to do.  He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against those who help evildoers.

3  The Egyptians are men, not God, their horses are flesh, not spirit; When the LORD stretches forth his hand, the helper shall stumble, the one helped shall fall, and both of them shall perish together.

4  Thus says the LORD to me: As a lion or a lion cub growling over its prey, With a band of shepherds assembled against it, Is neither frightened by their shouts nor disturbed by their noise, So shall the LORD of hosts come down to wage war upon the mountain and hill of Zion.

5  Like hovering birds, so the LORD of hosts shall shield Jerusalem, To protect and deliver, to spare and rescue it.

6  Return, O children of Israel, to him whom you have utterly deserted.

7  On that day each one of you shall spurn his sinful idols of silver and gold, which he made with his hands.

8  Assyria shall fall by a sword not wielded by man, no mortal sword shall devour him; He shall flee before the sword, and his young men shall be impressed as laborers.

9  He shall rush past his crag in panic, and his princes shall flee in terror from his standard, Says the LORD who has a fire in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem.

32:1  See, a king will reign justly and princes will rule rightly.

2  Each of them will be a shelter from the wind, a retreat from the rain.  They will be like streams of water in a dry country, like the shade of a great rock in a parched land.

3  The eyes of those who see will not be closed;. the ears of those who hear will be attentive,

4  The flighty will become wise and capable, and the stutterers will speak fluently and clearly.

5  No more will the fool be called noble, nor the trickster be considered honorable,

6  For the fool speaks foolishly, planning evil in his heart:. How to do wickedness, to speak perversely against the LORD, To let the hungry go empty and the thirsty be without drink,

7  And the trickster uses wicked trickery, planning crimes: How to ruin the poor with lies, and the needy when they plead their case.

8  But the noble man plans noble things, and by noble things he stands.

Discussion/Reflection Questions:

1. When you view the history of war, how would you relate this reality with the reality of the God you believe in?

2. In 32:4-8 is a contrast of the "fool" and the "noble."  The fool is not stupid but arrogant, contemptuous of society, especially the poor.  The noble is the opposite.  What application would you make of Isaiah's words to society today?